Ever wonder how The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach creates a world of luxury and comfort? Find out from its owner, who offers some tips for making your own Hamptons home just as relaxing and welcoming.
BY: Sarah Wetenhall
I love hotels. I always have. Growing up in the Midwest, my family moved around a lot and thus, spent a lot of time traveling. This was the impetus for my ability to find “home” in the most peculiar places and fueled my passion and curiosity for travel as an adult. Now, my travels have not only formed my passion for design, but also my appreciation for quality service, comfort, and hospitality. Hotels are where all these wonderful things seem to come together, not to mention, the fortuitous moments that make these experiences truly memorable.
Although I never dreamed of owning a hotel, I’d imagine what I would do if I lived in one—spend my days by the pool, read a book in the bustling lobby, and order whatever I wanted from the comfort of my bed. While hotel ownership and management are much less serene, this dream, in many ways, has come true.
When my husband, Andrew, and I purchased The Colony Hotel in 2016, one of our first priorities was to reimagine the lobby, which we now call The Living Room. As we undergo yet another renovation—this time to our family home in Sag Harbor—the basic yet fundamental concept of “gathering” continues to be our focus. Our home, an historic 1880s pink shingled Victorian, is comprised of a collection of small rooms, which we’ve tried to connect in a way that results in a flowing, fluid floor plan for entertaining.
As in Palm Beach, entertaining people in your home is a tradition that is core to the heart of the Hamptons. As I renovate my own home with summertime gatherings in mind, I’ll take with me some of my favorite aspects of hotel life:
Live in Your Home
I have three kids, so between them, their friends, and our friends, we tend to have an open-door policy in the summer, with people coming and going all the time. In thinking about how we wanted to redesign the public spaces of our home, similar to a hotel lobby, we tried to create a way for everyone to be together in an open space while still being able to sneak away into separate nooks and sitting areas for quieter moments with their friends.
Livable Luxury
Your home is where you and your family live, so make it chic but also comfortable and authentic to you.
Create a Soundtrack for Your Home
Why do we only play music during cocktail or dinner parties? Take a page from your favorite hotel and create a soundtrack to play in the background day to night, creating a special vibe for your home. And if playing DJ isn’t your thing, you can probably find your favorite hotel’s playlist online and use that! DJ Pamela Tick has created some of my favorite playlists.
Ignite All the Senses
To further cultivate the personality of your home, pick a subtle scent that is reflective of its design, architecture, and environment, and stick with it. The Colony’s signature scent, Pink Paradise No. 155, is my go-to in Palm Beach, but in the Hamptons, I opt for something more floral with a woody musk, reminiscent of the rich greenery, ocean breeze, beach bonfires, and breathtaking sunsets.
Comfort First
Create a luxurious hotel experience for your guests by using only the finest linens, towels, and bath and beauty products. I’ve been a fan of Matouk linens for years now. A high-quality robe and slippers are also a nice touch.
Surprise and Delight
Create a beautiful tablescape, similar to a hotel’s honor bar, on a center table or countertop that features yummy food, snacks, and local flowers for guests and family to enjoy throughout the day. One of the best things about Bemelmans Bar, my favorite hotel bar at the Carlyle in NYC, is the trio of cheese crackers, olives, and nuts they bring to the table along with your cocktail. What a lovely thing to re-create on a larger scale for your home! Don’t know where to start? Hire Lewis Miller Design and thank me later!
Sit, Sip, Repeat
Create a beautiful tablescape, similar to a hotel’s honor bar, on a center table or countertop that features yummy food, snacks, and local flowers for guests and family to enjoy throughout the day. One of the best things about Bemelmans Bar, my favorite hotel bar at the Carlyle in NYC, is the trio of cheese crackers, olives, and nuts they bring to the table along with your cocktail. What a lovely thing to re-create on a larger scale for your home! Don’t know where to start? Hire Lewis Miller Design and thank me later!
Brand Your Home
While naming your home is tradition in some quaint oceanside towns like Nantucket and Cape Cod, the idea of branding one’s home has become much more extravagant and larger in scale. Give your home a name, yes, but create an entire identity around it that will carry through your tableware, linens, towels, bath products, stationery, and more. It’s a true luxury that will take you one step closer to the hotel life. When in doubt, think back to the brand!
