Latest news with #Westhampton
Hospitality Net
29-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Three Ducks Hotel Opens in Westhampton
Three Ducks celebrates its opening on May 21, 2025 at 19 Seabreeze Avenue, Westhampton, New York. The boutique hotel, managed by FIRM Hospitality Group, thoughtfully facilitates meaningful guest experiences rooted in nature, authenticity, and discovery. A collaboration between designer-developers Elizabeth Bakhash and Randall Stone of Three Ducks Hospitality, the hotel introduces a lighthearted yet elevated approach to luxury, and a genuine connection to the Westhampton community. With 12 rooms, the property blends upscale amenities, experience-forward design, and a refined yet relaxed atmosphere that captures the ease and charm of the area. The Day's Rhythm At Three Ducks, the guest experience is thoughtfully designed to follow the natural rhythm of the day. Mornings begin with a locally sourced breakfast at The Barn, where guests can enjoy high-quality pastries, fresh fruit, and coffee. From there, the day unfolds at each guest's own pace. With help from a full-service concierge, guests are encouraged to explore the area with curated guides, complimentary bicycles, and an on-site Moke available for hourly or daily rental. Located near Rogers, Pike's, and Cupsogue beaches and within walking distance of farm stands, shops, and restaurants, the hotel makes it easy to experience Westhampton like a local. A flower farmstand at the front desk and a market stocked with local products add to the sense of place, while bookable in-room massages offer a way to recharge. Evenings wind down with private garden seating for each room and a communal wood-burning fire pit lit at sunset, creating a relaxed close to the day. "The central location of Three Ducks naturally enhances the experience, truly allowing our guests to live like locals. Whether taking a short drive or bike ride to the lively center of town or enjoying pristine beaches, the hotel's deep-rooted connection to nature and community is the heart of the experience we strive to cultivate," says Stone. Nature as blueprint Rooted in a philosophy of garden-fresh interiors, each space is inspired by nature. The Guest House features five different guest room types, ranging from standard to a two-bedroom suite, starting at $495. Rooms feature organic details like pebble-inspired lighting, ash wood floors, and textured clay tiles paired with a soft, natural color palette drawn directly from the environment. Window benches invite quiet moments of reflection, while every room opens to a private garden, reinforcing the seamless connection between inside and out. Vaulted ceilings, ample storage and secondary vanity spaces that extend the bathroom add to the sense of openness and calm. The Barn, The Gardens, and The Guest House cultivate an appreciation for simpler, meaningful experiences through regional design influence with a modern touch. Each room features work by artist Thiciana Cruz, whose abstract compositions—marked by blended horizon lines and vivid color—capture the fluidity of experience and the beauty of transformation. Additionally, 12 unique commissioned poems by Chris Vitiello can be found in each room, inspired by the playful ducks and the surrounding landscape. Ranging from serious to cheeky, they are designed to surprise, delight, and encourage a creative, fun atmosphere. "Our approach is about going deep into the details—every texture, every material, every corner is considered," says Bakhash. "It's those small, intentional choices that quietly shape the mood of a space and make it feel truly alive." An intimate setting for events Three Ducks is designed to accommodate a variety of private events, including intimate weddings, corporate retreats, and brand activations. The property offers flexible event spaces such as The Barn, which can be reserved for fully catered private gatherings. Full and partial buyouts are available, allowing groups to enjoy exclusive access to the hotel and its grounds. In addition, Three Ducks provides comprehensive concierge planning services, coordinating everything from transportation and guest amenities to in-room gifts and tailored activity itineraries. The hotel partners with local vendors, including nearby flower farms and top-tier caterers for seamless, memorable events with personalized attention to detail. Hotel website
New York Times
26-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Luxury Hotels Are Replacing Cheap Motels in the Hamptons
The Westhampton Seabreeze Motel, with its quilted bedspreads, white microwaves and mini fridges, is no more. Gone, too, is the Sands Motel, in Montauk, which was a tad swankier with full refrigerators and stoves that were off-white. The motor lodges were the last of their kind, as the perimeter of the wealthiest of the wealthy Hamptons pushed outward to swallow up many of the remaining patches of affordability in the Long Island resort towns. This summer, two new hotels are slated to open in their place with amenities more equated with luxury. Three Ducks, on the old Seabreeze site, will offer guests complimentary breakfast from a local farm stand and beach cruiser bicycles. At Offshore Montauk, which has risen where the Sands Motel once stood, guests will find a cabana-lined pool and a room for yoga and Pilates. The new hotels embody the continued Hamptonization of all the Hamptons, a transformation of quiet coastal spots into chic, moneyed destinations. Both are in towns where housing prices have increased in recent years — the average home is now $1.9 million in Montauk and $1.56 million in Westhampton, according to Zillow. Guests can expect to pay as much as $795 a night at Three Ducks and $1,000 a night at Offshore on the weekends this summer. In Montauk, what was once a low-key fishing village is now a summer playground for the wealthy, the famous and those who want to be close to them. Two other motels in town were bought last year by the owner of high-end boutique hotels in Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard; both are now closed while they undergo renovations. And several clubs are moving to town this summer, including a restaurant that plans to charge a membership fee to get a guaranteed seat. Some local residents pine for the simpler (cheaper) times. 'Sands was a honky-tonk kind of place, very approachable, something for everybody, across the street from the beach,' said Kay Tyler, 49, who lives full-time in Montauk and is the executive director of Concerned Citizens of Montauk, an environmental advocacy group in town. 'Now it's being turned into a very exclusive, very expensive kind of place. I think it's another example of how Montauk has changed.' Nancy St. John, 62, remembers growing up in the village of Quogue, about 40 miles from Montauk on the South Fork of Long Island, when the Hamptons were dotted with inexpensive motels. 'People would stop there when they needed a break from driving or a simple place to stay,' she said. 'There were no restaurants or amenities. You would have your room and that was it.' The places weren't fancy, but they were 'classic' and 'the people were nice,' she said. For supporters of the changes, there's another way to look at the old motor inns: Sometimes 'classic,' they say, is just plain dated. Three Ducks and No Parking (in Front) Take the Seabreeze. 'This motel was the real 'Schitt's Creek' of the Hamptons,' said Randall Stone, 63, a co-owner of Three Ducks, referring to the sitcom about a wealthy family that goes broke and has to move into a rundown motel in Ontario. Mr. Stone, who splits his time between Manhattan's Upper West Side and Remsenburg, a hamlet just outside Westhampton, said he has spent 30 years at consultancies helping to create hotel brands. He and his partners bought the 12-room Seabreeze for just under $2 million and then put another $2 million into a gut renovation. The hotel, which opened on May 21, still has 12 rooms, but they now have vaulted ceilings and bathrooms with handmade clay tile floors. A third of the building's layout was reconfigured to create different room types, including suites. A wildflower meadow and other greenery have taken over 1.6 acres of lawn, and a barn-style structure was added for breakfast, programming and special events, like weddings. 'We always knew it had so much potential, and now we are pouring our heart and soul into every detail,' Mr. Stone said. That includes ripping out what makes a motel a true motel: The parking spaces in front of each room have been turned into private gardens. 'Each room now has a private seating area to enjoy a glass of wine surrounded by a perennial garden,' said Elizabeth Bakhash, 35, the other owner of the hotel, who is also a partner at the real estate company Kash Group. (A new parking lot is in an area that leads up to the barnlike building.) Offshore and Ocean Views In March 2024, Enduring Hospitality, a hospitality development group based in Los Angeles, paid $23.25 million for Sands, which had been under family ownership since it opened in 1951. The new Offshore hotel has 43 rooms just like Sands, but it features an 1,800-square-foot spa with two cold plunges, one red-light panel room, two infrared saunas, a gym, and the yoga and Pilates room. Representatives of Enduring Hospitality would not reveal exactly how much the company spent on upgrades, but said the hotel underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation. Ceilings were elevated and new floor-to-ceiling windows were installed. Slider doors open up to balconies with ocean views. 'I would not say we are fancy. I would say we are more quality, like a home-away-from-home kind of vibes,' said Marley Dominguez, a co-founder of Enduring Hospitality. 'Our rooms have very warm tones, very understated. It's meant for you to relax.' The hotel is scheduled to open on June 15. 'People Expect More' Both hotel owners insist they are riding a wave of the luxury transformation that's already underway. Last summer, Seven Beach Lane, a boutique hotel with 16 rooms and a heated saltwater pool, opened in Westhampton Beach, a village in Southampton. A new movie theater with a chic bar opened nearby in February. Donahue's Steak House, a storied restaurant in Manhattan's East Village, where a regular left his two favorite servers $50,000 apiece in his will, is opening an outpost in Westhampton Beach in June. The village recently completed a renovation on its Main Street and its septic system. 'Westhampton Beach was kind of the overlooked part of the Hamptons, but now people finally want to be here,' said Liz Cantwell, co-owner of Six Corners Fine Wines & Spirits, a local wine shop. Six Corners is one of the many businesses partnering with the Three Ducks to provide services and amenities to guests. 'We are going to be doing daily wine deliveries over there,' she said. 'I am excited.' Ralph Urban, who became the mayor of Westhampton Beach last year, said he believes this is what people want, even as he worries about the toll on transportation, including an increase in private jets, and the lack of affordable housing for local workers. (He said there is a new development in Westhampton Beach that has seven affordable units: 'It's a small number, but it's a step in the right direction.') 'There is a demand for high-end things now,' said Mr. Urban, 76, who moved to Westhampton from California at the age of 15. 'Lifestyles are changing, and people expect more.' The area is also in desperate need of more lodging. 'We do have a shortage of hotels in the season,' he said. 'Even when I have family gatherings, I don't have room to house people.' But in spite of the added rooms, residents like Ms. St. John say that family and friends who once stayed at the Seabreeze won't be able to afford the new hotels. 'I will have to send them to Riverhead,' she said, referring to a nearby town outside the Hamptons.
Travel Daily News
22-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Three Ducks Hotel οpens in Westhampton, New York
Three Ducks boutique hotel opened May 21 in Westhampton, offering nature-inspired luxury, local experiences, and intimate event spaces with curated hospitality. WESTHAMPTON, NY – Three Ducks celebrated its opening yesterday, May 21, 2025 at 19 Seabreeze Avenue, Westhampton, New York. The boutique hotel, managed by FIRM Hospitality Group, thoughtfully facilitates meaningful guest experiences rooted in nature, authenticity, and discovery. A collaboration between designer-developers Elizabeth Bakhash and Randall Stone of Three Ducks Hospitality, the hotel introduces a lighthearted yet elevated approach to luxury, and a genuine connection to the Westhampton community. With 12 rooms, the property blends upscale amenities, experience-forward design, and a refined yet relaxed atmosphere that captures the ease and charm of the area. The Day's Rhythm At Three Ducks, the guest experience is thoughtfully designed to follow the natural rhythm of the day. Mornings begin with a locally sourced breakfast at The Barn, where guests can enjoy high-quality pastries, fresh fruit, and coffee. From there, the day unfolds at each guest's own pace. With help from a full-service concierge, guests are encouraged to explore the area with curated guides, complimentary bicycles, and an on-site Moke available for hourly or daily rental. Located near Rogers, Pike's, and Cupsogue beaches and within walking distance of farm stands, shops, and restaurants, the hotel makes it easy to experience Westhampton like a local. A flower farmstand at the front desk and a market stocked with local products add to the sense of place, while bookable in-room massages offer a way to recharge. Evenings wind down with private garden seating for each room and a communal wood-burning fire pit lit at sunset, creating a relaxed close to the day. 'The central location of Three Ducks naturally enhances the experience, truly allowing our guests to live like locals. Whether taking a short drive or bike ride to the lively center of town or enjoying pristine beaches, the hotel's deep-rooted connection to nature and community is the heart of the experience we strive to cultivate,' says Stone. Nature as blueprint Rooted in a philosophy of garden-fresh interiors, each space is inspired by nature. The Guest House features five different guest room types, ranging from standard to a two-bedroom suite. Rooms feature organic details like pebble-inspired lighting, ash wood floors, and textured clay tiles paired with a soft, natural color palette drawn directly from the environment. Window benches invite quiet moments of reflection, while every room opens to a private garden, reinforcing the seamless connection between inside and out. Vaulted ceilings, ample storage and secondary vanity spaces that extend the bathroom add to the sense of openness and calm. The Barn, The Gardens, and The Guest House cultivate an appreciation for simpler, meaningful experiences through regional design influence with a modern touch. Each room features work by artist Thiciana Cruz, whose abstract compositions – marked by blended horizon lines and vivid color -ν capture the fluidity of experience and the beauty of transformation. Additionally, 12 unique commissioned poems by Chris Vitiello can be found in each room, inspired by the playful ducks and the surrounding landscape. Ranging from serious to cheeky, they are designed to surprise, delight, and encourage a creative, fun atmosphere. 'Our approach is about going deep into the details – every texture, every material, every corner is considered,' says Bakhash. 'It's those small, intentional choices that quietly shape the mood of a space and make it feel truly alive.' An intimate setting for events Three Ducks is designed to accommodate a variety of private events, including intimate weddings, corporate retreats, and brand activations. The property offers flexible event spaces such as The Barn, which can be reserved for fully catered private gatherings. Full and partial buyouts are available, allowing groups to enjoy exclusive access to the hotel and its grounds. In addition, Three Ducks provides comprehensive concierge planning services, coordinating everything from transportation and guest amenities to in-room gifts and tailored activity itineraries. The hotel partners with local vendors, including nearby flower farms and top-tier caterers for seamless, memorable events with personalized attention to detail.
