Clean Getaway

Gentlemen: football is over and everything is awful.

It’s time to think of better days. It’s time to think of summer. And when it comes to summering, the best homes — the ones with the manicured grounds, palatial quarters, and charming pedigrees that weaken a lady’s knees — go quick. Start planning now. Here’s your guide to some of the choicest digs in the Hamptons and beyond. Enjoy.

North Fork – The Restored Boathouse

Built in the 1890s as part of a waterfront estate, the boathouse was transferred by barge to its current location in the ’70s, but then abandoned. Enter Coach’s Director of International Architecture, who spent a year taking it from “the set of Grey Gardens” (his words) to an intimate couple’s getaway complete with white picket fence, glass-paneled french doors, porch swing, and a hedged-in backyard that’s private enough for “nude sunbathing” (also his words).

Montauk – The Waterfront Cottage

Formerly an Army barracks that then played host to a salty sea captain for many years, this two-bedroom bungalow on Fort Pond was completely transformed by a Manhattan designer into a charming, cozy retreat of whitewashed brick, mid-century furniture, and a massive lawn from which to enjoy postcard sunsets. Stairs lead right to the water, where stand-up paddleboards and kayaks await.

East Hampton – The English Manor

With nary a neighbor within 100 acres, this private gated compound has played host to movie shoots, Bentley corporate outings, and the occasional celeb habitué. Inside: seven bedrooms, marble baths, and a fully-equipped Viking kitchen. Out: a sprawling covered veranda, gurgling waterfall, and heated pool with hot tub. Need a butler? Masseuse? Chauffeur? All can be arranged.

Amagansett – The Historic Mansion

Big groups take note: this 14,000 square-foot chateau is the largest of the “Devon Colony” estates, built in the early 1900s as an enclave for P&G execs. Eleven bedrooms. A cavernous great room with stone hearth and pool table. A teak-countered kitchen big enough for a hotel. A tennis court, for chrissakes. Plus poolside grilling, ocean views, and a colossal dining table around which to toast the Summer of You.

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