Incredible views overlooking Southwest Harbor and beyond.

Southwest Harbor, Maine
$1399 avg/night
Bed 7

Bed

Bath 6

Bath

Home Private Vacation Home

Property Type

Sleep 14

Max Sleeps

The views from Island Watch are spectacular. To the northeast is the fjord of Somes Sound, and further south is a more intimate view of Southwest Harbor and several of the offshore islands, all with Acadia National Park's mountains as a backdrop.
Island Watch sits on a ridge above the village of Southwest Harbor and has a vista that is as unique as any on the Maine coast, yet is removed from the busier, in-town atmosphere. We are a bit more secluded, but we do have our own private path that will take you into the center of Southwest Harbor. From there you can board the free Island Explorer bus, wander through an art gallery, have a gourmet dinner, or just have an ice cream at the local café. We are only minutes away from some of the least used and most scenic trails in Acadia National Park.
Formerly run as a Bed and Breakfast, Island Watch is now available to rent on a weekly basis. The seven bedrooms of the main house each have their own bathroom. The suite on the lower level has a complete kitchen and fireplace. The main deck area provides a relaxing gathering area for your entire group, where you can kick back and watch the boating activities below. We also have a separate efficiency apartment rental unit, called the Bird's Nest (651708), over the detached garage on the same property.
The views are spectacular from the decks at Island Watch. Sit and relax in the quiet splendor of the Maine woods while taking in the panoramic beauty of the islands, mountains, harbors and the village of Southwest Harbor!
You're within walking distance to the local restaurants, bike rentals, sailing, boating, an ice cream parlor, and exclusive shops. Some of our local establishments are Beal's Lobster pound, Rogue Cafe, Sawyer's Market, Red Sky Restaurant, and the Wendell Gilley Museum.

You will enjoy spectacular ocean and mountain views, beautiful sunrises, quiet times, and the many activities in nearby Acadia National Park. The Rockefeller family constructed beautiful carriage roads throughout the park in which you can enjoy on foot, in a horse-drawn carriage, or by bike.

Come and stay at one of the most beautiful places in the Maine. Experience a quiet family vacation or one with friends. Be active or just kick back, read a book, work on a jigsaw puzzle, or paint a picture — all while enjoying the fresh air and pristine views.

Southwest Harbor has an active marine industry base of boat builders, marinas, and lobster and sail boats.
Island Watch watches all of this from its peaceful perch above the harbor. It is the Real Maine...Simple! “The way Life Should Be!”

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

Feature Features

  • SKI

    Close To Skiing
  • PETS

    1 Total Pets Pet Friendly Welcoming Dogs Only
  • BEACH

    Beach Towels
  • DINING

    Dining Table
  • SAFETY

    Carbon Monoxide Detector Installed (host Has Indicated There Is A Carbon Monoxide Detector On The Property) Fire Extinguisher First Aid Kit Smoke Detector Installed (host Has Indicated There Is A Smoke Detector On The Property)
  • BEDROOM

    7 Bedrooms Bed Sheets Provided
  • GENERAL

    Unit Size: 4400 Sq Ft (409 Sq M)
  • KITCHEN

    Blender Coffee/tea Maker Dishwasher Microwave Oven Refrigerator Spices Stovetop Toaster
  • LAUNDRY

    Laundry Facilities Near Laundromat Washing Machine And Dryer
  • PARKING

    Car Recommended Onsite Parking
  • INTERNET

    Free WiFi
  • OUTDOORS

    Balcony Barbecue Grill Garden Outdoor Furniture
  • BATHROOMS

    6.5 Bathrooms Bathtub Or Shower Hair Dryer Shampoo Soap Toilet Paper Towels Provided
  • WORKSPACES

    Desk Desk Chair Office Printer
  • LANGS SPOKEN

    English
  • THINGS TO DO

    Basketball Nearby Boat On Site Fishing Nearby Fitness Facilities Nearby Golf Nearby Golfing On Site Hiking Nearby Kayak On Site Marina Nearby Power Boating Nearby Surfing/body Boarding Nearby Water Park Nearby Whale Watching Nearby
  • ENTERTAINMENT

    Books DVD Player Games Video Library Smart TV
  • LIVING SPACES

    Fireplace Living Room
  • CLIMATE CONTROL

    Air Conditioning Heating
  • FAMILY FRIENDLY

    Children's Books Children's Games Highchair Playground Stair Gate Travel Crib
  • LOCATION HIGHLIGHTS

    In A Rural Location In A Village In The City Center Near A Hospital Near A Zoo
  • SERVICES AND CONVENIENCES

    Iron/ironing Board
  • SUITABILITY/ACCESSIBILITY

    If You Have Requests For Specific Accessibility Needs, Please Contact The Property Using The Information On The Reservation Confirmation Received After Booking. Smoke-free Property Wheelchair Accessible

CheckIn Check-in : 04:00 PM CheckOut Check-out : 10:00 AM
No Wheelchair No smoking No pets Children allowed
Occupancy Max occupancy : 14

Map Map

School District Rates & Availability

Review Review

  • Suzanne C.

    Submitted Oct 25, 2025

    Stayed Oct 5, 2025

    Host very responsive.

  • Clifford L.

    Submitted Oct 7, 2025

    Stayed Sep 28, 2025

    Marvelous sunrise views from the back deck and upper floor. Very quiet and secluded. Upper floor bathroom required a large rock to shut-would not latch. Fairly anemic water pressure, although no lack of hot water for our 12 guests. Kitchen was fantastically equipped except ice maker never worked and microwave was small and not built in.

  • Michael R.

    Submitted Oct 1, 2025

    Stayed Sep 21, 2025

    Everything about this property was exceptional. The location is perfect for families, couples, and in our case, high school classmates from Mississippi celebrating their 70th birthdays! There is so much to do in Acadia and this property is the perfect launch pad for any activity that people in your group might want to enjoy. Nearby hiking, boating, and sightseeing. The house was immaculate and very well supplied. The spice drawer was amazing! Beds were more than comfortable, and linens were excellent with plush bathroom towels. I'd highly recommend this location for any group. We look forward to coming back.

  • Pam K.

    Submitted Sep 1, 2025

    Stayed Aug 24, 2025

    Perfect house for large group. We had 9 adults and never felt crowded. Very open floor plan and the kitchen was a 6 out of 5. Loved the path to the downtown SW harbor area. Location was great for Arcadia and Bar Harbor.

  • Hope L.

    Submitted Aug 24, 2025

    Stayed Aug 17, 2025

    Comfortable home with beautiful views.

  • Jeff A.

    Submitted Aug 15, 2025

    Stayed Jul 27, 2025

    13 of our family all had great space, private bathrooms, extraordinary views, the best stocked beautiful kitchen ever and room to roam. We even had deer and wild turkeys roaming the property. We couldn't have dreamed this to be any better! JUST PERFECT!! Susan was a great host too!

  • Candace D.

    Submitted Jul 21, 2025

    Stayed Jul 13, 2025

    The house was perfect for my family’s trip to Maine! The location was perfect as it was away from the crowds of Bar harbor, but only 30 minutes at the most for everything we wanted to do. The house had plenty of room for everyone to have some space. 6 1/2 bathrooms was great. Our favorite room was the kitchen where we cooked everyday but one. my grown children loved to take the path to town and beyond.we had a fabulous week at Susan and Andy’s home!

  • Harold G.

    Submitted Jul 16, 2025

    Stayed Jul 6, 2025

    This was the perfect house for our extended family. We had three generations there for the week, it was perfect for a big group. The house has incredible views, is very well stocked, and is just a great layout. The path to town was easy, and the house is well situated to many hikes and lakes on the quietside, and not too far from the rest of the park and Bar Harbor. Highly recommend!

  • Toni C.

    Submitted Jul 12, 2025

    Stayed Jun 29, 2025

    Great house with room for many. The view was truly spectacular. 3 generations enjoyed a weeklong vacation with lots to see and do.

  • Darla S.

    Submitted Jun 19, 2025

    Stayed Jun 8, 2025

    We loved loved our stay, the house was perfect, the views amazing. Susan our host is the best. The house has verything u need. Fully functioning kitchen.

  • Joseph G.

    Submitted Jun 9, 2025

    Stayed Jun 1, 2025

    Island Watch was an absolute gem! We gathered there for a family vacation and could not have asked for a better setting! The house easily accommodated our family of 10 adults with room to spare. We were all impressed with how well the kitchen was stocked! It made cooking at the house very enjoyable! The views from the living rooms and decks were incredible! It was very quiet and close to many trails with awesome views! Also, easy to get to other locations of Acadia! Our host, Susan, was wonderful and very accommodating. Would definitely go back again!

  • Kelly T.

    Submitted Oct 30, 2024

    Stayed Oct 13, 2024

    We had a wonderful time staying at this property. The views are breathtaking, home is super clean and kitchen is to die for! Would definitely return!

  • Katie L.

    Submitted Oct 7, 2024

    Stayed Sep 29, 2024

    The house was AMAZING! The location and views were outstanding and there was plenty of space for our group of 13 adults to sleep and to gather. It was the most well stocked house any of us have stayed in. The owners were the best and were so communicative and easy to work with. 10 out of 10 for us!!!

  • Kathy H.

    Submitted Sep 16, 2024

    Stayed Sep 8, 2024

    Excellent property! Beautiful views from the deck. Plenty of room for gathering and enjoying each other’s company. Great location for discovering Acadia and surrounding communities. The property owners were fantastic and welcoming. I can’t say enough good about our week in southwest harbor!!

  • Jaclyn P.

    Submitted Sep 9, 2024

    Stayed Sep 1, 2024

    The house was great, it has a fully stocked kitchen with everything you would need. Take a quick look before shopping there are spices, olive oil, bug spray etc. Store is a quick 5 min ride. There were 12 of us and never felt crowded or loud. Bedrooms were virtually sound proof, sometimes a rarity in an older home. There are many amazing hikes nearby right in SW Harbor. We really enjoyed the quiet side of the island and didn't mind the driving with Acadia and Bar Harbor being a 30 min drive. We loved the ability to walk into town via the path behind the house and go to the cafes and dinner. The views are beautiful.

  • Jann S.

    Submitted Aug 11, 2024

    Stayed Aug 4, 2024

    Perfect home for 3 generations. Comfortable beds, plenty of bathrooms, deck with a gorgeous eastern view. Very well appointed kitchen. Owner very responsive and easy to work with. Gave us good suggestions. Hiking trails nearby that aren’t as busy as main part of Acadia. Southwest Harbor is quieter side of island but easy access to Acadia NP and Bar Harbor. SWH has excellent restaurants, bakeries and ice cream!

  • P W.

    Submitted Aug 5, 2024

    Stayed Jul 28, 2024

    A beautiful oasis just far enough from the traffic of Acadia but close enough to easily reach everything we wanted to see and do.

  • Barbara T.

    Submitted Jul 22, 2024

    Stayed Jul 14, 2024

    Wonderful time in beautiful Maine with all our children and grandchildren

  • Faith L.

    Submitted Jul 14, 2024

    Stayed Jul 7, 2024

    Cozy, fun loving. Great hikes and swims. Beautiful views from porch! And a wonderful kitchen to cook in. Friendly and helpful hosts.

  • Janet C.

    Submitted Jul 7, 2024

    Stayed Jun 30, 2024

    Perfect for our group-lots of space to spread out and great rooms to gather in. The wildlife-foxes and deer-kept us all entertained. The view was incredible!

  • Matthew L.

    Submitted Jun 30, 2024

    Stayed Jun 23, 2024

    This was a magnificent house for our family of 10. There was an extra bedroom beyond what we needed, so a large space. The common areas were large enough for everyone to spread out but close enough to interact. Wonderful, spacious, well stocked kitchem.

  • Carole D.

    Submitted Jun 19, 2024

    Stayed Jun 9, 2024

    Wonderful property for a family vacation, we were a group of 11, ages 16 to 82. There was enough bedrooms and bathrooms for all to be comfortable and space to be together or time alone. The amenities provided went above and beyond anything I have experience in any other rental house. The views over the harbor were outstanding and the location was very convenient to get around Acadia and Bar Harbor. Great communication with Susan before, during and after our stay. Thank you

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Total

Includes taxes and fees
$1,399+
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