On the easternmost edge of Long Island, there’s Montauk, one of New York’s most sought after beachside playgrounds. Commonly referred to as “The End‚” it functions exactly as that: far enough from NYC to feel like a true break, close enough to become a repeat summer destination for the most devoted of visitors. Arriving here is half the glory, where once you bypass the summer highway traffic, the drive through Water Mill, Amagansett, and the quaint villages in between welcomes you out east. From there, the city officially fades, sand dunes take over, and the Atlantic welcomes with a view like no other.
As a native New Yorker myself, Montauk has been my personal summer sanctuary since childhood, and I still make it a point to vacation out there at least twice a year. Over the past two decades, I’ve watched the seaside hamlet in various versions of itself—from a sleepy off-season surf town passing the historic Mountain Point Lighthouse to a packed, peak-summer spot for vacationers packing the docks at Gosman’s. And while it has its ultra glitzy spots, like plenty of summer towns close enough to NYC do, Montauk still holds onto its working fishing-town heart, with boats in the harbour, surf breaks that start at sunrise, and no-frills bars on the marina that haven’t changed much over the years.
As for where to stay in Montauk, there’s a healthy mix of revitalized spaces and timeless home bases filled with coastal nostalgia. Local hoteliers, both old and new, manage to balance a fresh energy without losing the steady, classic beach gems. In my humble opinion, each of the best hotels in Montauk offers its own version of barefoot luxury, catering perfectly to family vacations, romantic couples retreats, solo surf sessions, and everything in between. Read on for my edit of the best hotels in Montauk.
