THE VILLAGES
TAKE A TOUR OF SOME OF THE REGION’S MORE PICTURESQUE VILLAGES, EACH WITH ITS OWN PARTICULAR CHARMS. TOP-NOTCH FASHION, BEAUTY AND JEWELLERY STORES ABOUND
1 MONTAUK A tourism centre for good reason, Montauk is a great base for any Hamptons experience. Although it has a lighthouse (the fourth oldest working model in the US) and a reputation for fishing, it is best known for its beach resorts and party vibe – and as the setting of the television series Revenge.
Shop: Accessories and casual clothes are the order of the day at surfer-owned store Whalebone, which is so hip it even has its own award-winning lifestyle magazine. Find it at 65 Tuthill Rd, shopwhalebone.com.
Eat: For no-frills dining at its best, and one of the area’s statement dishes – lobster rolls – check out Duryea Lobsters, duryealobsters.com.
Stay: Embodying modern Hamptons style with an oh-so-stylish pared-back palette and abundant hints of brushed brass, Gurney’s Montauk’s (pictured) oceanfront rooms are second only to its beachside cabanas. Standard ocean view rooms, from $382.78*/ night (USD$306), gurneysresorts.com.
2 SAG HARBOR
A centuries-old whaling town, Sag Harbor has a low-key, relaxed vibe, signalled by its visitor centre, which is housed in a windmill, and the red brick facades of Main Street (pictured).
Shop: At Monc XIII, discover a rigorous edition of products that are functional, beautiful and chosen to age well, and a mix of new and antique furniture of the same philosophy. “A sort of poetic functionalism, if you will,” explains owner and founder Natasha Esch. 40 Madison St; monc13.com.
Eat: For delicious fine dining with a local, paddock-to-plate philosophy, pop in to Page at 63 Main, page63main.com.
Stay: Topping Rose House is an example of modern-meets-timeworn luxury, perfect to access both Bridgehampton and Sag Harbor. House King room, from $494.24*/ night (USD$395), topping rosehouse.com
3 SOUTHAMPTON
The original ‘summer colony’, pretty Southampton’s leafy streetscapes are a must-see, with interesting galleries and museums completing the cultural offering.
Shop: Take a wander through Mecox, a quite extraordinary 1.2 hectare property, and you’ll uncover a trove of vintage and antique pieces to accent more modern reproduction items, simple geometric shapes and forms, natural materials of wood and stone, and earth tones complemented with bursts of colour. 257 County Rd 39A; mecox.com.
Eat: The cuisine of quiet fishing villages near Naples is reimagined at Tutto Il Giorno. 56 Nugent Street; tuttoilgiorno.com.
Stay: With its gorgeous rolling lawns and finely manicured gardens, Southampton
Inn brings European flair to the Hamptons. Traditional King bedroom, from $200.22*/ night (USD$160), southamptoninn.com.