We had a fabulous time at Jaja and Dave’s Lakefront cottage. Jaja is the best VRBO Host I have ever had. She went above and beyond and helped me out tremendously with my stay at her place. She was very prompt and responsive to all of my messages prior to booking and once I arrived. The property is amazing and I loved all of the wildlife on the Preserve. We saw porcupines, a fox and turtles laying eggs. I am a birder and I loved birding on her property and saw over 30 species. The Song sparrows, Common Yellow-throats and Red-eyed Vireos sang every time I went out the door. I loved hearing the Common Loons in the evening and seeing them in their breeding plumage was spectacular - we even saw them when we took out the canoe available with the property on Biscay Pond. The new deck and staircase crafted by Dave were spectacular and my husband admired his woodworking skills. The house was well-stocked with everything we needed and it was close enough to Damarascotta to go grocery shopping and get basic needs at Reny’s. Jaja also recommended Muscongus Lobster Pound and the Lobster Coop in Round Pound and both were excellent for bringing cooked lobster dinners home to eat – Jaja has the lobster crackers you need to crack and eat the whole lobsters. This is a perfect location for a relaxing Maine getaway.

Loved it. We’ll be back :)

The cottage location is lovely and quiet. The cottage itself is light filled and charming. The hosts stopped by our first nite to welcome us and answer any questions we had. They also offered some great suggestions about the area. Our weeks stay could t have been easier or more comfortable..

Loved it. We’ll be back :)

The cottage location is lovely and quiet. The cottage itself is light filled and charming. The hosts stopped by our first nite to welcome us and answer any questions we had. They also offered some great suggestions about the area. Our weeks stay could t have been easier or more comfortable..

The 5 acre location of this cottage was outstanding with water views through the trees and a spacious interior. Water access is good and use of a canoe allows for lazy paddling on Biscay Pond. The peace and quiet on the property makes you want to stay put and not bother with anything beyond. But we did find time to venture out to some of our favorite midcoast locations.

a wonderful place! Wonderful hosts!!

This property was exactly what myself, husband, and two daughters needed. A short sweet walk down a beautiful path to the water where we fished, swam and canoed all day! The house was VERY clean (I’m a bit of a clean freak so I brought some of my own cleaning product in case because you never know…it needed nothing before unpacking and making ourselves at home)! The linens were fresh, the counter tops and floors were spotless, it was like coming home. The owner was super nice as she met us on the property and gave us a quick welcome, lots of suggestions of things to do and left her number in case we needed her. Zero complaints. Would stay here again in a heartbeat.

This property was exactly what myself, husband, and two daughters needed. A short sweet walk down a beautiful path to the water where we fished, swam and canoed all day! The house was VERY clean (I’m a bit of a clean freak so I brought some of my own cleaning product in case because you never know…it needed nothing before unpacking and making ourselves at home)! The linens were fresh, the counter tops and floors were spotless, it was like coming home. The owner was super nice as she met us on the property and gave us a quick welcome, lots of suggestions of things to do and left her number in case we needed her. Zero complaints. Would stay here again in a heartbeat.

This was our second time at the lake house. Jaja is always such a gracious, welcoming host. The cottage was very clean and spacious. We love the privacy this property offers. The lake is perfect for swimming, fishing, and overall relaxing! So much to do nearby on rainy days.

This was our second time at the lake house. Jaja is always such a gracious, welcoming host. The cottage was very clean and spacious. We love the privacy this property offers. The lake is perfect for swimming, fishing, and overall relaxing! So much to do nearby on rainy days.

We just loved our stay at Jaja and Dave’s property. We had a very stressful time planning our wedding, so all we wanted to do was relax, this was the best place for just that. The pictures do not do it justice. I miss it already and can’t wait I to come back.

We just loved our stay at Jaja and Dave’s property. We had a very stressful time planning our wedding, so all we wanted to do was relax, this was the best place for just that. The pictures do not do it justice. I miss it already and can’t wait I to come back.

The cottage was clean with plenty of space for me and my family to relax and play inside and out. Our kids especially liked swimming and canoeing down at the lake. The hosts were very responsive the couple of times we had questions during our 6-night stay.

The cottage was clean with plenty of space for me and my family to relax and play inside and out. Our kids especially liked swimming and canoeing down at the lake. The hosts were very responsive the couple of times we had questions during our 6-night stay.

Couldn’t of asked for more

Had a great time throughout the stay. It was calm, quite and enjoyed the lake . mostly meditation and relaxing near the lake front was the most appealing retreat. I really fell in love with the place and even wanted to buy the place. Owner Jaja's family story was inspirational and she made our stay very comfortable.

Enjoyed our time there and hope to be back! Peaceful and quiet but close enough to the grocery store and "civilization" that we could run out and pick up what we needed. Playground about 20 minutes away was a favorite of our 3 year old.

My husband and I stayed here for a week. We enjoyed R&R at the house, Including sitting on the dock watching the loons and sipping coffee in the morning watching the birds. We also found a lot to do including a trip to Monhegan Island, visiting Owls Head Museum, antiquing, canoeing, eating fresh seafood at Muscongus, Round Pond ice cream, and exploring nearby towns. The location was great for proximity to things to do and for the beauty of the lake.

This property comfortably fit our family of 6. First, I want to say that this place is fantastic for anyone of any age. The private lake access with canoe was peaceful and good for swimming, canoeing, relaxing, sitting by and hanging out. The cabin is comfortable with all you need for a vacation. Plenty of space indoors and outdoors to relax, socialize, eat... The property is quiet with berry bushes to pick from, a beaver dam and turtle nests to see, birds and night stars. Nearby drives include other nature spots and delicious restaurants, ice cream, groceries, craft stores, cute downtown areas, etc. If you are a family with kids, any age, you will love it. But I know that families with small kids have particular criteria for making a comfortable vacation. We have 4 kids ages 8 and under. These are the marks that this property met: Enough room to comfortably sleep everyone, with choice for baby to sleep in a pack-n-play either in a room with a sibling or room with parents (you can choose!); enough room inside for kids to play happily; plenty of space outdoors for play, and secluded enough to say "Go out and play" without having to be with them all the time (of course, give good rules to not go near the water unattended or down the winding driveway to the road); wonderful lake with enough space for wading, but do bring floaties because it does get deeper after some wading; awesome canoe - we rowed to a small island where we got off and swam around, we rowed through a canal connecting to another pond...; kitchen and dining area (and nearby grocery store) made it possible to have all our meals at home, and nearby restaurants gave good options for take out and dining in); owner Jaja was so kind to meet us and show us good spots for entry for kids by the lake and was available for questions. Very responsive and has first hand experience hanging out and traveling with her own kids -- her property reflects the priority of giving guests the experience of a home away from home in a quiet/secluded--yet not far off the beaten path--area of Maine. Definitely worth a return visit!

Issi Ossi was even better than advertised. Beautiful, private location that is perfect for families. The cottage was very clean, bright, and comfortable. Jaja was so welcoming and provided lots of great tips for things to do in the area. We have a 13 year old and a 5 year old and they were both so happy here. We rarely felt the need to leave the property! Fishing was great (there is a canoe provided), and swimming is also lovely on this quiet, picturesque pond. Everything we needed for a relaxing week on the water!

A great location - quiet, private, lovely lakeshore property and access. The house is bright, airy, and very comfortable. Five stars all around.

enjoyed the lake and house. jaja was very approachable and always there for anything we needed

We had a wonderful time! The cottage was perfect for the 6 of us. We loved the privacy and nature all around us. One suggestion is to add hooks to the back of the bedroom doors for towels. Thank you for a wonderful time!

Everything we hoped for! The house was clean and spacious with little extra things that were nice to start our stay. The water was refreshing with a canoe included for the stay! Jaja was available any time that we needed her with a quick response!!

We thoroughly spoiled ourselves by renting this beautiful waterfront property near Damariscotta in mid-coast Maine. The house itself was even lovelier than the photos. We got to pick some wild blueberries there as a bonus after swimming in the warm water. There were even fireworks over the water on the 4th of July. My granddaughters, ages 4 and 7 had a wonderful time too, although a ladder on the dock would have been helpful to their parents. Having access to a canoe was wonderful. There is much to see and do in this scenic area. We appreciated that most wore masks. We would definitely consider returning again. Many thanks to JaJa!

We had the best time. This place is like paradise to me!! The loveliest and most peaceful spot. Dreaming of when we can return to the lake

We enjoyed every single thing about this property. Clean, smartly equipped, comfy furnished on acres enough to feel like you are alone in the woods on a beautiful lake. But it is really two beautiful lakes with canoe trips north and south into new bodies of water to explore. We saw and heard many loons, a young whitetail buck stood right outside the window and we watched him for a half hour. The fishing is like a dream. I caught and kept my legal limit and released many bass. We had a terrific time. The host is full of helpful advice we took to help us find great eating, sightseeing, canoe trips, and used books. But she was never intrusive. In all we really had a very nice trip and hope to come back again. Thanks for sharing this Ideal lakehouse! Two weeks was only enough time for us to get relaxed. Now we feel like we need two more to really enjoy the place.

Initially, we were just looking for a place to lay our heads at night after a full day of boatbuilding at the Carpenter’s Boat Shop nearby. As it turned out we got way more than we bargained for. Our daily experience hand crafting a Monhegan Skiff really enhanced our admiration for this home lovingly created by a boat builder himself. We felt the nuances of a lakeside hideaway put together by folks that have spent many years on and around boats. As an architect, I truly appreciate that all of the space in the cottage is used to its best effect. Biscay Pond is a great place to swim, paddle and just be. The frogs and loons added their voices to the evening quiet, welcoming us to Maine. All that said, if you want to leave the still water, the ocean is just around the bend, town is close by and there’s lots of lobster and seafood to be enjoyed within a short drive. We’d love to come back to both relax and explore some more!

We are return visitors to this wonderful spot by the lake. The house is so cozy and comfortable and the lake is pristine. We look forward to our next visit!

We had a wonderful time. We got to see a snapping turtle lay her eggs in the front yard. The fishing was great! Small mouth bass, large mouth bass, yellow perch, and white perch. Buy your fishing license on line. Fishing bait was no where to be found except worms. We travelled to go to the aquarium and the lighthouse as well as the museum in Augusta. All in all it was nice.

So comfortable and cozy....quiet and restful. A gem of a getaway. Hospitable hostess, and convenient to beaches, parks, etc.