Picture this: a show-stopping 1912 Tudor mansion set on 500 acres of rolling, protected parkland, now transformed into a fabulous luxury hotel with a celebration-worthy restaurant in the former stables and carriage house. A signature spa pumps up the sybaritic offerings with a mud treatment derived from local botanicals. And all this bucolic glamour is located in... New Jersey (no, really, New Jersey).
I've lived in New Jersey most of my life, and the Pendry Natirar, which opened in October 2024, is truly unlike anything else in the state. Imagine Downton Abbey with a dash of New York's trendy Hudson Valley, and you'll start to get the idea.
Located in the rural western reaches of the Garden State in Somerset County, the state's scenic equestrian region, it truly feels like you've escaped to a rural British estate (albeit via the New Jersey Turnpike). And although it seems a little off the beaten track, it's just an hour from New York City and about 90 minutes from Philadelphia, making it an easy city getaway.
"Having grown up in New Jersey, I've always held a deep appreciation for the state's unique blend of history, natural beauty and the charming countryside," says Alan J. Fuerstman, founder, chairman, and CEO of Montage International (the parent company of Pendry Hotels & Resorts).
The first thing that stands out is the grand arrival: a mile and a half of switchback turns that end at the entrance to the 1912 red brick Tudor mansion. Originally built as a summer home for Kate Macy Ladd and her husband, Walter Graeme Ladd, the estate — named after the Raritan River (Natirar is Raritan spelled backward) — was transformed into a convalescent home for women by Kate before being sold to King Hassan II of Morocco in 1983. Somerset County acquired the property in 2003 and, through a public-private partnership, partnered with Robert Wojtowicz to restore and develop the property.
Today, stepping into the original limestone foyer is like being transported to the Gilded Age. Guests are greeted by fireplaces large enough to fit a family, ornate coffered ceilings, rich wood paneling, and gleaming oak flooring. This grand space is where reception, cozy guest lounges, a billiard room, and the all-day restaurant, Ladd's Tavern, are located.
Connected to the mansion is a modern wing where the hotel's 68 guest rooms and suites are situated. The rooms are plush and elegant, with sage walls, rich mahogany wood beds, and copious windows to let in the bucolic country views.
I was able to experience both a junior suite and a standard king room, with a family member staying in the connecting king to my junior suite (you can add two single rooms, one on either side of a junior suite — a great option for families). The king room had a spacious foyer, a changing area, a coffee area with a Nespresso machine, and a luxe, double-sinked white marble bathroom.
The junior suite had an extra half bathroom in an entrance hallway, a round dining table for four, and a gilded bar area. The highlight, though, was the free-standing, egg-shaped bathtub in the expansive bathroom, perfect for a long, lazy soak.
The modern hotel wing is also where the sprawling, two-story, 19,000-square-foot Spa Pendry is found — the largest spa in the Pendry portfolio, and a destination in itself. You could easily spend a whole pampering day in the luxe spa, which includes 12 treatment rooms, a halotherapy salt room, and an indoor relaxation pool. Men's and women's lounges have separate eucalyptus steam rooms and cedar wood saunas. And the views here are superlative, especially from the relaxation pool and its outdoor lounge chairs.
Another one of the highlights of Pendry Natirar: Ninety Acres restaurant. The popular dining spot located in the estate's former carriage house and stables predates the hotel by nearly 15 years, but it is now owned by Pendry and is truly a standout. Open for dinner only, Wednesday to Sunday, the dining is elevated, but the atmosphere is convivial and relaxed.
The seasonal menu focuses on ingredients sourced from the local area highlighted by refined techniques, so that garlic scapes and Jersey tomatoes share the table with bluefin tuna crudo and warm brioche rolls with carrot butter and salmon roe (I cannot emphasize enough how addictive this combination is). A cooking school is another special element to the food and beverage offerings, and worth booking as well.
In the summer, much of the produce that adorns the tables comes from the adjacent 10-acre Farm at Natirar, making for a true seed-to-plate experience. Book an outdoor table, one of the top al fresco options in the state, and you'll almost be sitting in the farm's sunflower beds.
Guests can also visit the farm, which I highly recommend. There are simple farm tours in the morning, or immersive half-day programs such as "Wisdom from the Hive," where guests don full bee gear, visit the hives with a beekeeper, do honey tastings, and explore the herb gardens. I tried an abbreviated "Farmer for a Day" program with farm manager Melinda Hopkins, touring the beautiful flower beds, gathering herbs to take home, and visiting the goats and chickens before enjoying fresh farm berries, bread, and honey. I've never said this anywhere else, but the farm is so serene that I found it almost more relaxing than the spa.
Another thing that really stuck out for me at the Pendry Natirar was the front desk staff, who also act as concierges and coordinate all aspects of your stay. One evening I stopped at the front desk, and two women staying on property, who evidently didn't enjoy their dinner (I'm not sure where they ate), asked the night clerk for "popcorn or a snack." He returned with a warm, plate-size chocolate chip cookie and a crème brûlée.
Jeminah, who checked me in, stoked up the fireplace (in July!) for a perfect great room photo opp and even brought cold drinks out to the car when we were departing.
Valets have Lincolns at their disposal to drive guests around the sprawling grounds, into town, and, in my case, to bring my guest and me to dinner at Ninety Acres, just across from the hotel entrance.
Ultimately, Pendry Natirar is all about the natural setting. I first visited the property during a preview in October 2024, when fall foliage was at its peak and the bluebird skies looked like they rolled on forever from Pendry's elevated hilltop. It was perfect weather and scenery for fire pits and long strolls. Returning in the summer of 2025, I discovered another perk of the property: the seasonal pool complex, with multiple swimming pools, hot tubs, and al fresco light dining and cocktails.
The pool is also popular with families, which aligns with the property's desire to position itself as family friendly. The brand's signature children's program, Paintbox, for ages five to 12, is on offer, and kids participating in the program visit the sheep and chickens at the farm and enjoy activities such as painting sessions, archery, and scavenger hunts. (Note, though, that the spa is restricted to ages 16 and up.)
"Natirar was built more than a century ago as a place for families to come together and connect," said Bob Wojtowicz, developer and founder of Natirar. "While it has served a variety of purposes over the decades, our vision was always to bring it back to its original intent and I couldn't be more excited to partner with Pendry Hotels & Resorts to bring the resort to life."
Consider the mission accomplished. Between the fireside great room, the farm's sunflower beds, and that egg-shaped tub, Natirar's original intent is alive and well — no invitation from the Ladds required. All it takes is a willingness to say "luxury getaway" and "New Jersey" in the same sentence. (No, really.)
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