Pendry Natirar is New Jersey’s most luxurious new resort

If you’ve ever wondered why they call it the Garden State, book a suite at Pendry Natirar this fall. Set on 90 acres among the hills of Somerset County, NJ, the 66-room retreat (opening this month) celebrates nature in all its turbulent bounty. Here, near the Raritan River (see what they did there?!), a 10-acre farm and 80,000 beehives shape the menus at both a 19,000-square-foot spa and the much-loved, newly reopened Ninety Acres restaurant .

Historic Whaling Heiress Residence

It all started more than a century ago, when whaling heiress Kate Macy Ladd bought 500 acres of wooded land between Bedminster and Peapack-Gladstone. She spent eight years building a spacious Tudor-style mansion. In 1983, her charitable foundation 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 descendants eventually sold it to the county, which last year leased the lively park’s central core 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 getaway that would of course. change the world’s perception of north-central New Jersey.

Fuerstman the Younger transformed the acreage—an hour’s drive from Manhattan, or a 10-minute drive from the Peapack-Gladstone train station—into an American version of a home hotel, with Ladd’s 1912 mansion as its centerpiece. “We are excited to introduce a new chapter of elegance and hospitality in this unique country setting,” the son of a native New Jerseyan tells Alexa.

The bucolic setting welcomes the new-meets-old hotel

Guests enter the quaint but spacious resort by first passing through the forested Natirar Park, walking up a hill, past the old carriage house (now home to the resort’s signature restaurant) and then the well-kept farm. “Cue the deer,” jokes Kelly Meryfield, Pendry Natirar’s director of sales and marketing.

Next, the Social Pavilion and its three outdoor swimming pools appear, followed finally by the newly built hotel and bathhouse, connected by a pathway to the Tudor mansion, which includes the reception area, a billiards room, a library, a wonderful fireside cocktail and coffee room, and a private members’ club. The laid-back Ladd Tavern, which has been added to the mansion, bridges the old with the new, literally and figuratively.

Farm-to-table food and classes

It’s the farm that really elevates this beautiful property to destination resort status. In the middle of New Jersey, guests and members can practice sustainable agriculture, where they will rub shoulders with celebrity guests: nine woolly sheep and 150 chickens. The latter provide the eggs for the kitchen and both add a delightful charm to this grand, bucolic endeavor. Sign up for Bees 101 or a farm tour and you’re guaranteed to be the teacher’s pet during a cooking class at Ninety Acres.

Even naughty students who opt for a jasmine, rose or eucalyptus spa treatment will get a real taste of the farm during their stay. But don’t skip 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, Pendry Natirar offers an unprecedented opportunity to commune with nature in New Jersey. Hike the three trails on site and you’ll encounter dozens of species of birds and rabbits, or venture further into the expansive park for longer stays. Days start with wellness programming (don’t break your Peloton belt!) and end with locally sourced dishes from Michelin executive chef Peter Rudolph (good morning, Maine-roasted lobster with squid ink pasta and bouillabaisse!).

When the sun comes up, swim, hike, spa, shop in town in one of the hotel’s complimentary Cadillacs available for personal use, or just relax by one of those stone fireplaces (kept intact in the mansion by the design firm interior DesignAgency and repeated in the rooms of domestic elegance) with a good book and a wonderful view fill the hours.

Pendry Natirar reminds city mice that by changing their environment, they can easily transform into a cool (yet still sophisticated) country mouse, if only for a weekend. “Come for a wellness getaway, a romantic getaway, a family getaway or a girls’ trip,” says Merryfield. “You’ll be shocked you never took the time to visit this hidden gem in Somerset County, New Jersey.”