If you took a chic and modern New York City penthouse and shoved it into a dingy old Hampton’s motel, you’d have Baron’s Cove, the Sag Harbor staple that reopened in 2014 after a two-year renovation.
Basically, Baron’s Cove makes motels look good.
Sitting right on the harbor, the inn takes its location very seriously. Almost everything has a subtle nautical kick to it—from the décor to the dishes. Not only does the motel boast one of the best views in the North Fork town, it has also a restaurant, bar, harbor-facing pool, bikes, and basketball and tennis courts. Not to mention, it’s pet-friendly.
Still, the best part about Baron’s Cove is that while it has been completely stripped and renovated, it still exudes the personality of a quaint local inn, it just looks better while doing so now.
First Impressions
With its two levels of covered porch, rocking chairs, and outdoor fireplaces, the structure itself looks like it could be home to a very lucky Southern family. As you walk up the steps of the white pillared porch, a classy yet kitschy reception area greets you with polka-dotted walls, ornate gold frames holding paintings of majestic ships and a wooden reception desk that sits between the bar and the dramatic wooden staircase. When you realize the “lobby” is basically just a foyer, it becomes clear that the focus is on the rooms and amenities. Take the staircase up to the bright high-ceilinged restaurant and second level of rooms, or walk back out the front door and around the house if you’re on the lower level.
The Room
My favorite part about the accommodations is that all 67 rooms come with a generous amount of outdoor space. While the Baron’s Suite boasts two floors, what the other rooms lack in indoor space, they make up for in picnic tables. The second to lowest level Village Garden Rooms have private front-lawn-type areas with picnic tables, and then separate decks. Each room reeks of renovation; everything is bright and clean, like a just-washed baby. The walls, curtains and sheets are white, and so are the flagstone-tiled Aveda-filled bathrooms. The décor is modern and simple, with barely-noticeable pictures of whales or boats on the walls, blue chairs, and possibly a throw pillow with an anchor on it. Are you sensing the nautical theme, yet?
What Pops
The hotel’s Lobby Lounge is completely unexpected. Once you’ve gotten used to the pastel-painted nautically-decorated hotel, you’re hit with a dark English-style drawing room of a bar. Complete with wing-back and tufted leather chairs, a framed American flag, a piano, black-painted walls, and sconces over a fireplace, the lobby bar transports you to Gatsby-era Hamptons. The bar extends to the hotel’s outdoor porch with another fireplace and Adirondack chairs facing the harbor, creating the perfect place to watch the sun set over the sail boats.
The Locale
Situated right behind Sag Harbor’s Main Street, Baron’s Cove is a quick walk to the center of town. Centuries old Sag Harbor is going through a hipster phase right now with brand new frozen yogurt joints, vegan cafes, and art galleries positioned in between old mom-and-pop shops and dive bars. Needless to say, the town attracts an interesting mix of young upper-class families and local drunks. It’s when the two types collide during Saturday night dessert/pregame drinks that the old port’s personality really shines.
Maggie Parker is Paste Magazine’s assistant travel editor.