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Weekend jaunts to the Hamptons may have been tranquil trips once upon a time, but somewhere along the line summer shares became laughably expensive, traffic clogged the roads, travel time doubled from two to four hours and the shops became less quaint and more like what you’d find in Soho. Glimpses of the old Hamptons still exist, but you have to know where and when to go. Montauk in the winter, for example, is nearly a ghost town. And it’s heavenly: there’s no problem getting a dinner reservation, no one else on the beach and it’s affordable. Stay at the Montauk Manor—an 80-year-old national landmark—and you’ll feel like you’ve crashed a party in a romance novel set in the 1920s.
The approach is spectacular: After passing through West Hampton, Southampton and East Hampton, you’ll hit a long empty stretch of land filled with abandoned clam shacks before coming across the Memory Motel (immortalized in a Stones song). Then, finally, you’ll reach Montauk, nestled at the easternmost tip of Long Island. Montauk Manor, a brown-and-white English Tudor resort built by multimillionaire Carl Fischer (who turned Miami Beach into a vacation destination) was fully restored 14 years ago for $25 million. The lobby looks exactly like it did when it first opened: Giant chandeliers dangle from absurdly high ceilings, rounded arches frame cozy, couch-filled nooks, and potted palm trees line the slate floor. It is easy to imagine the wealthy couples who indulged in ballroom dancing and lazy games of croquet back in the day.
Now, Montauk Manor hosts condo apartments and hotel rooms ranging from studios to three-bedroom suites. During peak months—August and September—a one-bedroom suite costs more than $300 a night, but from October to March rooms start at $125. You can also take the LIRR (mta.info/lirr) to Montauk for about $40 round-trip and ask the manor to pick you up. The shuttle, when available, can also take you to the beach, to restaurants and to shops in town—all for free.
Couples keen on staying in all weekend have plenty (besides each other) to explore on premises: The apartment-like rooms are decked out with La-Z-Boy chairs, TVs and DVD players (you can pick up free movies at the front desk; I watched The Devil Wears Prada), and many have full-size kitchens, patios and views of Gardiners Bay. The manor hosts one of only two indoor pools in Montauk, a small shallow thing you may have to share with children, but there’s also a hot tub and sauna. Active types can explore the squash and tennis courts or gym; not-so-active types can play shuffleboard or read by one of the fires in the lobby.
Though most restaurants close for the winter, the hotel has a list of year-round dining options on hand. The simplest thing would be to book a meal at Breakwater Cafe—located on the ground floor of the hotel—though the meals here can disappoint: The staff seems overwhelmed, and it’s not cheap. A better bet is to try a lunch or sunset dinner at the new Inlet Seafood (541 E Lake Dr, 631-668-4272), which has a separate sushi bar.
Activities in town abound: Deborah Thompson Day Spa (37 The Plaza, 631-668-4815), located above Barnacle Books, is decorated like a Moroccan lair, complete with antique couches and some crazy-looking lamps—though Thompson will also come to the hotel (Swedish massage, $110 for 60 min). You could easily fill a day with treatments, lunch at the dinerlike Mr. John’s Pancake House (721 Main St, 631-668-2383) and then a stroll along the beach. If you want to see surfers, go to Ditch Plains or Turtle Cove. If you want to be alone, go anywhere else. But bring a blanket; it’s freezing out there.
THE TAB
Hotel $145
Car rental 181 (including gas)
Tolls 10
Snacks 20
Spa treatments (two treatments, plus tip) 230
Meals 205
TOTAL COST: 791
(one night, two people)
By car: Take the Long Island Expressway (LIE) to Exit 70: County Road 111, Manorville (the sign says alternate route to montauk), turn right at the end of the ramp and head south. Drive until 111 becomes Route 27 East (Sunrise Highway); proceed east on Route 27 to Montauk, turn left at the Bank of New York, follow the semicircle until you can make a left onto Edgemere Street. Take Edgemere for one mile, then follow the driveway up the hill.
The details: Montauk Manor (236 Edgemere St, Montauk, NY; 631-668-4400, montaukmanor.com)
TRAVEL TIME:
3hrs
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