HOLIDAY LIKE A MODERN DAY GATSBY ON NANTUCKET ISLAND

The May 2013 launch of the new film turns the spotlight onto the area where America’s ultra wealthy really go to play

The Great Gatsby, one of this year’s eagerly anticipated movies, will retell the tale of Jay Gatsby and the decadent lifestyle enjoyed by New York’s jet set during the Roaring Twenties. The movie’s May release couldn’t be better timed with ‘Jazz Age’ nostalgia spreading across the historic state of New England and the fashion world embracing this bygone era. Today however, the East Coast’s high society partake in more understated displays of wealth. While Gatsby and his peers would have spent hedonistic summers on Long Island hosting extravagant parties, his modern day counterpart would be discreetly enjoying the finer things on Nantucket Island – where America’s billionaires go to retreat.

A weekend and summer haven for the likes of Tommy Hilfiger, Bill Gates and Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Nantucket is at America’s most easterly point, just 30 miles from Cape Cod on the coast of Massachusetts. Nantucket is more English than the English; waspier than the wasps - even the Kennedy’s are now choosing to marry here! Along with white sand beaches, charming clapboard architecture and quaint cobbled streets, the island’s isolation from the mainland is a major part of the allure. What was once a favourite hideaway for socialite and WASP-fashion icon CZ Guest is now a home from home for Teresa Heinz and famed financier Arki Busson. For visitors that don’t have a holiday residence here, Nantucket Island Resorts (www.nantucketislandresorts.com) offers six period properties dotted across the island’s best locations. Three of these properties represent Nantucket’s leading accommodation and are keenly sought after each summer season.

The Wauwinet (www.wauwinet.com) is widely considered to be Nantucket’s finest hotel with an old world glamour that transports guests to a bygone era. The Relais and Chateaux property is situated at the northeast tip of the island with Nantucket Bay on one side and the Atlantic Ocean to the other. The hotel features two private beaches, famed fine dining restaurant Toppers - the place to be seen or to people watch on island - and a deluxe seafront spa seen as a stand-alone destination for distinguished New York executives seeking R & R. The former inn has 32 elegantly appointed rooms and four cozy cottages, each with romantic views of the coast and out to sea. The hotel also serves port and cheese to all guests at 4pm daily.  Rates at The Wauwinet are surprisingly accessible this spring and summer season with lead in prices starting at $195 per night (approx. £125).

The iconic White Elephant (www.whiteelephanthotel.com) is an historic island landmark located on the waterfront in Nantucket’s chic town centre. Rumoured to have hosted the new Jay Gatsby, actor Leonardo Dicaprio and supermodel Erin Heatherton this year, the multi-award winning property is made up of 66 rooms, suites and garden cottages. Whitewashed walls, log wood fireplaces and Wainscot detail reflect the hotel’s traditional aesthetic. Guests can soak up the atmosphere of the harbour at sunset, when the marina is decorated with über-luxurious yachts, sailboats and motorboats, from the comfort of their manicured lawns or balconies. For 2013, nightly rates start at $195 (approx. £125).

The Cottages and Lofts at the Boat Basin (www.thecottagesnantucket.com) have the best location on island bar none. The former fisherman lodges enjoy a front row view of Nantucket Harbor and are just a stone’s throw away from the shopping district and the best beaches. Ideal for families or those who prefer to holiday independently, the nautical ambiance of the properties allows guests a unique insight into Nantucket’s original source of prosperity. While authentic, the cottages are well appointed with pine wood floors, dormer windows, full kitchens and free Wi-Fi throughout. Amenities and facilities typical of a hotel are available to guests with complimentary bicycles, complimentary water taxis, a free beach bus and even in-room spa treatments. 2013 nightly rates start at $175 (approx. £110).

Nantucket Island Resorts also comprises Jared Coffin House and White Elephant Village. All of the properties operate seasonally between May and October each year.