Down East Maine Vacation Rentals, Inc.

Painter?s Paradise (presque perdu), the vacation rental that was recommended by and contracted through Down East Vacation Rentals, Inc., in Blue Hill, ME has lots of potential. As it is presently configured, it is a terrible value ? not worth anything like the $260 ? $300+/night (seasonally adjusted) the owner and property managers are asking. It is one thing to own and be the sole occupant of a dwelling and keep it in any shape one wants without having to endure the eye and evaluation of others. But when one opens one?s home to outside renters for a premium price, it better be worth the expectation. This property does not come close. GOOD POINTS ? location. This is not a spectacular or stunning spot. The Maine coast has lots of those both further south and north of Stonington. But it is a tranquil one and nonetheless lovely. Located a little less than half a mile across the Deer Isle Thoroughfare from Russ Island, it has its own charm. The structure, itself has potentially a 180° view from due east to the Stonington harbor to the west. The facility was technically clean. No dust. Windows clean. Bed(s) made. Fridge and stove spotless, as was the kitchen. And all the kitchen and laundry appliances worked. What could practically be done with the only bathroom in the cottage was done. The queen bed in the master bedroom, the only one we used, was comfortable. PROBLEMS ? The first thing one sees when one enters the cabin (beside the view) is a living room ? dining room ? kitchen space, an area of about 700 or 800 square feet ? that is pretty impressive. Except, when one looks at the furniture, it is ragged, torn up and covered with soiled cloth material meant to hide the horribly frayed fabrics underneath. Three of the five dining room table cane back chairs are ripped. The couch pillows on one of the couches is torn and frayed with the stuffing bursting out of the torn fabric (with no attempt even to hide it). The rocking chairs are another case in point of really not caring how a place looks or feels. The bathroom was the biggest issue. The paneling around the tub was rotted out and (probably) moldy where the rim of the tub met the wall. Since it had not been sealed properly when installed, water seeped into the seams and really produced an intimidating and uninviting experience each time one was forced to use it. Even though we contracted through Down East Vacation Rentals for wi-fi and internet, and had the password number series, it was not operational in any way we could figure. We first called the cleaning person (whose number was left for us to contact if we had problems) but got no response. We called and left word at Downeast Maine Vacation Rentals and got no response. We even went by their Stonington office, but no one was there. Even though we contracted through Down East Vacation Rentals for TV and audio, and though electronics is one of our party?s specialties, neither system was operational in any way we could figure. We first called the cleaning person (whose number was left for us to contact if we had problems) but got no response. We called and left word at Downeast Maine Vacation Rentals and got no response. We even went by their Stonington office, but no one was there. Paneling in the hallway and master bedroom was only partially completed. While some would designate exposed joists as an ?architectural feature,? with internal wiring exposed, in this case and in this setting and for this price, it is cheap looking and distracting. Half of the master bedroom is paneled. The other half features floor to ceiling exposed joists and a bit of plywood covering them behind a small built-in desk where the architectural feature aesthetic of the exposed interior wall appeared to be a bit too much to endure even for the owner. Tiles in the bedroom floor are broken and partially missing. The potential view in the living room is about 180°. However, because of untended vegetation ? trees and secondary growth ? that view was limited to less than 60° total. The cottage faces SSE with a view to Russ Island 700 or so yards across a narrow body of water. Because of the growth density of three trees, directly in front of the main window to the south, that pretty view is limited from 175° direction, 45° to about 130° to the east. Again, because the trees block the view to the west that exposed scope is only about 20°. This issue could be easily mitigated by eliminating the lower branches to a height of 10 ? 12 feet from ground level really opening up that viewing space and preserving the integrity of the trees, themselves. My wife and I are OK with ?rustic.? We?ve stayed in US Forest Service cabins without electricity or plumbing in the most remote parts of Alaska that are more balanced values. This property, however, looks and feels very tired, abandoned, and reminded us of an Animal House-like fraternity replete with discarded furniture picked up off the curb of a down-on-its-luck American urban habitat. Perhaps, in its present condition, it?s worth in the neighborhood of $600 ? 750/wk. We know, because we have a vacation rental on our property in Northern California Wine Country. It, too, is in a rural working area. And we charge a similar amount to what Painter?s Paradise is currently renting for. So we obviously expected something similar. Ours is painted inside and out every few years, has relatively new furniture and appliances and provides an atmosphere for guests that gives them the impression that we truly honor their presence. It wouldn?t take much to do the same for Painter?s Paradise. It just needs a brutal, uncompromising fresh eye, one that has the guts to see things as they are and the imagination to make them as they could be.