Franca's Place - A Historic Cottage - Mount Desert Island Maine
4.7
Outstanding(32 Reviews)Cottage in Seal Cove, ME
5 guests · 3 bedrooms · 3 baths
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Free cancellationFull refund if you change your mind
Includes essentialsGarden, Pool, Kitchen or Kitchenette and more
About this cottage rental
Originally built when Maine was part of Massachusetts, this rustic historic cabin has been updated with modern amenities. Fireplace and baseboard heat for chilly nights, and window air conditioners for warm days. Walk to Acadia National Park hiking trails and public access swimming, and short drive to Algerine Coast off the Cape Road, where you can enjoy the sunset, have a barbecue on the beach or launch your kayak.
Amenities
Pool
Air conditioner
Kitchen or Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Fireplace
Parking
Laundry
Dishwasher
TV
Garden
Family friendly
Map of Seal Cove, ME
Reviews
4.7
Outstanding(32 Reviews)4.7
We had a lovely and peaceful stay at Franca's Place. It was clean and beautiful. On the quiet side of the island was great for us and still a easy and quick drive to all the activities and food the Island and park had to offer. We loved staying there! My kids started calling it "home".
4.7
Gigi (grandma) chose Acadia as the destination for her 70th birthday. After much research we chose to stay here. It’s 25 mins from Bar Harbor in the quiet side of the island. The cottage was perfect for our stay and the communication was excellent. I wish we could have stayed longer. It’s a fabulous way to see the island. I can’t recommend this place enough.
4.7
We enjoyed the quietside and easy access to Bar Harbor and especially all the Acadia National Park activities. The owner reached out about a concern at the house and we hadn't even really been bothered about it. The house is just right for all we needed and especially for activities we planned. Thank you!
4.7
This was a fabulous place to stay and the cottage was well equipped. The owner's were responsive to questions and the caretakers took care of one of the questions we had immediately. It did help that we had fabulous weather the week that we were there. We totally enjoyed being on the quiet side of the island and it was easy to get anywhere we wanted to go. Anytime that I want to vacation in MDI I would hope that this cottage would be available.
4.7
First, the communication with the owner is great. She is very responsive and checked in once during our stay to ask if we needed anything. We enjoyed the ducks wandering around the house in the rain and the deer visiting. The property itself is lovely.
The historic part of the house is lovely. However, that was overshadowed by a sofa that has seen better days and is in need of a clean slipcover. Sitting on stained fabric is not a joy. Heat was provided by a small low wall-mounted electric unit which aimed directly at the side of the sofa and was therefore not terribly efficient. Otherwise, portable space heaters were provided. Wiring throughout was a little questionable (holes for wall sockets and outlet covers were too big and left gaps, one of which was covered with what appeared to be packing tape. The kitchen is adequately equipped and we appreciated the dedicated electric water kettle. The wifi was good and appreciated. Because we had several days/nights of rain, we tried the dvd/vhs player with the old tube tv. After hooking them up, the dvd player would not recognize the dvds. The wifi came in handy as we could stream a movie on our computer.
The location on the island is great, we usually stay in that vicinity. But be prepared for significant traffic noise pre-dawn, especially trucks. Overall we enjoyed our stay. This house has huge potential and with some significant upgrading would easily rate five stars.
4.7
Good and friendly communication. A house that has clearly been loved through the years.
4.7
Great location on the quiet side of the island.
4.7
Cozy little home to explore MDI from. Three bedrooms and bathrooms plus a reasonable sized kitchen and living room. Great location and comfortable place to call home while in Maine.
4.7
Family stay
We enjoyed our stay very much. Good location and house was roomy enough for our family. Only complaint was that upstairs shower leaked into downstairs bathroom ceiling. So it couldn't be used. Reported it to property manager. Overall good experience.
4.7
We had a very good experience staying in Tremont & very much enjoyed the area, the home & this time of year. Thanks for a great stay!
4.7
Great trip to Maine
We had a very good experience staying in Tremont & very much enjoyed the area, the home & this time of year. Thanks for a great stay!
4.7
A lovely spot to stay if you don't mind a bit of a drive to get to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. And anyway, the Quietside has its own charms well worth discovering!
4.7
Great base for exploring MDI
A lovely spot to stay if you don't mind a bit of a drive to get to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. And anyway, the Quietside has its own charms well worth discovering!
4.7
Thanks for an awesome place! Loved every minute. Close to lots of hikes. 30 minutes from bar harbor but everything else is super close.
4.7
Great place
Thanks for an awesome place! Loved every minute. Close to lots of hikes. 30 minutes from bar harbor but everything else is super close.
4.7
Trip to Maine August 21-28
Everything we read about the home on-line was true except we didn't smell anything musty. The only problem we has was with the stairs; they were so steep that both men had trouble navigating them. We found a great place to buy lobsters down the street about 2-3 miles, Hodgdens; soft-shell lobsters were $6.49!!!! The cabin had more than adequate pots and pans.
The only thing I would change is the cabin location; it took us at least 20 minutes to go anywhere except the lobster pound. We had a great time; there was very little phone service and no internet but we all un-plugged and drank wine and blueberry beer, played cards and talked, it was great.
I would rate the cabin and our experience 4.5 stars (I didn't know how to give a half of a star).
4.7
Clean cozy cottage, perfect size for our family of 4. Plenty of amenities provided for a comfortable stay. Location is a little bit of a distance to Bar Harbor, but overall very good.
4.7
Satisfied
Clean cozy cottage, perfect size for our family of 4. Plenty of amenities provided for a comfortable stay. Location is a little bit of a distance to Bar Harbor, but overall very good.
4.7
We enjoyed our stay at Franca’s Cabin this week. 3 full baths is likely a rarity in a place like that and we appreciated the convenience. We didn’t do much cooking, but the kitchen seemed well equipped with items like a blender and toaster oven that you might not get everywhere. The location was good for privacy. If there were any near neighbors we didn’t see them. It is just off a busy road - the road noise didn’t really bother us, but don’t expect to going running/biking straight from the driveway. It is a 20-25 minute drive to get to Acadia/Bar Harbor/Southwest Harbor, so not too bad, but not convenient for going back and forth multiple times a day. It seems like the trade off for not being in the busy downtown and for actually having enough space to relax when you are there.
4.7
Cute cabin with few compromises
We enjoyed our stay at Franca’s Cabin this week. 3 full baths is likely a rarity in a place like that and we appreciated the convenience. We didn’t do much cooking, but the kitchen seemed well equipped with items like a blender and toaster oven that you might not get everywhere. The location was good for privacy. If there were any near neighbors we didn’t see them. It is just off a busy road - the road noise didn’t really bother us, but don’t expect to going running/biking straight from the driveway. It is a 20-25 minute drive to get to Acadia/Bar Harbor/Southwest Harbor, so not too bad, but not convenient for going back and forth multiple times a day. It seems like the trade off for not being in the busy downtown and for actually having enough space to relax when you are there.
4.7
Stay in Acadia Natl PArk
NIce house, well equipped with all amenities. Beautiful park. Nice to stay on the quiet (West) side on of MDI. Hosts Francesca and Isabella are very responsive and accommodating. They gave many good tips on things to do.
4.7
Great stay at MDI
We had a great time at Franca’s Cottage. The weather was great so we didn’t need to use the a/c. The wifi is slower than most maybe used and connectivity on the whole island is spotty. This location is easily accessible to Bar Harbor and Acadia as well as the Bass Harbor lighthouse. It has all the necessary kitchen and bathroom items. Some parts of the home had a musty odor probably due to its age.
4.7
Great quiet location
The house had everything we needed for a week stay. Great for families or small groups. We cooked at the house for most nights without any issues. Good welcome booklet including some local information.
In humid times use dry setting of A/C.
House is on quiet side of the island;about 20-25 mins from Bar Harbor and about 15 mins from Bass Harbor Light house
We would recommend this place and had a great time!
4.7
Sweet & Comfortable
A really comfortable place to stay; well maintained, no visible neighbors, secure, and clean.
4.7
Beautiful!
We had a fantastic time! As a family of 5 with kids ages 14, 11 and 8, we found everything we needed for a week of fun on Mount Desert Island. The accommodations were great, the kitchen supplies were perfect for us to make meals for our family and the bedrooms and bathrooms were in very good condition. We enjoyed all that Bar Harbor and Acadia offered - all within about 20-30 minutes drive. We were sad to leave and will definitely be back! Thanks so much Francesca and Isabella!
4.7
Nice house on the quiet side of MDI
The house had everything we needed. It was clean and comfortable. The kitchen is well stocked and the grill is new. The fireplace looked very cool. We we wish we had a chance to use it but the weather was warm.
The house is in a secluded area but the drive to Acadia, shopping or for food is not far. There is a very cool auto museum very close. It tells the history of driving on the island.
The owners were available and welcoming. We didn't need to contact them because we had no issues but they checked in when we arrived to make sure we were comfortable and happy.
4.7
Good place to stay.
Good in all respects. Clean, great location for the park.
4.7
Everything you could ask for on the quietside of MDI
We had a great stay at Franca's Place. It appears small in the photos but once you see it up close you realize it's much bigger. With three bedrooms and three baths it accommodated four adults and two toddlers perfectly! The road was a little noisy but the trees bordering the property made it feel nice and secluded. There was every amenity available we could ask for. From towels and linens and laundry soap to a beach chair and pots for boiling lobsters and crayons for the kids... the list goes on! Having all these things readily at hand meant my family and I could settle in quickly and feel like we were right at home. My only feedback is that we wished there had been more hot water available. After one or two adult showers there was often not much left over and we had to wait for it to warm up again. I would definitely recommend staying here and we will even consider staying again for our next trip to MDI. We are also very pleased that the cottage was available during non-traditional times. Most places on the island only rent Sun-Sat, but we had to plan our trip Wed-Wed and Franca's was one of the few places that catered to our specific needs. Thank you so much!
4.7
Wonderful
A charming cottage, quiet location and gracious owners make this for a nice vacation in Acadia National Park. It worked for us having this location for hiking, biking, kayaking, a boat trip, enjoyed the Jordan Pond popovers, and local lobsters too.
4.7
Pleasant place to stay
The cottage exceeded our expectations. It was comfortable, clean and with all amenities for a very pleasant stay. The practical lay-out and the tasteful decoration made us feel at home right-away. The owner and care-taker were very attentive with information and quick with answers to our questions. Mount Desert Island of course offers a lot for nature lovers and one morning we had a deer visiting in the garden. There are a lot of possibilities for activities nearby with trails for hiking and a lake for canoeing only minutes away. Bar Harbor is only a leisurely 25 minute drive and a brewery, winery and beautiful gardens are closer by. During the summer this is a great place to stay. When it gets colder, I am not sure if the living area can be heated adequately. It was not so easy to find in the dark on the night of our arrival but that applies to many properties on a first visit in an unknown area. I highly recommend this property to anyone who want to explore Mount Desert Island during the warmer months of the year.
Matthe and family
4.7
Our family really enjoyed the trip to Acadia. The cottage is clean and cozy.
This house is in a quiet neighborhood, but is still convenient to most attractions.
The kids had a great time, especially the kayaking and the hikes.
4.7
Very Pleasant Stay- Highly Recommended
We had a little trepidation in renting this cottage as there were no prior reviews, for good reason: we were the first to rent there. This cottage is very charming and accommodated our four adults easily- it is advertised to sleep up to five, but I think six could be comfortable there. We did not use the upstairs bedroom with two twin beds. Each of the three bedrooms has its own updated bathroom with shower.
The caretakers who live nearby helpfully took our phone call requests for information but were unobtrusive otherwise. The owner, Isabella, texted us to see how we were doing during our stay, and was consistently obliging in seeing to our well-being.
The location is fabulous- Mount Desert Island's "quiet side." Bar Harbor is about 30 minutes away, but there is plenty to see and do near the cottage. There was very little traffic on the highway at the foot of the drive for the first couple of days after we arrived, though it started to pick up as Fourth of July weekend began.
From someone who's rented vacation spots in Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and West Virginia before, Franca's Cottage deserves an A+.
Scott
FAQs
How much does this cottage cost compared to others in Seal Cove?
The average price for a rental in Seal Cove is $341 per night. This rental is $131 less expensive than the average.
Is parking included with this cottage?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Franca's Place - A Historic Cottage - Mount Desert Island Maine. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this cottage?
Yes, a swimming pool is available for use at Franca's Place - A Historic Cottage - Mount Desert Island Maine. Enjoy the water!
Is Franca's Place - A Historic Cottage - Mount Desert Island Maine pet friendly?
Unfortunately, this cottage is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"
What amenities are available at Franca's Place - A Historic Cottage - Mount Desert Island Maine?
We found 11 amenities for this rental. This includes pool, air conditioner, kitchen or kitchenette, internet / wifi, and fireplace.
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