One minute you could be cocooned in a plush bathrobe in the spa, a serene place that has North America’s only ocean-fed seawater pool. The next, you could be dancing in a bikini at the ocean bar, downing a magnum of Rose and playing cornhole against two gorgeous millennials. You could eat breakfast at the takeout cafe, lunch in a beach cabana on the ocean, and dinner at fine Italian establishment Scarpetta.
Ever weekend new amenities are introduced like pop-up shops with brands like Maje and Sandro or air streams where celebrity hairstylists will give you a blowout. And those are just the common spaces. The hotel has 146 rooms, suites, and cottages of all shapes and sizes. Even frequent visitors haven’t covered all the ground; The complex has 15 buildings and spans 11-acres.
Many people, when visiting Gurney's, feel there is so much to do, they could live there and never get bored. And now, thanks to the 12 oceanfront homes the resort put up for sale over Memorial Day named “The Residences at Gurney’s,” that is a real option.
When George Filopoulos, a frequent Gurney’s visitor and New Jersey developer, bought the resort in 2013, he had his eyes on the homes next door to the property. They had been built in 2007 and 2008 but held up in legal battles and never been used. "There were still tags on the appliances," he said. "And they were built so well I actually found the original general contractor and hired him." Each house has two to five bedrooms and covers 2,000 to 5,000 square feet. The outdoor living areas are expansive; all have incredible views of the ocean and are so close, you get the breeze.
The resort bought them from the government and added special touches. They brought in Petermax, a hospitality design firm that creates chic properties in stunning locations, who renovated them with cool marble slabs, light woods, and neutral palettes to give them that light, airy Hamptons cottage feel. They also recruited Ryan Serhant of Nest Seekers International (you would recognize him from Bravo's Million Dollar Listing) who knows how to sell luxury better than anyone. "Welcome to my world," he sai.
According to Serhant, these homes are not just more fancy Hamptons establishments for two reasons:
First, they are directly on the ocean. New homes in Long Island can't be built close to the water because of recent zoning laws. These, however, have the benefit of being built almost a decade ago. One stroll down a stairway and you are jogging on the beach or having a cup of coffee with your toes in the water. “We are really excited about the homes because of where they are,” said Filopoulos. “They are so close to the beach. It’s the equivalent of owning an oceanfront home, which is impossible out here. They sell for 20 to 50 million dollars. These are 5 to 12 million, and they have the greatest views and perspectives of the ocean that I’ve ever seen.”
"People get very very attached to the ocean," added Serhant. All homes come with a private cabana and a butler who will bring you whatever you need.
Which brings up the second advantage: all homeowners get the amenities and services of Gurneys. “Owners will have access to the exceptional Gurney’s lifestyle and amenities, where absolutely everything is taken care of," said the promotional material. In addition to butler service (that includes preparation for arrival), they get someone to store their boats, a nanny to play with their kids on the beaches, and a dedicated team to maintain their home when they are away. They also get to enjoy everything Gurney visitors get: fitness classes, access to the spa and pool, and entertainment. If they have a problem, they don't have to call the police; they simply call the hotel's operator.
“The number one draw is they are maintenance free,” said Serhant. “It’s a village, it’s a community, there is a hotel that takes care of it all.” He said the property is perfect for people who already have sprawling homes in other places like Greenwich but want an easy place in the Hamptons for entertainment or networking. “What a better place to entertain than Scarpetta or out on the beach privately catered by the hotel under bonfire moonlight? This is just me regenerating what people told me,” he said. Five of the homes are already sold; for one owner, it’s the second home. For another, it’s the fifth.
Serhant said he knew how special these homes were when he sent his photographer, who has worked with him since 2008 and seen all the playgrounds of the rich and famous, to the property and received this text: "This is the first time in all my years shooting interior photography that I've ever achieved house envy."
"I'll send you the screenshot if you want," Serhant told me. "I feel the same way."
