It was uncomfortably hot, too hot to sleep at night and there was a damp feel throughout the entire house. We noticed a musty smell and several areas of mold on drywall. Drywall tape was hanging loose and doors not closing properly, just too much dampness to be comfortable.

Good

The rocky shoreline and private tidepools were amazing. The large kitchen bar was great for meals and family games. The castle was quirky and spectacular and the long house that is under construction makes us want to come back! We had a great time in Maine.

The owners put so much work into every detail of this place! Quality, charm, awesome wood and stone work! Perfect isolated location, yet not too far to get to civilization, Acadia, and our favorite-Schoodic point. The private little beach is an amazing spot to sit and admire the mighty ocean and think , read or write. Everything was so clean and well stocked, the owner was quick to respond to any questions. If not for the incredible beauty of Maine, we could’ve spent the entire time in this beautiful place!

This home was a disaster in the deep woods. We wanted to stay here with our small children. Not only is the place covered in mold but there’s major safety and code violations throughout. There’s a crib and beds up against an open loft with a huge deadly drop of a child climbs from the crib or furniture. There’s a filthy shower with ice cold rust water. The place is freezing in early Sept. with no heat. The listing shows photos from when the home was likely listed for sale and is not current. I am putting this review to protect other families who may pay for this hone and end up in a hotel like we did. The beds are yellow, old, dirty mattresses with hairs. The mold is so bad that even the owner said to put a blanket on the furniture before attempting to sit on it. This should be considered a cabin in the woods and a step above camping in a tent. It should be maybe $50-$75 a night honestly understanding that the mold/health and safety violations are present. The home really needs repairs. Locks are broken on doors and stair cases are like a lighthouse which could trap you in a small room with tiny windows in case there was a fire. You’d have no way out. Families with kids should NOT rent this. I don’t think anyone should rent this if you are concerned about breathing high levels of mold. You smell it the second the door opens. This place should be condemned or renovated majorly. The listing doesn’t match up with what you’re renting. Beware! I thought this would be a magical vacation and it seemed like a great idea until I arrived at a filthy cabin. There was old food in the fridge and open containers of ice cream, old dates on dressings in the fridge, moldy cheese... the beds were sickening. I wouldn’t even sit on them. The beds couldn’t even be donated to a homeless person. Please beware of consumer fraud and false advertising. Manager's Response: Thank you for your review. This owner has asked us to pass along the following response: "Thank you for your feedback. The 3-year-old refrigerator, which I had personally wiped down prior to your arrival, did contain some food. The cleaning crew who came through after our departure should have either tossed these or taken them home to use. The only thing I leave in the fridge besides the baking soda and water would be the spices in the freezer, for guests to use. They keep fresher longer that way, and we don’t always have time to refill the jars in the spice rack during the turnovers. The pictures were taken 3-4 years ago, and so do not reflect the upgrades which have taken place since then, not the least of which is the gas log unit put in this Spring 2019. The house now has a working fireplace, a new entrance walkway, new ceiling wallboard, and recessed lighting scheme in the master bedroom, new hardwood maple flooring in all bedrooms, and a spacious, suspended deck, shaded by a tall maple tree, with a picnic table for eating meals, and just hanging out. Additionally, we've upgraded our WiFi service and will be installing an upgraded water filtration system later this month. The plan for the future is to continue upgrading and refining the property, taking great pains not to squeeze the life and the charm from this mighty castle. Some great suggestions have even come from guests, such as the possibility of an outdoor eating area (completed in Spring 2019) With our daughter having grown up here, and a new generation (now 13 month-old twins!) coming behind to discover it, I’m sure we will continue to find new ways to improve and enjoy it, which we look forward to sharing with you who wish to be enchanted by it." Best, the Evolve Team

Dragonwood Castle was an absolute treat. The sounds, smells, sights and feel of this home were magical!

Staying in Dragonwood is like living inside a piece of folk art. It's fanciful, weird, and a genuine delight. But if you are seeking a pristine home, sanitized, climate-controlled, and empty of evidence of human habitation, this is not the place for you. The overall feel of the place is like visiting an artistic, eccentric, but elderly aunt whose house is chock full of a lifetime's oddities and acquisitions. When she serves you tea and cake, you know the plate is likely to be a bit smudged, the cake dried at the edges, maybe nibbled by mice. But her company is so fascinating you'll overlook all this, and keep from turning your head at the furtive scurryings at the baseboard you see out of the corner of your eye. Dragonwood is just such a trade. Sitting in the lower living room with three-story tall windows, you may see three species of butterfly at once on a thistle plant in the foreground, and the surf and ledges of the Atlantic in the background, but you will also smell the dank notes of a typical New England stone basement, a space that, inexplicably, communicates with the living room though a bank of screens in walls. The ground-floor shower is built of huge, rough hewn stone blocks and you will have the feeling, while bathing, of living inside a medieval story. The water, fully drinkable, is nevertheless so laden with iron that it has a tang of blood to it, and will stain your clothes, particularly the whites. Best to take your laundry home with you. There are elaborate dioramas built into the windows, and hand-carved hinges on the cabinets, and a turret master bedroom where you can hear the bell buoy and the waves all night. There is also, on damp days, a dim smell of dog in the entryway. The back porch is built around a maple dripping in lichen; you will feel like you're in a tree house when you sit at the picnic table out there. The property includes a segment of spectacular rocky coastline, accessible by a short grassy path. The house has its quirks and peculiarities, maybe more than others of its age, even given the fact that it's a castle. But, like any person or place or house worth knowing, there is much one will tolerate or overlook for a richness of experience unparalleled by any other house we've ever rented. We would be remiss not to mention our immense gratitude for the responsive owner Amélie, who gave excellent suggestions and made a special effort (despite being far away at the time) to rectify a thorny issue.

We are grateful for our wonderful week-long stay in the whimsical Dragonwood Castle. Even with our party of six adults, the house had ample living and sleeping space. In addition to meeting all of our basic needs, the house's well-thought-out design, beautiful view, and its abundance of intricate, hand-crafted details truly set it apart from other rentals we have stayed in. Furthermore, Dragonwood Castle is situated in the ideal location for visitors to Maine due to its close proximity to beautiful parts of Acadia National Park such as Schoodic Point, as well as uniquely Maine attractions such as U.S. Bells and the Pickled Wrinkle. We would happily stay here again!