If you’re looking for a Hamptons summer rental where you can arrive by yacht, have lobster rolls delivered to your door and even choose what kind of mattress you’d like to sleep on during your stay, billionaire Marc Rowan has a place for you.
Duryea’s Sunset Cottages overlooking Fort Pond Bay in Montauk will open Memorial Day weekend after a delay in the lodging’s launch last summer, said Erin Johnson, brand and culture director at Rowan’s Alchemy Hospitality — whose properties include an Orient Point Duryea’s location, and Lulu Kitchen and Bar in Sag Harbor.
The four cottages are situated to take in sunsets at the Duryea’s property, where the legendary Lobster Deck restaurant is a magnet for A-listers like Jennifer Lopez and Beyoncé. Rowan bought the property in 2014 for a reported $6.3 million, and has turned the downhome, no-frills seafood shack into a ritzy hot spot.
The online booking platform for the cottages isn’t yet live, Johnson said. The East Coast hospitality group is awaiting a certificate of occupancy, said Johnson, who added that she’s “quite confident” that it will be granted in time for the season. (An East Hampton spokesman said the town is still awaiting paperwork.)
A standard two- to three-night stay in a cottage runs about $2,000 per night, according to an email from Steven Jauffrineau, Alchemy’s managing director. That gets you luxe extras such as a 55-inch TV, a Sonos wireless audio system, Natura Bissé detox products and a KLUFT Collection mattress, according to Jauffrineau’s email and the Duryea’s website. “You can tell us if you like a soft, medium or hard mattress,” said Johnson.
Located on 1.2 acres of waterfront property, the beachy, minimalist-style units feature clear cedar shingles and mahogany fascia with teak decks, outdoor showers, hot tubs and fire pits, all surrounded by evergreen trees and native vegetation and shrubs and located within steps — or a Duryea’s buggy ride — of its restaurant, market and boutique.
At a time when private East End house rentals are facing challenges both from town regulations and public perceptions, the hilltop units offer an alternative kind of stay, said Jauffrineau, who fielded questions from The Post by email.
“It is no secret that local rental permits are becoming more strict, limiting residential owners with the flexibility to rent at will,” he said. “As a commercial property, Duryea’s Sunset Cottages is without a doubt a logical alternative to a residential rental market under scrutiny.”
And, according to his statement, “Safety is always on the forefront of any project we undertake. The cottages are no exception. We worked closely with local authorities to make sure that we [built] a safe and conforming offering.”
Inside, the kitchenettes, wet bars and bathroom areas contain marble finishes and sliding glass doors.
The restaurant can bring food to the cottages, but you’ll have to bring your own alcohol, Johnson said.
E-bikes, paddleboards and snorkel gear are also available to take advantage of the natural landscape, especially the sunsets along the bay, Johnson added. “They’re absolutely magical from that point of view, and being able to walk down to the bluff and catch them during your stay is going to be something that is very unique to us,” she said.
Last July, Jauffrineau said in an email that he, his wife and two teen sons did an overnight at two of the cottages. “The takeaway from our little experiment was that the resort offers a certain serenity, a calm energy that invites itself into the cottages and helps you unwind instantly,” he said. “The water and sunset views are dramatic and soothing, a sort of calm in a town notoriously known for its high energy. The four of us woke up surprisingly refreshed.”
Apollo Group CEO Rowan, who has been ensnared in legal battles over redeveloping the property, could not be reached for comment.
According to the chief building inspector for the Town of East Hampton, there is an open building permit for the demolition and reconstruction of the four cottages, said town spokesman Patrick Derenze by email.
“The final inspection can be scheduled once the property owner submits the remaining paperwork required by the Building Department, including documentation from the Zoning Board of Appeals and Architectural Review Board,” he added.
Johnson said that a missing certificate of occupancy delayed the opening of Sunset Cottages last year.
The town’s buildings department is still missing paperwork, Derenze said. “We would recommend they contact the department if they have any questions,” he said.
(Asked to respond, Jauffrineau said by email, “All paperwork has been filed to date.”)
Duryea’s has been a Montauk landmark for decades.
It was operated as a family seafood business starting in the 1920s. Perry “Skip” Duryea III, 75, who sold it to Rowan and now works as a seasonal ranger and starter at the Montauk Downs State Park Golf Course, said it was inevitable that there would be some degree of change at legacy businesses such as his.
“About 10 or 12 years ago, there was an influx of capital with the notion of transforming some of these long-standing enterprises, and I think in certain cases, it’s been very positive,” he said.
Duryea hasn’t seen the new cottages nor has he been back to the property.
“I’ve got a lot of fond memories, but it was very hard work and also very long hours,” said Duryea, adding, “I spent a lot of winters there when [the wind] was blowing Northwest, about 30 or 40 miles an hour, and I was out on the dock trying to keep the ice off the top and so on and so forth. So I’ve got a lot of memories of harsh weather, for sure, and maybe that’s why this time of year I haven’t gone back.”