Ruschmeyer's, Montauk, New York

Old-school cool: While the rest of the Hamptons was going to polo matches and hosting white parties, quirky little Montauk seemed quite content to spend its days surfing and its nights kicking back with beers around a beach bonfire. Although fashion types caught on and started colonizing beachfront motels like the Surf Lodge a few years back, the fishing hamlet itself has (so far) retained the barefoot playfulness that put it on the map.

Retro revival: Just when the Surf Lodge was starting to feel so last year, one of its owners turned his extreme-makeover magic upon a set of 1950s wooden buildings. The result? Ruschmeyer's, a haute adult summer camp that every model-slash-DJ worth her Alex Wang sunnies is checking into. To tap into Montauk's outdoorsy vibe, you can go kite- or paddleboarding, or kick back in a tepee on the lawn decorated by It kids fashion designer Tracy Feith. In the 19 rooms, African throw pillows and dhurrie rugs add a global allure to funky vintage headboards and walls of unfinished plywood and white paneling. Montauk's original attraction, the haul of its fishermen, takes center stage at dinner, served until midnight, and once the plates are cleared, the picnic tables open up to become banquettes for a late-night chilled scene.

Ruschmeyer's
161 Second House Road
Montauk, New York
Tel: 631 668 2877
Rooms from $425

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