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Maggie's Place on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island

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Beach
TV, fireplace, DVD player, books
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Exterior

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Laundry
  • Air conditioning
  • Free WiFi

Explore the area

Map
Breton Cove, NS
  • Marine Atlantic Ferry Terminal
  • Cape Smokey Provincial Park
    ‪16 min drive‬
  • Ski Cape Smokey
    ‪24 min drive‬
  • Sydney, NS (YQY)
    ‪99 min drive‬

Room options

About the neighborhood

Skir Dhu

Seaside stay .Stay at this Skir Dhu farm stay and you'll be within 12 miles (20 km) of Cape Smokey Provincial Park and Saint Anns Bay. Ski Cape Smokey is within 16 miles (25 km) and Cape Breton Highlands National Park is within 20 miles (32 km).
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What's nearby

  • Cape Smokey Provincial Park - 16 min drive - 10.7 miles
  • Ski Cape Smokey - 24 min drive - 17.0 miles
  • Cape Breton Highlands National Park - 30 min drive - 20.6 miles
  • Acadian Trail - 31 min drive - 20.8 miles
  • Highlands Links - 35 min drive - 22.4 miles

Getting around

  • Sydney, NS (YQY) - 95 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Clucking Hen Cafe - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪The Dancing Moose Cafe Inc - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Mermaid Seeker Restaurant - ‬15 min walk
  • ‪Cal's Resturant & Grill - ‬15 min walk

About this property

Maggie's Place on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island

Maggie's is a charming century-old 3-bedroom farmhouse on the Cabot Trail. It is located in Skir Dhu near Wreck Cove on the Atlantic Ocean side of Cape Breton Island. It includes numerous hiking trails, streams and two large ponds yet is close to numerous craft shops, restaurants and beaches. It is ideally located on the Cabot Trail between the Cape Breton Highlands National Park and the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in the town of Baddeck.

Much like Maggie's, the community around it is very unique and it makes a great home-base while you visit the neighboring artisans (glass blowing, iron art, leather etc) or hike in the Highlands National Park. The house itself is built on a secluded knoll surrounded by mature silver Birch and sugar Maples. Maggie's has been carefully restored so as to keep its original charm yet is equipped with modern appliances, a fully equipped modern kitchen and high-speed Wifi. Walking trails on the property lead to two large pond, (Smith's Ponds) numerous streams and waterfall. There are many private and public beaches nearby. Kayaking, cafe's, a general store numerous artisan shops and an archery range are all nearby.

This part of Cape Breton was settled by Scottish homesteaders between 150 and 200 years ago. The son of the original settler, Angus Smith, built the house from wood cut, milled and planed by hand for his bride Maggie. Since she outlived her husband by many years the property became know as 'Maggie's Place'. We are proud to continue the tradition.

Guests will have the use of the entire house, including WIFI, modern appliances and cookware, dishes, linens and towels. Enjoy full use of the yard and trails on the property. There is a gas station nearby. Closest towns are Ingonish and Baddeck.

Property manager

Uli or Cathy Nikolai

Languages

English, German

Similar properties

Beach

Beach access with Ocean View; Cabot Trail 25 km away.

  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Pet friendly
5.0 out of 5, Exceptional, 2 reviews
Beach access with Ocean View; Cabot Trail 25 km away.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Internet access

Things to do

  • Books
  • Games
  • Golf
  • Music library
  • Playground
  • Video library

Room amenities

Entertainment

  • DVD player
  • TV with cable channels

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 1.5 bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Blender
  • Coffee grinder
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dining table
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric kettle
  • Kitchen
  • Lobster/crab pot
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Separate dining area
  • Spices
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Desk
  • Dryer
  • Fireplace
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Living room
  • Soundproofed rooms

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 3:00 PM

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.

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
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession. Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited. For guests' safety, the property includes a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock in each accommodation.

Property Registration Number STR2425A5112

Frequently asked questions

How close is Maggie's Place on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island to the airport?

This farm stay is 73.1 mi (95-min drive) away from the Sydney, NS (YQY) airport, the closest popular airport to the property.

Does Maggie's Place on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island have an airport shuttle?

Airport shuttle services are not available at this farm stay.

How close is Maggie's Place on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island to the beach?

This farm stay is 19 mi (29-min drive) from Ingonish Beach.

Does Maggie's Place on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island offer free breakfast?

This farm stay does not offer free breakfast.

Is there a casino at Maggie's Place on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island?

No, there is no casino at this farm stay.

What time is check-in at Maggie's Place on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

Is there free parking at Maggie's Place on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island?

Free parking is not available at this farm stay.

Does Maggie's Place on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island have a pool?

This farm stay does not have a pool.

Does Maggie's Place on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island have a spa?

There are no spa services available at this farm stay.

How close is Maggie's Place on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island to downtown Skir Dhu?

This farm stay is 0.3 mi away from Skir Dhu.

Maggie's Place on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island Reviews

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 60 out of 64 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 64 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 64 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 64 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 64 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Staff & service

8.0/10

Amenities

8.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Remi L.

Liked: Cleanliness

Wonderful stay

Maggie's place was better than we anticipated. We love old houses, and this one was a home run. The beautiful yard, the flowers, the quiet neighbourhood, the nicely restored old home was all there to make our pleasure. All the modern commodities were there too, which made our stay easy.The kids enjoyed Netflix while we read the old 50 years old magazines.Uri the owner made us feel like family. I would definitely go back if I have the chance.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

James

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Cathy and Uli have worked hard to add charm and comfort to Maggie's rustic farmhouse from a bygone era. It was a wonderful time to be there. So peaceful, set back from the road and surrounded by the beautiful Fall colours. Very nice to sit by the fire burning in the wood stove and enjoy one of the many interesting local history books.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

tony p.

Liked: Cleanliness

Back in time

Well preserved old farm house with everything you need. Perfect location to see the fall foliage and it didn't disappoint. We were there during the Celtic Colours Festival and got to see the Nova Scotia culture first hand. nova
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Pace B.

Liked: Cleanliness

A beautiful stay

Uli is an amazing man, a historian, and we connected quickly, He has travelled the world and we were able to talk history and enjoyed his great demeanor and his dog! I heated the place with firewood, and loved the wifi! I cannot wait to go back to this wonderful place with the victrola and beautiful fireplace Pace
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

shawn s., Ontario, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness

Our stay at Maggie’s Place

Beautiful old farm house with great character, brings back memories of some of the older homes growing up I visited. Hope to return again soon.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Monica F.

Liked: Cleanliness

Wonderful stay at Maggie's

Maggie's Place is a quaint, cozy and a delightful place to stay. It's well equipped and the beds were very comfortable. It's situated on a lovely property with a perfect place to enjoy your morning coffee. We would not hesitate to recommend Maggie's to others. And, look forward our next visit.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Mark M.

Liked: Cleanliness

Perfect cottage for family

When we arrived, 10:00pm, we met Uli (owner) and he had a fire already started in the wood stove. After a short chat and a walk around the cottage to show us how everything worked, Uli left us to go to bed after a days long drive to get to Cape Breton. The next morning, Uli delivered more firewood that lasted the duration of our stay. The cottage had everything that we needed. Beautiful morning sunrises.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jessica M., Nova Scotia

Liked: Cleanliness

Wonderful home

Wonderful home that is cozy and welcoming. Close to all amenities such as shopping, gas station, and trails. Perfect for families!! The hosts were attentive and provided a wealth of information about local attractions. Highly recommend!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Tom B.

Liked: Cleanliness

Charming

We loved everything about Maggie's! The farmhouse was so cozy, warm and inviting with the old charm feel and supplied with everything needed. Uli's greeting made us feel right at home the moment we walked to the door. This was our first trip east and Uli had great tips for exploring and directions. Hurricane Lee put a damper on the hike to the waterfall but Uli was wonderful and took us on a hike along the waters edge that was simply amazing. Could not have asked for anything more! Thank You
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Suzanne U.

Liked: Cleanliness

Enchanted cottage

We spent four nights at Maggie's Place, and it was just a dream. The host was gracious, and has preserved the historical integrity of the cottage. It had been his family's summer home. We went to a local dock and picked up lobsters from his niece, a lobster trapper. We warmed ourselves by the woodstove in the kitchen and listened to the Victrola! No hotel will ever be able to match the experience we enjoyed at this little home, nestled in the white birches on the Cabot Trail.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Beth K.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great pleasant spot.

We loved it more and more each day we were there.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Brian A.

Liked: Cleanliness

Maggie's Place post hurricane Fiona

Beautiful cottage in woods directly on Cabot Trail. Lovely antique filled 2 story residence with everything necessary for a relaxing stay. My one problem was that the description did not mention that the only heat comes from a wood burning kitchen stove. We stayed in the week directly after Fiona struck the Maritimes and were on PEI during the actual event, so Nova Scotia seemed much better to us, but the temperstures plummeted as we drove north in Nova Scotia and we were very cold the last 2 days. Ulli is a wonderful host and very congenial, caring and helpful. He had a great fire going when we arrived in the evening and it is not his fault that we could not get the large pieces of wood to burn. It was damp and would burn for a short while then go out. There were plenty of blankets and quilts but it was cold in the bedrooms and the bathrooms were icy. He provided electric heaters and if we had stayed longer than the 4 days, we would have used them. I spent a ton of time trying to get the fire to go at night and during the night to no avail, except once. My only negative is that I would have like to have known about the stove in advance. I would have been more prepared. AS it was, I used every piece of kindling, paper bags, carboard and most of my magazines to try to start the fire and get the logs to actually burn more than 10 minutes! That part was not fun but my daughter is autistic and cold, so I persevered. We ll had a very good time in a very unique place and beautiful place, so that is the important part. It was clean, well stocked with dishes and linens and full of history with a fabulous bookshelf. The trails were pretty covered from the hurricane that had just swept through but nothing compared to the destruction on PEI, so we thought it was great. The Cabot trail was clear and despite the National Park site saying everything was closed, we found the visitor center open and many trails were passable, plus we could hike directly up the highway 50 feet from our door to some beautiful sites. I would love to go back when it is not 3o degrees F and really explore the area more closely. I highly recommend this cottage to anyone interested in getting off the tourist carousel and really enjoying nature and sublime beauty.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Brenda R., Oklahoma

Liked: Cleanliness

Unusual experience.....

My plans took an unexpected turn....we had a sudden death in the family of a beautiful 20 year old niece....so I immediately headed home to the States. I contacted my wonderful hosts who couldn't have been more understanding. So I didn't make it to Skir Dhu...and I didn't see the property....but I can tell you that my communications with my hosts started immediately after my booking....they welcomed me prior to arrival....and offered to help me get familiar with the area...and when I told them I had to head home unexpectedly, they were most gracious and kind....and isn't that what really counts? Kindness....and these two are ten stars....A most sincere thank you to you both from me and my family...
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Andraea S.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great stay!!!!

Beautiful, homey location! Well cared for and well loved property with incredible amenities for entertainment and food! It was hot upstairs as the outside temp was high but it cooled down overnight with fans. Will not forget the stay and our hospitable host.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Maura M.

Liked: Cleanliness

A charming and authentic Cape Breton cottage home

Maggie’s place is a quirky historic wooden house, having been hand built 120 years ago. It is also very comfortable and well-equipped. We had everything we needed for our three night stay in Cape Breton, and very much enjoyed the local area with kayaking, whale watching and beaches in easy driving distance. A great place for a family break.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

8/10 Good

jan k.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great place- lots of room for 6 adults.

Great place- very clean and everything you need for preparing meals.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Gerri L.

Liked: Cleanliness

perfection

beautiful
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Wendy J.

Liked: Cleanliness

Take a step back in time

We arrived to this lovely original Cape Breton homestead and were swept back in time. The countryside is surrounded in beauty and the hospitality shown to us made us feel peaceful and welcome. Uli and his wife made a delicious apple pie made with the local apples from the area. Such a surprise and so delicious. We fell in love with all that this place had to offer and wish we could have stayed longer. Thank you so much for such a wonderful visit! This was not just a place to stay, it was an experience!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Susan T.

Liked: Cleanliness

True Cape Breton Hospitality

Our hosts were amazing and responsive from the initial contact, throughout our stay, to our reluctant leaving. Maggie's Place exceeded our expectations in every way. A cozy century farmhouse with a rich local history, Maggie's has been lovingly restored. It retains all its charm while also offering modern conveniences. The kitchen is well equipped for preparing full meals. Our hosts offered many very helpful suggestions to enhance our exploration of the Island. We spent a very comfortable week and look forward to returning. You couldn't ask for better.

10/10 Excellent

Jim H.

Liked: Cleanliness

A truely wonderfull home to stay on your holidays

a very beautiful piece of property set in among white birches just far enough off the road . we loved or stay
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Alison M.

Liked: Cleanliness

Peaceful Getaway

We used this for a 4 night vacation. Great location, only 15 mintues from Ingonish and 1h 15minutes from Sydney. Quaint house showing original features and charm. Well maintained and very well outfitted. Uli and Cathy were great hosts. We will gladly return here again.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Nancy B.

Liked: Cleanliness

Perfect Cape Breton Home Retreat

The location of Maggie’s Place was perfect for our adventures in the area and it was a most delightful spot to stay with all the comfort, amenities and coziness of home. Uli warmly welcomed us and introduced us to this most charming old Cape Breton farmhouse. We would love to stay here again and longer when we return to Cape Breton.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Ashlee J.

Liked: Cleanliness

Wonderful Fall Staycation to Maggie’s Place

I can’t say enough good things about this property, this location and especially about the amazing hospitality shown to us by the home owner. Uli went above and beyond to make sure we enjoyed our stay. This unique and authentic century farm house is nestled at the bottom of a beautiful mountain that has a wonderful series of hiking trails, one of which that goes all the way to the top where you can perch over a highland lake and scan the tree line for moose! Uli was very helpful in making sure that we were well informed and able to find our way to the top. He was also very kind to keep our fire going while we were driving around the Cabot trail so that we could return to a toasty warm house. The house itself has everything you could ever need, many beds and comfortable sofas. The kitchen was well stocked with all the items you would need for cooking meals, we didn’t want for anything. Lots of hot water and also a cooler of spring water if you prefer to use that instead. This property is perfectly and conveniently located on the world famous Cabot trail and gives you easy access to all sorts of amazing sites to see, mountains to climb and waterfalls to be astonished by. We will definitely be coming back to stay at Maggie’s Place and hike the spinnagan trail in the summer when we can take a dip in the highland lake!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2020

8/10 Good

Karen R.

Liked: Cleanliness

Cozy home

We enjoyed being at Maggie's....loved the wood heat, which we have at our home. Everything you need for a stay, provided. Hope to come back again
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Kimberley O.

Liked: Cleanliness

A very positive experience.

Everything was as described. A lovely stay in this pretty house in the woods!
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2019