Bar Harbor, Maine
Built in 1887 as the original Bar Harbor High School (Emerson School), the Emerson House occupies the ground floor of the two-story school house (note: there is another unit on the second floor. With advance notice, and if available, the entire building can be rented for larger parties). Located in the heart of downtown Bar Harbor, it is conveniently located within walking distance of everything! No worries about finding an elusive parking space - just park and walk. Frenchman's Bay is just two blocks away in two directions. In between are many restaurants, shops, grocery stores, two movie theaters, several parks, and access to a free shuttle that covers Acadia National Park and the rest of the Island.
The street Emerson House is situated on is one of the nicest residential streets in the village. It is sometimes referred to as "Mistress Row," primarily because JP Morgan is rumored to have built one of the houses for his mistress so he could visit her when he moored his yacht in the Harbor. Tree-lined and full of well-maintained turn-of-the-century homes built during Bar Harbor's famed Gilded Era, the one-way street is surprisingly quiet for its central location. Porch sitting is a summer past-time for the neighborhood - always a delight during the mild and near bug-free afternoons and evenings.
Until 1914, the building saw a generation of students pass through its doors until a larger school was built. It was then purchased by the Masons, who used the upstairs (now "Mason House") for their gatherings, and they rented out the first floor for groups to hold events, classes, etc. It remained in the hands of the Masons until late 2016, when the neighbors across the street purchased it - a couple of architects with a penchant for acquiring and restoring/repurposing historic properties. They had the vision to maintain the best of the features, spaces, and details and bring everything up to modern standards of comfort and design.
The design of the Emerson House is inspired by elements that were an essential part of the original building, such as the wood beadboard wainscot and cabinets and the high ceiling with beams and heavy trim work. The decor is inspired by a large set of vintage "Blue Willow" china that was left behind, reflected in the kitchen's color scheme, modern fabrics that harken to the same feeling, and an array of china as wall decoration. Furnishings include a mix of antiques and new furniture. Once stripped of all of the lateral windows, new windows have been installed, including a 16-foot long four-panel door in the living room, leading to a covered deck and a good-sized fenced yard. Once possessing a catering kitchen, it still has a 10-burner, two commercial oven ranges, plus a plethora of new appliances. A large dining area, with a wide sideboard and a bar, includes a 12-foot-long table (an original to the building). All wiring and lighting have been updated, and the main space is air-conditioned.
Four bedrooms contain a king-sized bed, and one has two twins; all have a ceiling fan and dresser/armoire. There is also a ladder-accessible loft with a twin bed (an absolute kid favorite!). There are three bathrooms: two designed to accommodate multiple users, with separate rooms for the WC, shower, and vanity, plus a full bathroom with shower and tub. The 28 x 26 living room includes two sofas, oversized chairs, a game table, a fireplace, and a large-screen TV. There is also a SECOND living area with a queen sleeper sofa, and a dining table for 6, which can also be used as an office, and a kitchenette. The fifth bedroom, sleeping loft and second living room offer an added layer of privacy, like an in-law suite with a connecting door ( and that is all included in this rental).
All check-ins are self-check-ins with a digital lock. The home is spacious, and the yard is completely private, with several private entrances. The location is quiet, and it is easy to get to the Park and other areas of interest.
This property is licensed and has been inspected by the Town of Bar Harbor. The license number is VR2R22-349
1
Location can’t be beat, plenty of parking! Lots of space! Loved the outside seating too! Kitchen was well stocked! If traveling w large group or jsut want lots of space, this place can’t be beat!!!
Great stay. Great location. Exceptionally clean. Couldn’t ask for anything more
The converted school has a great layout for a family vacation with plenty of room to spread out. We vacationed with our grown children and families. The large den and outdoor areas were great for family games! The kitchen is large and well equipped to offer some in house dining options. The location was perfect for walking to town for shopping, dining out and getting ice cream. You can rent bikes around the corner and bike to carriage roads or walk to the low tide sand bar hike. So much to see and do! We had an excellent vacation and look forward to returning!
Everything was perfect! We had a marvelous time enjoying this beautiful house, exploring Bar Harbor and hiking in the park. We will return!
This beautiful home could not have been more perfect for our family! Nice bedrooms and family rooms. Perfect outdoor area. Well equipped kitchen! The proximity to downtown Bar Harbor could not be better. We walked for meals, ice cream, coffee, hikes, the land bridge at low tide. Perfect!
Our family of 9, parents, grandparents and teens had the most wonderful time at Emerson House. The house is spacious and centrally located for activities in Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. The kitchen is marvelous and very well equipped. We had great fun and delicious meals around the big table in the kitchen. The neighborhood was very quiet but within walking distance to the grocery, shops and restaurants. The home’s beautiful spaces and elegant porch gave everyone a place to relax and “follow their bliss”, as well as an opportunity to share time together. We even tried our hand at family games of bocce ball on the lawn! We were only a short drive from hikes in Acadia, and boat tours, etc. Everyday brought new experiences as well as the pleasure of returning to our beautiful home base in Bar Harbor. Communication with the owner was easy and helpful as needed. We have rented VRBOs in many places over several years and we all agreed that this was the very best!
This house was in walking distance to downtown Bar Harbor. The location couldn’t have been better. We walked to the free shuttle to do some swimming and hiking and walked downtown for shopping, coffee and ice cream. We were a large group of 12 and the house was plenty big enough. Would definitely stay here again. Thanks so much for a great vacation!
Emerson House is a beautiful home with everything we needed for our week-long stay. The kitchen is huge and well appointed. The beds were comfortable and the rooms private. The inside and outside living spaces were everything we needed. The location was within an easy walk to everything in Bar Harbor, including the Island Exporer stop at the Village Green. The owner was very attentive with all communication. I would highly recommend the Emerson House!
Perfect location. Perfect set up for our large group. We loved cooking meals and then eating all together at one table. Very comfortable beds. The large living room was perfect for our gathering.
This house is unreal…we went as a girls trip and there were 10 of us and we had more than enough room. Gorgeous house, well-stocked, perfect location and great hosts!! Would highly recommend staying here if you get the chance!!
Great Stay at Emerson Mason - property was cozy and quirky :). Loved the living area and the kitchen. Bedrooms were nice, bathrooms were adequate (were a little tight/cramped, but I'm sure that's a reflection of the age of the home). Location was unbeatable - walking distance to grocery and all of Bar Harbor, plus easy access to Acadia National Park and all it has to offer. Communication with host and house manager was easy and very helpful. Would definitely recommend staying here.
5 50+ ladies who all attended high school together in Hawaii. We now live in various places across the mainland US. Decided to meet for a mini reunion. We ended up with only 4 of us at the last minute. This house was amazing!! All the bedrooms were comfortable, the details in the common areas were beautiful. This was a comfortable kick back and relax place. The big screen TVs were great to watch our college football games on Saturday night. I wish we had time to make use of the wonderful kitchen and the side yard. We were only in Bar Harbor for a few days, and spent most of our time in Acadia, in town, and doing tours. But this house could accommodate a large family or group VERY comfortably!! And if you cook, oh my! A 10 burner commercial grade gas stove!! We had one small issue and our hosts responded so quickly and in fact stopped by (literally within less than 5 minutes!!) to help us when we couldn’t figure out how to trouble shoot the issue ourselves! This renovated school house is in a very convenient and quiet location. Walking into the heart of BH, the marina, and to the shops/restaurants was an easy walk for all abilities! And only about 5 minutes from the BH entrance to Acadia. I hope I can get to BH again in the future and spend more time, and if I do I would definitely rent this house/school again. Thank you Kay and Augustino!
This spacious, well-equipped, cozy home is close to downtown Bar Harbor and within walking distance of everything. Three couples stayed on the first floor and the king beds and en suite bathrooms made for the perfect set-up. We enjoyed the yard and porch for chatting and relaxing. The kitchen had everything needed to cook a lobster feast...which we did twice! We look forward to our next trip to Bar Harbor.
Absolutely loved this property. The style and personal touches were perfect. Great home for large family with lots of space to spread out. The kitchen was great for making family breakfast and the side porch for a private concert.
What a wonderful house! It was within walking distance to shops and restaurants. There was plenty of room to spread out and congregate. We would definitely stay here again. The owners were very nice and answered any questions quickly.
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