East Hampton’s The Hedges Inn Bought by Andrew and Sarah Wetenhall of The Colony Palm Beach

These in East Hampton, N.Y., preferring every part from a quiet breakfast to late evening desk service are in luck. After final summer time’s drama, by which Scott Sartiano tried to purchase The Hedges Inn and make it right into a Hamptons outpost of Zero Bond, a lot to the dismay of locals, new proprietors have taken possession — they usually plan to maintain a lot of what makes the lodge beloved the identical.

Andrew and Sarah Wetenhall, homeowners of The Colony Lodge in Palm Seashore, Fla., since 2016, have bought The Hedges Inn from the Cumming household, with plans to be open after some minor updates for this coming summer time season. 

Sarah Wetenhall says it’s arduous to consider one thing that isn’t interesting about proudly owning the property, which was initially inbuilt 1873 and is listed on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations in East Hampton.

“It’s ideally located because the closest inn to Most important Seashore in East Hampton, but in addition strolling distance to the village. Its location, its historic nature and admittedly its untapped potential to be open and of service to the neighborhood are actually what attracted us,” she says. “It’s the cornerstone of East Hampton village. In loads of methods, it jogged my memory of The Colony and its distinguished place proper within the village. There are loads of similarities.”

The Cummings and the Wetenhalls have identified one another for years, having been related by mutual buddies. Regardless of working The Colony in Florida, the Wetenhalls are very a lot a part of the Hamptons neighborhood, having lived between New York, Palm Seashore, Fla., and Sag Harbor for many years. Sarah is on the board of the Southampton Hospital Basis, is a member of the Women Village Enchancment Society and is a trustee of the East Hampton Historic Society, Andrew can also be on the board of the Southampton Hospital Affiliation. 

Finally, their friendship with the Cummings changed into a dialog across the buy of the lodge. 

“The Hedges has lengthy been greater than only a property; it has been a cherished a part of our household historical past, full of recollections and experiences that span over 30 years,” says John Cumming. “As we transition into a brand new chapter, it’s of nice private significance to entrust this legacy to somebody with deep appreciation for the distinctive appeal and historical past of East Hampton to make sure that the essence of The Hedges shall be maintained. The Wetenhall household exceeds that want. Beneath their stewardship, I’m assured that The Hedges is not going to solely maintain its historic significance but in addition evolve to satisfy the wants and expectations of each locals and vacationers.”

“I’m thrilled that Sarah and Andrew Wetenhall have bought The Hedges Inn and shall be bringing their experience and dedication to excellence to our city, simply as they’ve executed with their great lodge in Palm Seashore,” provides Jerry Larson, the mayor of East Hampton Village. “I eagerly anticipate working intently with them, each now and within the years forward, to make sure that this historic gem continues to be a supply of satisfaction and pleasure for all, preserving its legacy as one of many Village of East Hampton’s most treasured landmarks.” 

Within the 5 months earlier than Memorial Day, the Wetenhalls plan to do some minor adjustments to the lodge, with a number of extra intensive updates deliberate for after the summer time 2025 season. 

“Our plans are, frankly, to make it the easiest model of what it already is,” Sarah Wetenhall says. “The historic nature of The Hedges is so key to the historical past of East Hampton village. So we hope in fact to protect it, to revive it somewhat bit and to make it of service to the neighborhood.”

They plan to open a three-meal-a-day restaurant, which Wetenhall says is difficult to seek out in East Hampton, in addition to convey hits from The Colony, like their trivia evening, to The Hedges.

“It’s an enormous hit and we really feel just like the neighborhood members of East Hampton shall be excited to expertise a few of these related issues,” she says. 

“We gained’t be making any bodily adjustments essentially to the property upfront of opening [this summer],” Wetenhall provides. “We’ll be coming in with our workers and working our wonderful luxurious hospitality expertise on the present bodily vegetation for the summer time season of 2025.”

After Labor Day, they are going to shut right down to do some restoring to the visitor rooms — “I wouldn’t name it a renovation, I feel that’s frankly type of too large of a phrase,” Wetenhall says. “We’re going to be refreshing the visitor rooms, bogs, portray, carpeting, including new furnishings, making it look stunning.”

Beforehand, The Hedges’ eating choices weren’t open to the general public, so Wetenhall is worked up to convey The Colony’s hospitality contact, which has earned them the excellence of number-one lodge in Florida by Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Alternative Awards. Providing a full service restaurant can also be consistent with the inn’s historical past. 

“For those who dig again into the historical past, Mrs. Caroline Hedges was identified for her breakfast,” Wetenhall says. “She used to all the time provide these scrumptious breakfasts to her friends, and so we’re actually eager to, in that spirit, provide breakfast, lunch and dinner, which is a rarity in East Hampton village.”