My extended family had an amazing time at Attean in 2018. The pandemic thwarted our plan to return in 2021, but this year thirty of us gathered once more. We came from UK, the Middle East, Arizona, Montana, Canada and Vermont, lured by our confidence in the delights of Attean Lake Lodge. The isolation from the world on an island in western Maine is perfect for a family which thrives in harmony. We ate our delicious meals on the deck, overlooking the lake, served by kind and cheerful wait staff; brown bag lunches, bulging with the daily variety of large, delectable homemade cookies, fueled our midday activities, either on the beach or off, courtesy of motor boats at our disposal, on hiking trails on distant parts of the lake. Our young folk spent hours jumping off the dock into the water; we all had fun kayaking or paddle boarding round the island. Beach volleyball was popular. The teenagers enjoyed animated card games in the lodge in between the more vigorous moments. The cabins are immaculate; the linens are crisp and fresh; the housekeeping staff worked magic for the family with five boys. All have decks overlooking the lake. It took a little time for some to embrace the “no electricity in the cabins”. Good headlamps or battery-operated lanterns are worth bringing. Bug spray is advised, especially on some of the hikes. Light weight hiking pants, rain jackets for the occasional rain storm, a warm fleece for the post-storm cool are useful. No-one dresses up for dinner. We brought art supplies for creative moments and fishing rods for use on the dock, where all the children who tried were successful. It was hard to accept that the week had come and gone so quickly. We consoled ourselves with the thought of the 11 cabins we have reserved for summer 2024.…
There are 14 cabins on the island. We stayed at the Cobble Hill Cottage which was great. All of the cabins have lake views and are a close walk to the lodge. Every cabin gets their own motor boat and there are kayaks and canoes available. The food is top notch and it is all-inclusive - breakfast, lunch and dinner. We spent most of our time there fishing and caught many small mouth bass. I would highly recommend as a place to unwind and get back in touch with yourself and your family/friends. People tend to come and return regularly over the years. This was our first trip and we are looking forward to our next.
The Holden family and their employees are helpful, cheerful, and very welcoming. This is the second year of staying at the Lodge with a third already booked for '23. The food exceeds expectations. The views are calming and right from God's Country. Swimming, boating, fishing, and hiking at our fingertips. Wonderful place. Wondeful people.
Absolutely wonderful and beautiful destination. What a great place to reconnect with a loved one or loved ones. No distractions of today’s social media driven world. From the beautiful setting, cottages and great food this is a must stay destination. The best recommendation I can give is that we re-booked for next year as we were checking out. Wonderful hosts and employees cater to whatever you may need. Try Attean Lake Lodge you will not regret it!
We have just come home from our 23rd vacation to Attean. We began with our four little children, and now just the two of us go. It is the perfect vacation spot. All those years ago we formed friendships with other families and we all still come back the same week in July. It is the most relaxing and beautiful place I that I know of. You can do as much or as little as you like. The owners are the best people and we consider them our friends. I cannot think of a more perfect place. We love it.
Writing this review before I have to return to reality. As others have stated Attean is a dream. I’ve travelled quite a bit and it’s REALLY hard to recreate what they are able to do. The combination of rustic charm, feeling like you’re in a true Maine camp, top notch food, just the right amount of off the grid, clean, and inviting. To the reviewer five years ago that gave it 3 out of 5 because they had to restate their food allergy, trust me when I say the lodge has completely course corrected. My child’s tree nut allergy was clearly labeled on our name tag at dinner and we were consistently reassured the chef was aware of her allergy. Traveling with food allergies is a pain and nothing us parents asked for, but we didn’t give it another thought here, they had it covered. OK, on to the good stuff… The activities, rooms, grounds, views, food, and vibe are ALL amazing, but what separates Attean from other getaways is what’s not there. There aren’t 5,000 signs telling you what you can’t do, directing you, or over explaining. The staff is there, yet not there in the most amazing way. If you need something they can either take care of it for you or get someone immediately to help. It takes a special team to pull together what they have and a certain personality of people to appreciate and respect the calm, quiet, and definitive lack of structure Attean offers. This is a quiet island. If you and your traveling companions are here to be loud this place is 100% not for you. However, if you are a child or adult looking for multiple reasons to smile, laugh, or chill this is your jam. Here’s a couple of tips I’m using to make my return visit even better. 1. Headlamps for all. Even with the amazing kerosene lamps in the cabins, it can get a little dark. Headlamps for walking to/from the main lodge and those late night reading sessions are a help. 2. Additional lighting - Battery powered lights like a lantern or even a flashlight hanging from the ceiling can throw a really good amount of light. Helps you find those late night snacks that you know you’ll have in your cabin. 3. Comfy foldable chairs. If there is one knock I’ve got and trust me, it’s minor, I could never quite get comfortable in the futon or rocking chairs provided in our cabin (Montclair). I have a nice canvas camping chair that I can sit in for hours and I’m bringing that next time. 4. Binoculars - the interplay of the wilderness, scenery, island, water and everything else in between is a sight to behold, just wished I grabbed my binocs to make it even better. 5. Plan ahead - As of August 2020 Attean is taking reservations for 2022. Repeat, this is during COVID when all hospitality is taking a major hit. i 6. Boats - The kayaks, SUPs, canoes are all free, just be mindful of the wind which can whip up unexpectedly 7. The food - First night we got there our choices were lobster or prime rib. The desserts are original, down to earth, and get-in-my-face good. Here are some other things of note that I haven’t seen in reviews: Beds - The beds in our rooms were amazing, no dated spring-infested cots, these are legit and seemingly new beds. Bugs - Late August and no black flies, mosquitoes, or anything else to make you miserable. Critters - I saw two squirrels (one named Dill), but none scurrying in/around our cabin. Cash - Pretty much everything is included, but stuff like tipping, boat rentals, gift shop, etc is all handled when you settle your tab at the end of your stay. Heaven. Main lodge - New, clean, warm, inviting with stunning dining views and just functional enough wifi that you can get those texts or catch up on the Gram, but dodgy enough that your kids can’t stream Paw Patrol for 10 hours. COVID - did I mention this amazing life altering trip was during the hell that is COVID? Barely affected the stay. Folks mostly respected wearing a mask in the lodge when moving about. They tried to have all meals outside weather permitting. Like anything, the staff handled it graciously and without incident. In conclusion, It’s hard for me to truly shut down and relax and Attean is one of the few places that makes it so easy for me to do that.…
As a nature enthusiast and foodie in search of a peaceful weekend surrounded by gorgeous scenery I was more than satisfied with my stay at the Attean Lake Lodge. Combining laid-back island vibes with fun outdoor activities, amazing food and friendly staff, the Attean Lake Lodge is truly a unique retreat that can be enjoyed by both solo travelers and families alike. Loved staying in the Westport cabin and watching the lake shift from rippled to still and often reflecting the sky. A pleasure to be a guest here, well done!
There is literally nothing bad or lacking about this place. The setting is straight out of a novel - island in the middle of a beautiful lake. The cabins are rustic but very comfortable. There is no electricity to the cabins so your lighting is gas lights and kerosene lamps. Don’t worry- there is plenty of hot and cold water and a modern bathroom. There is a wood stove for those cool mornings and evenings. Firewood is provided. There are kayaks, paddle boats and small motor boats(the only thing that is extra cost). Life jackets and paddles are provided. Fishing is plentiful (I caught 65 in 3 days). And the food is delicious and plentiful. Everything is included in the cost. The staff is both friendly and extremely accommodating. Wi-fi and electricity is available in the main lodge if you absolutely cannot do without. Considering everything is included, their rates are very reasonable. We are definitely going back.…
Attean Lake Lodge is extraordinary. We went for a few days with our three kids (14, 14, 10) in August. The kids had, um, shall we say, ‘reservations’ about the degree of un-plugged-ness—-no electricity, no WiFi, etc. They were unhappy for probably 10 minutes—until they discovered how utterly magical this place is. The setting is breathtaking, the food is really good, the family that operates the lodge is super—friendly, helpful, caring—-and the spot is paradise. There are SO many activities to choose from—boating, swimming, fantastic hikes, paddling....or nothing. My family is counting the days (and the pennies) until we can return. It was worth every cent and then some. This may have been the best vacation we have ever taken. ❤️
24 of my family came last summer for a week, having chosen the rendezvous based on reviews, including TripAdvisor. We ranged in age from 2-78, and it is hard to say who had most fun. We gathered from across the world and from across the US and we had fun from sun up to past sun down. The food was abundant, delicious, and served by the friendliest people. The beds were very comfortable. The cabins were spotless and cozy, all with lake views that felt private. We went in mid-July, and the water was warm and inviting, so children swam past dark, and Grannies swam at 6am in comfort. The fish kept biting to keep young fishermen happy. The trails through the woods to and from the cabins were immaculately groomed. There were plenty of canoes, kayaks and paddle boards, and we rented boats with outboard engines to reach hiking trails around the lake. There was always a freshly supplied stack of wood ready for beach bonfires at the end of the day. The staff all excelled in making us feel that giving us a good vacation was their prime focus. My now-three year old grandsons speak longingly of our cabins in Maine, and want to go back. All their elders ran out of superlatives to describe their delights.…
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