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11965 Travel Guide

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Andre B.'s Sunset Beach Opens For the Season on May 15th

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 35 Shore Road [map], Shelter Island, NY, United States, 11965
May 13, 2009 at 3:58 PM | by Jenna | 1 Comment

Andre Balazs's Sunset Beach on Long Island will open for the season on May 15th. But there are two things you should know before we continue: number one, Andre Balazs has a property on Long Island (Shelter Island, actually). Number two: not many of us are aware of this because, as we like to say, it's kinda his deep, dark secret. Last we checked, we had some outdated rooms, dirty linens, and decidely un-Balazs-y decor.

But who knows: that was two seasons ago in '07, and maybe the place has been spiffed up since then.

Our point here is that the place — with its 20 rooms — will open up on Friday, and rates are slightly lower than last year's seasonal rates. This year, you can get a room at $220 during the week and $420 on the weekends; last year's were $245 on weeknights and $420 on weekends.

Also, this year the hotel's restaurant is serving boatside from Sunset Beach's very own dingy. And oh, the wine is already on ice for you: Andre's launched his private-label Rose for the season. Yes, really.

[Photo: Lucifer Bumps]

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Andre Balazs' Sunset Beach :: Food, Good. Rooms, Not So Much.

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 35 Shore Road [map], Shelter Island, NY, United States, 11965
September 2, 2008 at 9:20 AM | by annie0007 | 0 Comments

Sure, it was a long weekend, full of hurricanes and scandals and blue skies...and journos checking out the allegedly French-style digs on Shelter Island at Andre Balazs's Sunset Beach.

We're pleased to hear that the hotel's food is to die for -- a rave review of the Sunset Beach menu recommends the bouillabaisse and the moule frites, two classic French dishes, bien sur.  The writer notes, "With a little help from the Frenchies at the next table, you could almost make believe you're in St. Tropez admiring the Mediterranean."

Interestingly, the writer failed to mention the hotelier's Reserve Sunset Beach Rose.

The terrific food is a plus, but the rooms apparently leave much to be desired.

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Andre Balazs' Sunset Beach Opens May 16th at $245 a Night...During the Week

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 35 Shore Road [map], Shelter Island, NY, United States, 11965
April 3, 2008 at 1:50 PM | by juliana | 2 Comments

Sunset Beach on Shelter Island is what we have called Andre Balazs' dark secret because the rooms and amenities are less than what we are used to when it comes to AB Hotels. Hello, couch stains and early 1990s TVs! Not to mention dingy kitchenettes.

Nevertheless the place is reopening on May 16th (it's a seasonal joint) and rooms start at $245 a night for a midweek stay. The rates jump up to about $420 for a weekend stay.

We haven't made up our minds if this is a good rate or not. On the one hand, you do have a kitchenette plus a private sundeck with a seaview and complimentary wireless. And you are on the beach.

On the other hand, your accommodations may look like this. So you may not be in the same caliber of lodgings as your other tony Hampton friends.

On a sidenote, if you're in need of a summer job, Sunset Beach is hiring some people now.

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André Balazs Dark Hotel Secret

March 7, 2007 at 5:04 PM | by juliana | 1 Comment

Looks like asking you folks to join the HotelChatter Flickr Pool yesterday did us some good. We got a bunch of new photos which we plan on posting this week, starting with this set from Flickr member Lucifer Bumps. So c'mon in and get your hotel photos published.

When we think of André Balazs our first thought tends to be uber-successful hotelier (Uma Thurman comes in a close second.) The QT and Mercer in New York, The Standard in Miami, all get high marks from the Hotel Mavens, and Miami's Raleigh Hotel is one of our personal favorites--all these hotels are AB Hotels.

But André has another little-known property out on New York's Shelter Island called Sunset Beach and judging from these pictures, it's clear why Sunset Beach isn't promoted as heavily as the other AB properties, it isn't in their league. We have come to expect a certain level of excellence from AB Hotels, but according to our tipsters, that level is missing at Sunset Beach.

More pictures after the jump.

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