Montauk offers a quiet, amenity-laden haven in Hero Beach Club.
Hero Beach Club keeps its focus on beautiful Umbrella Beach.
The drive down Montauk Highway is not an unpleasant one. Once out of New York City, you can cruise almost straight to the Hamptons, rolling down a thin stretch of land situated between Napeague Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Then, there it is. Almost at the very end of Long Island, Hero Beach Club stands poised on a cloud of white sand dunes, and the building facade’s signature winking smiley face announces that you are exactly where you want to be.
“You come over the hill, and you see the beautiful property sitting in front of the ocean,” co-owner Jon Krasner says. “And I just thought it was a really special place—a magical place.”
Curious Yellow Design mixed rattan, teak, stone, linen and metal with Indonesian fabrics in the design.
Dubbed the Smiley Face Hotel by locals, Hero Beach Club dates back to the 1950s, but the new ownership gave it a remodeled look apropos to both the Instagram set and Hamptons traditionalists.
The Montauk-meets-Scandinavian aesthetic by Curious Yellow Design carries through from the garden space behind Umbrella Beach to the pool area, which, like the rest of the property, is dotted with furniture sourced from Indonesia. For a more active stay, Hero offers partnerships with local surf clubs, shuttle service to top surfing beaches, complimentary wellness classes, and surfboards and paddleboards to borrow. Guests also have use of beach beanbags and umbrellas, movie screens and two big fire pits with s’mores kits and guitars at the ready.
The heated pool is one of Hero Beach Club’s many areas of respite.
“We want to create the oasis where people can relax, step away and enjoy the beauty of what Montauk has to offer,” Krasner says. “We try not to do too much because we don’t want to take people’s eyes off of the surrounding nature.” Prices upon request, herobeachclub.com; @herobeachclub
Photography by: Courtesy of Hero Beach Club
