If you’ve ever wondered why they call it the Garden State, book a suite at the Pendry Natirar this fall. Set on 90 acres among the rolling hills of Somerset County, NJ, the 66-room retreat (opening this month) celebrates nature in all its riotous bounty. Here, beside the Raritan River (see what they did there?!), a 10-acre farm and 80,000-bee apiary shape the menus at both a 19,000-square-foot spa and the newly relaunched, much beloved Ninety Acres restaurant.
Whaling heiress’ historic mansion
It all began more than a century ago, when whaling heiress Kate Macy Ladd purchased 500 acres of wooded land between Bedminster and Peapack-Gladstone. She spent eight years constructing an expansive Tudor-style mansion. In 1983, her charitable fund sold the property to Hassan II, the late king of Morocco, who wanted a pied-à-terre near Princeton University so he could entertain family and friends when visiting his sons. The offspring eventually sold it to the county, who last year leased the central core of vibrant parkland to a local developer. They contracted with Michael Fuerstman, co-founder of Pendry Hotels & Resorts (along with his father, Alan Fuerstman, founder and CEO of parent company, uber-luxe hotel group Montage International), to create and manage a bucolic escape that will most definitely alter the world’s perception of north-central New Jersey.
Fuerstman the Younger converted the acreage — an hour’s drive from Manhattan, or 10 minutes by car from the Peapack-Gladstone train station — into an American version of a country house hotel, with Ladd’s 1912 mansion as its centerpiece. “We are thrilled to introduce a new chapter of elegance and hospitality in this unique countryside setting,” the son of a native New Jerseyan tells Alexa.
Bucolic setting hosts new-meets-old hotel
Guests enter the quaint yet sprawling resort by first cutting through wooded Natirar Park, driving up a hill, passing the old carriage house (now home to the resort’s signature eatery) and then the well-ordered farm. “Cue the deer,” jokes Kelly Meryfield, Pendry Natirar’s director of sales and marketing.
Next, the Social Pavilion and its three outdoor pools come into view, followed at last by the new-build hotel and spa, linked by a walk-way to the Tudor mansion, which incorporates the reception area, a billiards room, a library, a great room for fireside cocktails and coffee, and a private members club. Laid-back Ladd’s Tavern, which has been added to the mansion, connects the old with the new, both literally and figuratively.
Farm-to-table food and classes
It’s the farm that truly elevates this pretty estate to destination resort status. In the middle of New Jersey, guests and members can practice sustainable farming, where they’ll rub shoulders with celebrity guests: nine woolly sheep and 150 chickens. The latter provide eggs to the kitchen, and both add a down-home charm to this stately, bucolic endeavor. Sign up for Bees 101 or a farm tour and you’re guaranteed to be teacher’s pet during a cooking class at Ninety Acres.
Even naughty students who instead opt for a jasmine, rose or eucalyptus spa treatment will get a literal taste of the farm during their stays. But don’t ditch class, kids; there are few culinary activities more satisfying than plucking some eggs, cilantro and edible flowers and learning to whip them into an impressive dish or cocktail with the help of world-class chefs and mixologists.
Nature walks and fine dining
Beyond its educational elements, the Pendry Natirar offers an unprecedented opportunity to commune with nature in New Jersey. Walk the three on-site trails and you’ll encounter dozens of species of birds and rabbits, or venture further into the expansive park for longer sojourns. Days begin with wellness programming (don’t break your Peloton streak!) and end with locally sourced dishes by Michelin-starred Executive Chef Peter Rudolph (good evening, poached Maine lobster with squid ink pasta and bouillabaisse!).
When the sun’s up, swimming, hiking, spa’ing, shopping in town in one of the hotel’s complimentary Cadillacs available for personal use, or just lounging by one of those stone fireplaces (kept intact in the mansion by interior design firm DesignAgency and replicated in the country-chic guest rooms) with a good book and a great view fill the hours.
Pendry Natirar reminds city rats that by changing their setting, they can easily transform into a chilled-out (but still sophisticated) country mouse, even if just for a weekend. “Come for a wellness escape, a romantic retreat, a family getaway or a girls’ trip,” says Merryfield. “You’ll be shocked you’ve never found time to visit this hidden gem in Somerset County, New Jersey.”
