The Roundtree Lodge within the Hamptons Opened Mid-Pandemic. This is What it Took to Create This Stylish Boutique Keep

All photos courtesy of The Roundtree, Amagansett

The Roundtree on Long Island celebrates its first anniversary in June.

Sylvia Wong celebrates the first anniversary of the opening of The Roundtree, Amagansett, a 15-room boutique hotel in the Hamptons, long Island on June 1st. It’s Wong’s first venture into hotels, and what a baptism of fire it was. She never thought she would open a hotel in a global pandemic.

A peaceful and relaxing environment

Wong, who also has a full-time partner at a private investment firm in New York City, where she lives with her husband and child, was inspired to open a hotel by her love of travel. After looking for accommodation, she ended up at the Gansett Green Manor Hotel on a quiet two-acre 18th-century homestead in The Hamptons.

She fell in love with the lush, serene surroundings, surrounded by green fields and farmland. It has a long history and was the place where one of the first four European families to arrive in Amagansett settled. “There are so many great hotels in the Hamptons, but I wanted something quiet and intimate that felt like home,” commented Wong. She bought the property in 2019.

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After quickly closing the existing hotel, she began renovating to ensure it could reopen in late spring of the following year, ready for the high season. Then the pandemic hit and the world turned upside down.

Since hotels are seen as essential businesses, Wong knew they could still be opened. Despite the risk, she was determined to bring her vision to life and pushed for the renovations to be completed on schedule. Their main consideration was how guests and the team could be protected. “We had to adapt to the situation, so we put disinfection machines in every room and had covers made for the sofas,” said Wong.

Off to a shaky start

“We didn’t have a single reservation the first night,” notes Wong. “Because of the uncertainty, nobody was out and the hotel was new.” Slowly the guests came in and the news spread. She soon got busy welcoming couples and families looking for a place where they could socially distance themselves but still feel at home. “One of our first guests was so impressed with his experience that he came back with more people the following weekend,” said Wong. Others, who originally booked two days, extended their stay, while some families stayed for a month each.

A place to relax

The Roundtree can accommodate up to 40 guests in rooms, all of which have separate access. It includes five private cottages, some with three bedrooms, which are great draws for families. You can also bring pets. Wong kept the original buildings to preserve the property’s character but has transformed it into a boutique hotel that incorporates many of the details she loves in the hotels she stays at. The chic interior is light and airy and is characterized by a simple, modern aesthetic and neutrality of colors. Emphasis is placed on quality and craftsmanship with bespoke furniture for each room, Bali ceramic accents and luscious Frette linens.

Although the site is right on Amagansset’s busy main street, it’s quiet and serene. Often times, children run around on the huge lawn while their parents make zoom calls at one of the tables or take a nap in a hammock. There are free bikes available to take you to Atlantic Beach or Indian Wells Beach.

While there isn’t a proper kitchen, a continental breakfast is served and guests can go out for lunch and dinner to take away or eat out. The hotel has teamed up with local restaurants and collects food orders that they can prepare for guests and serve in the main house by the fire or in the courtyard.

According to Wong, providing warm, authentic service is paramount in everything they do. She stayed on the property for the first few months, so anxious to create the best experience for her guests that she slept in every room. They also have a high staff to guest ratio.

Meaningful experiences

In addition to little extras like s’Mores by the fire pit and afternoon tea, guests have the opportunity to enhance their stay by getting a deeper picture of the area, be it a private tour of a nearby vineyard or a guided historical tour the Hamptons in a chauffeured car or a cooking lesson from a local chef. The hotel also works with an electric car company that takes guests to the beach.

It is perhaps not surprising that the hotel, which had high occupancy and was fully booked on many weekends during the winter months, had considerable success as people tried desperately to leave New York City under lockdown. The Roundtree provides the ideal retreat as it feels like a home away from home with plenty of outdoor space but offers the hospitality and service of a luxury hotel. It’s also a place where people can take a breath and undress.

Wong faced many unpredictable hurdles to getting the hotel to where it is today and constantly had to adjust to meet guest needs. But despite the challenges, she says she would do it all over again.