The Shoals Suites & Slips
Maritime minimalism
Picture-pearl-fect Peconic Bay
Long Island’s North Fork may lack the same voguish reputation enjoyed by its southern neighbor the Hamptons, but the Shoals Suites & Slips is ready to tack things around. The self-proclaimed ‘boatel’ has 20 apartment-style suites, each with its own boat slip you could sail right into on arrival, and architect Thomas Juul-Hansen has expertly combined a chic Scandi spareness with seafaring features that tow in Southold’s maritime past. But, by land or sea, the great outdoors is where you’ll spend most of your time. Hop between Peconic Bay and Shelter Island on the hotel’s Chris-Craft boat, shuck oysters, and sip sauvignons at surrounding cellars. So, set yourself adrift from a Hamptons break and dock at this breezy beachside spot.
Facilities
Rooms
20 suites, each with an assigned boat slip on the hotel's pier or at Albertson Marine (day rates apply).
Checkout
11am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 4pm.
More Details
A $25 hotel fee is charged for each stay, which includes Continental breakfast, bike hire and beach passes.
Also
The Shoals has an accessible boardwalk, and one of the suites has been adapted with a roll-in shower for those with mobility issues.
Free Internet Access
On-Site Restaurant
At the Hotel
Garden terrace with fire pit, food truck, bikes to borrow, a boat to charter (for an extra fee), alfresco showers, boutique, bay-facing lounge, and free WiFi. In rooms: TV, kitchenette, mini fridge and freezer, tea- and coffee-making kit, free bottled water, air-conditioning, steamer, and Malin + Goetz toiletries.
Our Favourite Rooms
The spacious Grand Suites, set a little further back from the main hotel, are a favourite for us; ochre and navy hues add pops of colour to their otherwise minimalist oak interiors, and there’s a furnished terrace for sundowners. The hotel’s shuck truck may be steps away, but should you wish to cook up your own catches, all the suites are handily equipped with full kitchens, too.
Packing Tips
Bring your Moleskine journals for jotting down wine-tasting notes; and your sea legs for watery adventures.
Also
Female-owned business the Little Ram Oyster Co, helmed by mollusc-power-couple Elizabeth Peeples and Stefanie Bassett, has set up shop in the hotel. They also host private shucking workshops and farm tours that you’re welcome to join.
Children
Little Smiths are very welcome, but there’s no kids’ club or babysitting.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Top Table
Take your lobster rolls to the lawn for views over the dock.
Dress Code
Navy, golden accents and boat shoes, ahoy.
Hotel Restaurant
Dining here is very casual, largely because the hotel restaurant is a food truck parked on the grounds. But this is more the Ferrari of ‘meals on wheels’, for North Fork Table & Inn’s Michelin-starred chef mans it. Burgers and lobster rolls take centre-stage, and on Wednesday evenings the Little Ram Oyster Co takes over for a (s)hell of an evening. An array of freshly baked pastries are served in the lounge for breakfast.
Hotel Bar
You can make your own cocktails or help yourself to beer and wine in the Oyster Lounge, the hotel's laidback bar.
Last Orders
The Food Truck serves from noon until 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and from noon until 6pm on Sundays, and light bites are available to buy in the Bait Shop all day. The Oyster Lounge closes at 11pm.
Room Service
There’s no room service, but all suites have kitchens for in-room meals.
Planes
International arrivals can land in New York City’s main hubs – LaGuardia and JFK – both are around a two-hour drive away from Southold. Or, land at Newark in New Jersey, just over two hours away. If you’re travelling from within the States, you can land a little closer at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, an hour's drive from the hotel.
Trains
The famed Long Island Railroad makes travelling around New York fairly easy; the trains run from Manhattan’s Penn Station all the way up to Greenport and Southold (both a five-minute drive from the Shoals).
Automobiles
Once you’re out of the city, driving up to Southold follows a scenic route, and a set of wheels will be a blessing if you’re planning on venturing beyond Greenport.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
Summer days at the Shoals Suites & Slips are spent sailing back and forth to Shelter Island on the hotel’s boat (staff can arrange two- to six-hour charged charters, with food and drinks on request), kayaking and paddleboarding at nearby beaches and (fittingly) sipping Long Island iced teas on the dock. But there’s plenty for landlubbers to do, too. Wineries are in no short supply, Croteaux is for the rosé-fiends and Sparkling Pointe is best for bubbles; or, for something a little more active, take out one of the hotel’s bikes for a 45-minute cycle up to Orient – North Fork’s easternmost town – and stay to watch the sun set over Long Beach. Greenport Village also has small boutiques and vintage-furniture shops.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
