I stayed at a $700-a-night Hamptons hotel on the first weekend it opened back up during the pandemic. It offered a glimpse into just how differently resorts might operate this summer.

Katie WarrenJun 9, 2020, 19:43 IST

Katie Warren/Business Insider

As the US starts to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic, hotels are announcing new cleaning protocols and safety measures to help guests feel safe.
Last weekend, I spent a night at Gurney's Montauk, a four-star beach resort in the Hamptons, a popular summer vacation destination for New Yorkers that just started reopening.
The hotel installed hand sanitizing stations, required guests and staff to wear masks inside, and provided free masks, gloves, and sanitation wipes.
Despite these measures and the excellent service, I wished the hotel had offered contactless check-in and self-parking instead of valet parking so I would have had fewer person-to-person interactions.
The more than $700-a-night price tag was also hard to justify when most of the amenities — the restaurant, pools, spa, fitness center, and beach club — were closed.
Editorial Note: Business Insider paid a discounted media rate for a deluxe oceanfront king room.

The Hamptons, a collection of towns and villages on Long Island, is a popular summer vacation destination for wealthy New Yorkers. Peak season typically begins on Memorial Day Weekend, but this year, New Yorkers came to the Hamptons in droves as early as March to ride out the pandemic outside of the city.

Now, the area is reopening as the spread of the virus slows. In the last week of May, only one case of COVID-19 or no cases at all were identified in 82% of Long Island's communities.

I spent a weekend in the Hamptons to see how businesses were handling reopening and what travelers can expect from a hotel stay.

On a Saturday night, I stayed at Gurney's Montauk. The trendy four-star beach resort reopened on May 15 after being closed since the start of the pandemic. I found that the hotel had implemented enhanced cleaning protocols and social distancing measures, requiring everyone to wear a mask while inside. But the new experience also came with some pretty extreme limitations: The restaurant, pools, beach club, fitness center, spa, and other amenities were closed.

Here's what it was like staying at a hotel in the Hamptons during the pandemic.

Note: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) website notes that travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19. "Before you travel, learn if coronavirus is spreading in your local area or in any of the places you are going," it reads.

Gurney's Montauk is a four-star beach resort in Montauk, the easternmost town in the Hamptons. The resort has 146 ocean view rooms, suites, and beachfront cottages.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Gurney's is known for its sceney, summertime beach parties.

Like many hotels, Gurney's has added a COVID-19 section to its website that shares its plan for reopening safely.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

I arrived at Gurney's at about 4 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, the weekend after Memorial Day. From beginning to end, my experience looked very little like the usual sceney party I had seen on Instagram.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

I arrived at Gurney's at about 4 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, the weekend after Memorial Day. From beginning to end, my experience looked very little like the usual sceney party I had seen on Instagram.

The parking lot was lined with Mercedes, Range Rovers, BMWs, and Teslas.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Despite the guidelines on Gurney's website that said there would be self-parking instead of valet parking, I was waved over to the valet area immediately after pulling into the resort.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Despite the guidelines on Gurney's website that said there would be self-parking instead of valet parking, I was waved over to the valet area immediately after pulling into the resort.

The front desk staff members were wearing masks and gloves.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Signage on the floor in the lobby and throughout the resort's indoor areas encouraged social distancing.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Most guests seemed to be abiding by the rule of wearing a mask inside.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Masked employees at the lobby café, OG Coffee & Juice, were selling coffee, fresh juices, pastries, sandwiches, salads, Van Leeuwen ice cream, beer and wine, and to-go cocktails.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Masked employees at the lobby café, OG Coffee & Juice, were selling coffee, fresh juices, pastries, sandwiches, salads, Van Leeuwen ice cream, beer and wine, and to-go cocktails.

After we checked in, a concierge took our bags from the car and led us to our room.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Our room was a deluxe oceanfront king with a private patio and lounge chairs out front.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

The view of the beach couldn't be beat.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

The room was decorated in cool grays and wood tones with a hint of a beach theme.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

In addition to the king bed, the roughly 310-square-foot room included a queen-size pullout sofa bed.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

A complimentary bottle of Moet Champagne on ice was awaiting us on the dresser.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

The bathroom had vintage brass fixtures and a walk-in rain shower.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Some of the things I found in the room seemed like holdovers from pre-pandemic hotel stays. You could buy candy like Champagne gummy bears and Swedish Fish, Tate's Cookies — which come from nearby Southampton— chips, and candy bars.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Some of the things I found in the room seemed like holdovers from pre-pandemic hotel stays. You could buy candy like Champagne gummy bears and Swedish Fish, Tate's Cookies — which come from nearby Southampton— chips, and candy bars.

Other details, however, were clearly pandemic-era additions. Sitting on the coffee table were two Gurney's-branded amenities kids, which included masks, latex gloves, and sanitizing wipes.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Other details, however, were clearly pandemic-era additions. Sitting on the coffee table were two Gurney's-branded amenities kids, which included masks, latex gloves, and sanitizing wipes.

After settling into the room, I set out to explore the beach resort.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

I headed down the stairs near our room to check out the 2,000-foot private beach.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Lounge chairs and umbrellas lined the beach.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Beach cabanas were available upon guest request and change depending on availability. Notably, there were barely any people around.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

A sign outside Gurney's Beach Club informed guests there were no beach services in accordance with state regulations, but masked hotel staff were still handing out beach towels. The theme of closures was one I saw throughout the resort.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

A sign outside Gurney's Beach Club informed guests there were no beach services in accordance with state regulations, but masked hotel staff were still handing out beach towels. The theme of closures was one I saw throughout the resort.

The resort's outdoor pool overlooking the ocean was blocked off and covered up.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

The Seawater Spa, which offers treatments like facials, massages, scrubs, wraps, and aromatherapy, was also closed.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

All of Gurney's restaurants and bars were closed to abide by state regulations.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Tilly's, an American bistro that's open for breakfast and lunch and focuses on local Montauk produce, was closed as well, per state regulations.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Most of the resort's indoor shared spaces were eerily empty.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Signs scattered throughout the resort encouraged social distancing.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

The resort has multiple venues that typically host executive board meetings, weddings, and other events.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

As promised on its website, Gurney's had many outdoor lounge areas that offered plenty of space for social distancing.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

A few small groups were gathered here and there, but for the most part, the entire resort felt empty.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

We stopped by the lobby café to pick up some to-go cocktails. At $14 and up, the cocktails were expensive, but more or less on par with my expectation.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

We took them outside to the Regent Cocktail Club, where there were fire pits and freestanding heaters to keep guests warm as the sun started to set.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

There were about 15 people in the outdoor lounge — the largest number of people I saw gathered in one place throughout my stay at the resort.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Later that evening, we ordered room service from the restaurant, Scarpetta, which came within about 20 minutes. There was a knock at the door, and I opened it to find a paper bag sitting on the ground.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

Later that evening, we ordered room service from the restaurant, Scarpetta, which came within about 20 minutes. There was a knock at the door, and I opened it to find a paper bag sitting on the ground.

The pasta was tasty, but the portion sizes were disappointingly small. And while the flavor was good, there's really something to be said about presentation. The packaging was simply, well, underwhelming.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

The pasta was tasty, but the portion sizes were disappointingly small. And while the flavor was good, there's really something to be said about presentation. The packaging was simply, well, underwhelming.

In the morning, I picked up a croissant and a muffin from the lobby café, which we enjoyed on our room's patio along with some coffee from the in-room Nespresso machine.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

In the morning, I picked up a croissant and a muffin from the lobby café, which we enjoyed on our room's patio along with some coffee from the in-room Nespresso machine.

Checkout was at 11 a.m., but the front desk extended out checkout time to 1 p.m, which gave us a little more time on the beach.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

When it was time to go, I found myself reluctant to leave Gurney's expansive private beach and my luxurious room. On top of the that, the staff was extremely courteous and made me feel like I was the only guest at the resort — providing the type of service high-end resorts are typically known for.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

When it was time to go, I found myself reluctant to leave Gurney's expansive private beach and my luxurious room. On top of the that, the staff was extremely courteous and made me feel like I was the only guest at the resort — providing the type of service high-end resorts are typically known for.

That being said, I found myself wishing that Gurney's had taken its social distancing measures a bit further. Contactless check-in and being able to self-park rather than interact with a valet would've made me feel safer.

Katie Warren/Business Insider

That being said, I found myself wishing that Gurney's had taken its social distancing measures a bit further. Contactless check-in and being able to self-park rather than interact with a valet would've made me feel safer.

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I stayed at a $700-a-night Hamptons hotel on the first weekend it opened back up during the pandemic. It offered a glimpse into just how differently resorts might operate this summer.

Gurney's Montauk is a four-star beach resort in Montauk, the easternmost town in the Hamptons. The resort has 146 ocean view rooms, suites, and beachfront cottages.

Gurney's is known for its sceney, summertime beach parties.

Like many hotels, Gurney's has added a COVID-19 section to its website that shares its plan for reopening safely.

I arrived at Gurney's at about 4 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, the weekend after Memorial Day. From beginning to end, my experience looked very little like the usual sceney party I had seen on Instagram.

The parking lot was lined with Mercedes, Range Rovers, BMWs, and Teslas.

Despite the guidelines on Gurney's website that said there would be self-parking instead of valet parking, I was waved over to the valet area immediately after pulling into the resort.

The front desk staff members were wearing masks and gloves.

Signage on the floor in the lobby and throughout the resort's indoor areas encouraged social distancing.

Most guests seemed to be abiding by the rule of wearing a mask inside.

Masked employees at the lobby café, OG Coffee & Juice, were selling coffee, fresh juices, pastries, sandwiches, salads, Van Leeuwen ice cream, beer and wine, and to-go cocktails.

After we checked in, a concierge took our bags from the car and led us to our room.

Our room was a deluxe oceanfront king with a private patio and lounge chairs out front.

The view of the beach couldn't be beat.

The room was decorated in cool grays and wood tones with a hint of a beach theme.

In addition to the king bed, the roughly 310-square-foot room included a queen-size pullout sofa bed.

A complimentary bottle of Moet Champagne on ice was awaiting us on the dresser.

The bathroom had vintage brass fixtures and a walk-in rain shower.

Some of the things I found in the room seemed like holdovers from pre-pandemic hotel stays. You could buy candy like Champagne gummy bears and Swedish Fish, Tate's Cookies — which come from nearby Southampton— chips, and candy bars.

Other details, however, were clearly pandemic-era additions. Sitting on the coffee table were two Gurney's-branded amenities kids, which included masks, latex gloves, and sanitizing wipes.

After settling into the room, I set out to explore the beach resort.

I headed down the stairs near our room to check out the 2,000-foot private beach.

Lounge chairs and umbrellas lined the beach.

Beach cabanas were available upon guest request and change depending on availability. Notably, there were barely any people around.

A sign outside Gurney's Beach Club informed guests there were no beach services in accordance with state regulations, but masked hotel staff were still handing out beach towels. The theme of closures was one I saw throughout the resort.

The resort's outdoor pool overlooking the ocean was blocked off and covered up.

The Seawater Spa, which offers treatments like facials, massages, scrubs, wraps, and aromatherapy, was also closed.

All of Gurney's restaurants and bars were closed to abide by state regulations.

Tilly's, an American bistro that's open for breakfast and lunch and focuses on local Montauk produce, was closed as well, per state regulations.

Most of the resort's indoor shared spaces were eerily empty.

Signs scattered throughout the resort encouraged social distancing.

The resort has multiple venues that typically host executive board meetings, weddings, and other events.

As promised on its website, Gurney's had many outdoor lounge areas that offered plenty of space for social distancing.

A few small groups were gathered here and there, but for the most part, the entire resort felt empty.

We stopped by the lobby café to pick up some to-go cocktails. At $14 and up, the cocktails were expensive, but more or less on par with my expectation.

We took them outside to the Regent Cocktail Club, where there were fire pits and freestanding heaters to keep guests warm as the sun started to set.

There were about 15 people in the outdoor lounge — the largest number of people I saw gathered in one place throughout my stay at the resort.

Later that evening, we ordered room service from the restaurant, Scarpetta, which came within about 20 minutes. There was a knock at the door, and I opened it to find a paper bag sitting on the ground.

The pasta was tasty, but the portion sizes were disappointingly small. And while the flavor was good, there's really something to be said about presentation. The packaging was simply, well, underwhelming.

In the morning, I picked up a croissant and a muffin from the lobby café, which we enjoyed on our room's patio along with some coffee from the in-room Nespresso machine.

Checkout was at 11 a.m., but the front desk extended out checkout time to 1 p.m, which gave us a little more time on the beach.

That being said, I found myself wishing that Gurney's had taken its social distancing measures a bit further. Contactless check-in and being able to self-park rather than interact with a valet would've made me feel safer.