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Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

9.6

Exceptional

3 bedrooms2+ bathroomsSleeps 5

Popular amenities

Washer

Barbecue grill

Kitchen

Air conditioning

Fireplace

Dryer

Explore the area

Tremont, ME

Acadia National Park4 min drive
Acadia National Park's Visitors Center17 min drive
Bar Harbor, ME (BHB-Hancock County - Bar Harbor)20 min drive
Cadillac Mountain36 min drive

Most relevant reviews

10/10 Excellent

Gigi (grandma) chose Acadia as the destination for her 70th birthday. After much research we chose to stay here. It’s 25...

Chase F.

Sep 4, 2023

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 5)

Bedroom next to kitchen

1 Double Bed

Main Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Upstairs bedroom

2 Single Beds

2 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom off of Living Room

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Main Bedroom Bathroom

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Hair dryer

Upstairs Bathroom

Towels provided · Toilet

Spaces

Kitchen

Garden

Dining Area

About this property

Franca's Place - A Historic Cottage - Mount Desert Island Maine

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.

Property manager

Francesca and Isabella Bannerman

Languages

English, French, Italian, Swedish

Amenities

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Free WiFi

Air conditioning

Outdoor space

24x14 Sunroom-Big Windows & Knotty Pine-Feels Like Nature is All Around You!

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Free WiFi

House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 21

Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

No pets allowed.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Absolutely no smoking.

Please enjoy our lovingly restored historic home and treat it gently. Please remove muddy shoes when entering, use only septic safe toilet tissue. Be

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

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property

Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a deadlock

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Seal Cove

Located in Seal Cove, this cottage is in a rural area and by the sea. Bar Harbor Whale Watching is a popular attraction and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Acadia National Park and Acadia National Park's Visitors Center. George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History and College of the Atlantic Natural History Museum are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

Tremont, ME

What's nearby

Acadia National Park - 4 min drive
Echo Lake Beach - 16 min drive
Acadia National Park's Visitors Center - 17 min drive
Village Green - 22 min drive
Cadillac Mountain - 36 min drive

Getting around

Bar Harbor, ME (BHB-Hancock County - Bar Harbor) - 20 min drive

Restaurants

‪Shell - ‬10 min drive
‪Tan Turtle Tavern - ‬21 min drive
‪Beal's Lobster Pier - ‬18 min drive
‪Thurston's Lobster Pound - ‬12 min drive
‪Colonel's Restaurant - ‬20 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Franca's Place - A Historic Cottage - Mount Desert Island Maine pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Franca's Place - A Historic Cottage - Mount Desert Island Maine?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Franca's Place - A Historic Cottage - Mount Desert Island Maine?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Franca's Place - A Historic Cottage - Mount Desert Island Maine located?

Situated by the sea, this cottage is 0.7 mi (1.1 km) from Seal Cove Pond and 2.2 mi (3.6 km) from Acadia National Park. Long Pond is 3 mi (4.9 km) away.

9.6

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

9.4/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.4/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Chase F.

4 Sept 2023

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

First trip to Maine!

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.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Karen R., Brookline, NH USA

22 Aug 2023

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

perfect place to enjoy Acadia area

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!

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Susan S.

8 Aug 2023

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

Franca's Place

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.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

6/10 Okay

Lyn M.

5 July 2023

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great potential

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.

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Helen S.

24 Aug 2022

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

Charming home, lovely living/ dining area. Well-supplied kitchen for family meals. Quiet Side :)

Good and friendly communication. A house that has clearly been loved through the years.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Connie D., Columbus, Ohio USA

7 Aug 2022

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

Great location

Great location on the quiet side of the island.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

31 July 2022

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

A very welcoming cottage on the quiet side of MDI

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.

Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2022

8/10 Good

Sharon U.

2 July 2022

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

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.

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Bryan V.

2 Oct 2021

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

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!

Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

CB O., NYC

26 Aug 2021

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

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!

Stayed 10 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jeff N.

10 Aug 2021

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

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.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

8/10 Good

Peggy S.

2 Sept 2019

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

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).

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2019

8/10 Good

Farnaz S.

22 Aug 2019

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

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.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Heather T.

2 Aug 2019

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

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.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

michiel v., Ann Arbor, MI

9 July 2019

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

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.

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

4 July 2019

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

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.

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Melvin D.

10 Sept 2018

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!

Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Kristine N., Whitewater, WI USA

27 July 2018

Sweet & Comfortable

A really comfortable place to stay; well maintained, no visible neighbors, secure, and clean.

Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2018

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

10/10 Excellent

Audrey O.

29 Aug 2017

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!

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2017

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

10/10 Excellent

Peter M., West Simsbury

23 Aug 2017

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.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2017

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

8/10 Good

Stephen B.

17 Aug 2017

Good place to stay.

Good in all respects. Clean, great location for the park.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2017

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

10/10 Excellent

Lindsay E.

5 Aug 2017

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!

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

10/10 Excellent

Mihail S., Scarsdale NY

13 July 2017

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.

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

10/10 Excellent

Matthe v.

21 Aug 2016

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

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2016

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

10/10 Excellent

Binbing Y., Potomac

10 Aug 2016

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.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2016

About the host

Hosted by Francesca and Isabella Bannerman

The photo shows caretaker Sheryl Woodyard and owner Franca Bannerman in September 2015, in front of the abundant apples from the apple trees on the property. A former French teacher, Franca Bannerman has since retired to California.

Why they chose this property

Originally purchased by Franca Bannerman as a summer home for family visits while her husband Dr. Robin M.Bannerman was researching and lecturing at the Jackson Lab in Bar Harbor, Franca's Cottage has been lovingly restored in the years since, hosting generations of family and friends.

What makes this property unique

The quiet location next to all the fantastic amenities of Acadia is what drew us to the property. The living room picture window gives a view of the yard and lovely pine and apple trees, and the side yard is perfect for out door dinners, and playing with little ones