Harpswell Vacation Rental house

My husband, daughter & I stayed at this property in late July 2009. The home is sunny, charming, and clean. The waterview is very peaceful, as is the street which deadends into the water.

The rooms are airy and certainly the three of us had more than enough space to spread out. The living room and sun room have lots of seating, and there are both a small kitchen table and larger dining table. The house could easily accommodate six, though just one shower/tub to share. Plenty of nice towels are provided and sweet quilts on each of the beds.

The area is definitely a little off the beaten track (which is fine by us). Still, Brunswick is only about 10 minutes up the road with restaurants and a nice-sized grocery. We loved Wolfe's Neck State Park in Freeport, the Botanical Gardens just outside Boothbay Harbor, and the Giant Steps just down on Bailey Island.

The owners are friendly and quick to answer any questions you might have ahead of time via e-mail. They also provide you with a great binder full of info regarding the house, how to operate the various appliances, and info about the area, restaurants, stores, etc. This was our little bible for the week.

This was our first experience renting a home and we came away pleased. Though most days we spent out exploring, we enjoyed having this comfy home to return to in the evenings.

I would definitely recommend Birchwood to anyone looking for a quiet, secluded spot for their Maine coast getaway. The house was at the end of a dead end road and there was zero traffic (unless you count the lobsterboats.which passed by occasionally in the narrows), which really helped us feel like we were getting away from it all. The house was meticulously maintained and had great views of the water. Probably my favorite aspect of our stay was waking up in the upstairs bedroom and seeing the sunlight reflecting off the water in the bay below. Really a magical way to start the day! There were some great hikes nearby and the restaurants we found in Brunswick were excellent (El Camino has great Mexican and a super-funky ambience to go with it.) Mostly, though, we hung around the house and enjoyed the opportunity to read books, sip cocktails, walk down to the water at the end of the street, and generally de-stress in this cozy and comfortable environment. The description of the property was accurate and, unlike with some other places we've stayed, the pictures give a good sense of what you can expect when you get there. We're looking forward to getting back to Birchwood soon for another relaxing stay.

My wife and I stayed at Birchwood Cottage for 2 weeks with our 7 and 10 year old kids. We loved it. It was a perfect base for our Maine vacation. We want to come back to stay in Birchwood every summer. One great thing is that unlike most Harpswell vacation rental houses, Birchwood is on a quiet road and you have privacy. Other summers we've stayed at other houses in Harpswell, but most of them are located on a main road and don't have any privacy. You feel like you're squeezed between the neighbors. At Birchwood Cottage we could just kick back in the backyard, play horseshoes and tetherball or whatever, cook on the awesome big gas grill (better than the one I have at home!), and relax. Of course, the view of the water is one of the best things about the cottage. We loved hanging out in the big living room, looking at the water, playing cards, and watching the lobsterboats pull traps. We carried our kayaks down to the water and launched them. The kayaking here is amazing -- I didn't realize how good it was until I came. From Birchwood, we paddled out into Harpswell Sound and saw millions of seals. Ok, maybe not millions -- but dozens. Another time we paddled up Ewing Narrows and saw a bald eagle in its nest, plus a few ospreys. So cool. Even if you don't have a kayak, you can see a lot of this stuff by the house. I have to say that it was really convenient to stay here, rather than someplace way down Harpswell Neck or Orrs and Bailey Islands. Much more convenient, and more private. Plus there's a wine-cheese-chocolate shop, country market, and little cafe within a halfmile of the cottage, so you don't have to spend your whole vacation driving on errands.