The Viewpoint Hotel offers outstanding vistas in an iconic seaside Maine location.
By Christina Poletto | Photos courtesy of Marvin
For decades, the iconic Nubble Lighthouse on Cape Neddick in York, Maine, has invited so much wonder and interest that it’s recognized by people all over the world. Fortuitously, The Viewpoint Hotel, a popular wedding destination and summertime getaway, has unobstructed views of Nubble Lighthouse and distant views of Boon Island Lighthouse and the Atlantic Ocean. To celebrate the hotel’s unique, memory-making location, Viewpoint’s owners recently added seven new and private guest suites, each offering some of the most picturesque views in the Northeast.
Originally, a restaurant was considered for the project. Viewpoint Hotel co-founder and CEO Joe Lipton said the team took time to consider the history of the site and decided on new guest rooms instead, inspired by the history of the property and a “cabana colony” of seven art deco dwellings that existed in the1950s. This new iteration was anything but a throwback to the past, however, as Viewpoint opted to make history by creating roomy guest units stacked right into the hillside—three guest rooms on top, four on the bottom—which feature earthy green roofs and passive energy design.
Each space features a king-sized bed and glass facades, which not only frame the ocean scenery but are strategically placed to allow in light, sea breezes, and views of the water that can be seen from the in-unit shower and are reflected in the bathroom mirror. Under the creative direction of architect Chris Reynolds of CR Design in New York City, the new guest units, which debuted in late summer 2023, were designed with a clean and chic aesthetic and to support the hotel’s commitment to sustainability. Reynolds found that partnering with Marvin Windows and Doors yielded a design that seamlessly blends into the hillside and enhances the new architecture while framing the iconic views and creating desirable sightlines from the guest rooms.
Settling on the best product for the project took time and consideration, says Reynolds. Ultimately, Marvin doors and windows were selected for their quality, price point, and availability for the fast-moving project. “The value proposition that Marvin offered was a fraction of the cost of European providers with similar products,” says Reynolds. A visit to Boston’s 7 Tide experience showroom was also crucial for advancing the design with Marvin’s Elevate products. It helped the design and hotel teams envision the finished Marvin products once they were installed. Lisa Massari, a representative for the studio, says that by using 7 Tide’s technology, they were able to project a rendering of Marvin’s four-paneled sliding doors onto the wall so the team could imagine how the Marvin products would look in the completed project and how guests would feel in the space. With the Elevate doors, two inner panels effortlessly slide to two outer panels, creating a 7-foot opening.
For guests, this visual access is “like a private show to the ocean,” says Massari. With their fiberglass exterior and well-insulated dual pane insulated glass, the doors are designed to endure Maine’s everchanging coastal conditions. Lipton loves the simple yet dependable style the Marvin Elevate products add to their new guest suites and says, “When you open those two doors up, there’s a flow that goes from outside to inside.” She adds that this type of convenient access also resonates with guests, even those visiting in the thick of winter. “There’s not a better place to watch a nor’easter.”
