Quintessential Rustic Maine Oceanfront Cottage on MDI near Acadia National Park

Tremont, Maine
$428 avg/night
Bed 2

Bed

Bath 1

Bath

Home Cottage

Property Type

Sleep 7

Max Sleeps

Perched just feet from the waters of Blue Hill Bay on the quietside of Mt. Desert Island, our cottage will provide the respite you're looking for. Whether you spend your days on the deck reading a book and gazing out at the sweeping southwest view across the water, or come home to watch the sunset after a day of island exploring, you can't help but feel restored.

Originally built by the Rich brothers as their fishing shack, the Lyford family added to the original structure over their 90 year ownership. The cottage retains its rustic character with white-washed exposed structure throughout, living room with wood-burning fireplace and cathedral ceiling, sleeping loft, and windows looking out to the ocean from every room.

The cottage has a well equipped kitchen, large living room with wifi, TV, DVR, & radio, and a dining room, with a water view that is hard to look away from.
The cottage is filled with books, and has plenty of games for rainy days, or for when you don't feel like leaving this little corner of paradise.

Outside, the deck overlooking the water is perfectly situated for soaking in the sun's rays and watching the resident loons fishing, seals frolicking, mink scurrying along the water's edge, eagles soaring, and celebrating the setting of the sun at day's end.

The cottage is in a private setting. You have access to the entire cottage, the deck, and the surrounding grounds, including the rocky shore in front of the cottage.

The cottage can sleep 7 people:
The bedroom located on the 1st floor, has a queen bed, with direct access to the bathroom.
The 2nd floor loft consists of 3 sleeping areas (no doors between) with a double bed, 2 twin beds, and 1 built-in twin bed.
A pack-away crib is also available upon request.
A maximum of 2 pets are permitted with permission and fee.

The cottage is rented week to week, from Saturday to Saturday. It is strictly a no-smoking area. Pets are permitted with prior approval and a fee. We are available to answer any questions you have about our cottage before or after arrival.

Getting There
The cottage is located on the southwestern quiet side of Mount Desert Island, 10 minutes beyond the town of Southwest Harbor, in Tremont. Prior to your rental period, we will provide directions to the cottage.

About the area
Getting around by car is most common; the closest Island Explorer Bus stop is in Bernard. The town of Southwest Harbor with its restaurants and shops is 10 minutes down the road. Bass Harbor and Thurston's Lobster Pound is also conveniently (& deliciously) only 10 minutes away. Numerous beautiful quiet-side mountain hikes are a short drive away, including the Wonderland, Ship Harbor and Beech Mountain trails. Wonderful swimming can be found within a 15 minute drive in Long Pond and Echo Lake.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:

1) We have a small house on the other side of the property. There is a thick stand of trees between the cottage and the house however, such that you cannot see from one structure to the other. It is possible that we would be around during your stay, but the cottage is extremely private, and we respect your privacy and will not interfere with your stay. If you are interested in meeting however, we'd be happy to say hello!

2) The cottage has NO CENTRAL HEAT, is NOT INSULATED, and is open stud construction. Note that depending on the year, there can be chilly days and nights particularly in May and Sept/Oct.
There is a fireplace in the living room, and wood can be purchased at roadside shacks on the island. There are two electric space heaters , but they will not heat the entire cottage; one will heat up the bedroom nicely.
On a sunny day, the cottage will warm up nicely due to its southwesterly orientation, but heat will dissipate once the sun goes down.
There are plenty of warm blankets.

3) The cottage is old and rustic. Although we do our best to keep pests and mice out of the cottage, the old construction makes it impossible to guarantee that those unwanted guests won't come visiting. We ask that you help in keeping mice away by storing all food in closed containers and not leaving dirty dishes lying around.

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  • Feature Features
  • Map Map
  • School District Availability
  • Review Review

Feature Features

  • PETS

    2 Total (up To 20 Lbs Per Pet) Pet Friendly Service Animals Exempt From Fees Welcoming Cats And Dogs Only
  • DINING

    Dining Table
  • SAFETY

    Fire Extinguisher First Aid Kit No Carbon Monoxide Detector (host Has Indicated There Is No Carbon Monoxide Detector Or Gas Appliances On The Property) Smoke Detector Installed (host Has Indicated There Is A Smoke Detector On The Property)
  • BEDROOM

    2 Bedrooms Bed Sheets Provided
  • GENERAL

    Recycling Unit Size: 1100 Sq Ft (102 Sq M) Uses Some LED Lighting Water-efficient Showers Only Water-efficient Toilets Only
  • KITCHEN

    Coffee/tea Maker Electric Kettle Lobster/crab Pot Microwave Oven Refrigerator Spices Stovetop Toaster
  • LAUNDRY

    Near Laundromat
  • PARKING

    Car Required Onsite Parking
  • INTERNET

    Free WiFi, With Speed Of 25+ Mbps
  • OUTDOORS

    Barbecue Grill Outdoor Furniture Patio
  • BATHROOMS

    1 Bathroom Bathtub Or Shower Shampoo Soap Toilet Paper Towels Provided
  • LANGS SPOKEN

    English French Italian
  • THINGS TO DO

    Birdwatching Nearby Cycling Nearby Fishing Nearby Hiking Nearby Hiking/biking Trails Nearby Kayaking Nearby Sailing Nearby Swimming Nearby Wildlife And Game Walks Nearby
  • ENTERTAINMENT

    Books DVD Player Games Smart TV
  • LIVING SPACES

    Fireplace
  • CLIMATE CONTROL

    Heating
  • FAMILY FRIENDLY

    Children's Books Travel Crib
  • LOCATION HIGHLIGHTS

    Near The Ocean
  • SUITABILITY/ACCESSIBILITY

    Area Rugs In Public Areas Hardwood Flooring In Public Areas If You Have Requests For Specific Accessibility Needs, Please Contact The Property Using The Information On The Reservation Confirmation Received After Booking. No Elevators Smoke-free Property Smooth Flooring In Public Areas Stair-free Path To Entrance Upper Floors Accessible By Stairs Only

CheckIn Check-in : 03:00 PM CheckOut Check-out : 10:00 AM
No Wheelchair No smoking No pets Children allowed
Occupancy Max occupancy : 7

Map Map

School District Availability

Review Review

  • John M.

    Submitted Jul 15, 2025

    Stayed Jul 5, 2025

    Lyford Cottage was perfect for a week on Mt Desert Island. What a beautiful view of Blue Hill Bay. At night the moon hangs over the water and the sound of gentle waves are heard in the bedroom. The cottage is decorated with original artwork and offers a generous selection of books. Everything is very clean and well maintained. The outdoor shower overlooking the water is a treat. Great bird and butterfly watching. Close to a few good seafood restaurants and a short drive to Bar Harbor.

  • Dan K.

    Submitted Jun 23, 2024

    Stayed Jun 1, 2024

    This was our second time staying at Lyford Cottage (which speaks for itself), and the first time visiting Mt. Desert Island in early June. We had a great time! The Quiet Side cottage, which has a classic feel and offers privacy, provided the perfect launching point for day trips around MDI or to just hang around and relax. The cottage sits right above a rocky shoreline, offers a path down to the water, and has porch for watching wildlife, photographing the setting sun, or just relaxing.

  • James T.

    Submitted Oct 18, 2023

    Stayed Sep 23, 2023

    A very well equipped cottage in a very quiet and peaceful setting with a wonderful water view. We had a very comfortable and restful vacation. Would definitely stay again.

  • maggie p.

    Submitted Oct 18, 2023

    Stayed Oct 10, 2023

    My brother and I had a perfect stay. We hiked, ate lobster and so enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Our host Tom and Sylivia were so awesome in every way. The cottage was so spotless and had everything we needed. Highly recommend this property on your next Maine vacation.

  • Ronald B.

    Submitted Oct 5, 2023

    Stayed Sep 16, 2023

    This was a great spot for a quiet getaway right on the ocean. Very private and beautiful view. Great cottage with a lot of history. We would recommend this as a great place to stay.

  • Valerie B.

    Submitted Jul 15, 2023

    Stayed Jul 8, 2023

    This was among one of our favorite places we have stayed in over the years!! The cottage is in a lovely, quiet setting, yet not a far drive from the National park. The character of the cottage makes it feel like an authentic Maine experience. My daughters enjoyed writing and drawing on the rocks and catching crabs. My husband and teen son spent a lot of time fishing from the rocks, catching many mackerel and pollack. We enjoyed several fresh fish dinners. The deck was a great place to relax with a cup of coffee and listen to the birds or watch the tide come in, but there was also plenty of comfortable space to spread out indoors on the rainy, misty Maine days. Kitchen was nicely stocked with the basics for cooking.

  • Natalie A.

    Submitted Oct 3, 2021

    Stayed Sep 11, 2021

    The peaceful location was perfect to gather to celebrate the marriage of our daughter. Just what we needed! Excellent communication by the owners, exactly as described and pictured. Lots of laughter and memories from this trip. We’ve already recommended Lyford to lots of friends who couldn’t wait to come. I hope we can return again one day to this little wedge of paradise.

  • Carrie K.

    Submitted Sep 2, 2021

    Stayed Aug 14, 2021

    My family of 5 stayed here in August and absolutely loved our visit. The location is beyond stunning - quiet and secluded with your own slice of gorgeous rocky Maine shoreline, yet a quick drive to anywhere on the island. We loved the quirkiness of the cottage (a former artist's dwelling and studio), and there was ample room for our family to comfortably spread out. The whole cottage is very thoughtfully appointed, even with a popover tin, so our eldest enjoyed serving us hot popovers one morning! Our evenings were spent watching gorgeous moonrises on the water and gazing at the star-filled sky. I don't think we've ever stayed at a more peaceful place. Most our our days were spent exploring Acadia, and Bar Harbor and Southwest Harbor are short drives away. Sylvia was welcoming and easy to communicate with. I would wholeheartedly recommend this gem of a vacation home!

  • Matthew M.

    Submitted Aug 24, 2021

    Stayed Jul 24, 2021

    Wonderful property. So many special, unique details. We'll be back.

  • John L.

    Submitted May 28, 2021

    Stayed May 16, 2021

    Lyford cottage almost could not be closer to the water and the million dollar view stretches for miles out to Swans Island. The kitchen is very well equipped with everything clean and in good condition. Same for the linens.. It is very private and quiet; a perfect getaway. A few more outlets would be helpful, but a couple of outlet multipliers would solve that issue. Overall, a great place for those seeking peace and quiet and a spectacular water view.

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Total

Includes taxes and fees
$428+
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