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My husband and I met at a beach bonfire in the Hamptons on a dreamy summer night under a wide sky full of stars. We had both spent the majority of our twenties and thirties doing share houses and pooling our money with friends to rent a home together in the Hamptons. Our experience was the antithesis of the big-moneyed, celebrity-studded reputation that has more recently put the Hamptons on the map.
Instead, we rented little beach cottages and ramshackle farmhouses and enjoyed the laid-back charms of this string of little towns stretching roughly 50 miles from Westhampton to Montauk on the tip of Long Island. All the while we dreamed of owning our own beach house one day.
Eventually, we pooled our savings together, and thanks to the confluence of a recession and low mortgage rates, we were actually able to buy our dream house: a beach cottage built by an artist in 1969 set in the Amagansett Dunes. Our unique neighborhood is literally built into the dunes that line the Atlantic Ocean.
We never want to leave, but in the summer, we rent out our house on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. Being a host myself has given me a unique peek into the Airbnb rental market of the Hamptons. I spend hours sleuthing out the competition and comparing and contrasting offerings. I know the places to go if you want to be near the best beaches, the prime spots for surfers, the locations to check out if you love antiquing, and the best areas for foodies.
I am also well-versed in amenities that truly set listings apart. We even installed a classic cedar hot tub that feels like you could be at a spa in Finland or an onsen in Japan partly for our own pleasure, but also as an added perk for rental guests.
Traveling elsewhere on the East Coast?For anyone who is concerned about whether Airbnbs are safe, you can rest easy. Experts say it's safer to stay at an Airbnb — versus a hotel — since you won't be interacting with other guests and can easily social distance. Plus, Airbnb has implemented the new Cleaning Protocol, which outlines guidelines on cleaning procedures, approved disinfectants, personal protective equipment for hosts or cleaners, and waiting periods between guests. Hosts can also use a Booking Buffer that provides a 72-hour vacancy period between rentals. Some hosts are outlining their cleaning policies on their listings (which we note below).
Granted, without a vaccine, there is no guarantee of safety and cleaning practices can vary widely. So it's smart to follow guidelines and advice from organizations such as the CDC and WHO, and to practice safety measures like washing your hands, maintaining social distancing, and wearing a mask when you're traveling.
That said, for city dwellers looking to get away for a beach weekend, the Hamptons offers an idyllic escape. I combed through thousands of Airbnb listings to select homes that are well-located, appealing, clean, and reasonably priced.
It's no secret that the sky is the limit when it comes to rentals in the Hamptons and you can easily spend upwards of $1,000 a night in the peak summer season for a beach house near the ocean. In fact, the average price per night during high season is a whopping $800.
But if you're looking for the simpler charms of the area I found so endearing in my early days of visiting, I found plenty of properties that are suitable for mere mortals. I chose listings based on the following criteria:
While this article includes properties with nightly rates under $500, be aware that this is an average, and rates can vary widely depending on season. Hamptons rentals also often come with minimum stays and other restrictions about groups of single people renting together, so it is a smart idea to contact the host for more information prior to booking.
These are 12 of the best Airbnbs in the Hamptons, ranging from $100 to $492, and sorted by price from low to high.