Five US East Coast Hotels

For a contemporary take on Atlantic seaboard life, try these shore things.

Blue Inn on the Beach, Massachusetts

This lodge updates the classic New England look with a purist blue and white aesthetic. There are rooms with sea views, cottages set around a garden and a beach-front villa, with cosy touches like wood-burning stoves and outdoor Jacuzzis. The whitewashed inn opens straight onto wild flower-speckled sand dunes that slope down to the beach. A haven for twitchers, the barrier Plum Island is known for its migratory birdlife.

Blue Inn on the Beach, Plum Island, Massachusetts (001 978 465 7171; blueinn.com). Doubles start at $296 (£211), room only.

Hidden Pond, Maine

Hidden Pond's 14 cottages are scattered around a forest just a mile from Goose Rocks Beach. Guests can make use of bicycles, go on beach safaris, gather produce from the resort's organic farm or just relax in the tented spa. The decor of the cottages ranges from urban chic to mountain lodge and each of them comes with an outdoor shower and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Hidden Pond, 354 Goose Rocks Road, Kennebunkport, Maine (001 888 967 9050; hiddenpondmaine.com). Cottages sleeping four start at $423 (£302), room only.

Bungalow, New Jersey

Bungalow's room names – Aloha, L'il Pipeline, Kahuna and Hang Loose – belie a hotel that is actually more city-chic hangout than surf shack. Opened earlier this month on the Jersey Shore, its rooms are dazzling white, with original artwork, kitchenettes and fresh cut flowers. There's also a beachside pool which doubles as a bar area in the evenings, as well as a swanky restaurant.

Bungalow Hotel, 50 Laird Street, Pier Village, Long Branch, New Jersey (001 732 229 3700; bungalowhotel.net). Doubles start at $275 (£196).

Hotel Green, Massachusetts

Owned by shoe designer Vanessa Noel, this hotel in well-heeled Nantucket sits next to her neighbouring eponymous hotel in the Historic District. One-off pieces of furniture and stylish decor keep things cool. The harbour and sandy beaches are close by.

Vanessa Noel Hotel Green, 33 Center Street, Nantucket, Massachusetts (001 508 228 5300; vanessanoelhotelgreen.com). Doubles start at $192 (£137), room only.

The Surf Lodge, New York

Opened yesterday, The Surf Lodge brings retro appeal to Montauk, a laid-back fishing village in the otherwise ritzy Hamptons. It's decked out with bright prints, driftwood art, vintage globes, hurricane lamps and black-and-white photos, while classic film screenings and board games contribute to the relaxed ambience. A deck and cocktail bar overlooking a pond will pick up the pace with live music in the evenings.

The Surf Lodge, 183 Edgemere Street, Montauk, Long Island, New York (001 631 668 3284; thesurflodge.com). Doubles start at $301 (215).