In order to understand the hype surrounding the town known as “The End of the World,” you need to stay in Montauk at one of the places that started it all: The Surf Lodge.
I drove out to Montauk with one mission: to uncover what all the hype is about surrounding this old fishing village now turned into a high-end hotspot. Why were trains overflowing with millennials on the weekends to get to this town of Montauk, also known as the End of the World because it’s the farthest point out East? In order to understand Montauk’s current reputation, I made sure I was taking in some of the most iconic and talked about experiences and places. On the top of my list was a stay in Montauk at the famous and well-known Surf Lodge hotel. The Surf Lodge may be famous for its Grammy Award winning acts and infamous music scene, but many overlook its hotel, which offers a more quiet, typical, hands off Montauk escape during the quiet weekdays.
Check-in begins strictly at 3PM. The Surf Lodge is booked almost every single day in the summer so check-in and check-out times are pretty strict. The hotel offers parking for guests only and closes off the parking premises during the later hours of the night to non-hotel guests who come to the restaurant for food and live music. The Surf Lodge has 20 rooms all overlooking Fort Pond. 11 of the rooms on the top floor are typically reserved to artists in residence, from writers, poets, musicians, and culinary talent, who you will occasionally see wandering the property. These rooms are reserved specifically for this clientele so The Surf Lodge can continue its mission of positioning itself as a source of inspiration, allowing artists to express the beauty of Montauk through their work and share it with others in this space.
The decor throughout the property is surfer boho-chic. Minimalism that reflects Montauk’s natural beauty and artistic vibe. The owner, Jayma Cardoso, did an amazing job at making sure The Surf Lodge stayed true to its surroundings, taking inspiration from the nature, Fort Pond, and laid back fishing village. During our stay we slept in a Standard Room. Wood elements and natural textures bring a splash of color to the otherwise simple, open, and airy white room. There are no closets, but a white drawer cabinet and wooden hanger to hang your clothes on. A rattan swing chair, seagrass rug, and a vintage-style Marshall speaker with a headphone jack to play music bring an element of fun to the room. There are no TVs in the rooms, but wi-fi and speakers are all the entertainment you need. The smell of Fort Pond, although unpleasant to some, made the room feel even more down to earth and literally feel like it was a part of its natural surroundings. It had just rained and there were a few flies roaming about due to the humidity, but that’s to be expected when you’re literally sleeping on a pond.
I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the bathroom. The shower was basically made of glass and looked out onto Fort Pond, while the sink recalled the wooden elements that were found throughout the room. The room is stocked with complimentary vegan bathroom amenities from the Seed phytonutrients brand. I wasn’t familiar with the brand prior to staying at The Surf Lodge, but I have fallen in love with it! I liked the smell of the apricot seed-rich formula from their exfoliating hand wash. I was washing my hands every hour just so I could have that amazing smell on my hands. Pro tip: Apparently if you book a room on the weekends, you receive a complimentary goodie bag with $450 worth of high-end bathroom amenities.
One of the coolest things about The Surf Lodge is that every room gets its own private balcony with a hammock and some boho lounge chairs. My room was shaded by trees, but others had a full expansive view of Fort Pond. Two sliding glass doors open up at the end of the room, giving the room that airy feel again. The curtains were sheer white which made it a little difficult to sleep in the next morning, so I recommend you bring an eye mask unless you plan on getting up early.
Montauk is a laid back town. The Surf Lodge is ideally located on Fort Pond, just a short walk from the South shore where the main town is and the North shore where some of the coolest restaurants and sunset spots are, making it an idyllic location. The Surf Lodge offers some good services such as complimentary fixie bikes (which we used both days), beach parking passes, complimentary shuttle service in a BMW on the weekends, and free workout classes out on the sundeck on the weekends. But overall the service is more of a do-it-yourself sort of a vibe (or at least it was during the quieter weekday). The amenities are there, but the service is laid back just like the town itself. If you’re looking to be catered to then The Surf Lodge might not be for you. This is the place where people go to remove themselves from the high strung New York City life and plunge themselves into a deep hands off sort of an attitude. It takes a while to get used to, but once you’re there you begin to unwind and settle into this laid back attitude. It isn’t for everyone, so do keep this in mind!
Continental breakfast is included with your stay at The Surf Lodge hotel between 8AM and 10AM. Breakfast is served in The Surf Lodge restaurant. In typical Montauk fashion, during the weekdays things can move a bit slow, so just take a seat at a table and wait for the staff attendant to appear to take your coffee and beverage order. The options are a bit limited in that you cannot choose what to eat, but they provide you with their best selections of the day. While we were there we had berries and grapes, croissants, and greek yogurt with granola. Complimentary Bluestone Lane coffee is available throughout the day as well. They didn’t make cappuccino’s unfortunately, but they did have espressos.
Of course, a stay at The Surf Lodge isn’t complete without experiencing the real heart of the property its dining and live music scene. The Surf Lodge restaurant is closed on Tuesdays, but we had the opportunity to stay for a dinner and a live music performance on Wednesday night. There was a stark contrast between the Tuesday we were there and Wednesday. It was like the property had a completely different vibe. Tuesday was more laid back and quiet, while Wednesday was busy and lively. The restaurant and live music performers are really what bring the artistic nature of The Surf Lodge to life.
Stay in Montauk at The Surf Lodge hotel on a weekday, primarily on a Wednesday and Thursday would be my recommendation. Tuesdays are quiet, but almost a little bit too quiet and hands off. If you’re going to spend the money on a room at The Surf Lodge, you might as well get all the bells and whistles of having access to their sun deck, complimentary BMW shuttle, music performers, restaurant, and beach lounge just a few feet from your room. Pregame with your own Marshall speaker in room before heading to their restaurant for some drinks and live music. Rooms start at $300p/night during off peak season and $445 p/night during peak season.
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