The Hudson Valley in upstate New York recently became home to Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection (Gardiner, NY), a new eco-conscious luxury resort in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Overlooking Shawangunk Ridge (also known as The Gunks) on 140 acres, it features orchards, woodlands, a namesake farm, heirloom gardens, and fields of native wildflowers. Amid the bucolic bliss, there are 65 cabins, cottages, and suites; Thistle, an Auberge Spa; Maplehouse cooking school; and dining destinations, such as the resort’s signature restaurant Clay.
“Fifteen years ago, my wife, Kristin, and I came to the Hudson Valley for the first time and immediately fell in love with Gardiner,” says Phillip Rapoport, owner and managing partner. “Several years later, we purchased the site for Wildflower Farms and embarked on a seven-year journey to create something that has never existed in the destination. We wanted to create an antidote to urban life that honored and respected the beautiful nature of the area.”
Inspired by Nature
Designed to be a place where people can commune with nature, Wildflower Farms is set where rolling farmland meets the wilderness of the Lower Hudson Valley. It is here that the renowned 19th-century Hudson River School artists found their inspiration and where people continue to seek and find an escape from urban life.
Tasked with designing Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection on the site of a fallow tree nursery, architects Electric Bowery and interior specialists Ward and Gray fulfilled the vision of celebrating the land. Each architectural element reflects the natural beauty around it. The main buildings are made up of asymmetrical barn-style structures connected by one roofline, with its peaks reminiscent of those on the horizon. There is also a central fireplace wrapped in tapestries with curved sofas that create a modern conversation pit around it. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors and spacious outdoor terraces blur the lines between indoors and out.
The interiors highlight warm woods and handblown glass fixtures along with quilted fabrics and fabric house prints in colors reflecting the seasons, such as sage and goldenrod and burnt umber and aubergine. Sustainable design measures and materials, including the sourcing of vintage pieces, have been incorporated throughout the property.
“We built this resort to offer the type of guest experience we were looking for ourselves—design that is rooted in nature, with easy access to hiking, wellbeing experiences, outstanding cuisine, and warm service, says Rapoport. “This is a very personal project that we are deeply passionate about, and we are elated to finally welcome friends, family, and travelers from around the world to this extraordinary destination.”
Accommodations that Capture the Essence of the Hudson Valley
Set amid white pines and native perennials, or among fields of wildflowers, the resort’s free-standing cabins, cottages, and suites are designed to blend seamlessly with nature. Wall-to-wall glass sliding doors create in-bed vistas and open onto large private terraces with daybeds and outdoor dining tables. The spacious interiors are cozy and inviting, with view-framing window seats and light-flooded bathrooms. The Suites feature two fireplaces, indoor and outdoor showers, as well as custom cedar hot tubs. Locally made, all-natural amenities celebrate the native botanicals of the Hudson Valley.
The resort features 28 Bower Cabins located beneath the tree canopy, while 32 Meadow and Ridge Cottages reside amid a sea of wildflowers and grasses, the latter with views of Shawangunk Ridge. Ideally situated among the wildflower meadows, the five expansive Ridge Suites offer unparalleled views of The Gunks and an abundance of indoor and outdoor space. Leading onto the main terrace, the lounge and dining areas are both arranged around a circular central fireplace, while the bedroom opens onto its own private terrace with a cedar hot tub and outdoor shower.
A Dining Destination that Pays Homage to the Land
Here, it’s easy to eat well with harvest-led, farm-to-fork dining. With three unique dining destinations, an on-site cooking school and farm education center, and a diverse calendar of weekly events, Wildflower Farms is a true culinary destination, celebrating the land and its ability to nourish the body, inside and out.
A Spa that Celebrates the Joy of Living Well
The property also features a 9,000-square-foot wellness facility, Thistle, an Auberge Spa, named after the blooms that blanket the fields in summer with purple and blue. Harnessing the power of nature, it features a personalized seasonal treatment menu. The spa has a modern apothecary that produces hand-harvested small-batch botanical oils, scrubs, and flower remedies in partnership with local botanical beauty line Cultivate Apothecary; immersive outdoor experiences focused on rewilding the human spirit; and an element of joyful exploration incorporated into each treatment to impart an enduring sense of wellbeing.
Thistle also relies on products from Biologique Recherche, a clinical line designed to produce immediate results. With six treatment rooms, outdoor hot tubs, and an indoor saltwater pool, the spa is a sanctuary as serene as the mountains it overlooks. The property also encompasses a 3,500-square-foot open-air fitness center, a movement studio offering daily classes, and three miles of hiking trails.
A Playground in Every Season
From outdoor adventure to hands-on foraging and harvesting to botanical mixology, guests can explore new passions at Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection. Home to numerous orchards and farms, distilleries, art galleries, antique markets, and state parks, the Hudson Valley is the perfect place to explore and reconnect with a slower pace of life.
“We are honored to introduce Auberge Resorts Collection’s first property in the legendary Hudson Valley,” says Craig Reid, president and CEO, Auberge Resorts Collection. “Harnessing the power of nature in its simplest form, Wildflower Farms offers solace, sanctuary, and joyful opportunities to reconnect with nature just a 90-minute drive from New York City. We are thrilled to welcome guests to this awe-inspiring destination, where they will discover some of New York’s finest dining in addition to experiencing the soulful essence of the Catskills through unique outdoor adventures and wellness journeys.”
