The Luna Blu Lodge at Sunday River in Bethel, Maine, is a sizeable two-building vacation rental. The ski-lodge-style property can sleep eighteen people amongst eight bedrooms and ten bathrooms. The two buildings are called the Luna Blu Lodge and the Dream Maker Suite. The Luna Blue Lodge hosts four additional suites, a large living room, a drinks and bar area, a game room, and a full-sized commercial kitchen and dining room area. The commercial kitchen is fully stocked with cooking equipment and dishware and has plenty of prep and cooking space in addition to a six-griddle, two-oven stove. There is plenty of parking, a patio, an expansive grass area, and a large fire pit on the premises. Several restaurants, breweries, shopping, and other activities are located nearby. The biggest draw to the area, though, is the Sunday River Ski Resort, which has more than 100 ski trails and fifteen lifts, and the White Mountains National Forest.
The Luna Blu Lodge at Sunday River is a relatively large, ski-lodge-style vacation rental located at the base of the White Mountains in Bethel, Maine. The property consists of two buildings, the Luna Blu Lodge and the smaller Dream Maker. Eighteen people can be accommodated on the premises among eight bedrooms and ten bathrooms. The rooms are broken up amongst five suites and provide a bed(s), a closet, a television, a minifridge, a hairdryer, and a coffee maker. Wi-Fi is, of course, available on the property as well. The five suites are named after ski slopes at the local Sunday River Ski Resort and are decorated uniquely to provide their own character.
Jason and Kara Olenio are the owners of the property and originally established the vacation rental. They run several rental properties and have owned this one since 2020. It should be noted that the Luna Blu Lodge at Sunday River is run as a vacation rental, meaning guests rent out the entire property at a time. There is also a two-night minimum stay policy. This style of lodging place allows guests more freedom and privacy and free-range of the entire premises.
The Luna Blu Lodge, which is the larger of the two buildings on the property, contains six of the eight bedrooms and eight of the ten bathrooms—one private bathroom for each room and two extra public ones on the main floor. There are four suites in the lodge, two of which are two-bedroom, two-bathroom suites, and the other two are single-bedroom, single-bathroom suites. The two double suites are called Ruby Palace and Emerald City, the Ruby Palace taking up the third floor and the Emerald City being on the second floor. The two single suites are named Rogue Angel and Lights Out, both located on the second floor. Between the four suites, there is a combination of king, queen, and twin-sized beds in the bedrooms.
A unique feature that many guests have appreciated about the Luna Blu Lodge is its commercial kitchen. The lodge previously served as a restaurant with a full-sized dining area, bar, and kitchen. Now parties can use this space at their leisure for cooking, eating, and other activities. There is a large bar and several tables to accommodate sizable groups. The kitchen has a large prep station, fully stocked by the owners, with cooking equipment and serving dishes and utensils. The stovetop has six burners and a griddle, and there are two ovens. Additionally, there are a few refrigerators available for visitors to store food in and there is a large dishwasher.
Separate from the kitchen in the Luna Blu Lodge is an entire bar and drinks area, complete with several tables and chairs. There are two refrigerators, an ice maker, a sink, and enough glassware for a large group. A bar tap or kegerator, able to hold a single one-half keg or two one-quarter kegs, is available for guests to serve drinks from. Also inside, there is a new gaming room with video games, board games, and a retro pinball machine.
It should be noted that guests need to bring all the food and drinks they wish to eat and serve at the lodge. Additionally, guests are required to bring all of their own bedding and toiletries. This includes bed sheets, pillows, blankets, linens, towels, and other bedding, as well as soap, shampoo, and toilet paper.
The Dream Maker Suite, which comprises the entirety of the smaller building on the property, hosts the remaining two bedrooms and bathrooms. The first bedroom has a king bed and a shower, while the second has a single-person jacuzzi tub and a queen bed. Additionally, there is a living room, a full-sized kitchen, and a dining room in the Dream Maker Suite. The kitchen has a gas stove, a dishwasher, a refrigerator, a sink, and cupboards stocked with cooking equipment and dishware.
The grounds of the Luna Blue Lodge are relatively expansive. A large grassy field is available in the backyard and backs right up to the trees and meadows beyond. There is a large fireplace on the grass area with log benches enough to fit a big group. A large front patio outdoor living area overlooks the concrete parking lot—with room for several cars. A gravel driveway circles behind the lodge to an even bigger gravel parking area if visitors need more parking.
Should guests want to eat out, several places in Bethel can accommodate them. Brian’s is Jason and Kara’s—the owners—personal favorite. It has a daily special they describe as “hard to pass up” and requires a reservation should visitors want to secure their spot. They also recommend Cho Sun, an authentic Japanese and Korean restaurant, and Sudbury Inn Dining, which serves “the best pizza in town” accordion to Jason. The Sunday River Brewing Company is a local favorite that serves pasta, sandwiches, salads, and a variety of craft beers and other beverages.
The Luna Blu Lodge at Sunday River is a vacation rental—meaning patrons rent the entire house at a time—with a two-night minimum stay. Because of this, and the fact the property can sleep 18 people, most of the guests that stay at the lodge come in large parties. Jason and Kara Olenio, the owners, have seen groups come for weddings, family reunions, parties, work retreats, ski trips, birthday parties, book clubs, and more. The most common demographic is people from 25-35, though many families and older groups come as well. Contactless check-in and check-out make coming and leaving the property relatively easy. One visitor’s review reads, “Had a great stay at Luna Blu Lodge! The accommodations were clean, comfortable, and quiet.”
Regardless of what guests are coming for, Jason says they often confess how their stay exceeded their expectations. He further explains how many people’s reviews or comments regarding the lodge talk about how they “couldn’t believe how cool it was and can’t way to come back.” One party, in particular, was surprised they had enough space to set up for their band. Another mentioned they wish they had brought more food due to the accessibility and available features of the commercial kitchen. One party who stayed at the Luna Blu Lodge said, “Our stay at the Luna Blu Lodge was simply perfect. From the ease of the check-in process to the close proximity to the mountain, this lodge is nothing short of amazing. The hosts were overwhelmingly accommodating, and the lodge is one of a kind.”
During their guest's stay at the Luna Blu Lodge, Jason and Kara try to make sure that either they or one of their staff members are on hand should any assistance be required—available by phone or text. One visitor’s review supports this, stating, “The owners are extremely responsive and professional.” It should also be noted that the property has a no-pet and no-smoking-indoors policy to keep the property clean and better accommodate any guest that might stay on the premises. However, as the lodge is a vacation rental and there are no close neighbors, there is no quiet time enforced, something many parties have found is very convenient.
Besides all of the features and amenities, many people come to the Luna Blu Lodge at Sunday River for the surrounding area and nearby attractions. One guest mentioned, “The convenient location is ideal if you are looking to ski or partake in any of the outdoor activities that this area of Maine has to offer.” According to Jason, the lodge itself is decorated and accessorized in such a way as to give a ski lodge feel. The rooms are even named after the slopes of the local ski resort—Sunday River. It is also open year-round, allowing visitors to pick and choose when they would like to come and stay based on the available activities and attractions during that season.
During the winter, skiing, hiking, and snowshoeing are all very common in the area. Sunday River Ski Resort itself is located only a few minutes away. With 870 skiable acres across 8 peaks, over 100 trails and glades are available to ski and snowboard down, and 15 lifts to ferry people to them. Mt. Abram, Black Mt. of Maine, Wildcat Mountain, and Bretton Woods Ski Area are other ski resorts within 35 miles of the lodge. Beyond this, snowmobiling tours are available in the area as well.
During warmer seasons, hiking and mountain biking become popular pastimes for those visiting the area. The White Mountain National Forest has over 1,000 miles of hiking trails and 400 miles of snowmobile trails. It also boasts an abundance of lakes, streams, waterfalls, mountain summits, trees, wildlife, and views. Guests can find ATV tours, zipline, helicopter rides, train rides, and more in the White Mountains area. One unique activity Jason mentions some of his guests participate in is mining. Bethel, Maine, is known for its tourmaline mining, attracting geologists and tourists from all over the country to come and search for gems in the mines there. There are more than 200 smalltown shops people can peruse as well. Three shops that Jason and Kara recommend are Bethlehem, an antique shop; Franconia, and Sugar Hill, which sell items made by local artists and craftsmen.
Jason and Kara Olenio are the owners of the Luna Blue Lodge at Sunday River. They own fifteen rental properties currently and manage them all themselves. On their team, they have a general contractor, painter, electrician, plumber, and, a cleaning crew that all help them build, maintain, and upkeep their properties.
Jason and Kara often vacation in the White Mountains and Bethel, Maine. Twelve years ago, they began renting a ski lodge they owned in the area. One thing led to another, they bought several more properties, expanded their business, and now are known as Luna Blu. The name Luna Blu is derived from their two cats—Luna and Blu. As they began buying and renting more properties, they knew they would need a name for their business and thought to themselves, “let’s name it after our two cats.” Jason tells how his personal history with rental properties goes back to when he was young. He bought himself a ski lodge in North Conway, New Hampshire, put an ad in the newspaper, and rented it to whoever called. As technology has increased over the years, Kara’s and his rental business have become increasingly successful and easy.
The Luna Blu Lodge at Sunday River is one of the new additions to the Luna Blu family. Jason and Kara purchased it in 2020, just before the winter season, and have been running it ever since. At the time of purchase, it was an English Pub, a theme they replaced with a ‘ski lodge’ atmosphere. However, the property itself was built in the 1850s and served many purposes over the years. A book detailing the history of the houses and containing old photos and snapshots is available in the main lodge, allowing guests to learn about the place they are staying at.
Since Jason and Kara established the Luna Blu Lodge at Sunday River, they have entirely redone the commercial kitchen, updated much of the furnishings and amenities, and even added an entire game room. They ran the property as an inn for a brief period, but decided instead to run it as a vacation rental.
150 Mayville Rd
Bethel, Maine 04217
United States
Ski Lodge
Jason and Kara Olenio
