Thanks to a $5 million makeover by designer Michael Kramer that’s refurbished 71 existing rooms, suites and cottages and added 38 new guest rooms to the property, the once-tired Gurney’s Inn has been transformed and rebranded as Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa—just in time for the peak summer season. The resort, originally built during Prohibition in 1926, was first a dry hotel, but now boasting numerous bars and a vast oceanfront it is decidedly anything but.
On a recent weekend visit, we had the pleasure of staying in one of the newly constructed guest rooms complete with a private terrace where we spent our mornings and afternoons. The new décor felt fresh, airy and modern while still offering a sense of place in laid-back Montuak. The staff was welcoming and accommodating, offering us rides into town and train pick-ups. But mostly, we enjoyed the beach. The unparalleled stretch of beach at the resort is particularly noteworthy, and the fact that the property is located before the hectic Montauk strip makes for a quiet, tucked-away feeling.
The Seawater Grill
Hospitality guru Jennifer Oz LeRoy and executive chef Seth Levine have likewise revamped the food and beverage program, and the Beach Club at Gurney’s has also had a full-scale overhaul, complete with new daybeds, a new beachfront restaurant and bar and a beach concierge. We enjoyed a lovely sunset dinner outside at The Seawater Grill restaurant (favorites included mussels, lamb chops and an apple crumble dessert) and drinks tableside by the fire pit on the deck with live entertainment.
A new sand-filtered saltwater pool (the only property in North America to boast such a water feature) and a 30,000-square-foot Seawater Spa with 40 treatment rooms round out the new offerings. “Ocean water is drawn from a well on the beach through a natural sand filter and is pumped into our swimming pool, Roman baths and used in many of our spa treatments,” explains Gurney’s owner George Filopoulos.
We can’t wait to return for another weekend at Gurney’s—in fact we had a hard time leaving on Sunday afternoon and quietly wished we’d missed our transportation back to New York City.
“It’s been an exciting journey watching this new vision unfold over the last year,” says the hotelier.
Below, Filopoulos tells us about the most sought-after room at the updated property.
A room inside the hotel
The most requested room:
The 38 brand new Forward Watch rooms.
What makes them so special:
They are custom appointed with walls of glass and private verandas steps from the beach.
Rate per night:
$1,000-$1,300 per night for the new Forward Watch rooms in July and August.
Your personal favorite:
It’s a tie between our two bedroom, two bathroom suites in the Foredeck building (they are corner rooms, perfect for families and have two terraces, a dining area and small kitchen) and the Skippers Cottage, which is a private home with three bedrooms, three bathrooms and its own backyard.
Because…
The views from these rooms up or down the beach seem to go on forever.
Celebrity guests:
We value our guests’ privacy and privilege to unwind.
Fun fact:
Richard Nixon wrote his 1968 Republican Convention nomination acceptance speech in Skippers Cottage.
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