Redesigning New York’s East End for Year-Round Luxury
Photo Credit: The new Gurney’s Star Island Resort and Marina took over the Montauk Yacht Club in the latest of the small town's transformation to cater to its increasingly high-spending visitors. Gurney’s Star Island Resort and Marina
Skift Take
Small towns across the world like Montauk are becoming luxury destinations. Hoteliers building luxury experiences within them face a handful of challenges to balance the local community and original allure with high-end service and amenities. It will be interesting to watch how these brands and locations evolve as tourism continues to boom.
Montauk started out as a small fishing village on the East End of Long Island, in New York's Suffolk County, a two-to-three hour drive from Manhattan. But it has evolved into one of the most sought-after destinations in the northeastern United States — with a reputation that extends far beyond its humble beginnings.
When it comes to a destination's evolution from cool to something more luxurious, the question becomes how to maintain its original allure while providing the rooms, dining, and service expected by a higher-end clientele.
Is being a magical place — not to mention stylish and hip — enough, or do the amenities have to match Manhattan standards for Montauk to make it as a year-long luxury destination? What is considered luxury in a destination once known more for being a laid-back and relaxed surfer's haven rather than a posh enclave? How do you manage the crowds while maintaining a sense of calm?
Expansion by an Insider
Few are confronting this conundrum head-on
