Auberge Wildflower Farms, Hudson Valley

Best for… Auberge Wildflower Farms is a weekend farm-to-table (to spa table) getaway from NYC

The look and feel… Approaching Wildflower Farms from the long gravel driveway, I was struck by how wilderness and farming blend here, with 65 cabins and cottages across 140 open acres and a pond in the Catskills. The main barn-style building has high ceilings and a dramatically pitched roof—aka the Great Porch. It’s basically an open-air lobby overlooking the meadows and mountains with a huge fire pit, outdoor couches and Adirondack chairs piled with pillows and blankets, usually dotted with guests having cocktails crafted from Upstate-made spirits. With a bucolic-chic aesthetic conceived by Electric Bowery architects and NY–based design studio Ward and Gray, the result is a place with design rooted in nature and easy access to hiking, wellness activities and local cuisine.

The rooms… There are three types: Meadow and Ridge Cottages are wooden 1-2 BRs, while the Bower Cabins are a more casual glamping experience—all with big windows and outdoor patios. The rooms are made cozy with quilted blankets, velvet couches, wood floors and wool carpets, and with thoughtful attention to detail: stone countertops, wood shelves filled with books, locally crafted amenities (the hotel slippers are made of woven raw linen—I took both pairs home). The large soaking tubs (with a range of bath salts) are great after a day spent outdoors.

The food and drink… The resort is an actual working farm, with pasture-raised meats, free-range chicken and eggs, and heritage fruits and vegetables coming directly from the farm or from local partners. Meals are served at the restaurant Clay, and the menu is all about the Hudson Valley—my favorites were the milk bread (addictive) and the hen in a clay.

The wellness… The Thistle spa’s menu changes seasonally. Each treatment incorporates botanical oils, herbs and locally foraged ingredients, along with local beauty line Cultivate Apothecary (and more customized treatments in partnership with Biologique Recherche). I usually don’t indulge at the spa at hotels, preferring other activities, but it felt right to try the “Wildcraft Experience,” a relaxing anti-inflammatory massage.

Extra tip goes to… Theresa the mixologist, who showed me how to make a sweet and sour cocktail called Pine & Pollen and a delicious version of an Old Fashioned with a lemon-thyme infused Upstate NY whisky.

Be sure to… Take a foraging walk with the property’s farmer—herbs, berries and mushrooms grow in the surrounding fields and woods—and tour the greenhouses to see the fresh produce growing. You will meet Berkshire pigs, hens and chickens, and the farm workers in the fields will spend time with you and answer your questions and curiosities. If you love pickling and preserving as much as I do, the executive chef offers classes. Definitely go for a hike or bike ride off the beaten path (or walk the onsite 3 miles trails).

Parting words… The service is friendly and mostly made of young locals (who were still in training during the first months of opening). Having visited in the fall, I would definitely go back during the warmer months to take full advantage of the outdoors. But it comes at a hefty price: room rates are close to $1,000 per night.

Date of stay… November 2022