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Hotel Review: La Maison Blanche on Shelter Island, N.Y.

THE UPSHOT

What was formerly the Olde Country Inn has been transformed from dowdy and outdated into a boutique hotel with beach-inspired décor. Summer rates (until Labor Day) start at $225 (midweek, higher on weekends).

BASICS

La Maison Blanche is a good base for exploring Shelter Island, a simpler, less crowded alternative to the Hamptons, between the North and South Forks of eastern Long Island. The 27.1-square-mile island has beaches, bike paths, fishing, boating, antiques shops and the 2,100-acre Mashomack Preserve.

LOCATION

The hotel is in a serene residential area in the Shelter Island Heights district, but not near the town center. It’s a five-minute walk to Crescent Beach and a short, scenic drive to Silver or Shell Beaches.

THE ROOM

I reserved room No. 8, which had a king-size bed with a plush comforter, fine white bedding and huge pillows. It felt unfussy yet luxurious. The room featured five large windows, with white cotton curtains. There was air-conditioning, but I opted for the ceiling fan and flung my windows open to capture the evening breezes. Chirping birds were my alarm clock the next morning. The room had a 32-inch high-definition television. There was no luggage stand, so my bags went on a sofa in a corner. The commodious walk-in closet had ample shelving. There were no robes, which seemed odd given the luxe of everything else.

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Pétanque at the hotel.Credit...Donna Paul

THE BATHROOM

It is easy to fall in love with a bathroom the size of a studio apartment in Manhattan. At 165 square feet, with six windows, two sinks, a Jacuzzi tub and separate stall shower, this is the biggest bathroom in the hotel. It felt like being in a grand private home. Toiletries are Côté Bastide.

AMENITIES

La Maison Blanche is focused on service. When I was about to leave for the beach, Alistair MacLean, one of the owners, casually said to me, “It’s hot out there, you better take some water.” I was struck by the comment, given that he had just been dealing with a plumbing leak and certainly had more important things on his mind than my hydration. (Mr. MacLean owns the hotel with John Sieni, who did the redesign.) A Victorian gazebo, original to the 1886 building, offers covered al fresco dining. The pétanque courts have been restored, and the hotel offers free use of bicycles, newspapers and board games. An old-fashioned covered porch has comfortable wooden rockers and wicker furniture. Pets are welcome ($150 surcharge). Wi-Fi access is free.

ROOM SERVICE

The hotel offers room service only when the dining room is open, which through Labor Day means only at dinner, except Friday through Sunday, when it’s open for brunch too. The only breakfast available during the week is from a new bakery on the premises, which was a bit rough around the edges. The pastry display looked sparse on a Monday morning, though a chocolate croissant was delicious.

BOTTOM LINE

Shelter Island has a handful of small inns. With the opening of La Maison Blanche the bar has been raised. The service, the amenities, the comfortable beds, the food and its romantic setting, along with the dedicated, hands-on staff, assure a memorable stay. And there are no traffic jams here; in fact, not one traffic light exists on the entire island.

La Maison Blanche, 11 Stearns Point Road, Shelter Island Heights, N.Y.; (631) 749-1633; maisonblanchehotel.com.

A version of this article appears in print on  , Section TR, Page 5 of the New York edition with the headline: Shelter Island, N.Y.: La Maison Blanche. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

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