Hotel of the Week: The Roundtree, Amagansett

By no means undiscovered, The Hamptons is known for its sprawling shoreside properties that are just as glitzy as they are vast. We've seen it on our screens – especially anyone who was a fan of Revenge like my teenage self – where wealthy families run into quarrels and treachery as scenes of crashing waves, sparkling chandeliers and marbled double staircases pan in the background.

Arriving in Amagansett, I had a sense of nostalgia – not because I grew up in a scandalous suburban mansion, but because it's the American Dream that has captured both the screens and minds of the world. A neatly pruned lawn with a white fence so bright it could have been painted that morning greeted us, with a stone path running through its core toward the waft of freshly baked cookies. Finding ourselves in reception, our host sat us down, offering tea to complement our afternoon treat and introduced us to all we could expect from our stay at The Roundtree – from nightly fireside s'mores to the set of pretty bikes available to explore with.

The stay

Unlike the whirlwind of the Big Apple a short ride away – we arrived door-to-door on the Jitney bus from the heart of Manhattan – everything here is immaculately serene and almost eerily quiet, though we were there for the off-season. The feathered shrubbery looks as if drawn with a dainty brush, while the cottages themselves boast a flawless, neutral finish reminiscent of the washed-out palette of the ocean.

There are 14 cottages in total, ranging from larger self-catered villa-style properties to intimate one-bedroom retreats perfectly suited to couples. There's little ostentatiousness in the property, with a sense of being grounded near the coast. Despite the minimalist aesthetic, everything about The Roundtree is homely, comforting and reminiscent of a cosy seaside escape. Pristine daybeds dot the lawns, sheltered beneath swaying white linen canopies, while calming prints of nature hang on whitewashed walls and delicate tulips poke from sleek vases. Restrained luxury shines throughout.

The food

Our first evening, we opened the door to the main converted barn, home to a flickering fireplace and neatly set white tablecloths. Dinner was prepared by Chef Dewa Wijaya, whose Indonesian influences felt distinctly fresh and fragrant. A fragrant prawn salad arrived peppered with simple radishes, avocado and a zesty dressing, followed by a crispy-seared chunky grass-fed steak for the main course – all home-cooked nourishment. As we had been indulging our way through the restaurants and diners of New York, it was a welcome step away from the carb-heavy and portion-laden plates.

The chef's pride in his cooking was evident when he came out afterwards to ask how everything was; something our host told us he does each evening. That same satisfying, homely sensibility extended to breakfast, with seasonal fruit, yoghurt parfaits and freshly baked pastries alongside eggs made to order. Not one to solely eat healthily on holiday, meant we tucked into our snacks – vegetable crisps and fudge brownies among them – in the cottage too, which replenished daily as complimentary added to the home-away-from-home atmosphere the hotel creates.

The Neighbourhood

Exploring further afield, we walked through an array of vast, quiet suburban streets, hidden behind trees and squeaky-clean hedges, until we reached the coast – namely Indian Wells Beach. We were there in the off-season and found the shoreline completely desolate, but could easily imagine the bliss of warmer months as we were met with never-ending, cloud-soft sand beneath a pastel sky.

Beyond the beach, there is plenty to do both at The Roundtree and across Amagansett and the surrounding Hamptons towns. Nature is the draw – whether gathered around the fire pit for the nightly s'mores ritual, teeing off at the sweeping, notoriously hard-to-book Maidstone Club, or taking in the scenery along the coastal hiking trails. The town itself caters handsomely to its well-heeled residents, with designer boutiques, a Whole Foods, a diner-turned-pub and a florist. There may not nearly be everything you find in the city, but the unruffled pace of life is certainly something you won’t be finding there. 

Starting prices for The Roundtree, Amagansett are GBP 495 per night