Nestled in a clearing on 14 acres of natural woods and fields, The Almighty Struggle offers a secluded retreat with an oversized deck facing the Union River inlet. Enjoy swimming, kayaking or exploring the 400-foot beach along the shore. This small rustic cottage is perfect for couples and small families seeking a private outdoor experience.
Reviews
9.89.8 out of 10
Exceptional
Entire home
3 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 6600 sq ft
Popular amenities
Kitchen
Pet friendly
Free WiFi
Outdoor Space
Parking available
Barbecue grill
Add dates for prices
About this property
A small, rustic and private cottage. great for couples or a small family.
The Almighty Struggle is a small rustic, shingle style cottage, with an oversized deck. The cabin faces the Union River inlet with views of Acadia National Park in down east Maine. Nestled in a clearing on 14 acres of natural woods and fields, you can see deer, turkey, porcupine, and maybe even a moose. The beach extends 400 feet along the shore and is great for exploring and swimming. It has ledges hosting mussels, crabs, sea urchins, and starfish. You will enjoy watching the seals, kayaking, swimming, hiking, fishing, and watching the local lobstermen gather their traps. The cottage is small, clean , and well appointed for couples and small families that want a private outdoor vacation experience. We are well situated for day trips to Acadia National Park and exploring the villages of the Blue Hill Peninsula.
Property amenities
Internet
Available in the cottage: Free WiFi
Parking and transportation
Car required
Parking on site
Kitchen
Coffee/tea maker
Cookware, dishware, and utensils
Electric kettle
Lobster/crab pot
Microwave
Oven
Refrigerator
Spices
Stovetop
Toaster
Dining
Dining table
Bedrooms
3 bedrooms
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
1 bathroom
Hair dryer
Soap
Toilet paper
Towels provided
Living spaces
Dining table
Living room
Wood stove
Entertainment
Books
DVD player
Smart TV with cable/satellite channels
Video library
Outdoor areas
Barbecue grill
Firepit
Garden
Outdoor furniture
Patio
Laundry
Laundromat nearby
Pets
Pet friendly
Welcoming dogs only
One pet total (up to 50 lbs per pet)
Suitability/Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
Area rugs in public areas
Handrails in stairways
Smooth flooring in public areas
Tile flooring in public areas
Smoking not allowed
Services and conveniences
Iron/ironing board
Phone
Location highlights
In a rural location
Near a hospital
Near an outlet shopping mall
Near the bay
Near the ocean
Things to do
Kayak
Birdwatching nearby
Cycling nearby
Ecotours nearby
Fishing nearby
Hiking/biking trails nearby
Horseback riding nearby
Motor boating nearby
Mountain climbing nearby
Sailing nearby
Scuba diving nearby
Swimming nearby
Whale watching nearby
Wildlife walks nearby
Winery tours nearby
Safety features
Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Pets
Pets allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs only
1 total (up to 50 lbs per pet)
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Events
No events allowed
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a first aid kit
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
We should mention
A car is required for transportation to and from this property
Is A small, rustic and private cottage. great for couples or a small family. pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 1 total) with a maximum weight of up to 50 lbs per pet.
How much is parking?
Onsite parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at A small, rustic and private cottage. great for couples or a small family.?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at A small, rustic and private cottage. great for couples or a small family.?
Check-out is at 10:00 AM.
Where is A small, rustic and private cottage. great for couples or a small family. located?
Situated by the ocean, this cottage is within 12 mi (20 km) of Blue Hill Co-op Community Market, The Blue Hill Wine Shop, and Holt House. Blue Hill Public Library and Blue Hill Bay Gallery are also within 12 mi (20 km).
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A small, rustic and private cottage. great for couples or a small family. Reviews
Reviews
Exceptional
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
We enjoyed every minute! The cottage is in a quiet, beautiful location on the water and had everything we needed. Great communication with the thoughtful caretaker. We hope to return next summer. Highly recommend!
Our stay at the Almighty Struggle was perfect. Everything is as described and Tom was a great host. Very communicative and helpful. We rented kayaks and went with Tom and Andy on his lobster boat, which was a great experience and both my boys loved it. Being so close to the water is amazing and its a very quiet area to yourself! Would definitely come back again if we decide to vacation in Maine. Highly recommend this property.
This lovely cottage makes the perfect place for vacationing in Downeast Maine. You won't hear cars from the cottage but waves, birds and encounter deers and turkeys. We had a very relaxing family vacation enjoying the ocean front, kayaking and visiting nearby villages and peninsulas. For those interested, there's free wifi in all public libraries if needed. Highly recommended!
From day one we were blown away by the property. Great location with lots of privacy and of course great views of the Union River Bay. We spent most of our time out and exploring the local sights (Acadia, Blue Hill, and even a day trip up to New Brunswick), but enjoyed a full day kayaking around the property as well. We enjoyed seeing seals, deer, turkey, and bald eagles around the cabin and found things like starfish, clams and crabs by the shore. We would definitely recommend this cabin to anyone and would love to come back one day!
Two weeks was not long enough! This cozy and quaint cottage was exactly what we were looking for. We instantly felt at home. The cottage is well-appointed with furniture, well-stocked kitchen and close proximity to the beach and ocean. We walked the shores, we kayaked, we took pictures of the deer, rabbits, and turkeys who visited daily. We loved the smell of the ocean breeze coming in through our bedroom window. We would definitely stay at The Almighty Struggle again.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Almighty Struggle. Although a bit small for our family of four plus our dog, it was very cozy and was outfitted with everything we needed for our visit. The property was very private and we loved viewing the abundant wildlife. We rented kayaks and even chartered Tom’s boat for a lobstering tour- highly recommend this! Our 10 year old loved being able to help haul in the lobster traps! The beds were comfortable and the loft worked out well for our two younger kids. Not sure if there would be enough space for us in the coming years so I’m so glad we booked this summer. The property was close enough to Acadia for us to visit 4 of the days (it took us just under an hour to get the Bar Harbor), but we also enjoyed our slower days at the cabin and exploring the beach. Ellsworth is also a super cute town to explore with some great shops and restaurants. We have definitely come away with some beautiful memories!
A little piece of heaven close enough and yet not far away. The place was fully stocked with everything our family needed. The location was perfect, private enough and right on the inlet close to the water. There is perfect little beach down the road close to Perry's lobster shack, a must. The jams sold on the side of the road are amazing. Great breweries, Fogtown and Blaze only 15 minutes away. Tom, the property manager, and his wife are delightful. We rented kayaks from them and did some lobstering, a must. Lifelong memories! Ironbound Inn outside of Ellsworth should not be missed either. Acadia is beautiful and Stonington on Deer Isle is another. A MUST with Children is to visit Leroy at Discovery Wharf in Stonington. A rare gem. We loved our time on Revenue Lane and created family memories to last a lifetime. Thank you to all that enriched our short time there.
Timothy F.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Dana W.
Sep 3, 2018
Relax and unwind!
Absolutely recommend! Quiet, relaxing and great views! Perfect little get away. Can’t wait to return!!
Our family of four really enjoyed this property. We spent a week there mainly to see Acadia, which was about 40 minutes away. After hiking in the park, we enjoyed coming back to the house to kayak on the bay and sit on the back porch. It was a treat to fish for lobster with the caretakers Tom and Andy. We were sad to see the week end, but we made wonderful family memories there.
I stayed for two weeks and greatly enjoyed the cabin, the property and the larger neighborhood. Even after 2 weeks, I was still discovering thoughtful touches in the the cabin - walking stick, binoculars, a small but appreciated library etc. This is not a commercial space, but a private and personal one. I'll be back.
We had a week full of rain, which meant we spent more time in the cottage than we planned. You can tell it’s well loved, and everything we needed was there, including a lobster pot. The fresh flowers on the table were a perfect touch! The beach is all rocks, which meant lots of crabs to find for our 9-year old. There’s no AC, but plenty of fans and the ocean breeze. We saw deer on property every day and fireflies every night by the fire pit.
Our favorite part was the lobster cruise with the caretaker, Tom. The kids loved helping with the lobster traps and we saw so many seals. Highly recommend! Perry’s Lobster Shack is a quick drive away along with a small beach, Pugnuts has the best ice cream, and Bar Harbor and Acadia are only 45 minutes away. Great place to spend a week!
Deidre C.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
Archival
10/10 Excellent
Connie J.
Aug 10, 2017
Peaceful / Restful Vacation Cottage Location!
This is our 4th year renting this charming little cottage on Newberry Neck in Surry Maine. We love the quaint / charming cottage. We visited with 3 generations of our family (great grandmother, mother / mother-in-law; my brother and his spouse and their 8 year old grand daughter and me) this year. Mom is 80 and loves spending time on the porch and down at the swing by the water. She can't get down the bank but loves the sound of the water and watching us have fun.
We love walking on the beach looking for seashells and sea glass and playing in the water. My sister-in-law and I fight over who is going to do the dishes because we both love the view from the kitchen window while you're washing the dishes. No dishwasher, no worries for us! The cabin is situated on Newberry Neck which is very peaceful unlike some of the other seaside villages with the hustle / bustle of the area. This cottage is centrally located for trips to Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, Schoodic Point and other coastal areas.
This year we discovered Pugnuts; a family-owned Ice Cream Shop which makes their own ice cream, gelato and cones and traveled to Cadillac Mountain for sunrise. You would think the TV was on most days with an 8 year old along...NOPE...she never asked us to turn it on! We love WKIT (100.3) radio station which we have playing at the cottage all week.
We plan to come back to the cottage next year, but maybe in the fall to see the foliage in Maine. If we can swing it...hopefully we'll be back for two weeks as we love the charm of this cottage. Perfect size for our relaxing family vacations. The cottage has most of the cooking supplies you might need...so we do most of our meals at the cottage instead of eating out. We've also utilized the grill for burgers and hot dogs.
I was able to read 5 books this year while I was visiting the cottage. Brought one with me from home and pulled the other 4 books off of the bookshelf at the cottage. I would highly recommend this cottage for groups up to 6/7 who want a truly relaxing vacation by the water!
Great place to stay if you want access to all the fun hikes and nature areas but also want peace and quiet. Cabin is cute and cozy, location is stunning. It was great having the bay right behind the cabin. We found several nature preserves within a couple miles of the cabin, too. Would stay again.
Amazing spot in Maine! Walkable to Perry’s Lobster Shack; adjacent to the best parts of the Midcoast, views of Acadia across the water. A great place to relax. Host couldn’t be better!
We had a wonderful and amazing time staying at this quaint little cabin! It was a nice ride to Acadia national park and bar harbor, but also plenty to do at the cabin and or around the blue hill area. The weather was wonderful the whole week.
Great private location. Enjoyed access to the water providing swimming and kayaking. Also beautiful views. We also enjoyed the outside fire pit and grill. The kitchen had all the needed pans, dishes and utensils. We had six in our party and there were beds for everyone. Everyone also enjoyed the ambiance of the cottage. Will strongly consider returning at a future date.
We loved this rustic little cottage. It was in a quiet location with lots of beach front to explore! We loved watching the tide go in and out. We saw eagles, herons, porpoises, and seals right from the beach! The cottage itself was just as described and was equipped with everything we needed. We hope to return again!
Our little family spent a wonderful week at this quiet cottage. We had coffee on the shore every morning, saw a variety of wildlife in the yard including a porcupine, relaxed on the deck with cocktails in the evening, and watched a couple of movies. It is centrally located to the various activities we wanted to do in the area. Acadia and a puffin tour were highlights!
You won’t need to bring anything but your clothes and a sense of adventure, as the cottage kitchen is very well appointed and the bath towels and bedding are very nice. Tom, the properties manager is a gem! The Almighty Struggle was a perfect spot for us spend quality family time having adventures.
Our family of 5 stayed here for the week of July 4th. We thought that we were coming to see Acadia National Park (which was beautiful, but busy); but the highlight of our trip was our sweet cottage. From the moment we drove up, we loved the quaint setting, overlooking the rocky coastline. We kayaked, hiked, loved watching the deer, and played board games when it rained. The caretakers, Capt. Tom & First Mate Andi, were by far the best property managers that we've ever worked with. We highly recommend that you book a Lobster trip ride on their boat. It was fantastic!
This charming rustic cabin was our home for a week and we absolutely loved it!Quiet and secluded on the water,it was one of our best vacations ever.The house was well equipped with all of the essentials,the kitchen especially.Located perfectly for easy access to Bangor,Bar Harbor,Stonington,Blue Hill and the Acadia forest,we had an awesome time discovering all they had to offer.Then coming back to the cottage,relaxing on the deck or water or fire pit and enjoying deer,wild turkey and even bald eagles!We will definitely be back next year!