Super-sized fun in the sun:
(Long Island, N.Y.) Last week, we packed up the car and headed east for the ultimate playmate: My two kids, three of their best friends, and four days of chillaxing on a private beach at the Hampton Ocean Resort. Really, what else can you ask for? This family fun vacation was our last summer hurrah—I’ve been packing/unpacking suitcases since June and I’m so glad we picked a really great place for our grand finale.
For me to feel good about recommending a vacation spot (especially a pricey one) it needs to be a place I would send my sister and her family, or my mom and dad. Well, our second day there, I got on the phone and convinced my parents to take the drive from New Jersey to spend the day with us. Grandma and grandpa soon joined our sandy soiree.
Honestly, if you’re on the hunt for a great getaway, the Hampton Ocean Resort is a sure thing: It’s got all the swank and star treatment you’d expect from the Hamptons—but none of the snobbery. The vibe is upscale, yet laid back and friendly.
They offer a full beach setup: lounges, tents, chairs, so besides beach toys for the kids and sunscreen, everything you’ll need for some fun in the sun is taken care of. You don’t have to lift a finger except point in the direction you want to set up camp for the day. No carrying or cleaning up—sweet.
So here’s the scoop on this not-so-secret east end Shangri-La
About the accommodations
The property is small: 17 guest rooms all together–3 two-bedroom cottages, 2 penthouse suites and the rest are one-bedroom suites—all have a pull-out sofa and have been fully renovated.
We stayed in one of the private cottages. It was roomy, relaxing, and everything looked brand-spanking new. Our cottage had a large patio, three flat screen TV’s, a full kitchen, and yep, all the goodies can come along with a full-service resort. The other family we vacationed with stayed in the 2-bedroom penthouse overlooking the bay and absolutely loved it. The rooms are extremely comfortable—and simple. I wasn’t constantly worried the kids would break something, although the white couch covers and linen duvets had me crossing my fingers there’d be no major kid-spillage. Everything looks so neat and pretty and I’m happy to say, it stayed that way—thanks to some great housekeeping.
Was it clean?
Immaculate. Living with a clean freak (my hubby) has its good and bad sides, but when we go away on vacation it’s often a downer because he just notices everything. So if he calls a place spotless—and he did–you’ve got to believe it’s pristine. (Trust me on this one.)
What I loved
It’s the ultimate “ask and you shall receive” kind of place. And many times, you didn’t even have to ask: It’s there for you already. Either the owners hired a staff of mind readers or they were very well trained to cater to a guest’s every need. The celebrity-like star treatment starts as soon as you arrive. Immediately, there’s someone to help you with your bags and get you settled.
At one point, I was sitting on a lounge chair outside our cottage watching the kids play and started to feel thirsty. Before I even got up from the chair, a staff member walking by with a handful of beach towels asked if he could grab me water. Why sure!
That’s the great thing about staying in a place with a small amount of rooms: It’s all about special attention and boy do you get it. While you will pay top dollar to stay there for a few days (hey, it’s the Hamptons!), you’re not going to be digging in your wallet every two seconds with an extra charge for this or that. There are no last-second surprises after you check-in.
It is somewhat secluded. There are no stores or restaurants in walking distance so a lot of the burden of taking care of the basic needs of the guests, falls on the staff. It’s a 10-minute drive to town, so if there’s something you forgot, be sure to speak up. Either they have it for you or can help you get it.
What I didn’t really like
There are a few things the resort doesn’t have (yet) that I normally enjoy on vacation, such as a pool, spa and a gym on site. When I mentioned to my husband I wished there was an exercise room, he nearly choked on his apple with laughter. “When was the last time you used a hotel gym. Ever???” Ok, he got me there. But I like to know it’s there if I need it.
My husband, who does always uses hotel gyms, was perfectly happy going for a jog on the beach. And I think he quite liked the fact that there was no spa—where I usually drop an extra $280 on a facial and a hot stone massage. Since this vacation was all about the kids having fun, it was a splurge I didn’t miss. And the absence of a pool was not an issue, considering the ocean is so spectacular. That’s the real draw: the resort is a stone’s throw away from sandy beach.
What blew me away
It started to downpour at about 9:30 at night and my mom noticed someone running to our cottage, then running back to the lobby. I took a quick peek around and couldn’t figure out why he ran to our door. Once it was time to go to sleep, my dad forgot one of his bags in the car and asked if I had an umbrella. Yikes—that’s the one thing I did forget.
My dad opened the door and decided to make a run for it. Well, he didn’t have to get soaked because the young man that ran to my cottage in the pouring rain, left an oversized brand new umbrella beside the door. I took a quick peek around and every door had umbrella waiting beside it, just in case you needed it. The management seems to have sprinkled “nice touches” all over the place. Sometimes, it’s the simple things that truly impress.
The family-friendly factor
We were a rather large group: four adults and five kids—all under the age of seven so I was a bit worried just how family-friendly it would be. For the most part, we were able to keep the kids pretty calm while hanging around the grounds of the resort and let them loose where their giggles (and meltdowns) were muffled by the ocean waves.
I never got the feeling at any time that the kids were being shushed or were an annoyance to the staff. They really engaged the kids and interacted with them. I loved the fact that there’s lots of activities for kids like arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, kayaking, and volleyball.
It seems as though the ownership honed in on what makes a stay truly comfortable—from a parent’s perspective. Since you’re on the beach, you don’t have to peel the swimsuits off the kids, load them in the car and go look for breakfast or lunch. There’s a continental breakfast served in the lobby until 10:30 and they start firing up the grill at noon. My kids took the all-you-can eat grill cheese, chips and juice boxes offer to an embarrassing level!
At 9pm, there’s a beach bonfire (often with live music) and it was so cool to kick back and chat with the other guests by the fire while the kids snacked on S’mores, frolicked on the cool sand and counted the stars. We met a lovely couple from San Diego—even a family from Paris. (My daughter was playing with her for a while and asked why she was so quiet. No wonder—she only speaks French!)
What the kids loved
The star treatment. My kids aren’t really used to anyone waiting on them but me, so when they asked at 9:00 at night for popcorn; I said I forgot to bring some. Moments later, a staff member was firing up the barbecue with Jiffy Pop. The day before they brought ice cream bars to the kid’s on the beach. My kids were in sandy heaven.
For the most part, I was approached by a staff member for permission before they started handing goodies out to the kids. I really liked the fact that I was discreetly asked if they could have ice cream before the Dove Bars went flying.
They chummed around with the other kids staying at the resort but the fact that we vacationed with their best friends was double their pleasure. I must admit there was a total meltdown while we were checking out. They pleaded for one more night. Well, unless you want to cash in one of those birthday bonds you got from grandma—sorry, kiddos, the party is over.
What to do when it rains
Since the focal point of a beach resort is well, the beach, it’s always a bummer if there’s bad weather. One of the three days we visited was rainy and chilly. Instead of exploring, all the kids wanted to play on the beach and build sand castles even while it drizzled. They could care less that it was a less than stellar day.
There’s also a game room where the older kids can play video games and there’s a giganto selection of movies; you can just grab a DVD and bring back to your suite—implementing the good old fashioned honor system. I was actually surprised when my son headed up the stairs to return “Ice Age”. He never does that at home! You mean you really are capable of putting a DVD back in its case and returning it where it belongs? Shocking.
What you need to bring
Bug spray and itch cream is a must so don’t forget to pack it. So much of your time is spent outdoors (even eating meals on the patio) and while they do their best to keep the bugs at bay—they can be brutal at night. Even if you stay during the summer, remember to pack some sweatshirts and jackets for the kids in case it gets chilly in the evening.
Also, the BBQ lunch is great but it can get old so I’m glad we hit the grocery store beforehand and bought some fresh veggies to pick on, bread and cold cuts for sandwiches. They did tell me there are plans to include lighter fare for lunch like grilled chicken and salads, but for now, there’s hot dogs, hamburgers,and veggie burgers with all the fixin’s.
What you don’t need to bring
I think I over-packed. In fact, the young man who helped us bring our carload to the room even said, “Wow. You brought a lot of stuff. Guess you didn’t realize we have all this here for you already.” Totally true. Just going by their website, it’s hard to tell what you’ll need for a couple of days at a cottage. So I bought paper towels, lots of drinks, food, snacks, towels for the beach, coffee, milk, cereal, etc, etc. None of that was necessary.
When you arrive, your fridge is stocked with waters, sodas, granola bars and goodies for the kids. I was told that they are all complimentary (woo-hoo!) and to let them know when our stash needed replenishing. There were big beach towels waiting for us as soon as we hit the sand and staff members even bring down ice-filled coolers stuffed with all the beverages you’ll need.
But I did pat myself on the back for thinking of bring a blender and some Pina Colada mix. There’s no bar or alcohol available so if you want to indulge in a frozen daiquiri or a glass of wine—it’s bring your own.
What else you might need to know
The place is brand new so it looks like they are still ironing out some kinks and adding more activities and amenities as time goes on. But even as is, we all thought the accommodations were impressive. It wasn’t until the very end of our stay did I learn that July 4th was their kick-off weekend.
I think guests can easily forget (or be unaware) of all the amenities, activities the resort has to offer.It would be great if there’s a pamphlet in the room reminding you of all the things you can take advantage of. I later learned you can get a massage (a therapist will come on-site) and had no idea the free Wi-Fi offered at the resort reaches all the way to the beach. There’s lots of pleasant little surprises and extras not found on their website. We hauled a huge watermelon, knife and cutting board—only to find an endless supply of fresh fruit in the lobby at all times.
Would we go back?
Yes, yes, yes and yes! In fact, I was so excited to learn they are planning on staying open through the fall and I might take advantage of wine-tasting tours with some local vineyards. Great idea for a group of girlfriends to head out there for a weekend. You can call to find out about the fall activities even for the family: corn mazes, pumpkin picking.
Area Attractions
Our last night, we dined at Dockers Waterside Restaurant & Marina, a local hotspot, about a five-minute drive down Dune road. The kids enjoyed the New England Clam Chowder so much, we ordered a second bowl. (Shhh, we tell them it’s chicken!) Food, service, and view were all terrific.
There’s plenty other great things do and see in the area: Explore the Hampton villages, shop at the outlets, visit Splish Slash water park (a must-not-miss!) or Long Island Aquarium. The front desk is more than happy to make reservations or point you in the proper direction.
Final thought
It’s not the Hampton “how-many-can-you-pile-in-a-beach- house” type of place. If you’re looking for the party scene—keep looking. But it is an ideal place for a family vacation, a business retreat, a girlfriend get-away or a romantic long weekend. Sans the social scene, you can’t help but feel like a celebrity with all the personal attention.You can get to the Hampton Ocean Resort by Jitney, the LIRR (the train runs right into Hampton Bays) or just jump in the car and take a joy ride, like we did.
FYI: There still might be time to book a stay for the upcoming holiday weekend. Totally worth it.
For more info, call (631) 653-3600 or visit www.hamptonoceanresort.com
Added 09/23/10: This article was written in August of 2009. To date, several visitors to this establishment have taken the time to write in to Long Island Exchange Inc with their ‘no-so-great’ experiences and comments about this particular resort. Although this resort may not have to lived up to each and every single persons expectations, I’d like to make the point that I genuinely hope and must believe that the majority of patrons experience a pleasant and accommodating vacation as did I while visiting. Nonetheless, I stand by my review and ask that you to please visit my personal review policy.
