The Nevada
141 Long Beach Ave
York Beach, ME
Maine's first beachfront motel, restored.
About The Nevada
The Nevada has been on Long Sands Beach since 1951, when Henry de la Pena built a curved motel on the southern Maine coast and named it after the battleship he had served on, designing the L-shaped building to echo the flybridge of the USS Nevada. The property stayed in the de la Pena family for seventy years. When Joe Lipton and Michelle Friar bought it in 2021, a developer had already made an offer intending to demolish it for condos. They chose instead to raise the building three and a half feet out of the flood zone, add a third story in the same mid-century style, and redesign everything inside without changing the building's shape or the teal-and-white palette that had been stopping people on Ocean Boulevard for decades. The result opened in July 2024 and was covered by the Boston Globe, Hospitality Design, and Timeout Boston within weeks.
What The Nevada Is Known For
Joe Lipton and Michelle Friar saved The Nevada from a developer's demolition offer. That is the plain story. They bought it in 2021, raised the building out of the flood zone and rebuilt it floor to ceiling, and kept the curved shape, the teal trim, and the wraparound deck configuration that generations of southern Maine visitors had been slowing down to look at since 1951. One of Maine's first beachfront motels. Still one of the best positions on Long Sands Beach. The renovation was covered by the Boston Globe and Hospitality Design because it was done well and because the building is genuinely worth documenting. The result earned those mentions not by being surprising but by delivering exactly what the building always suggested it could be.
Amenities
- Private wraparound terrace per room
- Lulu's tiki bar and restaurant
- Beach chairs included
- Free parking
What Guests Love
- Every room has a private terrace with a direct ocean view of Long Sands Beach across the street, a configuration made possible by the building's original curved exterior design and preserved through the 2024 renovation.
- Lulu's tiki bar and pan-tropical restaurant is on site and open to the public: al pastor tacos on a traditional trompo and cocktails that justify the trip without the beach.
- Peacock blue tile, white terrazzo floors, and locally commissioned pop-art murals: the interiors match the ambition of the exterior without overselling it.
Worth Knowing
- No pets. The Nevada is a pet-free property and does not accommodate animals of any kind, including emotional support animals. Service dogs certified under the ADA are the exception.
- One complimentary parking space is included per room. An EV charging station is on site on a first-come, first-served basis. Register your vehicle at the front desk on arrival.
- Lulu’s tiki bar and restaurant is open to guests and the public. It is not exclusive to hotel guests.
The Room
Twenty-one king rooms, each with its own private terrace facing the ocean across Ocean Boulevard. The bathrooms are the detail people mention first: peacock blue tile, white terrazzo floors, glass-enclosed Kohler showers. Art Deco beach aesthetic throughout, with original pop-art murals commissioned from two local Maine artists who are also members of the Viewpoint team. Tivoli radios. Refrigerators with actual freezer compartments. The quiet split-system air conditioning is positioned so it does not interrupt the view or the sleep. Beach chairs and umbrellas are available for guests to borrow at no charge. The rooms are appropriately sized for a building that began life as a 1951 motor motel: efficient, well-considered, and designed around the terrace rather than the interior.
The Grounds
The building's signature move is the wraparound exterior deck that connects every room on every floor. Step outside any room door and you are on the terrace, facing Long Sands Beach across the street. An astroturf fire pit area grounds the social space at street level, with outdoor seating facing the building rather than the road. Lulu's restaurant and tiki bar occupy the ground-floor corner, opening onto a two-tier deck with unobstructed sightlines to the surf. The rear lot provides free parking for all guests. Nubble Lighthouse is a ten-minute drive. The beach is right there.
The Experience
The morning at The Nevada starts on the terrace. The surf is audible before the alarm. Beach chairs are ready at the office. Lulu's opens for dinner, the menu built around pan-tropical dishes: al pastor tacos made on a traditional vertical trompo, Maine lobster rangoon dip, tropical cocktails that earn return orders. In the evenings the fire pit brings guests down from their terraces and the building becomes social in the way that small properties always can. York Beach's historic short strip, the tidepools at Cape Neddick, and the lighthouse are all within minutes. Ogunquit is eight miles north on Route 1. Portsmouth is forty-five minutes south. The property positions itself as a specific Maine coastal experience rather than a generic beach hotel, and the distinction holds up.
Details
York Beach, ME 03909
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Nevada have EV charging?
No, The Nevada does not have on-site EV charging. The Road Trip Planner map shows public chargers near the property.
What is there to do near The Nevada?
Long Sands Beach: 0.1 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Nubble Lighthouse: 1.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there. Ogunquit: 8 miles, about a 15 minute drive.
How far is The Nevada from Long Sands Beach?
Long Sands Beach is about 0.1 miles from The Nevada, close enough to walk (roughly a 5 minute drive).
How far is The Nevada from Nubble Lighthouse?
Nubble Lighthouse is about 1.5 miles from The Nevada, roughly a 5 minute drive or a short bike ride.
How far is The Nevada from Ogunquit?
Ogunquit is about 8 miles from The Nevada, roughly a 15 minute drive.
How many rooms does The Nevada have?
Twenty-one king rooms, each with a private wraparound terrace and a direct ocean view of Long Sands Beach.
Is The Nevada pet friendly?
Contact the property before booking to confirm current pet policy.
Does The Nevada have a restaurant?
Yes. Lulu's is a tiki bar and pan-tropical restaurant on the ground floor, open to guests and the public. The menu includes al pastor tacos made on a traditional trompo, Maine lobster rangoon dip, and a cocktail list made with housemade ingredients.
Is parking free at The Nevada?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available in the rear lot.
What is the connection between The Nevada and The Viewpoint?
The Nevada and The Viewpoint Hotel on nearby Cape Neddick are sister properties owned by the same team. Nevada guests can access The Viewpoint's spa and pool amenities. A seasonal outdoor restaurant called Little Auk operates at The Viewpoint.
How far is The Nevada from Portsmouth, NH?
Downtown Portsmouth is approximately 45 minutes south of York Beach on US-1. It has one of the strongest independent restaurant scenes on the New England coast and is a natural dinner or day trip from The Nevada.
What is York Beach, Maine like?
York Beach is a classic Maine summer resort town with a working-class beach culture that predates the boutique hotel era. Short Sands and Long Sands are separated by the cape, each with a different character. The Goldenrod, which has been pulling saltwater taffy since 1896, is a Short Sands institution. Nubble Light, one of the most photographed lighthouses in New England, is a 5-minute drive around the cape from The Nevada.
Does The Nevada have a pool?
The Nevada does not have a pool. The property has a communal fire pit area.
Does The Nevada include breakfast?
No. Breakfast is not included at The Nevada.
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Things to Do Near The Southern Maine Coast
Long Sands Beach
0.3 miles away
A mile-and-a-half strand of open Atlantic sand in York, one of southern Maine's most reliable surf breaks, with the famous Nubble Lighthouse standing offshore at the north end.
Nubble Light and Sohier Park
1.3 miles away
This may be the most photographed lighthouse in the world, and once you see it you understand why.
Ogunquit Museum of American Art
4.8 miles away
Many beach visitors never make it up Shore Road to this one, and they miss one of the best-sited small museums in New England.
Marginal Way
5.6 miles away
The Marginal Way is coastal Maine distilled into a walkable mile. The paved path clings to the rocky shoreline of Ogunquit, winding above the ledges past pocket coves, tide pools, and surf that hammers the rocks on a big...
Kittery Trading Post
8.0 miles away
In the middle of the Kittery outlet strip sits a store that is half outfitter, half museum, and kids love wandering it.
Portsmouth Harbor Light at Fort Constitution
8.0 miles away
For a short, history-rich stop with a great view, drive out to New Castle and park at Fort Constitution.
Strawbery Banke Museum
9.3 miles away
This is not a single old house but a whole preserved neighborhood, which is what makes it special.
Odiorne Point State Park
9.5 miles away
Odiorne Point is the wild heart of the New Hampshire coast, the longest undeveloped stretch of shoreline in the state.
Seacoast Science Center
9.6 miles away
The Seacoast Science Center is the ideal Seacoast family stop because the exhibits and the real thing sit side by side.
USS Albacore
9.8 miles away
Landlocked in a Portsmouth park sits a submarine that quietly changed naval history.
Wallis Sands State Beach
11 miles away
A wide, soft half-mile of Atlantic beach on New Hampshire's short seacoast, one of the friendlier spots on the shore for families thanks to its gentle, gradual surf.
Fuller Gardens
13 miles away
Most Seacoast visitors chase the beaches and never learn there is a 1920s estate rose garden a few blocks inland.
Goat Island Light
16 miles away
Skip past the crowds of Dock Square and drive a few minutes east to Cape Porpoise, and you find the coast most people miss.
Nubble Lighthouse
1.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
Cape Neddick Light, known as Nubble Light, is one of the most photographed lighthouses in New England, a short drive from the hotel with a parking area and sweeping views of the island.