New luxury inn replaces residence motel in East Hampton

An East Hampton motel that once housed low-income immigrant families has been renovated into a luxury boutique-style inn.

The one-acre property, formerly known as the East Hampton Inn, was bought at the end of May by Manhattan-based real estate company Bridgeton Holdings for $5 million, said Inbar Mitzman, an associate commercial broker at Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty who handled the sale. The seller was East Hampton Hotel LLC, she said.

Now named Journey East Hampton, the revamped inn at 490 Pantigo Road has 24 units — 21 rooms and 3 cottages. It opened for business June 7.

"We felt that luxury would cater to this [market]," said a spokeswoman for Bridgeton Hospitality, a unit of Bridgeton Holdings. "The property is doing very well, even though we’re very much in a soft opening phase as we increase the amenities we offer and finish up final aspects of the renovation."

Amenities include a pool, bicycles for guests to ride, a picnic area, firepit and outdoor yoga. 

The spokeswoman described the overall "vibe" of the new hotel as "calm, organic and luxurious."  She would not disclose how much Bridgeton invested in the renovation.

Room rates range from $500 to $900 a night. 

The inn formerly served as an apartment building for several immigrant families who were evicted as part of plans to turn the facility into a high-end hotel. 

Mitzman said the quick turnaround of the sale "indicates market demand for hospitality in East Hampton." She, along with Lisa Ferraro and Dana Forbes, also of Daniel Gale Sotheby's, handled the sale for both seller and buyer.