Onsite parking is available at the property.

Paul's Cottage - Waterfront on Quietside of Mount Desert Island/Acadia Nat.Park Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025

Q: Is Paul's Cottage - Waterfront on Quietside of Mount Desert Island/Acadia Nat.Park pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

Q: Where is Paul's Cottage - Waterfront on Quietside of Mount Desert Island/Acadia Nat.Park located?

Situated on the waterfront, this cottage is 1.9 mi (3 km) from Acadia National Park and within 6 mi (10 km) of Seal Cove Pond and Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. Ship Harbor Nature Trailhead and Wonderland Trail Trailhead are also within 6 mi (10 km).

10/10 Excellent

Alice B.

Aug 23, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

We just came home from another perfect week at Paul's Cottage, and we have already signed up for another week next summer. If you are looking for a peaceful and beautiful experience on MDI, this is the place to be - a little slice of serenity right by the ocean, so far from the noise and crowds of Bar Harbor yet only 10 minutes from Southwest Harbor with its wonderful shops and restaurants and art. The cottage is supplied with everything you need and is clean as a whistle. Owners Kathleen and Jay leave you in peace but are there if you need them. We are grateful to have discovered Paul's Cottage and can't wait to return again next year.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Russell H.

Jun 3, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful MDI Cabin

We loved staying at this cabin! Spectacular views, comfortable cabin, convenient location to trails and hikes - but away from the busier parts of MDI. Hosts were great! Highly recommend.

Stayed 4 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Jul 12, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Tranquility and grandeur in Acadia

Everything about this property was fantastic. Completely as advertised, clear communication, everything was clean and functional and the pictures do not do the vantage point justice. The views across Duck cove are majestic. The south end of the island is much quieter so if you're looking for a tourist trap, this is not it. There are, however, plenty of places to stock up on provisions within a 10 minute drive. Highly recommend.

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Andrew R.

Aug 6, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Paul’s Cottage - Relaxing Stay on the Quiet Side

The west side of Mount Desert Island, Maine, is the best side, aptly called the "Quiet Side". We chose wisely staying at Paul’s Cottage, which is full of charm and relaxation. Highly recommend if you want to chill, read a book, light a fire in the fireplace, or have as a perfect jumping-off point to easily get to Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, and great restaurants with the freshest lobster and blueberry pie! Our host Kathleen was very accommodating, especially having the lights on for us, due to our arrival flight there was canceled and we had to take a much later flight that day. Incredible island hopping and fishing cruises at the nearby Bass Harbor Island Cruises. And the best part of Paul's Cottage is the view off the back deck overlooking Blue Hill Bay. The sunsets were spectacular. Definitely click on Paul's Cottage for your relaxing stay!

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Cameron B.

Jan 17, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Terrific Getaway

Wonderful property and very welcoming hosts.

Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Matthew D.

Dec 3, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

awesome place

Kathy and Jim are great hosts! Easy to work with and very responsive. The cottage is in a great spot on the quiet side of MDI. Great bay views and amazing fireplace

Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Chris M., Williamsburg, Virginia

Jul 19, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing family vacation

Paul's Cottage is perfectly situated on the quite side with wonderful views and proximity to Acadia, hiking, shops, and restaurants. Wonderful spot for a quiet retreat or family vacation. Owners are very friendly, welcoming, and helpful. Great experience!

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Esther H.

Aug 29, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful retreat

Best VRBO experience, hands down! The cottage is charming, clean and comfortable, and the views are amazing. I could spend the whole week just sitting out on that deck. Soft sheets and soft fluffy towels are provided, good supplies in the kitchen. The hosts are terrific! Lovely people with prompt and helpful responses. Thank you, Kathy and Jay! We can't wait to come back!

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Susan A.

Aug 1, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

vaca 23

Paul’s cottage was very quaint, quite, and comfortable. We enjoyed our stay, The views from the deck were fantastic!

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

James H.

Jul 21, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Pristine Property

Paul's Cottage was perfect! Immaculately maintained and very private. We could sit on the deck all day and enjoy the ever-changing views. Located on the "Quiet Side" of Mt. Desert Island, it was about a half-hour drive to Bar Harbor, but much closer to many other places of interest. Kathleen greeted us warmly, and everything was in place. We cannot wait to return!

Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jeff W.

Jul 12, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic Ocean Front Property

We came from GA and TX to escape the July 4th heat! Great location and well-appointed home. We do a lot of cooking and the kitchen was well stocked, except for spices. Communication with the property owner was very good. 5 stars!

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kurt S.

Oct 11, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Paul’s Cabin

We loved the vibe and the location of the cabin! Of course the view is great and we really enjoyed the fireplace. Kathy lives next door and was helpful and friendly. Would gladly recommend and return!

Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Amy E.

Jul 9, 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect!

Everything was better than expected. My only problem was leaving. We absolutely loved it!!!

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Alice B.

Aug 18, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Another week in paradise

We can't say enough good things about Paul's Cottage. This was our third visit there, and we have already booked another week for next summer. The cottage is clean as a whistle and fully stocked, the view is incredible, and the property managers are gems--always available but completely respecting of privacy. The cottage is secluded and feels a world away from the bustle of Bar Harbor, but it is easy to get there and all the offerings of MDI. If there were a rating above 5 stars, we would surely give it. Thanks, Kathleen and Jay -- see you next year!

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sara D.

Jul 21, 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great week on MDI

Quiet side of MDI. Beautiful oceanfront view. Well equipped. Easy communication with owner.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Stan D., Woodbury, ct. USA

Apr 6, 2018

A very special time away in paradise!

My wife and I have stayed at Paul's cottage twice now and we will definitely be returning. We go in the winter, when things are really quiet and gorgeous. The house is amazing. The bedroom is very comfortable and it is so nice looking down at the beautiful large burning fire from the loft area. The family room is just perfect and the kitchen has everything you could want to cook and feel like home. (We cook lobsta every night), You will not be disappointed.

8/10 Good

Michael H.

Aug 11, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful and charming - for four people

We really enjoyed our stay, the views, deck, kitchen, fireplace, and interior are amazing. Great for four people. Unfortunately, the third bedroom/bed is really unusable except for a child with parents in the adjacent room who want no privacy (the upstairs bedrooms have no door separating them and the small bedroom is really more like a closet). As a result, my adult son had to sleep on the couch in the living room. Not ideal. In addition, we recommend locking the doors when you leave.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Barb B.

Jun 13, 2018

Another Wonderful Stay

This was our 2nd stay at Paul's Cottage. We had (3) adults and (2) children and had plenty of living space. The owners are easy to communicate with and once you arrive they take care in making sure you have what you need. We like to cook in most meals and have found the kitchen to be well equipped. The best part is dining on the deck as well as enjoying your morning coffee or evening glass of wine while taking in the sunset. The upstairs bedroom faces the water so you can go to sleep hearing the lapping of the water and wake up to a beautiful view over the water. This part of MDI is referred to as the "quiet side" and at Paul's you will hear the gulls, lobster boats, water crashing against the rocks and little else!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

jenny w., Maitland, FL

Mar 6, 2013

A wonderful getaway!

We had one of our most memorable family vacations here! The house was very comfortable and had a well stocked kitchen, games and books. We ate most of our meals on the deck overlooking the water - also a great place to enjoy a glass of wine and a book at the end of a day of hiking or exploring. One night was even cold enough to build a fire in the fireplace, which was fun for this Florida family on summer vacation. Our boys (age 12 and 9) just loved being able to explore - especially ambling down to the rocky coastline. The location was perfect for us - a short drive from Bar Harbor, but well removed from all the crowds. There are many hikes that are just minutes away by car. We also enjoyed spending time in Southwest Harbor. We would rent this home again and have already recommended it to friends and family. Our kids still describe it as the best summer vacation they have ever had.

10/10 Excellent

Jonathan R.

Jul 23, 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing Fireplace & Water View

This is a great house with a wonderful view. The wood paneling, enormous fireplace, and little details give the place a great vibe. In July we were able to have a fire every night. The daily high never exceeded 70 degrees. The box spring in the master bedroom was broken at the time of our visit so keep in mind the bed squeaks with the slightest movement. Additionally, the sheets and towels throughout the house are old and worn. The TV is newer and bigger than what's pictured in the photos I saw with several cable channels. There's good wi-fi if you need to stay connected. Due to cleaning concerns around COVID be mindful that check-out is 9 am and sheets and towels need to be put in the wash before departure. There is flexibility around this if you don't have time to get it all going.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Suzanne D.

Sep 30, 2018

Amazing Stay at Paul's Cottage!

The two of us spent a week at Paul's cottage earlier this month and to say it was amazing would be an understatement! We so enjoyed it and didn't want to leave this wonderful place! Most of the time, when we're up here we stay in Bar Harbor, but this year we decided to stay on the quite side and we're so happy we did! The cottage was perfect and had everything we could possibly need! It's rustic, roomy and comfy. The water views were just INCREDIBLE!! We slept in the upstairs bedroom that looks over the water and were lulled to sleep by the peaceful sounds and wonderful smell of the sea every night. The whole week was so nice, quiet and relaxing! Usually when we're in the Bar Harbor area we blow and go a lot, but this time we found ourselves wanting to just stay home, sit on the deck and enjoy the cottage and the view! We saw loons, eagles and (of course!) lobster boats. Kathy and Jay were great; we enjoyed chatting with Kathy. We didn't need anything, but they let us know if we did that they were right there! They are right next door, but you would never know it as there is plenty of privacy. And cell phone service and internet were excellent too! We hope to come back to this little slice of Heaven again someday!

Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

David R.

Aug 8, 2018

Private, cozy, charming, and close to everything.

We had a wonderful week at Paul's Cottage! As stated, the house is rustic yet extremely clean and comfortable. It has spectacular views of the water, and if you're sure-footed, you can walk down from the house to sit on the rocks. It is close to Southwest Harbor, where you can find lots of restaurants and stores. The drive to Bar Harbor is 30 minutes. The cottage felt very roomy for the four of us. Note that the upstairs has one full bedroom (gorgeous, with big windows that look over the water), a small full bathroom, and then a small area that contains a single bed. I would not call this small area a bedroom, but it is room enough for one person to sleep and be someone private. The kitchen is well-equipped, the laundry room fully functional, and the large downstairs room is lovely. It was quite warm when we visited in July/Aug, so we never got to use the amazing fireplace, although there was ample firewood if we wanted to do so. The outside deck is spacious, with four chairs that allow you to take in the amazing view. The only criticism is that there is no grill on the deck. There is a small charcoal grill near the side door of the cottage, but it is very small, old and dirty. In my opinion, the owners should purchase a gas grill and place it on the deck. The owners were communicative, and even though they live next door, they allowed our family perfect privacy. Since it was very warm and humid when we visited in July/Aug, the cottage was quite warm inside on certain days. There are lots and lots of screened windows and a screened sliding door, so on those days when a breeze blew in from the water, the house cooled down considerably. But when there was no breeze, it was a bit uncomfortable. There is no air conditioning at the house, and there is one small ceiling fan in the main room that really doesn't move the air sufficiently. Since the fan is installed in such a high vaulted ceiling, and the room is so large, the owners should consider installing a much larger fan to accommodate the room size.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2018

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

4/10 Poor

David B.

Nov 26, 2014

Carpenter Ants

This is a perfectly pleasant cottage in a private location, a stone’s throw from the owner’s home so if there are issues, there’s somebody on site to try to help. Decent kitchen and living space, relatively comfortable sleeping accommodations. The fireplace is huge, a nice feature that we utilized to make s’mores during the summer week we spent there. All of that said, unfortunately the thing I’ll remember most about the house were the ants. We saw big carpenter ants every day, in every room, on the floors, on the couch, on tables, on chairs, and a few times, in our beds. The owners, Kathy and Jay, said that this normally doesn’t happen this time of year, but when we checked in on Saturday, there were already a few dozen dead ants in the sliding area for the glass door leading to the back deck, which means the problem could’ve and should’ve been diagnosed prior to our arrival. Kathy dropped some pellets on the exterior that did nothing to reduce the population, and so on the Monday after our Saturday check-in we insisted they call an exterminator. I don’t know if the treatment benefited the people who stayed after us, but we saw no reduction in the ant population while we were there. Kathy was sensitive to the issue after overcoming her reluctance to call an exterminator, but any follow-up was initiated by us. We never received an unsolicited check-in to see if the problem was improving, and the issue merited no mention or apology when we saw her on the morning we left after our week-long stay (Jay was away). In an email exchange after we checked out, Jay indicated that they don’t look to control the problem with an exterminator because “We, and our other guests, have viewed the ants as an annoyance, but something that did not warrant the human exposure to the exterminator's materials.” I can only speak for myself, but I would think that most people would opt for a responsible exterminator doing his job over ants crawling into bed with the kids. Why 2 stars instead of 1? Under ant-free conditions it’s a nice cottage with a lovely view of the water. That said, for visitors deciding whether or not to stay here, I’d be concerned this issue could recur unpredictably. The owners indicated this was normally an early spring problem, but the fact that it occurred in mid-August means that the ants have decided not to abide by a predictable schedule.

10/10 Excellent

Alice B.

Aug 13, 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Another wonderful visit to Paul's Cottage

This is the second time we have stayed here, and as we get ready to leave this morning, we are already looking forward to visit #3. This is the perfect place to unwind, rain or shine, with a spectacular view in quiet surroundings and all needs met. Kathleen and Jay are gracious hosts, available when needed but never intruding. Thank you, and until next time!

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Richard M.

Aug 9, 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very nice

Location great. View beautiful

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

Paul's Cottage - Waterfront on Quietside of Mount Desert Island/Acadia Nat.Park

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