4 B&Bs on Long Island that make for a perfect summer escape

If you're looking for a weekend escape, a night or two in a bed-and-breakfast tends to create a cozier and more intimate experience. Here are four Long Island options that provide both local getaways and easy access to some of Long Island's unique places to dine, shop and play:

COVID restrictions vary per venue; be sure to check what’s presently in effect before visiting.

East Hampton Art House

THE STAY As the name implies, the spot is home to creativity, as the proprietors are also the resident artists, and guests are welcome to tour their studios. However, with its exclusive access to the private Clearwater Bay Beach and Marina, rare water views are also part of the experience. There are only two rooms (be sure to read the strict cancellation policies), but those who stay can look forward to a 66-foot pool, a wading pool, a hot tub with a waterfall and an indoor Endless Pool. The courtyard holds a landscaped garden with private seating areas. A gourmet breakfast (included) is served daily but guests can also choose from a 24-hour butler’s pantry. There’s also a communal living room — decorated with art — and equipped with a fireplace and board games plus TV, darts, a pool table and full gym. Guests also receive complimentary parking passes to area ocean and bay beaches. The Art House also maintains a housekeeping staff that cleans, wipes, vacuums and dusts on a continual basis and masks are worn by staffers whenever in close contact with guests. 

THE GETAWAY Located in Springs, it’s perfectly placed for easy trips to luxury shopping in downtown East Hampton Village (about 7 miles away); the village of Sag Harbor is about 14 miles to the west, Amagansett is about 7 miles to the south and Montauk is 17 miles to the east. 

INFO 9 Bon Pinck Way, East Hampton; 631-907-4645, easthampton-arthouse-bedandbreakfast.com. Rates start at approximately $1,000 nightly.

Cedar House on Sound

THE STAY Found on Sound Avenue in the middle of the North Fork, this former barn has been repurposed as a five-room respite with modern amenities (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth charging stations, private baths, flat screen TVs), and a multicourse breakfast (included) served daily. Home to a private vineyard, there’s a fire pit out back and three common areas indoors — one of which being the “Great Room,” which features games, a billiards table, a putting green and a space for reading. Guests can also hang by the bar where locally sourced beverages are poured. Concierge services are also provided, so you won’t need to make your own reservations or work hard to figure out what area attractions meet your interests as they are prepared with suggestions. Maintaining a high level of cleanliness is a top priority and the b&b will often accommodate the changing of reservations for guests who unexpectedly find themselves ill after booking. 

THE GETAWAY Mattituck dining and shopping options are nearby — including its famed Love Lane — but Sound Avenue is also dotted with wineries and craft beverage venues from Riverhead; the closest being Macari Vineyards (150 Bergen Ave., Mattituck; 631-298-0100, macariwines.com), only a half-mile to the west. To the east, the bustling village of Greenport less than 15 miles away.

INFO 4850 Sound Ave., Mattituck; 631-298-7676, cedarhouseonsound.com. Rates start at $270.

The Harbor Rose

THE STAY Poised on a hilltop perch, this 19th-century home and former rectory has sunset and water views galore — and despite its transformation into a hospitality spot, you can still hear the church bells ring when outside. It still possesses handblown glass windows and original wood floors but also boasts high-speed internet and when you receive breakfast (included), expect organic foods (including gluten-free, kosher and vegan choices) and alkaline water (via a water purification system in place across the house). The innkeeper is available and attentive (it’s her personal residence) and cleaning is performed with baking soda and vinegar (medical-grade UV lighting is also used to disinfect), in order to cater to potential guests who may have environmental allergies or are seeking a high order of wellness.

THE GETAWAY Located at the western edge of Cold Spring Harbor Village, it’s about a half-mile walk from the B&B to the boutiques and eateries found there, as well as Cold Spring Harbor State Park (95 Harbor Rd., Cold Spring Harbor; 631-423-1770, parks.ny.gov), which has hiking trails that can also be directly accessed from the venue's backyard.

INFO 253 Harbor Rd., Cold Spring Harbor; 516-482-2740, theharborrose.com. Rates start at $250.

Seven

THE STAY You’ll need a ferry to get to this boutique B&B that in a former life was a Shelter Island farmhouse. Guests can look forward to an outdoor pool and an outdoor gym, and wellness treatments are available as well. Fireplaces are also set indoors and out, and there are board games standing by as are bicycles; a breakfast buffet is also included. As for its cleaning policies, Seven abides by procedures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), including frequent surface disinfection.

THE GETAWAY Beaches require parking permits, but these cost $25 and can easily be purchased online (shelterislandchamber.org). Seven is only .3 miles from Crescent Beach (36 Shore Rd, Shelter Island Heights), which is one of the island’s lifeguarded spots and is across the street from Sunset Beach (35 Shore Rd., Shelter Island Heights; 631-749-2001, sunsetbeach.fun) a luxury hotel with a restaurant open to the public. Shelter Island is also home to several other restaurants; for a chance to explore its rich nature there are miles of hiking trails at Mashomack Preserve (79 S. Ferry Rd.; 631-749-1001, nature.org), and to explore its history the Sylvester Manor Educational Farm (80 North Ferry Rd., Shelter Island; 631-749-0626, sylvestermanor.org) started out as a 17th-century plantation — and that’s after the land was home to Native Americans for thousands of years — but today is a nonprofit organization where some of its historic structures still stand and an event calendar is offered.

INFO 7 Stearns Point Rd, Shelter Island Heights; 347-326-3259, sevenonshelter.com; Rates start at $732 nightly; rooms usually have minimum stays of 2-3 days.