You’ve seen the photos. The ivy-covered Cotswold-style architecture that looks more like a slice of the English countryside than a seaside village on Long Island. But the thing about The Baker House 1650 is that it doesn’t try to be a "Hamptons hotel." It just is. It’s been there, in some form or another, since before the United States was even a country.
People get obsessed with the "new" in the Hamptons. They want the loudest beach club or the newest fusion restaurant where you can’t get a table unless you know the maître d's grandmother. Baker House East Hampton is the opposite of that. It’s quiet. It’s expensive, sure, but it’s the kind of expensive that feels like an investment in your own sanity rather than a flex on Instagram.
Honestly, it’s one of the few places left in the 11937 zip code that feels authentic.
The History is Real (Not Just Marketing Fluff)
Most "historic" hotels are just old buildings with a fresh coat of paint and some IKEA furniture. Not here. Thomas Baker, one of the original settlers of East Hampton, built this place in the 17th century. We are talking about a time when the village was basically just sheep and wind.
The architecture is technically "Cotswold Pre-Elizabethan." That’s why it has those gorgeous, steep rooflines and the leaded glass windows that make you feel like you’re in a Brontë novel. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, it morphed. It was a private residence; it was a tavern; it was even a boarding house at one point. In the 1990s, it underwent a massive restoration that saved it from becoming just another teardown project for a hedge fund billionaire.
The owner, Antonella Bertello, has a very specific eye. She didn't turn it into a sterile Marriott. She kept the hand-hewn beams. She kept the wide-plank floors that creak just enough to remind you where you are. When you walk through the front door, you smell woodsmoke and high-end lavender, not industrial cleaning fluid.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Rooms
You might think staying in a house built in 1650 means you’re going to be cramped. Or that the plumbing is sketchy.
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Nope.
The main house has five rooms, and then there’s the Carriage House across the lawn. Every single room is different. If you stay in the "Baker Suite," you get a wood-burning fireplace and a view of the gardens that is honestly unfair. If you stay in one of the Carriage House suites, it’s a bit more modern, a bit more "loft-like."
- The Loft Suite: Two levels, super private, feels like a New York City penthouse crashed into a barn.
- The Garden Room: Perfect for people who want to walk straight out onto the grass with their morning coffee.
- The Maidstone Room: Cozy, classic, and usually the first one to book up in the shoulder season.
The beds are Frette linens. The bath products are L'Occitane. It’s that weird mix of "I’m staying in a museum" and "I have 21st-century WiFi and a rain shower."
The Spa is the Secret Weapon
Most people think of Baker House East Hampton as just a bed and breakfast. Calling it a B&B is almost insulting. It’s a boutique resort.
Hidden in the lower level of the main house is a spa that feels like a subterranean grotto. It has a dry sauna, a steam shower, and a soaking tub that looks like it was carved out of a single piece of stone. If you book the spa for a private session—which you absolutely should—the world outside just disappears.
You can hear the muffled sound of cars on Main Street, but inside, it’s just the sound of bubbling water and your own heartbeat. It’s small. It’s not a 20,000-square-foot wellness center with 50 treatment rooms. It’s intimate. That’s the whole point. You aren't a number here. You’re a guest in someone’s home.
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Dealing with the Hamptons Crowd
Let’s be real for a second. The Hamptons can be exhausting. Between the traffic on Route 27 and the fight for a parking spot at Main Beach, it’s a lot.
The beauty of the Baker House location is that you can basically ditch your car. You are right on Main Street. You can walk to the 1770 House for dinner (get the burger, seriously). You can walk to the Ralph Lauren store or the movie theater. If you want to go to the beach, they have a permit and a shuttle service, so you don't have to deal with the soul-crushing reality of the parking lots.
A lot of celebrities stay here. I won't name names because the hotel is famously discreet, but if you see someone famous eating breakfast in the garden, the rule is: don't look. Don't ask for a selfie. The reason they stay here is that the staff treats everyone with the same level of polite indifference. Whether you’re a CEO or a schoolteacher on a splurge, you get the same high-quality service.
The Breakfast Situation
Breakfast is served in the dining room or out on the terrace. It’s not a buffet. Thank God.
It’s a sit-down affair with fresh fruit, homemade granola, and usually some kind of hot dish like lemon ricotta pancakes or a perfect omelet. They source as much as they can from local farms. In the summer, the tomatoes taste like actual tomatoes, not the watery pink things you get at the grocery store in February.
Eating outside in the garden while the mist is still lifting off the lawn? It’s peak Hamptons. It’s the reason you pay the premium price tag.
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Is it Worth the Price?
Look, I’m not going to lie to you. This place is expensive. In the height of July or August, you’re looking at four figures a night.
If you just want a bed to sleep in after a night of partying at The Surf Lodge, this isn't for you. You’re paying for the silence. You’re paying for the fact that there are only a handful of other guests. You’re paying for the history and the fact that you can walk into the village.
The "off-season" is actually my favorite time to go. October in East Hampton is underrated. The air is crisp, the crowds are gone, and the Baker House fireplaces are actually useful. Plus, the rates drop significantly. You get the same luxury without the "summer tax."
Why the Carriage House is Different
A lot of people don't realize there’s a second building. The Carriage House was renovated more recently and it has a slightly different vibe. It’s about 100 yards away from the main house.
It’s great if you’re traveling with a small group or if you just want more space. It has its own pool (yes, there are two pools on the property). The aesthetic is a bit more "coastal chic"—lots of white, lots of light, very airy. If the main house is a cozy English cottage, the Carriage House is its sophisticated, modern younger sibling.
Practical Advice for Your Stay
Don't just show up and expect a room. This isn't a 300-room hotel. They book out months in advance, especially for weekends.
- Book Direct: Sometimes they have packages on their website that you won't find on Expedia or Booking.com.
- The Beach Permit: Use it. Parking at Main Beach is a nightmare otherwise.
- The Garden: Spend at least one afternoon doing absolutely nothing in the garden. It’s one of the most well-manicured private spaces in the village.
- Check the Calendar: East Hampton has strict noise ordinances. If you're looking for a rager, go to Montauk. Baker House is for people who want to read a book and drink a glass of wine by a fire.
Moving Forward with Your Trip
If you're planning a trip to the East End, your first step is deciding what kind of experience you actually want. If you want a corporate hotel experience, look at the Gurney's properties in Montauk. But if you want a historic, intimate, and deeply high-end stay, The Baker House 1650 is the gold standard.
Start by checking their availability for the shoulder season—late May or early September—to get the best balance of weather and price. Reach out to the concierge before you arrive to handle your dinner reservations, as the best spots in East Hampton fill up weeks in advance. If you're driving from the city, try to time your arrival for mid-week; the Thursday afternoon traffic on the Long Island Expressway is a rite of passage no one actually enjoys. Once you pull into that gravel driveway on Main Street, the rest of the world genuinely feels a million miles away.