Avoid crowds with private lakefront beach perfect for large groups!
Cottage in Harwich, MA
17 guests · 7 bedrooms · 4 baths
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Great for petsBring all your friends and family, even the furry ones
Top-tier experienceOne of the higher cost properties in the area
About this cottage rental
Private lakefront setting which avoids the Cape Cod crowds and public beaches!
Vacation with friends or extended family in this 'Old Cape Cod' style setting with a large private beach on John Joseph’s Pond. This 3.5 acre private wooded lot has 3 cozy cottages each with its own fireplace and 2 separate kitchens so that you and your friends or family can vacation together but still have privacy when you want it. A covered breezeway connects 2 cottages and a common courtyard allows for the whole group to gather around one or both of the two fire pits. Or follow a short wooded path down to a large private sandy beach for lounging or for swimming off the dock or to the float. Enjoy boating ( several boats available for your use), fishing, or just relaxing during the day. In the evenings enjoy food or song at the fire pits on the beach. And don't forget your dogs or other furry friends!
Vacation with friends or extended family in this 'Old Cape Cod' style setting with a large private beach on John Joseph’s Pond. This 3.5 acre private wooded lot has 3 cozy cottages each with its own fireplace and 2 separate kitchens so that you and your friends or family can vacation together but still have privacy when you want it. A covered breezeway connects 2 cottages and a common courtyard allows for the whole group to gather around one or both of the two fire pits. Or follow a short wooded path down to a large private sandy beach for lounging or for swimming off the dock or to the float. Enjoy boating ( several boats available for your use), fishing, or just relaxing during the day. In the evenings enjoy food or song at the fire pits on the beach. And don't forget your dogs or other furry friends!
Amenities
Pets allowed
Kitchen or Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Fireplace
Parking
Laundry
Balcony or Patio
Dishwasher
Family friendly
Map of Harwich, MA
$$$$
Ratings and reviews
Summary of reviews
The property offers a private beach, rustic cabins with ample space, and a cozy atmosphere perfect for family gatherings. Guests enjoyed the beautiful pond, water sports equipment, and outdoor activities like bonfires.
4.0 / 5.0
Our family is big on camping and the great outdoors. This location is a good match for us.
Let’s call it rustic. The host is gracious and a good communicator.
The “cabins” are rustic and charming, maybe they have some of the original parts from the 1950’s?
We enjoyed the private beach and the kayaks, canoes and beach toys. Campfires were terrific fun. Games galore available on site. Kitchen well equipped. Barbeque was handy. Our group had a marvelous time. This is not a fancy resort, if you are super fussy about cobwebs, mildew or leaky screens, this is not the place for you. It is a bit like camping. We plan to return; it is a very unique and special spot. We had a wonderful time!!!
4.0 / 5.0
Imagine staying at an old style Cape Cod compound where you have the privacy of your very own beach on a large tranquil pond in the middle of Cape Cod. It is minutes to the bike trail, walking trails, great restaurants, shopping, the Bay, the Sound and the Outer Cape.
J.J. includes three rustic cabins- one common cabin which includes a great room, large kitchen and bath. In addition there is a bunk house which accommodates two couples with children, and another cabin suitable for one couple with children.
Owners are warm, very responsive, engaging and flexible. It was a sweet, relaxing retreat that helped to create wonderful family memories to last a life time. Thank you!
5.0 / 5.0
Some 23 of us, arriving at staggered times, had a wonderful experience. We visited places all over the Cape, sat and played on our private beach, and thoroughly enjoyed the variety of water craft. There was truly something for everyone. There were two cousins, ages 8 mo and 5 mo that entertained us as well as two cousin dogs who romped and played endlessly. It was FABULOUS!
5.0 / 5.0
I first reached out to Anne on VRBO regarding her property she shares with her family. From the first message until the last message after our trip, she was nothing but completely responsive and helpful. She shared a list of everything they have to offer at the property including trash, amenities, things close to the cottages, etc. The pictures on the website are absolutely accurate and the entire place is more than worth the price. We didn’t run into a single issue while we were there. There’s plenty of space for 15 people and you can make room for more if needed. The pond is right down the woods trail and was perfect. The cottages were in immaculate condition, the grill worked amazingly, there was plenty of seating, and plenty of room for having fun outside. Our group, for example, played corn hole, grilled, had a fire, sat on truck tailgates, and we still had room for more.
I would highly recommend anyone contact Anne if they want a beautiful, serene location for some family or friend time and you have a large group. Our group even discussed making it a yearly tradition to use this place!
Anne, once again thank you so much! It was truly a wonderful experience.
5.0 / 5.0
The property was perfect for our group, and it was exactly what was promised.
5.0 / 5.0
This trio of cabins, nestled in the trees on the pristine John Joseph pond, is situated close to each other but still provides private quarters for individual families traveling with friends. The kitchen is in its own building, along with a great handout room, so people who want to stay up later (our children) can, without disturbing sleepers. A huge and fabulous fire pit roughly centered among the buildings is surrounded by comfortable Adirondack chairs and provides a cozy gathering place after a long day of hanging out on the private beach, accessed through two well-situated paths in the woods. The beach, oh my, it is really special, with kayaks and at least one canoe, a paddle board, beach toys, etc., as well as two more fire pits which our industrious friend used for a day-into-night cookout to great effect. The beds are comfortable, there is plenty of room to sprawl out, and our hostess, Anne, was super responsive and welcoming. If you are looking for luxury, this is not your place, but if you can deal with a bit of rough and tumble, this place is magic.
5.0 / 5.0
Property was a very nice place to spend a family vacation. The setting on the lake was beautiful and the kids really, really enjoyed playing in the water. The private beach was great. Loved making s’mores every night. The kitchen was well supplied and we didn’t miss anything. Beds were comfortable and we slept well. Enjoyed our stay.
4.0 / 5.0
Beautiful stay , we didn’t have the best weather. Still had a great time. Difficulty walking the paths if old🤣😂
5.0 / 5.0
Nice relaxing stay. Pond was great and rustic cabin was nice.
5.0 / 5.0
Our family had a wonderful week in the woods and on the lake at this property. Staying in the various rustic but clean cabins surrounded by trees but close to everything was such a source of calm and relaxation during these trying times. Anne is a wonderful host and was very responsive. We enjoyed the kayaks, canoe, float, dock, sunfish, and fished on the lake. We built a campfire every night and enjoyed reconnecting and relaxing as a family. The kitchen was well stocked. Thank you!
4.0 / 5.0
This property is spectacular with its private pond access, cute cabins, and ample outdoor space. If you're looking for luxury features and modern lodgings, this place isn't for you. If you like the cabin life and don't mind something cozy, this place is definitely for you. The pond can't be beat and the water sports equipment is such a huge plus! Owners do live on the property (it's a massive lot and their house is a 3-4 min walk away), so you do occasionally run into them, but they are lovely.
2.5 / 5.0
The camp on John Joseph Pond is not to be missed. It's rustic in the best way with 3 wonderfully quirky cottages with plenty of space (there were 15 of us) on a beautiful and undeveloped piece of land with private beach and pier. You feel away from it all and yet groceries are just a short drive away. Places like this are hard to come by on the Cape. It made for a perfect two week "Camp Covid" stay for 4 families and 3 dogs.
2.5 / 5.0
We had a wonderful week on the pond. Two families with kids shared the property. Lots of room for all of us. Really appreciated all the great spots with lots of seating for all: at the beach, the fire pit, outdoor and indoor dining tables. Such a great getaway.
2.5 / 5.0
This place is so magical! It is right on the lake. We enjoyed BBQs in the evening, singing around the bonfire at night, and going kayaking during the day. This place is awesome for large groups. We went with a larger group that stayed in different houses and gathered at night in this place. There are three spots to do bonfires, lots of seating and a big space to hang out. We had no complaints about noise either. The lake is so gorgeous and it comes with several kayaks, canoes and a litle sailing boat which was really fun to try. Every morning some people would wake up and have coffee on the peer and go kayaking. The houses are rustic, and very lovingly furnished. We felt immediately at home. There is also a large kitchen and two fridges (one in another cottage) which was great for storing large quanitities of food. Thank you for making our graduation trip so amazing! We also had one child there (age 9) and she was in tears when we were leaving because she loved it so much.
2.5 / 5.0
Anne and Dick’s place has three good sized cabins on a beautiful piece of land that has access to two fire pits and a great private beach. Our weekend get together had 17 people and we played golf at the nearby Captains Course in Brewster which was only about a 10 minute drive. We ended our days around the fire pits while grilling on the back patio. This truly is a great location! I would highly recommend these cottages to anyone and I will definitely be coming back here again with family and friends. I can't forget to mention that Anne and Dick had delicious homemade brownies waiting for us upon arrival. The perfect vacation spot!
5.0 / 5.0
Anne and Dick’s place is a perfect cape cod getaway! Plenty of beds, great kitchen and lots of outdoor seating. The lake is absolutely beautiful and relaxing. This place is great for a large group! you could easily spend all your time relaxing at the house or if you want to go out they are close to beaches and restaurants. Would highly recommend these cottages to anyone!
5.0 / 5.0
Great place for large group. Lots of things to do nearby
5.0 / 5.0
These cottages are very well located. It is located on a private pond. You have everything to enjoy the pond with your kids (or without): paddle, sunfish, kayak....Our kids had a blast. The owners are very nice & accommodating. I would definitely recommend these cottage and we will all come back again. The French group.
5.0 / 5.0
The setting of these cottages is perfect. Located on a private pond, near ocean beaches and within close proximity to the bike trail, we always had something to do. The description of the cottages was accurate. The owners are very accommodating and helpful. I would recommend this property to a friend or would come back again.
5.0 / 5.0
My group of friends and I from high school try and get together for a "family" vacation every couple years. We had a group of 17 this year so it was a little difficult to find somewhere to accommodate all of us. I came across this property and knew it would be perfect. There was a lot of sleeping space and we loved the main cottage where we could all gather. Our favorite part was the pond and outdoor area. Although the location is great we did not feel the need to leave the house because we were occupied with outdoor games, boat and pond equipment and fire pits which were utilized every night. We were even greeted with freshly baked brownies from the owners Anne and Dick. I could not rave more about how great the spot is. We will certainly be visiting again!
5.0 / 5.0
We had a large group looking for a somewhere to stay down the Cape, and this place was perfect! The cottages themselves had plenty of space for our group, though the best part of this place is all the outdoor space. We enjoyed grilling and relaxing on the patio and around the fire pits near the cottages. The access to the pond was an amazing bonus. The beach provides a private space with access to the pond. We happily took full advantage of the dock, variety of boats, the fire pits, and the beautiful sunrise. The owners were extremely friendly and easy to work with. While we were easily able to explore nearby for restaurants and night life, we didn't really need or want to leave! Overall we were incredibly happy with our stay, and our definitely already considering a return visit!
5.0 / 5.0
I have stayed here twice already and have just booked my third visit this fall because I am in love with this place. Me and about 12 other women come and relax, do yoga, do bonfires and hang on the water. Most of us are coming from NYC and this place provides the perfect peace and quiet we need! I also bring my two rescue mutts and they love hanging out on the pond and going boating with us! Anne and Dick couldn't be better hosts! When you get there, there is always a plate of delicious homemade brownies! Also, the first couple of days during my last visit, it was unseasonably cold and Dick brought over firewood because he was concerned that we would be cold! I cannot say enough good things about Anne and Dick and the property! I'm sure I will be back for many, many wonderful visits!
5.0 / 5.0
This beautiful property is the perfect setting for a large group of friends or a family gathering. You do not have to leave the property with a large private beach to enjoy all day long and fire pits to enjoy the sunset. The owners are very easy to work with and accommodating. Highly recommended.
5.0 / 5.0
John Joseph Pond was the perfect place for our friends. The three cottages provided us with a lot of space so we never felt cramped. The outside of the property was charmingly rustic while the inside was equally as charming with all the modern amenities needed to make us feel comfortable. The pond was one of our favorite features! During the day we took advantage of the variety of boats available for our use and at night we utilized the fire pits down on the beach. On nights when it was too cold to venture down to the pond, it was an added bonus that there were fire pits right outside the cottages as well. John Joseph Road is conveniently located on the Cape, nothing was more than a twenty minute drive away!
The owners of the property could not have been sweeter! Before arriving they sent us a detailed list about the any information we need to know about the property and the area, even providing us with recommendations for their favorite restaurants. When we arrived they came over to introduce themselves and bring us a plate of delicious brownies. Since we were there early in the season, it was a little cold. But when the owners heard it was going to be unseasonably cold, they brought over extra space heaters for us!
I would highly recommend this property! It is a great place for a large group who is looking to have a fun experience on the Cape! My friends and I hope to return to the property in the near future.
5.0 / 5.0
My family and friends had a great time! We were a large group but had enough space to enjoy the Cape Cod weather. The kids loved the pond and the adults loved the fire pits! The location is centrally located to many places we wanted to go which made driving around the Cape much easier. I really loved it and hope to have a chance to go back and rent again!!!
5.0 / 5.0
We loved our stay on John Joseph Pond. Even though the cottages are right off the road, all the trees and the pond made us feel like we were deep in the woods. We had our own private, sandy beach, with access to kayaks, a canoe and paddle boards. We all had a blast swimming out to the raft and looking for turtles, frogs and fish. There are 2 fire pits down on the beach that were well used for toasting marshmallows and making s'mores. The cottages were very clean and had everything we needed - lots of beds for the 3 families that were staying there. The kitchen is very well outfitted with everything you need to cook simple to extravagant meals. The slate patio between 2 of the cottages was our favorite place to eat and hang out when we weren't down at the beach. And, the cottages are just a short drive to some great ocean beaches, ice cream stands and the cape cod bike trail! The owner was very responsive to all our questions and concerns. His dad, who lives next door, came over with a welcome plate of brownies on our first day. All and all, a great time was had by all.
FAQs
How much does this cottage cost compared to others in Harwich?
The average price for a rental in Harwich is $524 per night. This rental is $1,346 above the average.
Is parking included with this cottage?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Avoid crowds with private lakefront beach perfect for large groups!. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this cottage?
We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this cottage. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.
Is Avoid crowds with private lakefront beach perfect for large groups! pet friendly?
Yes! This cottage is pet-friendly. For more information, we recommend contacting the booking provider about animal policies.
What amenities are available at Avoid crowds with private lakefront beach perfect for large groups!?
We found 9 amenities for this rental. This includes pets allowed, kitchen or kitchenette, internet / wifi, fireplace, and parking.
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