Transforming a midcentury Montauk motel into a nostalgic destination that feels distinctly of the moment.
ClientOffshore
TypeHotel
Services
Strategy, Brand Architecture,
Naming, Visual Identity, Collateral
LocationMontauk, USA
Welcome to The End.
So goes the motto of Montauk, a fishing-hamlet-turned-global-jetset-destination at the outer reaches of Long Island. The phrase reflects Montauk’s defining quality: It is remote—literally the last stop on the Long Island Rail Road, beyond the iconic villages of the Hamptons. This, of course, is the point: It’s what drew the automotive and real estate magnate Carl G. Fisher in 1925, when he bought 10,000 acres here with a vision to transform Montauk into “Miami Beach of the North.” (His plans crumbled in the Great Depression.) It’s what drew Andy Warhol here in the 1970s, when he purchased Eothen, his waterfront retreat. And it’s what drew A-listers and New York scene-seekers here starting in 2008, when the Surf Lodge reopened as a hotel and live music venue, going on to feature performers like Lauryn Hill, John Legend and Patti Smith.
The singular qualities of Montauk are also what drew Marley Dominguez, the principal of Enduring Hospitality Group, who acquired the 43-key Sands Motel, in 2024. The unassuming midcentury property offers spectacular views of Fort Pond to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean directly across the street.
Marley came to StudioDA with a vision: He wanted the hotel—renamed to Offshore—to hark back to a simpler time, before the social media influencers arrived, when Montauk was a genuine refuge—a treasured secret among those intrepid enough to venture to the End. In a deeply collaborative process, we translated Marley’s vision into a brand strategy and a visual identity system. We emphasized the hotel’s promise: to offer an antidote to today’s harried, always-on environment. We helped conceive of a simple, nostalgic retreat, with an elevated but familiar aesthetic in a premium environment.
The visual identity is inspired by historic Montauk road signs, customized and modernized to stand out in a crowded hospitality landscape. Our visual research uncovered a series of historic prints of native sea grasses, which we incorporated into the brand system. We also developed an approach to photographic art direction that evokes an airy, ethereal quality, reflecting the hotel’s promise to help guests unplug and drift away.
Since launching in summer 2025, Offshore has established itself a beloved destination. High season room rates are outperforming a red-hot market, and the hotel’s discreet, low-key vibe has made the property a status symbol in its own way: Offshore merch—especially, its hats and hoodies—has become a powerful signifier of being in the know.
We are presently developing two new restaurant concepts for Offshore, both of which will live in a new pavilion building, scheduled for completion ahead of the 2027 summer season.
Offshore harks back to a simpler time, when Montauk was a treasured secret among those intrepid enough to venture to the End.
The visual identity is inspired by historic Montauk road signs, customized and modernized to stand out in a crowded landscape.
Since launching in summer 2025, Offshore’s merch has become a status symbol for in-the-know New Yorkers.
