The Maidstone Hotel To Open Under New Ownership This Spring

The Maidstone inn and restaurant on Main Street in East Hampton will open under new management this year by a New York City-based hospitality group making its first foray into the hotel business.

LDV Hospitality, which has outposts of its chic Italian restaurant Scarpetta and other concepts in four countries and on a Norwegian Cruise Lines ship, are partnering with the marijuana business magnates who bought the hotel at the gateway to East Hampton Village last spring for $12.5 million and has been working on rejuvenating the historic building with a European flare, which will now be known as The Maidstone Hotel.

“As a longtime admirer of the Hamptons’ unique blend of elegance and tranquility, acquiring The Maidstone Hotel has been a deeply personal endeavor for me,” Irwin Simon, the CEO of Tiray Brands, the marijuana “lifestyle” and packaged goods company that also bought Montauk Brewing Company in 2022, said in a statement. “My family’s ties to this cherished community run deep, and it’s an honor to play a part in preserving its rich heritage in partnership with LDV Hospitality. Together, we aim to create a haven where guests can immerse themselves in the timeless charm.”

The interior updating was done by designer Poonam Khanna of The Unionworks, the company said, and was styled to be a “cosmetic refresh” that still pays homage to the long history of the more than 150-year-old inn that started as a tannery and lodge run by one of East Hampton’s founding families, then as old-world elegant Maidstone Arms for many years and most recently as the Swedish-influenced The Maidstone.

The restaurant will be themed as “an Italian summer in the Hamptons” and will be run by Scarpetta chef Jorge Espinoza, the company said.

“I’ve witnessed firsthand the allure and charm of The Maidstone Hotel as it has been a beacon in the community for many years,” John Meadow, chairman of LDV Hospitality, said in a statement last week. “In partnership with ISMD, we look forward to bringing new memories to this idyllic retreat. We partner with some of the most prestigious hotels around the world and are excited to evolve into this next phase as a company.”