A property developer has snapped up a stunning waterfront hotel in Oregon 40 years after it washed ashore, raising fears that this relaxing haven for book lovers could lose its charm.
The popular Sylvia Beach Hotel in Newport captured local attention thanks to its picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean and its literary theme, which includes a complete ban on televisions and Wi-Fi.
Instead, guests are encouraged to enjoy its wide selection of books and its magnificent rugged views.
It was officially sold on Friday to John Lee, CEO of VIP Hospitality Group, for an undisclosed price, as its former owners Goody Cable and Sally Ford announced their goodbyes.
“I don’t own a hotel anymore, it makes me sad, but life goes on,” Ford said. The Oregonian. ‘One chapter ends and another begins. “It really has been a labor of love for Goody and me.”
But as the new owners announce they are now considering renovations, some locals are concerned about potential modernizations.
The Sylvia Beach Hotel in Newport, Oregon, has been acquired by a real estate developer 40 years after it arrived on the coast.
The book lover’s hotel has no TVs or Wi-Fi, and guests are encouraged to spend their time reading.
The hotel includes a cozy library (pictured) along with literary-themed rooms.
When Ford and Cable opened their doors in March 1987, they designed it with book lovers in mind.
It includes a large library filled with classic tomes and guests are encouraged to read rather than relax watching a movie.
During dinners in the hotel dining room, strangers are encouraged to play parlor games and talk with each other to make new friends.
The original property was built in 1913 and went through several iterations as the New Cliff Hotel and Gilmore Hotel before Cable and Ford purchased it.
When they bought the property, it was a run-down, low-rent residential hotel, with a broken roof and shaky waterfront foundation.
But Ford said that despite its condition, “when I first saw that old ruined place, I just loved it.”
‘It had three different colors of paint and that old Gilmore Hotel sign on the side. “I had no idea what we were in for, but for the most part it was fun, a lot of fun.”
They renovated the building and gutted its nooks and crannies, while adding four fireplaces, a kitchen, a new dining room and 21 additional bathrooms.
To follow their literary theme, the owners also had their friends decorate the rooms based on their favorite authors.
This has seen guests enjoy specialist rooms themed after Agatha Christie, Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams and JK Rowling.
Many of these themes remain to this day, while guests also enjoy a cozy book-filled library with a panoramic view of the beach.
While the hotel opened in March 1987, the original property dates back to 1913 and went through several iterations such as the New Cliff Hotel and the Gilmore Hotel.
Guests enjoy aesthetic landscaping and rooms designed around famous authors such as Agatha Christie, Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams.
The first guest was a “little man in a white sailor uniform,” Ford previously said. The Oregonianwho showed up with a local and had no luggage.
“The rate included breakfast, but they didn’t stay overnight,” he said.
Although its beginnings were low-key, the hotel’s aesthetic location overlooking the Pacific led to it becoming a popular destination for tourists.
As it faces new owners, hotel fans taken to Facebook to share their disappointment, and one of them suggested that instead, “everyone chip in and buy it.”
Another said the sale would be “sad, especially if it goes fully corporate.”
However, one former guest had a more optimistic outlook, saying he had simply “moved on to another owner for the next leg.”
“The building will be here long after we are all gone,” they said.
The decision to sell the property came after Ford’s brother, Ken Payton, who ran the front desk, died in 2009, and Cable also suffered a stroke four years ago.
The hotel was officially sold Friday to a property manager for an undisclosed price.
When they sold it, the former owners sadly said they would “miss it dearly.”
When the hotel was renovated, it added four fireplaces, a kitchen, a new dining room and 21 additional bathrooms.
Looking back, Cable said she is proud of her hotel, which she said was “our baby.”
“I’m going to miss him terribly,” he said.
“I’m really going to miss a lot of the guests and the dinners.”
For the new owner, Lee said the VIP group hopes to modernize the hotel while staying true to its 111-year history.
“Sally and Goody have built a successful business and brand with fans around the world for four decades,” Lee said.
‘We are honored to take up the torch and will focus on learning the ways that make Sylvia Beach so unique.
“There is a lot to learn and digest, and we will dive into the business over the coming months to determine the next steps, including the capital investments needed to renovate all areas of the hotel.”