BEFORE MY VISIT to Wildflower Farms, a new resort in the Catskill Mountains, I had only ever seen one American kestrel. It was two years ago, while driving past an open field in upstate New York, and I had screeched to a halt to get a closer look-only for the bird to fly from its fence post in an instant. But on my first morning at Wildflower Farms, I spotted North America's smallest raptor perched on a pole a mere 30 feet from the main building. It held still long enough for me to get a good look through my binoculars, as if it had been placed there by guest services. Later that day I would glimpse a bald eagle and one of its young swooping out of their nest high in a tree, somewhere near cabin No. 32.
Phenomenal birdlife is just one of many everyday majesties at this Auberge Resorts Collection property, which opened in Gardiner last fall. Its 65 cabins and cottages are arranged around a grand main building that's home to Clay, the restaurant; the poolside Dew Bar; and an open-air venue named the Great Porch, as well as a shop, a spa, and an event space. Everything faces an open plain that rolls out like a carpet toward the stark granite ridge of the "Gunks," as the Shawangunk Mountains are known. A stream creates a gentle soundtrack as it flows along the property's eastern edge. (At first, I wondered if I could hear the sound of...traffic? No, it was just the wind and the water.)
"As people spend more time with screens, it's valuable for us to be in nature," said resort owner Phillip Rapoport, who lives in Gardiner with his wife, Kristin, and their young son, and regularly hikes and climbs in the nearby Mohonk Preserve. The couple spent seven years developing the property, working with the California architects Electric Bowery and New York designers Ward & Gray to create the right mix of minimalism and well-upholstered coziness. "We wanted to give the interiors the same feeling as our own home," Kristin explained.
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Travel+Leisure US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Travel+Leisure US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
TOTALLY TANGIER
With the debut of an impeccable seaside villa turned hotel, Morocco's bohemian enclave is suddenly back on the map.
OF SEA & STONE
In a quiet corner of mainland Greece, a glamorous new resort offers access to extraordinary treasures, both natural and archaeological.
Full Speed Ahead
High in the mountains between Spain and France, a long-neglected train station has become an opulent hotel. Simon Willis takes an express trip to a hidden chapter of World War II.
Exceptional in Every Sense - Hilton
From Chicago's thriving avenues to Cancun's idyllic waves, Hilton's stunning collection of hotels and resorts offers the very best in hospitality with beautifully comfortable accommodations, thoughtful amenities, and attentive service that goes above and beyond expectations.
FOOD & WINE CLASSIC - CHARLESTON
Join Us September 27-29, 2024 The Food & Wine Classic in Charleston is the premier three day culinary experience on the East Coast showcasing hospitality, foodways, culture, and history of the Holy City.
Changing Nature
A mountain town in Japan has become a showcase for forward-thinking design.
Waking Up Waco
A reality-TV couple did more than open a hotel in the middle of Texas. They gave the city a public makeover.
To the Manor Born
In Mallorca, Spain, new resorts carved from old estates offer a break from the crowds.
NATURE'S KEEPERS
Brazil's vast, varied landscapes are home to enigmatic creatures like the jaguar, the spider monkey, and the maned wolf. Stanley Stewart visits three eco-lodges that are leading preservation efforts to help the animals make a comeback.
AS TIME GOES BY
A decade and a half after a life-changing sojourn in Vietnam, a writer returns to track the country's transformations-and his own.