A new kind of vacation destination is reportedly headed to one of the most popular tourist areas of Bucks County. But while the business is accepting money for “priority access” to its luxury treetop getaway, there are no details on where and when it will be built and open.
The Lookout Towers first garnered attention locally when advertisements for the new attraction in New Hope started appearing on social media earlier this year.
But details regarding the project — including knowledge by town, county and hospitality officials here and planning applications or approvals — don’t exist at this point, the Bucks County Courier Times found.
“New Hope Borough has no information on this project. Does not look to be legitimate at this time,” said Megan Connelly of Visit Bucks, the county’s tourism agency, which also had no knowledge of the project when contacted.
An official with Lookout Towers, which is said to offer visitors luxury stays high above the trees at a rental inspired by classic American fire towers and was soliciting deposits for early reservations in its ads, said the project is the real deal.
Advertising on the Lookout Towers Facebook and Instagram appears to be AI-generated, showcasing the multi-floor towers equipped with breathtaking views and modern amenities found in high-end hotels or rentals complete with a jacuzzi and a firepit.
The towers are also to feature a crow’s nest master bedroom and wraparound balcony for 360-degree views of scenic Bucks County, according to the website.
It sounds like a dream. And it may be.
There are no existing projects on the Bucks County land development map that appear to match Lookout Towers. The company isn’t listed as an owner of any Bucks County parcel, according to Bucks County Board of Assessment records.
A project like this, if built from the ground up on an undeveloped parcel, would need to go through the extensive subdivision and land development process at the municipal level and be reviewed by the county planning commission officials.
If it’s a renovation of an existing structure, it would still be subject to oversight, requiring a slew of permits and approvals from the municipality including zoning and building permits.
But as of mid-May, neither the Bucks County Planning Commission, New Hope Borough nor Solebury Township have received any applications for a Lookout Towers location, according to the managers of each municipality and James O’Malley, the communications director for the county.
A May 8 email from the “support team” at the company, however, touted an opening was coming soon.
It read: “The New Hope, PA location is tentatively scheduled to open this month, May 2026. Booking details have not yet been released, which is why you haven’t received further updates.”
But Nicole Lathan, the sole individual named on The Lookout Towers LLC business registration in North Carolina, in a May 15 text walked back the opening.
“Just to clarify, we have nothing to ‘open’ the end of May. We have simply closed/purchased on our first parcel of land (our property). And will be announcing to our members our construction schedule and dates when a reservation calendar will be available for them to make pre-bookings or reservations,” she wrote.
Lathan would not share the address of the Bucks property, nor could any record of a purchase by Lathan or Lookout Towers be found in Bucks County.
The ads tout reservations for VIP access in New Hope that are slated to be available as of June 2026 for stays in the completed tower in July 2027, she said, adding that the project is still in preliminary stages.
“We completely understand why some people are skeptical of The Lookout Towers. We are asking people to believe in a concept that is still actively being built, and we have never hidden that reality,” Lathan said in a text message. “Today, there are no completed Lookout Towers open to the public yet, and reservations are currently being made based on architectural renderings, plans, and our vision for the experience.”
While Lathan did not provide a location for the New Hope Lookout Tower when asked, an email from the support team said it will be “somewhere in the New Hope area near River Road.”
While she would not provide a detailed timeline or location, Lathan said plans are moving forward.
“We are scheduled to meet with a local engineer and builder next week as well as stop by the local building department to review plans etc.,” she said.
Tower getaways met with high doubt across U.S.
According to the company’s website, the New Hope site would be the sixth Lookout Towers location stretching across the country.
But officials in Stowe, Vermont reported that the tower the company has advertised in their town does not yet exist.
“That’s a scam, that’s definitely not real to the best of our knowledge,” said Will Fricke, Stowe’s assistant town manager.
Bob Pudney, town manager of Beech Mountain, North Carolina — reportedly home to another Lookout Towers property — also confirmed that there is currently “no such development in the Town of Beech Mountain.”
But the Beech Mountain Lookout Tower is already listed on booking.com with availability starting in mid-June starting at more than $400 per night. There are no reviews for the property yet.
The tourism office in Breckenridge, Colorado, also reported that they are unaware of the company or any Lookout Towers in town.
But Lathan defended the company against criticism.
“We are a real company, actively building across the country, and we consistently share updates with our community showing tower fabrication, site progress, partnerships, and development milestones as they happen,” Lathan said. “Like many ambitious hospitality concepts, building something new in public comes with scrutiny, questions, and skepticism. We welcome those conversations and believe transparency is the best way to earn long term trust.”
Lookout Towers not registered in PA
The Lookout Towers LLC was formed in September 2023 in North Carolina and lists a virtual office in Raleigh as the primary business address, according to filings with the North Carolina Secretary of State.
The company’s listed business address on the website appears to be a shuttered building in Banner Elk, North Carolina.
Lookout Towers LLC doesn’t currently have a registered business license in Arizona, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Oregon or Vermont — where locations are advertised — according to Secretary of State business filing searches. A rental company based in another state typically needs to register as a foreign entity in each state it owns property.
Despite questions, Towers company offers ‘early reservation’
Currently, the company’s website is offering interested parties the chance to secure their place in line for upcoming availability with a $50 early reservation, which grants “priority access to available units, early selection opportunities, and exclusive pre-launch pricing before the public release.”
This early reservation system at Lookout Towers has been reported to the Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker nine times since the start of 2026.
Locally, the Bucks County Consumer Protection office hasn’t received any complaints about The Lookout Towers as of May 18, O’Malley said.
In light of these reports, Lathan said she understands some people’s hesitation.
“For some people, that level of early stage participation is exciting. For others, it may feel too early, and we respect that completely,” she said. “If someone would prefer to wait until the first towers are complete and operating before booking, we fully understand and encourage them to make the decision that feels right for them.”
“At the same time, we have a growing community of early adopters who believe in what we are building and want to be part of it from the beginning. To recognize that trust, we are offering reservations at roughly 50% of what future rates are expected to be once towers are operational. Those early reservations help us validate demand, build momentum, and focus our resources on construction, operations, and hospitality development.”
