Fit For A King: Natirar’s Newest Partner

A new spa and luxury hotel is slated to open next year at Natirar.

Natirar
Miraval at Natirar, a new spa and luxury hotel slated to open late 2014, on the site of the historic mansion, below, once owned by the King of Morocco.
Courtesy of Natirar.

Those lusting for a luxury getaway where they will be pampered and rejuvenated may automatically think of the famed desert spas of the Southwest and West Coast—but that may soon change. The Natirar estate in Peapack-Gladstone—already one of New Jersey’s toniest destinations thanks to priceless views of the rolling Somerset County hills and Ninety Acres, a highly-rated farm-to-table restaurant with a culinary school—plans to ramp up its game with an exciting spa and hotel expansion: Miraval at Natirar.

Miraval, the award-winning Tucson, Arizona, resort owned by AOL founder and former chairman Steve Case and his wife, Jean, is partnering with Natirar for the Miraval brand’s first expansion. The Miraval name is already familiar to many; celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres and TV doctor Mehmet Oz have plugged it as a blissful oasis for body, mind and spirit. In addition to top-notch spa facilities, the resort offers healthy gourmet cuisine and a gamut of fitness and wellness programs. Since 1995, Miraval has consistently been ranked as one of the world’s top destinations by Travel + Leisure, SpaFinder and Conde Nast Traveler.

Natirar founder Bob Wojtowicz originally joined with British businessman Sir Richard Branson in 2001 to develop the Somerset County retreat which, in additon to the restaurant and cooking school housed in the property’s 101-year-old barn, includes a 12-acre sustainable farm; a banquet and catering facility; and a private membership club. Branson, who has famously diverse entrepreneurial interests, is no longer involved, but Wojtowicz says his former partner supports Natirar’s new direction. The new partners will seek additional financing for the project; the projected cost was not revealed. Wojtowicz remains the majority owner.

The partnership with Miraval was a natural for Wojtowicz, a former insurance executive. “When I met Jean and Steve, I really felt they shared the same vision for the project that we have,” he said in an exclusive interview first reported at njmonthly.com.

Natirar began life as the 1,000-acre estate of Walter Graeme Ladd and his wife, Kate Macy Ladd. The Raritan River runs through it, so they reversed the letters and called it Natirar. The King of Morocco later acquired a chunk of the property, which Somerset County bought in 2003 and turned into parkland. “As soon as I arrived on the grounds of Natirar, I knew this was the right place for Miraval,” said Miraval CEO Michael G. Tompkins.

The new resort, slated to open in late 2014, will include an 86-room luxury hotel in the 1912 mansion, which once served as the Kate Macy Ladd convalescent home for women; a 20,000-square-foot spa; a wellness pavilion; yoga center; and an additional restaurant.

Like the Tucson location, Miraval at Natirar will offer a wide range of restorative activities—from yoga and meditation to outdoor challenges and nutrition workshops. Partnerships are foreseen with a variety of health and wellness experts. Plans are also in the works to plant Natirar’s 12-acre farm with herbs and flowers from which to produce spa products.

The new resort’s recreational offerings will reflect the Garden State’s seasonal diversity—including winter sports and activities on the Raritan River.

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