Dune Deck beach club is the Hamptons’ new A-list hideaway.
GIVING WESTHAMPTON A WOW FACTOR, THE NEW DUNE DEC IS THE MOST LUXE BEACH CLUB IN THE HAMPTONS. BY SAMANTHA YANKS
Less than 10 minutes from the private Francis S. Gabreski Airport, in Westhampton Beach, the überluxury Discovery Land Company has opened the buzziest and most exclusive property in the Hamptons. Meet Dune Deck, a beach club unrivaled by its local counterparts, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean with cheery pink and green cabanas, 33 suites, and Michelin-starred chef Francis Reynaud. “The greatest thing about Dune Deck is, you can be working or living in New York City and in under two hours arrive to the beautiful beaches in the Hamptons—you can really have the best of both worlds,” says Michael Meldman, CEO of the Discovery Land Company.
To understand what is developing at Dune Deck, you first need a bit of background on the company and on Meldman himself. His properties have a science to them: buy your land, build your dream home, and join one of the Tom Fazio-designed golf courses. Membership is coveted and has a strict process, but once you’re approved, there is nothing in the world like it. From the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Montana, to Baker’s Bay in the Bahamas, to El Dorado in Los Cabos, Mexico, these luxury communities are built on three pillars: golf, outdoor pursuits appropriate to the
region—whether paddleboarding, lobstering, and swimming with black sharks at Baker’s Bay, or archery and fly fishing at Silo Ridge in the Hudson Valley— and family, which is at the heart of the model and something key to Meldman. “The programming for Discovery Clubs is developed with the entire family in mind,” he says. “We want to make sure the time members have together is spent enjoying special and unique experiences that create memories to last a lifetime.”
The whole concept originated when he wanted an adventurous, all-encompassing luxury experience with his young family and found that it simply did not exist. Meldman is a partner with George Clooney and Rande Gerber in Casamigos, and the three just sold the tequila brand for a much-talked-about $1 billion, so he also understands that a bit of celebrity power doesn’t hurt. Casamigos experiences are found around Dune Deck, from curated collections of tequilas in the suites to an Airstream when you arrive. Boldfaced names who have visited include Reese Witherspoon and Michael Jordan.
The exclusivity of Meldman’s properties is unparalleled, as visitors are allowed only when the homeowner is present. Dune Deck will work a bit differently, given the seasonality of the beachfront location. It has two price points: a Beach Club membership at $365,000 and a Lodging membership (which allows access to the lodging program, two weeks in July, two weeks in August) for $1 million. Open seven days a week through Labor Day, Dune Deck will convert to a Thursday-to-sunday schedule through September 30 and reopen next summer. 379 Duneroad,westhamptonbeach,631998-0050;dunedeckclub.com