BEARDMANS Art House by the Sea - Judique, NS

Helen M.

It’s a hidden gem. The left turn off Route 19 takes you down a laneway, across a field, the Celtic Shores Coastal Trail and into a driveway of deepening green that opens into lush flower gardens and a stand of pine and spruce trees that ring the shore and let the light through from the sea and the views of Saint George’s Bay. Only some hundreds of metres from the road, you find yourself in another world. The privacy and quiet are idyllic, surprising. Beardman’s has all of Cape Breton’s charms, but with a difference. The artist who built the house and the current owners, Marcus and Stephanie, have taken exceptional care to create a space that is unique and understated. To enjoy the place takes nothing but the will to breathe in and open your eyes. We loved the week we spend there mostly walking the coastal trail and swimming in the warm waters at sunset, yes, even in mid-September. I have visited Inverness County many times having spent all of my childhood summers there, from the last day of school to the first, but this year’s September stay in CB at Beardman’s in Craigmore was a bolt from the blue.

Jeanette B.

Das BEARDMANS ist ein wunderschönes Haus, in dem man sich sofort wohl fühlt. Man merkt gleich, dass es sehr individuell und mit viel Liebe eingerichtet wurde. Das Haus steht „einsam“ und somit sehr ruhig mitten im wunderschönen, wildromantischen Garten. Über eine steile Treppe und ein paar große Steinbrocken gelangt man an seinen eigenen Strand. Hier kann man wunderbar baden und traumhafte Sonnenuntergänge beobachten. Fazit: Für uns das perfekte Haus für einen herrlichen Urlaub - wir kommen wieder 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Liebe Stefanie, lieber Marcus ihr seid wunderbare, sehr aufmerksame und herzliche Gastgeber - Danke für Alles 🙏🏼
Jeany & Harry mit Kids aus Bayern

Jackson W.

Beardman's Art House by the Sea is beautiful, private and relaxing, and Marcus and Stephanie are wonderful hosts. They keep the house and gardens in excellent condition and the views out to sea from atop the bluff on which the house sits are spectacular. We fell asleep every night in our comfy bed to the sound of the sea, caressed by gentle breezes. Marcus gave us lots of great tips on where to go, what to see, best hikes and what/where to eat, we never put a foot wrong.

James M.

We spent a wonderful week at Beardmans Art House By the Sea! Marcus and Stefanie made us very welcome! The house is outstanding! It’s like spending time in a charming and comfortable home that is also a fascinating and inspiring art gallery. The brilliance of the art inside complements the beauty of the surrounding gardens and the spectacular views of sea and sunsets. It is hard to explain how the sum of the parts—all great in their own right—still add up to more than the sum of those parts.
We especially appreciated the tranquility of the place. Whatever the weather, the water is worth watching and listening to. And there’s always something new to discover in the garden. As other reviews have noted, you could have an amazing time here if you never left the property. But beyond, but not far, we enjoyed the boardwalks and beaches at Inverness and Port Hood, the great music at the Celtic Interpretive Music Centre in Judique, and various locations for good food and tasty local treats up and down the coast. The hiking and biking trail is steps away from the house. If we win the lottery, we’ll be coming back with an offer! More likely, we can hopefully look forward to another visit in the not too distant future to this delightful home away from home.

Sandra B.

Ein wunderschönes Haus mit einem verzauberten Garten, gestaltet von dem Künstler John Beardman und mit viel Liebe zum Detail von Stefanie und Marcus renoviert.
Vom Haus aus hat man eine phantastische Aussicht über die Küste und das Meer.
Der private Kiesstrand, den man über eine Holztreppe und große Findlinge erreicht lädt zum relaxen und baden ein.
Stefanie und Markus sind die perfekten Gastgeber und stehen immer mit Rat und Tat und vielen nützlichen Tips zur Seite.
Ein toller Urlaubsort zum wohlfühlen, relaxen und Natur genießen!

Nicolette J.

I have never posted a review before and my family and I travel extensively, both nationally and abroad. I was moved to write this review because of the incredible experience we had recently. We live in Ohio and have 2 children ages 16 and 10. We left Cape Breton Island 4 days ago and we were fortunate to spend 7 nights at the Beardman Art House. The home surpassed our expectations. The house was spacious, newly renovated, light and extremely clean. The furnishings were contemporary and comfortable. The kitchen had all of the modern conveniences. We used the home as a base to explore the Cabot Trail and the equally beautiful Ceilidh Trail. It was difficult to leave at times because the property itself is a destination.

The features that make this home truly unique are the setting and the art. The outside garden is a mixture of zen, herbs and wildflowers. A pine forest surrounds the entire property and ensures privacy. The house is on a cliff overlooking the ocean which guarantees breathtaking sunsets. All rooms offer views of either the garden, woods or water and there are numerous windows. I can’t begin to describe the master bedroom with is wall of windows, ocean views and moon lite nights. We explored the beach and at low tide, discovered mussels, barnacles and small fish. We never turned on the television and were able to escape and connect as a family. Our lobster dinner at the house was an adventure.

If the natural beauty wasn’t enough, the art of John Beardman throughout the house was an additional source of wonder. We purchased a painting prior to leaving. It will always remind us of this wonderful vacation. Thanks to Marcus and Stefanie for your suggestions and for being excellent hosts.

Manfred G.

Beautiful property with spectacular sunsets. Access to the coast line and the coastal bike path makes this an ideal spot if looking for activities. Quaint town of Port Hood is just 20 minutes away with great sandy beaches!

Had a fabulous week! Many thanks to Stefanie and Marcus.

Deavron F.

Wonderful vacation in Nova Scotia.

The last week in August was such a wonderful time to visit all that Nova Scotia has to offer. After arriving in Halifax and dinner downtown by the harbor we headed the next day to wine country in Wolfville and Grand Pré. What a great way to spend a couple relaxing days with great food and great wine tastings at some of the premier winemakers in Nova Scotia while exploring the amazing Minas Basin.

From Wolfville the next afternoon we set out to get to Cape Breton Island and Beardman’s Art House by the Sea. The drive was comfortable and easy and showed us how nice Nova Scotia countryside is from the view of your car.

Even though we had been on the Beardman’s website multiple times and gone through their gallery of photos in anticipation of our stay, you just cannot compare it to pulling in the drive, walking up the front steps and stepping inside for the first time. Stefanie and Marcus have gone above and beyond to create the perfect vacation get-a-way in Cape Breton Nova Scotia. All the furnishings and all the details inside and out of Beardman’s Art House are perfect. From the breathtaking ocean views at the private beach behind the home to the gorgeous gardens of flowers surrounding the home you are never at a loss for beauty. The master bedroom with its floor to ceiling windows give you amazing views of the ocean when you wake and an unbelievably star field at night. As if that somehow wasn’t enough, the home is full of John Beardman’s original art which is captivating to explore. We felt totally relaxed and comfortable as soon as we walked in the door.

Using Beardman’s Art House as a base to then explore all of Cape Breton for the week puts this vacation at the top of our recommendation list to anyone considering a trip to Nova Scotia. Visits to Glenora Distillery, Big Spruce Brewery, Cabot Trail, Highlands National Park, are some of must-dos on this trip. Hopefully you will love all that Beardman’s Art House and Nova Scotia has to offer as much as we did.