We're so glad we picked this as our home base for our time in the Acadia National Park area. The location is terrific: a lovely view of the harbor, and close to the park but without the crowds of Bar Harbor. Luke and Jackie have provided so many nice touches and extras, from high-quality cookware, kitchen tools and spices, etc., to laundry detergent and dryer sheets for the washer and dryer (a great convenience). We also appreciated how clean the home was, plus the excellent guide books about the area. Thanks for a wonderful visit, and we hope to return!

The property was spotless, in a great location with every amenity you needed. Luke was a gracious host and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. I would highly recommend.

Property was very clean and as advertised. Perfect size for us with 4 adults and 2 young children. Updated deck overlooking the water and restaurants within walking distance were nice to have. Property Manager was very responsive.

Our family of four had a wonderful stay! We were conveniently situated within walking distance of many of Southwest Harbor’s shops and restaurants. The apartment itself was perfect, sparkling clean, well-stocked and thoughtfully appointed. Luke and Jackie are A+ hosts — excellent communications and suggestions.

We just wrapped up our second visit to this property, and it was even better than the first. The space has been rearranged and updated and was plenty for our group of 7 and a dog. Luke was amazingly helpful and communicative. We could walk to the store and shops, or take a quiet drive to Acadia. Can't recommend highly enough!

Luke and Jackie's rental is a beautiful place. We needed something a little bigger with at least four beds and this place fit the bill. Everyone was comfortable with a real bed. The apartment was outfitted with everything we would need - even coffee! The view was lovely and we were minutes from Acadia. The apartment is dog friendly too! We would definitely stay again.

This property felt like a home away from home. Our entire group (an infant, child, parents, grandparents, and dogs) had plenty of room. Everything we needed was there! Beds were comfy, linens were good quality, and the space was very clean. Host was great too. We were all very impressed!

This was the perfect house for our senior ladies reunion. The beds in all four rooms were comfortable. It was so nice to have a complete kitchen to prepare meals when we felt like it, yet close enough to walk to town if we chose to go out. The washer and dryer made packing light and so convenient. This ideal location made exploring Acadia National Park a breeze. Sunrise from the porch was a bonus looking out over the bay. Luke and Jackie were very helpful prior to our trip and kind while we stayed. I would highly recommend staying at this property.

Nestled above a small harbor in Maine is a lovely little home that overlooks the harbor. Down the way and around the corner, you can find the freshest lobsters in town. Our hosts were awesome at communicating with us and were very helpful and knowledgeable about the area. We felt completely at home. The home was close to Acadia and Bar Harbor. We had a wonderful stay. Many thanks to Luke and Jackie.

We loved this spacious apartment for our Acadia National Park vacation. The apartment itself is big, open, and has a deck with a beautiful view perfect for morning coffee or evening relaxing. It's a three minute easy walk into the village of Southwest Harbor. When the National Park buses are running there's a stop directly across the street. Oh and so clean - our dog rolled tennis balls under every piece of furniture and I can tell you - there is not a speck of dust to be found!

We had an awesome week with our dog at Black Dog Watch! Personally, we adore Southwest Harbor and this was a great home base. Owners were extremely helpful, responsive, and just good people (and their dog Maggie is a very good girl). We had everything we needed and would happily stay here again in the future!

This was our fourth stay in Southwest Harbor, and quickly became our favorite. The accommodations were clean and comfortable, with a great layout that gave the three generations of our family ample space without feeling disconnected. The location was fantastic - rentals where you can enjoy a quiet water view with your morning coffee while also being just a short walk into town are not easy to find, and this one was both and dog-friendly, too. Luke and Jackie were great hosts, letting us know they were around if we needed anything. We’re particularly grateful for their cooperation and excellent communication as we worked together to reschedule this trip from summer 2020. We had a wonderful experience and hope to return soon.

Very easy rental. Dog friendly and responsive owners.

This was a great place for our two families to stay. 4 adults and 4 teenagers. Good sleeping arrangements. Good amount of space. The deck was nice to hang out in while we grilled or just relaxed. Good view of harbor. We would recommend some towels for the beach and a few more towels. Having washer and dryer helped. We washed towels daily!! Fully stocked kitchen allowed to cook many meals!! Luke was very quick to respond and very friendly and knowledgeable about the island!! Sea Wall was a short drive, lighthouse and hikes all around this location!! Great place to have a home base for exploring the island. Bar Harbor was only 30 minutes away!! Ask Luke for recommendations on restaurants before your stay!! It will save you some money and belly aches😁

Luke was a wonderful property manager. If there was any problem or question, he answers on the first ring and handles everything as quick as possible. Luke's place is very comfortable and has everything you could want. The view is great and you can walk to restaurants and shops. They call the Southwest Harbor the quiet side of the island, and it was easy to see why. It is much more family oriented than the Bar Harbor side. After going to the Bar Harbor side once, we limited a lot of our time to the quiet side. There is much to see and do on both sides. Beautiful scenery, even though it was foggy several days.

My husband and I recently stayed at Black Dog Watch for a few days while exploring Acadia National Park. It was a great home base for exploring all of the main attractions in Acadia nothing was much more than a 30 minute drive. The property is exactly like the pictures on VRBO. Well equipped if you want to eat in/ cook- it was a great plus to have a washer and dryer as well. Very cozy and comfortable accommodations. We were over in Bar Harbor one day and it was ridiculously crowded and no availability for dinner at restaurants (all the waits were an hour plus). It was so much nicer to stay in Southwest Harbor- glad we picked it over Bar Harbor! Luke is very responsive to any questions you have and can give great recommendations for dining, hiking, ect. I am so glad we picked Black Dog Watch for our stay! I would definitely stay there again.

Very personable owners. Quick to respond to request. Very nice accommodations. Would be happy to stay here again.

Black Dog Watch was the ideal house and location for everything we wanted to do in Acadia. We could easily walk to town for shopping and food, and the view of the marina from the deck was beautiful, especially at sunrise and at night with the full moon shining over the harbor. Several members of our group sampled blueberry pie from various restaurants all over MDI each night of the week (including from the ladies baking pies under the tent downtown), and all agreed that the best slice was the one from right across the street at the Upper Deck. Beds and pillows were very comfortable, there were extra pillows, towels, and comforters if you needed them, the kitchen has everything you need, and there was plenty of storage for all 7 of our bikes under the deck. It was great having the large capacity washer and dryer as well. The bathrooms are small but worked out fine for all of us, and they, along with the washer and dryer, are centrally located between the four bedrooms. Our group of two families traveling with three kids ages 8-11 and a dog had never been to Acadia before, so we messaged Luke with many questions prior to booking the rental and also in the weeks leading up to our visit. He responded within hours and with extensive detail with his recommendations on where to hike, swim, bike, etc. We followed his suggestions to try the Perpendicular Trail, Acadia, Beech, and St. Sauveur Mountains in Southwest Harbor in the first few days of our stay, and we all agreed that these trails (less than 10 min drive) were all spectacular, with stunning views and fun topography. His suggestions for swim holes for the kids and dog were also spot-on; everyone loved swimming at Echo Lake and swimming and walking the carriage trails at Little Long Pond in Northeast Harbor. The highlight for the kids was finding crabs and snails while exploring the tidal pools at Wonderland, and the Bass Harbor Lighthouse was a short drive. It was also very easy to walk to the free bus stop to get into and around Bar Harbor and the rest of MDI; just be sure to pay attention to the bus schedules. There was just simply not enough time to do all that we wanted to do even though the weather was near perfect every day. We plan to return in the future and would not hesitate to rent this property again.

We are so happy we stayed in Southwest Harbor “The Quietside.” It was great to visit Bar Harbor and then scuttle back over to our refuge for peace and quiet. Luke & Jackie are exceedingly conscientious owners. Their replies are immediate. Luke saved me so much time by guiding me to all the best locations for hiking and swimming with my 86-lb water-obsessed Lab-mix. We loved being able to walk into SW harbor for coffee, etc. there are some really special places there to explore for food, drink and shopping. Please respect the rules the owners have made re: dogs. Although mine had lived in a hotel with us for an extended period of time and was accustom to travel, he still behaved differently in Maine. Fortunately, I brought a full toolbox of tricks to help with any behavior issues so I was prepared. For the first 5 years of his life, he happily hung out in his crate if we left him in a hotel while we went to dinner. Not so in Maine; I ended up being with him 24/7 so he wouldn’t disturb the neighbors or Luke’s family. It was no big sacrifice since I could easily carry-out and sit on the big deck and enjoy the gorgeous view. Bottom line: help Luke keep the rental dog-friendly by respecting the guidelines they’ve laid out so we can all return with our pets in the future!

I was vacationing with my daughter and her family. Everyone was happy with our accommodations; the home is large enough that we all had our own rooms. The living room/dining area are large enough for meals together as well as playing games or doing puzzles. Luke and Jackie have maps and additional information about the area available for guests. Each morning, my daughter and son-in-law would plot out their hike and sight-seeing for the day using a large map hung in the kitchen. Luke provided my son-in-law with information for local lobsters and clams and our family ate very well while there. Also, the home has all the needed conveniences to make the stay welcoming, relaxing and easy. The view from the porch is amazing - loved sitting on the porch enjoying the breezes and the view. The place is convenient to everything on MDI and our hosts were immediately responsive to any questions we had. We definitely recommend this place to others.

Great communication from the start. The home was exactly as described-plenty of room, beds etc. for our group of 8 family members and dog Maggie. Was close to all of the outdoor hiking and exploring activities that we came for. The town of Southwest Harbor is a gem. Hoping we can return again in the future and would definitely stay at Black Dog Watch - highly recommend this home

Being our 1st trip to Maine the entire experience could not have been more perfect than it was. There was 6 of us. 5 adults and one child. we decided to go to Maine for a family vacation and we do not regret any part of it. I found Luke's property on home away. From the very moment I inquired about the property Luke and Jackie were nothing but outstanding. They responded to any and all messages within a matter of minutes. As for the house that we rented it was spectacular. It was very clean very neat and organized And included everything that you could need. The only thing we really needed to take was our own toiletries and food. Upon meeting Luke and Jackie were very informative as to any questions that we may have had. They recommended delicious places to eat they recommended different hiking trails and different things to do in the area during our stay. They were both very very very polite and knowledgeable about Southwest Harbor Bar Harbor and anywhere else you wanted to go. There was so much to do and so much to see that we will definitely be returning next year because you can't possibly see it all-in-one week. I am a photographer and there was so much to photograph up there. The weather was absolutely perfect for most of the week. We had mostly 60 and 70ﾟ weather which was absolutely perfect. Luke and Jackie have a beautiful black dog name Maggie who is very friendly and loves to play catch with her tennis balls. our 10 year old son loved playing with her. Toward the end of the week we did have one and a 1/2 rainy days but there was plenty of antique shops within driving distance to spend the day inside finding neat treasures. Luke and Jackie's house is perfectly located in Southwest Harbor where it is quiet, calm and collected. But yet it is not too far away from Bar Harbor (20 minute drive) where all the activities take place. So to summarize our stay at Luke and Jackie's house it was nothing but spectacular I will definitely be returning to their house next year for our family vacation.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time here. We wish we could have stayed longer. The location is perfect. Coffee shop, bakery, and restaurants are all within 5-10 min walk. 25 min drive to Bar Harbor or to different entrances to Acadia.

Our family was meeting in Bar Harbor for a 1st cousins party. Several stayed in Bar Harbor, but we chose to stay on Southwest Harbor. The drive between the two harbors was beautiful and was only about 20 minutes. The house was just like the pictures, very clean and beautiful. We had everything we needed for our 3 day stay. Loved the frisbee catching black dog. We would definitely would stay there again and also tell others going to that area about it.

We spent 4 nights here and couldnt have been happier. The house is well cared for and was great for two adults and three children. We especially loved that the house has 4 twin beds and 2 king beds so there was no bed sharing for the kids (who can really struggle with this when they are young). We all slept very well with comfy beds and pillows and the location was great for exploring Mount Desert Island. I loved having the washer and dryer with detergent waiting for us, as my littlest one fell in the mud during one hike and we needed to wash some things. We cooked breakfast and dinner here each night (which I highly recommend in the fall because the local restaurant offerings are slim with few healthful options and many closing this time of year). During our stay I had a few questions and Jackie and Luke responded right away when I texted them. The IGA grocery is 2 miles north of the house on the same road. It is not a full grocery like you would find in a city, but we were able to find ingredients for spaghetti and meatballs (including grass fed organic ground beef) and peas and salad, hot dogs and beans and frozen veggies, and a we roasted a chicken with potatoes and broccoli. Cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, eggs, coffee, and milk for breakfast. The fruit selection was very limited, but we did get some apples, strawberries, and bananas in early October.

It was great to have a full house to stay in, with full kitchen for cooking. I was especially happy to have a washer and dryer for use. By the time I came here I did not have any clean clothes left. Very clean and updated. Almost felt like home. Nice view of the bay .

The house is spacious, clean and comfortable. It is also conveniently located, close to Echo Lake, Beech Mountain and other attractions. Highly recommended for big family trip to Acadia National Park!

Four good bedrooms nicely situated away from kitchen and living room. The baths and laundry were lovely ,well stocked and also well sited to afford privacy and quiet. Nice completely stocked kitchen with plenty of seating. Great breezes and views. Away from the main road but very close to downtown Southwest Harbor and ferry docks. We hope to return.

It was a great vacation time. The house is conveniently located in Southwest Harbour, just the right balance between quieter side of the island and proximity to some shops. Luke and her wife are very kind and welcoming. they maintain their home very clean, and it's large enough for 3 families. We had numerous good supper altogether, enjoying lobsters (kindly dropped by Luke in front of the door!!!) in all possible fashion. Good price, good home, good location, good hosts. Perfect time for everyone, . youngers as well as elders. Thank you! We hope visiting again.

Excellent property. Well maintained and convenient to many things. Short walk into town. Owners are nice folks and attentive to needs. Easy drive or island shuttle ride to all Acadia attractions.

Our two families totalling 7 people with 3 kids under 9 stayed at Black Dog Watch for a perfect week exploring MDI. Luke could not have been more helpful, going so far as to make sure our favorite games were available and recommending amazing hikes. The house had everything we needed. Even with 7 we never ran short on hot water or towels. The four bedrooms were very quiet- we had no issues with road noise or sound from the living room to the bedrooms- all kids slept soundly, a real vacation triumph! The house is a short walk into town, and we loved the bakery and pizza place across the street for breakfast and dinner! All of MDI was an easy drive- kayaking at Long Pond, biking the carriage roads, swimming in Echo Lake and hikes at Beech Mountain and Wonderland. It was far more peaceful than staying in Bar Harbor, all the natural beauty and charm without the tourists or schlock. We hope to be back soon!!

The location simply couldn't have been better for what we sought. The harbor view was terrific and the Upper Deck restaurant, plus the Little Notch bakery being right across the street were all unexpected treasures. SW Harbor is an easy walk, maybe five minutes away on the bike path. Luke is a busy and affable guy - maybe a little too busy right now, with lots of construction going on all around the property, and little ones upstairs, where his family lives, who get up and moving at 5 AM every day. It woke me, but didn't seem to bother any of the other 8 guests. Maybe if you are a light sleeper as I am, avoid the front bedroom, which seems to be directly below the morning clomping. That's not as negative as it may sound, and we really enjoyed the property, and our hosts, tremendously. I'd stay again in a heartbeat, and I think that says it all.