Opening Shot is a column that peeks inside new hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops with interiors to drool over.
Location: Montauk, New York
Designers: Bridgeton and Studio Tack
On Offer: A tip-to-toe overhaul of this beachside hotel brings a dose of South American onda to the South Fork of Long Island. Flanked by the courtyard’s diligently manicured dunes and wild grass, the 96 guest rooms convey the surrounding landscape with neutral palettes, Suar wood stools reclaimed from fishing boats, and textured plaster walls hand-finished using a Moroccan Tadelakt technique. Subtle artworks such as surf photographer Brian Bielmann’s black-and-white prints and minimalist paintings by musician and artist Sean Spellman mesh with the pared-down aesthetics. With the locally revered Terrace surf break a mere steps away and Shadmoor State Park just down the road, Montauk’s natural bounty is never far. The programming takes advantage of that, offering nature walks and surfing classes between sunrise meditation sessions and nightly bonfires. Should the once-sleepy fishing village’s buzzing on-season nightlife beckon, that too is easily within reach, only ten minutes away on one of the property’s beach cruisers.
Standout Feature: Uruguayan transplants Fernando Trocca and Martín Pittaluga bring strong pedigrees—Mostrador Santa Teresita and Parador La Huella, respectively—and a Jose Ignacio sensibility to the alfresco all-day café. Together, they turn out a rotating menu of seasonal vegetable dishes, asado-style barbecue, and freshly baked dulce de leche–filled coconut alfajores.
