In response to changing traditions and with strong support from the summer residents, Cliffside Beach became a private club in 1949. The Beach emphasized personal service. The beach was divided in sections and marked off each morning. In each space, the member was assured of having the same umbrella and assortment of chairs. Members waited years to secure one of the more prestigious spots on the west beach.

 In 1970, the transition from Beach Club to Beach Club-Hotel began with the construction of several rental apartments. Following a gradual phased plan, Cliffside has added rooms, suites and a health club over the past almost thirty years.

The interior design demonstrates a commitment to the warmth and quality that was once a standard by which hotels were judged.

The woodwork in each room is outstanding. All the furnishings including the beds, tables, vanities and interior doors were designed and built by Nantucket craftsmen. Wainscotting placed on an angle serves as the headboard for each custom queen bed. A variety of naturally finished woods were used in different rooms.

Sixty-year-old beaded hemlock, reclaimed from the Beach Club changing rooms, was used. Custom milled cedar can be found in many of the rooms and "heart" pine reclaimed from Old South Station in Boston was also used.

Combining the warmth of the natural wood furnishings with cathedral ceilings, subtle lighting and lovely prints by local artists contributes a feeling of understated luxury to the Beach Club rooms.

The first rental apartments sitting on their own one acre of private beach were renovated and named the Goldcoast rooms after the original Goldcoast Beach Club that operated on the property from the late 1920's to 1950. While different from the Beach Club rooms, a similar use of natural woodwork compliments the furnishings from the Weatherend Estate Selection of Rockland, Maine. These remodeled units emphasize our commitment to offer our guests the finest accommodations on the island.