ViewPoint Hotel in York unveils hillside rooms with stunning Nubble Lighthouse views

Max Sullivan, Portsmouth Herald
·5 min read

YORK, Maine — Seven hotel rooms built into the side of the hill overlooking the Nubble Lighthouse give guests a new hideaway at the ViewPoint Hotel.

The new structures aren't visible from on top of the hill, as the new units are covered with grass roofs, so as not to disrupt ViewPoint’s natural atmosphere. From those seven rooms, each guest gets an undisturbed view of York’s most iconic landmark.

“You feel like you’re all by yourself,” said Joe Lipton, who led the project to build the new units with his wife, Michelle Friar, and partners Chris and Liz Crane. The rooms are stacked four on the bottom and three on the top, each with a secluded outdoor seating area.

The Nubble Lighthouse and the Atlantic Ocean are seen from one of the new rooms as part of ViewPoint Hotel in York.
The Nubble Lighthouse and the Atlantic Ocean are seen from one of the new rooms as part of ViewPoint Hotel in York.

The team also plans to open a pop-up restaurant, A Little Auk, this September to the public to stay open through the fall months. Next year, they plan to construct a new two-story restaurant in its place with a rooftop bar overlooking the Nubble.

Joe Lipton and his wife, Michelle Friar, purchased the ViewPoint with the hopes of incorporating and preserving local history. Their new remodeling of the hotel is based on the Cabana Colony that existed on the property in the 1950s.
Joe Lipton and his wife, Michelle Friar, purchased the ViewPoint with the hopes of incorporating and preserving local history. Their new remodeling of the hotel is based on the Cabana Colony that existed on the property in the 1950s.

Lipton and Friar say it is all part of their vision of making the ViewPoint Hotel southern Maine’s premier seaside resort.

“One of our goals in doing what we’re doing, and the future projects that we have, is to grade as one of the top boutique hotels in New England,” Lipton said.

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Lipton and Friar, who own other businesses like the Stones Throw on Long Sands Beach, purchased the ViewPoint eight years ago. They say they enjoy bringing life to York’s old properties on the beach, modernizing while retaining their heritage.

Lipton said he found inspiration for underground hillside construction while visiting his son in Paris. Originally, he said the plan was to build a restaurant inside the hill. After two years of planning, however, they decided lodging was a better choice.

Joe Lipton and his wife, Michelle Friar, purchased the ViewPoint with the hopes of incorporating and preserving local history. Their new remodeling of the hotel is based on the Cabana Colony that existed on the property in the 1950s.
Joe Lipton and his wife, Michelle Friar, purchased the ViewPoint with the hopes of incorporating and preserving local history. Their new remodeling of the hotel is based on the Cabana Colony that existed on the property in the 1950s.

They also looked back at the property’s history when it was run as the Cabana Club in the 1950s. Lipton has a book that includes photographs of the Cabana Club taken years ago.

“The first thing built on this property,” he said, pointing to the cover of the book.

Lipton had previously hoped to start construction last year but was delayed by the Planning Board process. He acquired his building permit in October, and work lasted into the summer this year.

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Inside the hill, guests get a secluded view through a glass window that spans the length of the east wall. From the view of the top three units, the grass outside the window is the roof of the bottom four.

“These people don’t know that there’s people down there, and those people don’t know that there’s people up here,” Lipton said.

The shower also has a view of the Nubble, though guests can choose to bring down a shade for privacy. The rooms feature artwork depicting the ocean and seaside, as well as a desktop and bar fridge. Outside, Lipton and Friar have also added bird feeders, baths and certain vegetation to create a bird sanctuary.

Lipton said he planned to announce the rooms were ready for occupancy this weekend. He enjoys revealing the work he and Friar have done, especially since they have put so much into the project.

Joe Lipton and his wife, Michelle Friar, purchased the ViewPoint with the hopes of incorporating and preserving local history. Their new remodeling of the hotel is based on the Cabana Colony that existed on the property in the 1950s.
Joe Lipton and his wife, Michelle Friar, purchased the ViewPoint with the hopes of incorporating and preserving local history. Their new remodeling of the hotel is based on the Cabana Colony that existed on the property in the 1950s.

“This is the fun time in our lives where we get to design and create things,” Lipton said. “The fun part is opening the door and saying, ‘Hey, take a look at this.’”

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Next to the ViewPoint’s lodging, a 1969 Airstream van sits converted into a bar with an outdoor patio and lounge.

The pop-up restaurant, A Little Auk, has been open to members only this summer, but in September, it will be open Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. to the public.

Lipton acknowledged the hours are “a little awkward.” Weddings take up the weekends at the ViewPoint, so the bar can only run on the weekdays.

Also awkward, he said, is that the restaurant will only be open for one year. It will be replaced next summer by the construction of a new two-story restaurant with a rooftop bar overlooking the Nubble pending approval by the town. He said they would be going to the Planning Board soon to begin that process. He hopes the restaurant will be open by fall 2024.

Meanwhile, he said he is turning his attention to another hotel project that he has had underway.

“First we’ve got to finish Nevada,” Lipton said.

Joe Lipton and his wife, Michelle Friar, give a tour of the newest additions to the ViewPoint Hotel. The additions are based on the local history of the Cabana Colony that existed on the property going back as far as the 1950s.
Joe Lipton and his wife, Michelle Friar, give a tour of the newest additions to the ViewPoint Hotel. The additions are based on the local history of the Cabana Colony that existed on the property going back as far as the 1950s.

Lipton and Friar bought the Nevada Motel in 2021 and are revitalizing it with a new foundation and more spacious rooms. The motel was originally built by a World War II veteran who served on the USS Nevada. The building was made to look like the flybridge of a battleship.

Lipton has been working simultaneously on the ViewPoint and the Nevada since getting approval for both last year. He did recently pull crews from the Nevada to focus on finishing the ViewPoint.

“Now that this one’s done, we’re back down there,” Lipton said. He expects the Nevada to be open by spring 2024.

Also added to the ViewPoint this year is a gym that includes a Peloton. They also plan to add a salon to make ViewPoint a “one-stop-shop” for tourists.

“We’re trying to make sure we have all those ingredients that kind of fulfill the need for having a small boutique resort,” Lipton said.

The season is nearly over as the rooms become prepared for booking. Lipton said the summertime is not the only time to enjoy secluded views of the Nubble.

“Those rooms are amazing spots to watch a storm come in,” Lipton said. “We’re excited about the offseason as well.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York ME ViewPoint Hotel unveils rooms overlooking Nubble Lighthouse