Moonlit Manor | Shelter Island Escape w/ Sauna

Where design meets relaxation. A rolling acre just steps from idyllic Hay Beach, Moonlit Manor offers peace, style, and whimsy. Watch songbirds and deer through the picture window, catch a film in the jungle-inspired home theater, or cook in the Jetsons-worthy kitchen. Three bedrooms, a cozy study, private office and a fitness room with Tonal keep comfort and creativity in balance. Outside, garden paths lead to a barrel sauna for four: your private retreat for cool evenings under the stars. The space Shelter Island may be known as a summer destination, but it's awesome in all seasons! Winter - best time to write the next great American novel, or warm up by the fire with a glass of Bedell Cellars Cab Franc. Pop over to Sag Harbor for happy hour at the American Hotel (open 365 days a year) and a movie at the Sag Harbor Cinema, for a winter evening treat. Spring - sprays of yellow Forsythia pepper the island hearkening the coming of spring. Everything comes alive as the island turns green, and the whole East End springs to life. Expect lots of local festivals and events that ring in the season, and excitement as seasonal restaurants begin to open. Summer - Shelter Island summers are the best, period. All the fun and laid-back good times, without the Hamptons crowds. June is our favorite month for light crowds, warm water, and idyllic weather. The Hamptons' glitz and glamour are a ferry ride away, and our 10+ hidden local beaches are perfect for quality time with friends and family. Seasonal local farmsteads and wine gardens open up, and every day brings new surprises. We love nothing more than catching our own dinner in Peconic Bay and barbecuing with friends in the back garden, while sipping rosé and playing a game of pétanque. Fall - apple picking, pumpkin patches, and wine tasting beckon from the North Fork, the surf's up out in Montauk (with warm water still), and cozy movie nights at home cap it all. The water stays warm for a daily dip until Halloween and wildlife gives peak performances: turkeys trotting the lanes, herds of deer cantering through Sylvester Manor, ospreys and the occasional visiting bald eagle overhead. Why Shelter Island Is Special With a Mayberry-meets-Provence refined natural beauty, Shelter Island boasts a rich history dating back over 400 years. Moonlit Manor is just across the street from Sylvester Manor, a 1651 plantation that's now a working educational farm with weekend farm stand. The entire island is easily bike-able and we provide 4 (or more upon request) bicycles as your noble steeds from which to explore the island. The ride to secluded Hay Beach (5 minutes) and return along Cobbett's Lane/Manhanset is a personal favorite, especially at sunset. Vendors at Saturday's farmer's market at the Havens House bring local produce, fresh flowers, and homemade baked goods to your table. Relax with a cheese board and North Fork wine at The White Oak Wine garden (2 minute bike ride, across from the farm stand, open from late spring to early fall). Even in peak summer, you'll seldom see more than a dozen people at Hay Beach and the calm water is ideal for swimmers of all ages. Almost anything on the island takes less than 10 minutes by car or 20 when you mosey over on a bicycle. Choose dinner options from high-fashion (the infamous Sunset Beach) to low-key (Salt) or classic elegance (The Ram's Head Inn - best spot for a romantic dinner at sunset). The locals' choice is Vine Street Café, especially their bouillabaisse. Join the crowd at Tuck Shop (open late) for hard-serve or soft-serve ice cream, a Shelter Island tradition. There's not an ugly building on Shelter Island and architecture-spotting is a favorite pastime. From the masterful modern homes dotting the Ram Island causeway to the stately Victorian gingerbreads of Shelter Island Heights, there's so much to see. A popular saying on Shelter Island is "Life begins at the ferry" and we've found that to be true! About Moonlit Manor We acquired the fully renovated 1968 home in 2020 after an exhaustive search for a property that was both beautiful and in terrific shape, and then added our own design touches to every room. Interiors are drawn from Architectural Digest references infused with personal taste. This is not a run-of-the-mill Hamptons rental house but a tastefully-appointed home designed to inspire curiosity. Custom print wallpapers and authentic mid century furniture create interior living spaces that complement peaceful exterior views of the rolling gardens, visited regularly by woodland critters a la Snow White. Take a soak in the master bedroom's free standing tub as you watch deer play in the garden. A working wood-burning stove in the downstairs study and a beautiful decorative hanging fireplace in the great room, invites you to get cozy inside on a cool fall or winter eve. The dining table is set for 6 but the table has leaves and we can provide extra chairs on request if you're hosting guests for dinner (that is, if you're not dining al fresco, which is possible 8 months out of the year.) Every room has personality and pizzazz, and you'll find yourself making the most out of each one. The Garden & Grounds Play life-sized chess in the front garden, or discover the French game of Pétanque (similar to lawn bowling, or bocce ball) alongside the house (we provide instructional video!). There's a picnic table in the back with fairy lights overhead along with a propane grill perfect for burgers, Beyond burgers, or the day's catch (ask us where to fish on the island!) Venture further amidst the tulip tree, Hollywood junipers, and Japanese maple, and you'll find a fire pit set up for roasting s'mores and telling ghost stories (we provide all the s'mores fixin's, you provide the stories!) Watch the deer, bunnies, groundhogs, chipmunks, and turkeys munch and play as you take your morning espresso (we've got an original Nespresso machine in the kitchen) or tea in the garden. Every day is a non-stop zoo and many different four-legged and winged creatures pass through the grounds of Moonlit Manor. The bird-feeders + bird baths are frequently visited by resident cardinals, blue jays, and finches as well as splendid migratory avian life in late spring. Overhead you'll find owls, red tailed hawks, and ospreys along with migratory geese. An Artful Stay We're both art collectors and the founders of Superfine Art Fair, so the art at Moonlit Manor had to take center stage. What you'll find on the walls reflects our eclectic tastes paired with an eye for global contemporary art. Works by under-represented LGBTQ+ artists and artists of color are prominent in the collection, which includes canvases + photos by emerging artists from Nagano, Japan to Miami, Florida, along with imaginative surreal photo compositions by James Miille (one of the owners!) Mixed among the contemporary works are nostalgic throwbacks like a fine art print of New Orleans trombonist Kid Ory’s 1947 album cover illustrated by Jim Flora, along with a 1933 issue of Carteles magazine sourced from Havana, Cuba. The art collection rotates but there's always something to see! Design For Days We believe in mixing modern with classic, and you’ll find yourself at home amidst lush pieces by kitsch-gone-chic designer Jonathan Adler (also a well-known Shelter Island resident!) set off by true mid-century collectibles and sumptuous Moroccan rugs underfoot. Highlights of the furniture collection include a pair of rich rosewood Hans Brattrud Scandia chairs, an Arthur Umanoff-designed “rum bar” in the movie theater room, lemon-yellow Thonet bentwood armchairs, and rare matching yellow original Eames shell dining chairs. A brushed gold oversized driftwood table sourced from a hotel in Fort Lauderdale, FL lends elevated island charm to the rich setting. Music lovers take a twirl on the ivories of our well-kept Young Chang upright piano in the great room, or spin a vinyl from our collection of jazz, Bossa Nova, and world sounds on one of the turntables throughout the home. Reading Is The Best Medicine Our library is well-stocked with mystery novels and local legends, because what could be better than sidling up to the midnight-blue wood burning fire on a cool summer’s eve and tucking into the twists and turns of a Fleming or Grisham? Treat yourself to a martini from the well-stocked bar as you track along the trail with 007. Enjoy reading in the library’s armchairs or bring your favorite volume to bed, the outdoor deck with an espresso, or up to the great room where you’ll spend a lamp-lit evening curled up on the linen sofa with your favorite hardcover. Besides mystery, we’ve also got a full array of classics on deck from Moby-Dick to Dickens and everything in between. We also have a wide array of vintage and new board, card, and parlor games upstairs in the great room. Note: the library comprises our own selection of books––if you really love one and want to take it with you we’ll buy you a copy on Amazon but please leave our editions for the next reader. :) Sleep Easy Each room in the house is uniquely designed to inspire, delight, and make evenings something you look forward to. Outfitted with a low slung acorn king bed, the Cloud Room (aka master suite) includes your very own free-standing bathtub looking out over the butterfly garden through a picture window. Lay your head down in the Peacock Room and wake up to beautiful morning light on the airy wall treatments + bespoke furnishings. The Adventure Room is perfect for kids and kids-at-heart with warm golden walls, a mid-century Lane dresser, a collection of adventure books, and plenty of charm. Throughout the rooms, a mixture of mid-century furniture + decor with worldly finds make for a stylish, relaxing evening experience. Guest access We've got plenty of parking on site for 2-3 cars, but you can see all of Shelter Island by bike or kayak if you wish (we provide both!) :) Other things to note Since Shelter Island and Moonlit Manor are our home, not just a rental property, you get full access to everything we love about the home and the island! In return, we respectfully ask that you treat our home as you would your own. Please ask our property manager prior to moving any furnishings, and move-in of outside furniture is not permitted.