The Baker House 1650 is known as one of the best boutique hotels in the Hamptons. Celebrating their 17th summer, the Baker house houses a plethora of guests from all over the world. The boutique hotel gained national and international recognition by offering a variety of luxury events.
It has been selected by Conde Nast Johansens, as the “Most Excellent Inn of the Americas” for several years and was named “Inn of the Month” by Travel and Leisure Magazine.
Partnering with numerous brands such as Long Island Sports Cars, Manhattan MotorSport, Peru to the World Expo and so many more. This year has been their best year in their 17-year run under the leadership of their passionate, and dedicated owner Antonella Bertello, a prominent real estate agent, who dived into the hospitality business.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with her and discussing the Baker House, her famous Pachamanka Celebration, the 2021 Peru to the world expo, and her current projects.
The Baker House 1650 has deep roots in East Hampton’s history, was it the history or the architecture or both that enticed you to purchase it?
I am a huge history buff, I love history and In 2005 when I walked into the Baker house which was called J. Harper Poor Cottage at that time, I felt like I was in Europe. When I found out how important the house is in East Hampton’s history, I knew this was the one. The core of the house which still stands in the middle of the property dates back to 1648, it was initially built by sea captain, Daniel Howe. He was one of the captains that brought the Puritans across the South. Thomas Baker, one of East Hampton’s original founders, bought the house from captain Howe in 1650.
In 1899, James Harper Poor purchased the property and asked Joseph Greenleaf Thorp, a prominent turn-of-the-century architect with ties to the English Arts and Crafts Movement, to spearhead the renovation. The house was dramatically expanded in Thorp’s signature Elizabethan style which stands to this day. Even the landscaping has ties into the history of the Baker House. We have two Beech trees, over 400 years old, that were planted very close together, an American beech tree and a European beech tree that grew and merged throughout the years.
The Baker House 1650 is home to multiple events throughout the year, you’ve combined your personal interests such as luxury cars with your hospitality business, how has the Baker House opened new opportunities for you?
I just love what the Baker house has been able to do for me because aside from meeting a lot of incredibly interesting people from around the world, I’m able to support a lot of charities and do a lot of charity work. I loan the hotel to different charities and local nonprofit organizations, so they host different events here and I think that I’ve been very fortunate and it’s very nice for me to be able to give back.
Up in years past before COVID as many of us know the winter business here was a little more challenging. One of the things that I did was talk to the community and I joined the East Hampton Chamber of Commerce. I’m also a founding partner and board member of Discover the Hamptons which is a nonprofit entity that promotes local businesses and has very good ties with Discover Long Island. Together we’re trying to do more events and get the community involved and so forth and I think that we’ve been quite successful.
I’m always looking for different events, and I have a love for luxury cars so I thought why not have them come here and offer that experience to the guests. I’ve partnered with several of the dealerships such as Long Island Sports Cars, Manhattan Motor Cars. We bring a Lamborghini or an Aston Martin and guests can see them on display and test-drive them. Guests really love those types of events.
The Peruvian Pachamanka Celebration was an event that was inspired by a trip to Peru. I wanted to bring this traditional Peruvian celebration to the Hamptons and people loved the traditional food, music, and artifacts. We got the opportunity to host the Peru to the World Expo in 2020, and this year we held the 2021 Peru to the World Food Expo.
In 2015, The Baker House’s Pachamanka Celebration was a huge success and the first of its kind in the Hamptons, what was the inspiration behind this Peruvian food/cultural-centered event?
The Peruvian Pachamanka Celebration was an event that was inspired by a trip to Peru. I wanted to bring this traditional Peruvian celebration to the Hamptons and people loved the traditional food, music, and artifacts.
I am Peruvian-Italian but my family lives in Peru, I started thinking about what we can do to celebrate the 10th year anniversary of the Baker house, the 5th year anniversary of the Baker Carriage house and I had a birthday coming up. I was looking for different options and I said well what if I bring Peru to the Hamptons?
I had just flown back from Peru, and I had attended a Pachamanka party. A Pachamanka is a whole ceremony in honor of Pachamama, which means mother earth, the party consists of a hole in the ground with very hot preheated hot stones at the bottom and then stacking layers of vegetables, banana leaves, and meat. Once all the layers are set you close it and let it cook. It’s a celebration of mother earth, a goddess who presides over planting and harvesting
We had Peruvian artifacts and Peruvian music. We had a talented Peruvian guitarist, DJ, and a traditional Dance Performance. Everyone enjoyed the delicious food, danced and it all turned out beautifully.
The Baker House hosted the 2021 Peru to the World Expo, following the success of the 2020 Peru to the World expo, how did this partnership come into play?
Melvi Davila, who worked with me on the Pachamanka party called me in 2019 and couldn’t find a location to host the Peru to the World Expo. I was happy to be able to help but we also needed to be mindful and respectful of all the Covid protocol that was in place at that time.
We had a part of the show at the main Baker House and the other part at the Baker Carriage House. We had delicious Peruvian food from top Peruvian chefs, music, artifacts, and a Peruvian dance performance. Everybody was so happy! We had Pisco Sours, which is the national drink of Peru. This year, that the restrictions were lifted we were so happy that it was a little bit easier for all of us to plan it and for people to enjoy it.
First and foremost, you are a Real Estate Broker, are you currently working on new real estate projects?
I love real estate. I’m passionate about it! I have a lot of real estate businesses in Peru including Marina Coast Peru, which is the biggest project that my family has ever done. We’re building a large Marina for over 320 slips in the north of Peru very close to Ecuador and Galapagos islands, which is a huge tourist destination.
This is a very big project, and the first phase of the project has the Marina with 320 slips, it has a Yacht Club, it has a retail area that we’re calling the Marina village, it has a boatyard with a small shipyard to fix fishing boats, a professional water-skiing lagoon, 430 apartments, lots for houses, lots for townhouses and a private airport. The Airport is already fully operating with a runway of 5,750 feet and it’s facilitating tourism to the area because of the access.
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