The Hamptons The Hamptons Travel Guide: Best Hotels, Restaurants & Experiences

Beachfront estates, boutique inns, historic village hotels, oceanview suites, private pools, spa retreats.

Where to Stay

1. The Roundtree, Amagansett

Small Luxury Hotels

A cluster of 17th and 18th-century barns and cottages spread across two acres of manicured lawn, The Roundtree delivers a vacation-home intimacy rare in the Hamptons. Rooms present minimalist contemporary design with Frette linens and Matouk towels behind weathered historic facades. Afternoons bring tea service in the original barn; evenings gather around the firepit for s'mores. Complimentary cruiser bikes make the beach a quick pedal away—ideal for families seeking polish without pretense.

2. The Menhaden

1 Michelin Key

Greenport's transformation from fishing village to Long Island wine country destination finds its stylish anchor in this 16-room boutique property on Front Street. The monochrome interiors, furnished by Restoration Hardware with hardwood and botanical accents, maintain a refined restraint. A rooftop deck—the town's highest point—surveys the North Fork, while loaner bikes and a Moke electric car encourage vineyard exploration. The ground-floor Bunker Bar provides a convivial base.

3. Marram

Marram captures Montauk's original low-key spirit through 96 rooms designed for barefoot luxury, where natural materials and muted tones defer to ocean views. Yoga sessions and craft workshops replace nightclub noise, while Mostrador Marram serves chef Fernando Trocca's Uruguayan-inflected seafood. The atmosphere welcomes families—complimentary pack'n'plays available—alongside couples seeking Atlantic-side calm without pretense.

4. Shou Sugi Ban House (The Hamptons)

Shou Sugi Ban House brings Japanese wabi-sabi restraint to the Hamptons, pairing a luxury wellness retreat and spa near the beach with easy access from New York City. Japanese-style paths thread through the grounds toward light-filled modernist barn buildings, all pale upholstery and natural wood. With a minimum guest age of 16, its quiet, serious mood suits couples and adult families.

5. The Chequit (Shelter Island)

This restored Victorian charmer on Shelter Island channels the glamour of the 1940s, when legends like Sinatra and Monroe reportedly checked in. Views stretch across Long Island Sound from the storied property, while the dining program earns particular praise. Six rooms accommodate families with added day beds, making it a rare find for those seeking old-school elegance without sacrificing practicality.

6. Canoe Place Inn & Cottages

Across Hampton Bays, Canoe Place Inn & Cottages spreads a 25-room stay between historic inn quarters, hillside garden cottages and canal-side residences. Bright contemporary updates keep the old architecture current, while a pool, spa and pet-friendly policy broaden its appeal. Good Ground Tavern, Union Square Events’ first Hamptons project, suits sociable escapes with seasonal American cooking from a Cherrywood grill.

7. Gurney's Montauk

At Montauk’s far edge, Gurney’s channels the relaxed, surf-minded side of the Hamptons rather than its glossier mythology. Its defining privilege is rare oceanfront ground: guests reach 2,000 feet of Atlantic beach directly, with the Beach Club supplying king-sized daybeds, chairs and warm-weather cocktails. Year-round appeal comes from Scarpetta, the Regent Cocktail Club, a sand-filtered seawater indoor pool and a spa with Finnish rock sauna.

8. The Montauk Beach House

Downtown Montauk gives The Montauk Beach House its easy rhythm: 33 rooms sit one block from the beach, with retro-inflected interiors and loft-style layouts lending a residential, relaxed polish. The social gravity is outdoors, around two pools edged with stylish daybeds, with a restaurant, bar, fitness sessions and occasional low-key DJ pool parties suiting sociable beachgoers over seclusion seekers.

9. Topping Rose House

Forbes Five-Star· Small Luxury Hotels

The Hamptons' sole full-service hotel occupies a renovated 19th-century mansion where Alexandra Champalimaud's interiors—think high ceilings, minimalist white walls, and contemporary art from Winston Wächter—create an atmosphere of restrained elegance. Jean-Georges' restaurant draws from a one-acre on-site farm, while the spa offers LED therapy facials and a yoga studio overlooking the heated pool. Complimentary BMW access and beach shuttles complete the proposition.

10. The Garden City Hotel

Forbes Five-Star

Long Island's longest-operating luxury property occupies seven landscaped acres amid Garden City's gracious mansions, its interiors transformed by Marcello Pozzi into contemporary elegance with Murano chandeliers, Carrera tile, and custom Italian leather furnishings. NYC chef David Burke commands four dining venues, serving signature creations like Himalayan salt dry-aged beef. The ninth-floor Club Lounge rewards guests with keyed access, charcuterie spreads, and fireside refreshments throughout the day.

Where to Eat

1. Vert Frais

Michelin Selected

Behind Vert Frais's unassuming Long Island City café exterior lies the culinary pedigree of Kanoyama's veteran chef. The shio ramen delivers a fragrant, deeply savory broth crowned with smoky charred cha-shu and crisp bamboo shoots, while sushi-grade salmon scattered over warm rice with glistening ikura offers refined simplicity. The towering soufflé pancakes—impossibly light, barely sweetened—have earned Michelin recognition and devoted followers alike.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main villages that make up The Hamptons?

The Hamptons encompasses several distinct villages stretching along Long Island's South Fork. Southampton and East Hampton serve as the primary centers, each with their own Main Street shopping districts and architectural heritage. Bridgehampton offers polo fields and vineyard proximity, while Sag Harbor retains its historic whaling port character with a walkable downtown. Montauk, furthest east, provides a more casual surf-town atmosphere with dramatic bluffs and lighthouse views.

When is the best time to visit The Hamptons?

The traditional season runs Memorial Day through Labor Day, when beaches are staffed, restaurants operate at full capacity, and the social calendar peaks. However, September and early October offer compelling alternatives: smaller crowds, warm ocean water, and the East End's agricultural bounty at farm stands and wineries. Shoulder seasons also mean greater availability at sought-after properties and restaurants that require months-advance booking during summer.

How do I get to The Hamptons from New York City?

The Long Island Rail Road connects Penn Station to stations throughout the Hamptons, with the journey to East Hampton taking roughly three hours. The Hampton Jitney and Hampton Luxury Liner offer coach service from Manhattan's Upper East Side. Blade helicopter service provides transfers from Manhattan heliports in approximately 40 minutes. By car, the Long Island Expressway leads to Route 27, though summer weekend traffic can extend drive times significantly beyond the nominal two-hour journey.

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The Hamptons

Long Island's eastern reaches unfold across a string of villages that have drawn New York's creative and financial elite since the Gilded Age. From the shingled cottages of Southampton to the artists' enclave of East Hampton, each hamlet maintains its own distinct identity. Montauk, at the peninsula's tip, offers a rougher maritime character — surf culture and fishing boats replacing the manicured hedges found further west.

The accommodation landscape here reflects a particular American aesthetic: cedar-shake exteriors, white linen interiors, and an emphasis on understated coastal design. Many properties occupy converted historic estates or purpose-built compounds set back from the dunes. The seasonal rhythm shapes everything — Memorial Day through Labor Day defines the calendar, with September offering quieter beaches and the region's celebrated farm stands at peak harvest.