The Shoals Opens in Southold Near Waterfront and Wineries

The Shoals, a new hotel in Southold, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 19 complete with oysters from Little Ram Oysters and hors d’oeuvres by François Payard. Guests booking stays at this North Fork hotel don’t have to travel by road or train: They can arrive by water as well.

The Shoals, which includes 20 suites and 20 boat slips, is located adjacent to Albertson Marine on the Peconic Bay, providing a venue with a view.

One of the region’s first boatels, it is complete with docks for guests and visitors near beaches and vineyards, providing a way to dock and stay for a day or longer.

The hotel, located at at 61600 Main Rd., is owned and operated by a group of longtime Southold residents who co-owner Jonathan Tibett says are “all local to the property.” They own local businesses, including the North Fork Table & Inn and Southold General.

The hotel made a donation to the Southold Historical Society during the grand opening and ribbon-cutting.

“The Shoals is one-of-a-kind in that it’s a marina-front property where we have the unique opportunity to combine a 20-suite hotel with 20 boat slips,” Jonathan Tibett says, adding it provides an “opportunity to engage with the Peconic Bay on which the property sits.”

He says this North Fork hotel seeks to provide guests access to wineries and the waterfront. “The Shoals is a full-service hotel that includes all the modern amenities,” Tibett says, noting it “allows for our guests to step back into the local history of the working waterfront that once flourished in Southold.”

“Our goal is to resurrect this history on the property,” Tibett adds of the hotel where guests can enjoy surrounding vineyards and farms.

The Shoals Design

This venue with cedar-shingle exterior and coastal views also offers waterfront yoga classes, picnics, sunset drinks and stargazing in the evening in a region with more than 50 vineyards, including some within walking and biking distance.

Guests also can have access to the Peconic Bay via the hotel’s Chris-Craft charter boat, which can shuttle back and forth between beaches in Sag Harbor, Shelter Island and beyond and to nearby restaurants.

The rooms, which include one- and two-bedroom suites with sleeping space for up to four people, include a kitchenette, open-concept living area with a marble coffee table, sofa and chairs as well as a private terrace or balcony.

Tibett says architect Andrew V. Giambertone “took the historical nature of the property and structures into deep consideration with everything he did.”

Designer Thomas Juul-Hansen designed custom furniture for each room including built-in beds with privacy curtains and modular accent chairs in natural tones. The lighting provides a relaxed, coastal aesthetic.

“Every room has a view of the Peconic Bay and a furnished, private outdoor area to enjoy the stunning views and fresh air,” Tibett says.

Landscape architect Paul Keyes designed a setting that Tibett says includes “privacy and pathways for guests,” along with indigenous plantings. And visitors can do a little shopping on-site at the Bait Shop, which offers gifts and branded merchandise.

The Shoals Food Truck

The Shoals Food Truck offers oysters, lobster rolls and soft serve ice cream as well as salads, bento boxes and grain bowls from renowned chef François Payard. Picnic tables along the Peconic Bay offer a scenic spot to relax and grab a bite by the water.

In addition to having local ownership, the hotel partnered with local businesses, such as the Little Ram Oyster Company, which Elizabeth Peeples and Stefanie Bassett will operate out of a renovated waterfront building on the property once known as the Scallop Shack.

The Lounge, a spacious indoor gathering space, offers views of the Peconic Bay. Equipped with a full bar and grand piano for entertaining, it can be used for dining, playing games and enjoying the view.

This article appeared in the Memorial Day 2022 issue of Behind The Hedges. Read the full digital version of the magazine here. Read more features from our magazine here.