Despite having only 13 rooms, the historic Hedges Inn — which sits at the entrance to East Hampton village and across from its idyllic pond — has made oversized headlines in the last year.
Scott Sartiano, the man behind celebrity-packed private club Zero Bond, leased the inn last summer in the hopes of launching a spinoff club. He was met with insurmountable resistance by village officials and residents, who feared a nightlife vibe and its accompanying noise and traffic. After a flurry of opposition, his lease was not renewed.
Now the bed-and-breakfast’s new owners, Sarah and Andrew Wetenhall, have been welcomed with open arms. It doesn’t hurt that the Wetenhalls had a home in East Hampton for 15 years (until 2021) and also transformed The Colony Hotel into a buzzy Palm Beach destination where vacationing New Yorkers and locals alike flock to its poolside restaurant Swifty’s and its rousing trivia and bingo nights.
The couple brought many of those same elements to the Hedges when it opened last week — along with the whimsical design that’s been part of The Colony’s lure. “There is a style that thrives with destinations close to the sea,’’ Sarah tells Alexa. “We want the Hedges to become the best version of herself, and a visual representation of East Hampton, the way The Colony is a visual representation of Palm Beach. It will have the summer Americana aesthetic that’s so well loved.’’
That means shake shingles; lots of red, white and blue; plus plenty of pops of The Colony’s famed pink. The inn’s ground floor was already renovated by the previous owners, and the rooms will be refreshed this year, with a larger overhaul planned after the summer season.
“Andrew and I love to travel, but we also love the creature comforts of home,’’ Sarah explains. To this end, they are adding Matouk sheets, towels and robes along with luxury amenities.
“We are all about creating a fun summer, and we will do so with a smile on our face and kindness in our time,’’ she says. As at The Colony, they will offer their Instagram-famous branded bicycles with baskets and route maps, along with buggies that transport guests, chairs, umbrellas and coolers to the beach. “They make us visually who we are.”
The inn, first established in 1873, will now have a 24-hour full-service desk, valet parking, butler service, a provisions bar with complimentary drinks and snacks, curated itineraries and a concierge-by-text service — nicknamed Ahab, after East Hampton artist Jackson Pollock’s poodle. In addition to hotel rooms, there will be a three-bedroom, stand-alone residence next door to the property, ideal for extended stays.
“We can offer a bespoke, customized experience, and we are really excited about reimagining hospitality on the East End,” Sarah says.
Guests can indulge in intimate bonfire gatherings (complete with s’mores) as well as Wednesday evening conversations with guest lecturers.
The Wetenhalls are known for bringing in designers, beauty brands and famed fitness instructors (including Tracy Anderson and Isaac Boots) for collaborations. “We do love our partnerships; they round out the guest experience,’’ she notes. At the Hedges, those collabs will include Naturopathica spa services, Volvo electric EX 90 cars for tooling around the village and a house car for local rides in the form of a vintage pink Land Rover Defender.
But the most pivotal partnership remains with Swifty’s (originally a New York eatery before being resurrected under founder Robert Caravaggi at The Colony). The restaurant has taken over the 100-seat indoor-outdoor dining space that housed Sartiano’s last summer, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, including its signature meatloaf and crab cakes, along with farm-to-table local fare.
Trivia will reappear as well, but sadly, those uberpopular bingo nights won’t make the journey north. “The New York State gambling laws will not allow it,’’ Sarah sighs.
Rooms from $599 in May and from $1,499 from Memorial Day weekend on at The Hedges East Hampton
