Editors' Picks

The Reform Club

Effortless-chic, peaceful, discreet

23 Windmill Lane, amagansett

631-267-8500

See Website

At a Glance

This haven of a hotel, situated within walking distance of Amagansett’s charming boutiques and cafés, fits right in on the East End: its grounds are manicured and its suites impeccably put-together, but the atmosphere is relaxed and beachy.

Indagare Loves

  • The abundance of space and light
  • The stylish fleet of custom beach cruisers
  • Bedtime, thanks to the lavish linens and, on chilly evenings, a cozy crackling fire

Review

That the Reform Club received an enthusiastic welcome is unsurprising given the gap it so gracefully filled, offering a more youthful counterpoint to the colonial-style properties so prevalent in the Hamptons. But nor does it channel the aggressively hip, design-forward hotels that are starting to turn up a bit further east. Its intimate hedge-lined pathways and Adirondack chairs read hideout more than hangout, and the vibe is decidedly low-key (those seeking a more social experience should consider The Maidstone, with its buzzy restaurant and immediate proximity to East Hampton).

Accommodations are divided among seven suites and three free-standing cottages, all furnished in a soothing palette of fresh whites, with cathedral ceilings, hardwood floors, and luminous oversized marble bathrooms. White wainscot walls serve as a clean backdrop for lovely art, and coffee tables are piled high with books one actually feels inclined to peruse. The expansive cottages feature personal exercise and steam rooms and extra patio space, but even the humblest suites provide ample room for spreading out. My suite (#3), which at 650 square feet was one of the inn’s smallest, felt graciously apportioned and marvelously uncluttered.

Amenities are indulgent yet uncomplicated, with an emphasis on down-to-earth comforts like velvety bathrobes, mini-bars stocked with local Tate’s chocolate chip cookies, and billowing Duxiana duvets worthy of multiple naps. Best of all, each cottage or suite has at least one wood-burning fireplace – a welcome luxury during non-summer visits.

Palatial though the cottages may be, additional facilities are sparse; there is no pool, no spa, no on-site restaurant, not even a traditional reception space. The reasonably independent will not feel deprived here, however: the beach is less than a mile away, and the staff can supply all of the requisite accessories – bikes (or parking passes), towels, chairs, coolers, and umbrellas; in-room massages can be arranged through holistic health pioneer, Naturopathica.

Though free shuttle service makes the prospect of exploring the local dining scene easy and appealing, room service is available courtesy of the Meeting House (during normal business hours). The restaurant and the inn share a proprietor, and priority dinner reservations go to guests (a perk during peak season, when tables are not easy to come by). Continental breakfast is complimentary and is taken at a communal dining table, which seemed eternally stacked with homemade blueberry muffins or red velvet cupcakes.

Who Should Stay

Easygoing aesthetes craving a restorative sunny escape.

Who Should Not Stay

Families who need infrastructure and anyone accustomed to lots of pampering and attention; the prevailing attitude here is DIY, and the service, like the setting, is blithe and breezy.

Written by Cabell Belk

What's Nearby
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