Entire home

40-acre Luxury Beach Front Estate-Ideal for Reunions & Retreats

Photo gallery for 40-acre Luxury Beach Front Estate-Ideal for Reunions & Retreats

A private, sandy beach on a warm, quiet lake—a spectacular, relaxing venue
The “Main House” was built for opera superstar, later bought by shipping magnate
A comfortably elegant living room for large gatherings (East half shown).
Main House dining room seats up to 28 persons.
The Main House kitchen was designed for preparing food for large groups.
Reviews
10 out of 10 Exceptional
15 bedrooms9+ bathroomsSleeps 34929 sq m

Popular amenities

  • KitchenKitchenKitchen
  • Barbecue grillBarbecue grillBarbecue grill
  • Free WiFiFree WiFiFree WiFi
  • WasherWasherWasher
  • DryerDryerDryer
  • Air conditioningAir conditioningAir conditioning

Explore the area

Map
Bridgton, ME
  • Popular LocationHighland Lake1 min walk
  • Popular LocationGallery 3029 min drive
  • Popular LocationShawnee Peak19 min drive
  • AirportAugusta, ME (AUG-Augusta State)86 min drive

Rooms & beds

15 bedrooms (sleeps 34)

1st Floor Guest House Sail Room (option: add cot or toddler bed)

1 Queen Bed

Carriage House East Bedroom (Option: 1 king)

2 Single Beds

Carriage House NW Bedroom (Option: 2 twins)

1 King Bed

Carriage House SW Bedroom (option: 1 King)

2 Single Beds

Guest House 1st Floor NW Master Bedroom (Option: 2 twins)

1 King Bed

Guest House 2nd Floor Living Room

1 King Bed

Guest House 2nd Floor Master Suite (option: 2 twins)

1 King Bed

Guest House Captain's Quarters

1 King Bed

Guest House Central Bedroom

2 Single Beds

Guest House Mid-Floor Bedroom

1 King Bed and 1 Single Bed

Main House Blue Bedroom

3 Single Beds

Main House Green Room (option: 2 twins)

1 King Bed

Main House Master Sitting Room

2 Single Beds

Main House Master Suite Bedroom

1 King Bed

Main House Pink Suite Bedroom (Option: 1 king + 1 twin)

3 Single Beds

Main House Yellow Bedroom (option: 2 twins)

1 King Bed

9 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

CH Bathroom

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Event Center ADA Compliant

Toilet · Shower only

GH Nautical Suite Bathroom

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Guest House Main Level Bathroom

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Guest House Upstairs Bathroom

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

MH 1st Floor Bathroom

Toilet

MH Blue Bathroom

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

MH Hall Bathroom

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

MH Master Suite Bathroom

Toilet · Shower only

MH Pink Suite Bathroom

Bathtub · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Separate dining area
Garden

About this property

40-acre Luxury Beach Front Estate-Ideal for Reunions & Retreats

This spectacular, 40-acre estate is located on clear, warm Highland Lake in Bridgton, Maine, halfway between the Atlantic Ocean and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The extensive grounds provide a private, peaceful, park-like setting which fosters relaxation and engenders a sense of well-being. The property includes 1,100 feet of mainland waterfront with two sandy beaches, part of a small nearby island, a two-story boathouse with a 2nd floor activity center, a 40-foot pier, a clay tennis court, a grass volleyball/badminton court, three large sports fields, extensive woods, wildlife, and thousands of flowering plants.
Nawandyn Estate was designed to comfortably accommodate large groups. There are up to 16 bedrooms for up to 32 guests, including 4 bedrooms on the 1st floor. Guests may choose between a king or two twin beds in most bedrooms, since we tailor bedroom layouts to guests wishes. There are multiple rooms where your entire group may dine and/or socialize together in addition to a multitude of outdoor venues. You whole group can socialize and enjoy music in the huge living room with perfect acoustics and a grand piano. One dining room seats 28 (with overflow seating on the adjacent screened porch). The Event Center will accommodate everyone for dining, dancing, indoor games (e.g., classic games and mini pool), watching sports, conducting meetings and/or otherwise socializing. There are many places for small groups to gather and individuals to have time for themselves.

Nawandyn Estate makes available a multitude of activities on site which enable you to spend quality time with each other. Bring your swimsuit and favorite suntan lotion and let us provide beach towels, beach chairs, non-power watercraft, beach toys, fishing poles, etc. so you may kayak, paddle board, sunbathe on the swim raft, fish, float on foam mattresses, explore the lake and its islands, paddle a rowboat to a favorite fishing spot or throw your line off a pier, photograph wildlife, lounge on the beach, build sandcastles, play spike ball, count ducks, find frogs and turtles, etc. You can rent a power boat locally should you want to go water skiing, tubing, wake boarding or cruising and then tie it up at our 40-foot pier. When you need a break from the sun, you can play piano, ping pong, giant junga, cards or chat and do puzzles in the boathouse activity center. Unlike other waterfront properties there are many activities available on land, including volleyball, badminton, tennis, softball, football, soccer, ultimate frisbee, corn hole, croquet and, nearby, golf. There are lots of opportunities on site or nearby to stroll, jog, run, bike (if you bring one), hike or mountain climb. At Nawandyn, you can literally smell the flowers, listen to birds sing, star gaze, watch deer frolic, watch sunrises and sunsets, etc.

There are three homes on the 40-acre Nawandyn Estate property, each within a 5-minute walk of a beach and there is a road that abuts the largest sandy beach for those who prefer to drive. Each residence has its own yard and is visually separated from the others, primarily by trees and other landscaping. Yet, the homes are close enough to together that children will hop, skip and jump across the lawn from one home to another. The property is fully furnished including all linens, books, cooking equipment, dishes, BBQ’s, etc. The first and largest home was built for an opera superstar, Olivia Fremstad , in 1915-16. The architect was John A. Gade, who had previously worked for the firm that designed the East and West Wings of the White House, the home of U.S. Presidents. Fremstad sold her property in 1926 to Eleazer Clark, a shipping and banking magnate, and his wife who doubled the acreage and added substantial landscaping, the spectacular two-story boathouse and delightful Carriage House in 1927. Subsequently, a clay tennis court and Guest House were added. The Guest House was designed by Caleb Hornbostel, who beat Eero Saarinen and Louis Kahn to win the Museum of Modern Art’s first architectural contest. Clark’s grandson and granddaughter-in-law have recently restored and updated the property, adding among other things the Event Center, high-speed internet, A/C and heating via heat pump systems to the Guest House, Carriage House and the Event Center, and more gardens.

Nawandyn Estate is within several miles of two grocery stores including Hannaford Grocery, a seafood store, a specialty wine store, a specialty food store, a Reny’s department store, a book store, a women’s clothing and accessories store, several home décor and gift stores, several antique stores, a yarn shop, a bait and tackle shop, a beauty salon, a barbershop, a chocolate shop, two ice cream parlors, two banks, two gas stations, an EV charging station, at least 13 restaurants, two bars, a pub, an art gallery (representing about 40 artists), the “Rufus Porter Museum of Art and Ingenuity” with a gift shop, a live music venue, a movie theater, a drive-in theater with two screens, a hospital, an urgent care center, two pharmacies, an optician, and more.

PLEASE consult Owner for specifics relevant to your interests and needs BEFORE you “request to book.” We want to be sure that all of your questions about this unique property are addressed to your satisfaction before you push the “request to book” button that triggers VRBO’s 24-hour countdown to a deduction from your credit card.

VRBO now uses a defective artificial intelligence program to generate some content in its listings, resulting in false and/or misleading statements regarding distances, airports and significant local landmarks. This program calculates what VRBO calls “distance to Highland Lake.” However, the distance is NOT to the water’s edge but rather to some unidentified place in the lake. The homes are just a 5-minute walk or shorter drive to Nawandyn’s shoreline. The AI program misdirects prospective renters to airports that are NOT served by major airlines. Portland International Jetport (PWM) is the closest airport that is served by major airlines; it is just 42 miles from Nawandyn Estate (63 minutes via Routes 114 & 107).

Reviews of Nawandyn Estate are available under VRBO listing #328745. Prior guests have described their Nawandyn Estate experiences as “magical” and “heaven.” In recent years, VRBO limited reviews to only those groups that rented through its website.

Property manager

Diane Darneille

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Mountain view

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 30
Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

Events allowed
Subject to Owner Approval and Event Fee

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
In buildings or on grounds
No campfires or other fires (other than in propane BBQs)
Overwater boathouse closed between dusk and dawn.
Signed Rental Agreement, Property Use Rules and liability release forms must be provided to Owner BEFORE BOOKING.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

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
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Bridgton

Located in Bridgton, this vacation home is near theme parks and on the beach. Rufus Porter Museum and Narramissic Historic Farm are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Shawnee Peak and Steamboat Landing Mini Golf. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Bridgton, ME

What's nearby

  • Highland Lake - 1 min walk
  • Long Lake - 9 min drive
  • Gallery 302 - 9 min drive
  • Pondicherry Park - 9 min drive
  • Shawnee Peak - 19 min drive

Getting around

  • Fryeburg, ME (FRY-Eastern Slopes Regional) - 39 min drive

Restaurants

  • McDonald's - 10 min drive
  • Dunkin' - 11 min drive
  • Fluvial Brewing - 23 min drive
  • Black Horse Tavern - 9 min drive
  • Campfire Grille - 13 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is 40-acre Luxury Beach Front Estate-Ideal for Reunions & Retreats pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 32 out of 33 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 33 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 33 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 33 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 33 reviews" "

10/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Melissa V., Prophetstown

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Dreams Come True
This property had everything my daughter wanted for her wedding. The host were so helpful with anything we needed. The estate was beautiful with flowers blooming daily. There was plenty of space for everyone. Wish we could have stayed longer!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Greg C.

Perfect waterfront, beautiful lodging, caring owners
We spent a wonderful family reunion week at Nawandyn with 25 people. Plenty of space for both gathering and private time. Ages ranged from 2-83 and all felt comfortable. We spent most of every day at the sandy waterfront, using the provided kayaks, floats, beach chairs/towels, and paddleboards. We rented a Sunfish locally and also brought our own pontoon boat and fishing boat, which we kept at the private dock. The beach, although a pretty long walk from the houses (most took a car, but it's only a 1/4 mile or so), was outstanding and by itself made the week successful. The houses are beautiful also, and the recent addition of a central dining/play room in the Carriage House made a great gathering place for afternoon lawn games (many provided, but we had our own as well) and dinners. This room is air-conditioned, but the other two houses are not. The weather was in the 90s most of the week, and for some this was an issue, but fans were provided and it wasn't too bad. We got to hear the loons at night that much better! Finally, Diane and Hopewell, the owners who live onsite (and keep very busy maintaining and gardening the well-kept grounds), were extremely attentive and responsive to any question or concern that we had. They are lovely people and we felt like honored guests all week.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2018

8/10 Good

Abha S.

Had a great stay
We were 21 in our group for a family reunion. The age ranged from 5 to 88. We had rented the whole property for four days and were overall very comfortable except for my father in law who had difficulty climbing the stairs.. The place was clean with well equipped kitchen. It was wonderful to relax on the porch in the Main House. We used their kayaks and boat every single day. The boat could have been cleaner. I only wish there was a bedroom on the first floor for an older/handicapped person.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Deborah K.

Ultimate Haven of Incredible Beauty
Picture yourself arriving at Nawandyn Estate: You turn on to a driveway marked by stone pillars and lined by pine hedges that extend as far as the eye can see. As you drive ahead, your excitement builds. Then, at the end of the hedges, your jaw drops as you behold this private haven of incredible natural beauty. You are welcomed by abundant flowers, singing birds, fresh air, clear water, sandy beaches and so much more! There is calming visual harmony. Everywhere you turn there is another beckoning vista to explore. The stress and chaos of daily life are quickly forgotten. It is no wonder that my friends and I keep coming back to this unique and wonderful place. The surprise is that the owners continually find ways to make it even better. This year, they transformed the previously unused ground floor of the Carriage House into a huge, inviting great room complete with wet bar/small kitchen and full, handicapped-accessible bathroom. It is ideally suited for weddings, retreats, workshops, as well as simply hanging out. This space became our group’s central gathering place, when we weren’t at the beach. The comfortable furnishings can be moved around to suit the desired purpose. There are windows on all four sides, even all along the wall of doors that open onto landscaped grounds. The views are amazing. When you are inside, you feel completely connected to the outside. Whatever the weather or time of day, this is a great place to be. Here we lounged, dined, played indoor games, held a movie night and watched members of our group play sports on the lawn nearby. The photos of Nawandyn Estate at www.MaineLakeEstate.com are wonderful, but they don’t do the place justice. Nawandyn’s many pieces fit together in some way that makes the whole greater than the sum of the parts. May you be fortunate enough to stay at Nawandyn Estate.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Wonderful reunion spot
We rented Nawandyn in July 2017 for a week-long college reunion group, including spouses and kids, and had a fantastic time. At 28 guests, we had plenty of room to spread out, yet the main house was sufficiently large to accommodate all of us for dinners inside or on the lawn overlooking the lake. The main attraction is definitely the lake (a 5 minute walk from the main houses), with a terrific beach and boat house and plenty of water craft, on a lake that’s large enough to tube and ski but secluded enough to feel nearly empty. But we also took advantage of the sprawling grounds for group activities including croquet, volleyball and tennis. Diane and Hopewell were extremely attentive hosts, with detailed knowledge of the lake, surrounding area and activities. They also arranged a cook to prepare dinners for our large group, which worked out splendidly. We highly recommend Nawandyn and hope to come back someday.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2017

About the host

Hosted by Diane Darneille

Host profile image
Our family has owned Nawandyn Estate for over 96 years! We are deeply committed to maintaining, improving and sharing it. We delight in making the unique and wonderful Nawandyn Estate experience available to our guests.

Why they chose this property

Olivia Fremstad bought the original land parcels for the views, sandy beaches, proximity to her voice coach and the serenity that she credited for her greatest performances.

Our grandfather, who headed the largest shipping fleet on the Atlantic wanted a wonderful lake property within easy commute of Portland, Maine (where his business was based) on a warm, calm lake away from ocean fog. He wanted an extraordinary property which he could expand into a family compound with a full array of activities.

We particularly value the lifetime of memories of great times spent with family and friends at Nawandyn Estate, the privacy, serenity, breathtaking natural beauty of this place, the unique combination of features that can't be duplicated, and the friendly Bridgton community.

What makes this property unique

Bridgton is where those who really know Maine choose to go. It is a peaceful, scenic, small town with authentic Maine flavor. Yet, it offers the amenities of a much larger metropolitan area including a state-of-the-art hospital and top notch grocery store. Unlike other towns in Maine's Lake Region, Bridgton has a sense of community and genuinely welcomes visitors. It is centrally located between the ocean and mountains and continues to be a hub for artists and musicians. Nawandyn is situated in the area's premier location on Highland Ridge virtually across the street from an 18-hole golf course, with panoramic western views of Highland Lake, mountains and sunsets.

Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback

More Holiday Rentals ideas