Excellent Wheelchair Accessible Property
Review Submitted: May 2, 2008
Date of Stay: August 2007
I stayed here twice as a wheelchair user, and had no problems at all. I am a paraplegic, and I cannot stand or walk at all. However, the owner was kind enough to customize some wooden ramps for various entrances and exits to and from the Main House, and they worked just fine. Entering the bathroom was a little tight, but doable. I use an 18 inch by 18 inch cushion, and have a manual wheelchair. If you have 27 inch clearance, that should be more than enough. Most passageways are much wider.
The house and the related buildings is one of those large extended family complexes traditionally popular among wealthy Eastern families. The main house appears to be rather historic, and I understand it was built in the 1920s, in the sort of grand hunting lodge fashion, with a large fireplace, nice stonework, real logs, custom furniture, animal trophies on the wall, and a very large room essentially connecting the living room, dining room, kitchen, and wraparound porch with a nice view of the lake. Aside from the bedrooms, the main house also has a nice little study for reading and telephoning, very cosy, right off of the grand hall.
The buildings are all of very high quality, and it would probably cost a lot of money to replicate them today. Everything was in good condition. It seemed to have a nice blend of the elegant and rustic, the formal and informal.
I would recommend the place without hesitation, and it was a privilege to stay there. It is certainly a distinct place, with a lot of character. Undoubtedly it's a top choice for the area.
The property has a remote air about it, and is quite woodsy. But it's only about an hour or less to Portland, the largest city in Maine, with a lot of nice seafood restaurants and old seafaring architecture on the waterfront. It is also pretty close to the Maine turnpike, and the beach stretch in Southern Maine. If you wanted to go into Boston for the day, or Portsmouth, New Hampshire, full of old architecture, you could do it, if you don't mind a little driving. There is also a nice old Shaker village nearby the house, which is hardly any drive at all.
I did not go on the lake in one of the available canoes or boats, but it would be possible to do so for someone in my condition if someone came along to help. There's a nice big lawn along the lake for cookouts and socializing. People do swim in the lake, and there are nice sunsets. It's like Moosehead Lake, but a lot more convenient.
Greg
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Helpful votes: 7/7
