A Tranquil Escape from the City
For Manhattanites, the perfect escape from the urban sprawl is often someplace green and not too far by car—90 minutes to two hours. The adventure set might seek a campground to entice the senses. But for those chasing respite without compromising the sensibility of metropolitan delights (e.g., architectural and culinary mastery), there's one place I recommend often: Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection, located in Gardiner, NY.
The Hudson Valley resort beguiles travelers from all corners of the continental U.S. (and beyond). The open-air Great Porch exists as a social hub—a place to come together for a morning coffee, afternoon cocktail, or nighttime s'more. There's no welcoming ceremony à la The White Lotus, but guests are guided through thoughtful choreography that whisks you from valet to reception, ending in front of the nearly 10-foot-wide fire pit. The barn-style roof perfectly crowns the resort's cabins in the foreground and the bedrock ridge of "the Gunks" (aka Shawangunk Ridge) in the background. It's an unspoken hello and goodbye that roots you in a sense of place.
Accommodations
What's singularly appealing about Wildflower Farms is how expansive it is in the literal and metaphorical sense. The resort features 65 cabins and cottages starting at 650 square feet with an additional 210 of outdoor space. If you're familiar with the concept of landscape hotels, these accommodations don't detract from the surroundings. The low-profile structures are made of reclaimed, locally sourced wood and corrugated metal to harmonize with the meadows, woodlands, and gardens.
Over time, the metal oxidizes, rusts, and patinas, giving a time-worn appearance that's fuss-free. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors and skylights flood the rooms with light, while terraces with private backyards reinforce the connection to nature. Each is widely spaced out from one another to maintain privacy, so it feels more like a home away from home rather than a transitory place to rest your head for a couple nights.
Inside, vintage quilts and hand-woven rugs with botanical motifs speak to the Americana heritage of the Hudson Valley. Jewel-tone velvet sofas, ombré throw blankets, and bouclé armchairs bring tactile sensations and visual depth to the space. In the cooler months, sit by the indoor fireplace; in the dog days of summer, sprawl on the outdoor terrace's daybed. In the bathroom, ambient heating warms floors, while a rain shower and free-standing soaking tub provide the perfect amount of indulgence.
For those seeking something more sizable, there are five suites that offer 1,150 square feet with an additional 440 square feet of outdoor space. One terrace has Adirondack chairs and a daybed, while a secondary leads to a private cedar hot tub.
The Experience
The effort to lull guests into a state of ease feels successful on all counts. On the western edge of the property, Shawangunk Kill river runs along the forest zones and roughly half the cabins. Asphalt walking paths and three miles of on-site trails wind through the property, connecting guests to the fitness center (stocked with Pilates reformers, treadmills and cardio machines, benches and free weights, and even a SkiErg) and movement studio, with classes on offer such as yoga, sound baths, and reiki. Book time at The Courts for a leisurely (or not so leisurely) game, or take a tennis or pickleball lesson.
Thistle Spa
The spa exists in harmony with the rest of the property. Similar to the food and beverage program, treatments utilize fresh botanicals, like lavender and rosemary. You'll wait in the relaxation lounge on daybeds overlooking an indoor saltwater pool before your treatment, sipping on herbal tea or bone broth. Relish a myofascial body treatment with herbal poultices, a hot river stone massage, or custom facial. After, you have free reign to use the indoor dry sauna and outdoor hot tubs that look out onto the property. It's deeply restorative no matter the time of year.
Dining
The Art of Abundance: A Harvest Dinner Series
From June through September, don't miss The Art of Abundance: A Harvest Dinner Series. Each bespoke alfresco dinner highlights the local bounty harvested by Wildflower's farmers, which is then imagined into a four-course, family-style menu by the chefs. On August 14, for example, visiting host chef Flynn McGarry is curating a dinner centered entirely around heirloom tomatoes with the help of Gem Home.
Guests start the day at the farm at 10a.m. gathering tomatoes to draw a deeper connection and mindfulness surrounding where our food comes from. In addition to the culinary team, the tomatoes are used by Great Jones Distilling Co. (Manhattan’s first and only legal whiskey distillery since Prohibition) for the signature cocktails and tablescape. The dinners are set under a grove of maple trees, and serve as a beautiful reminder of the cyclical patterns that befit nature. It's intimate yet communal.
Year round, enjoy breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner at Wildflower Farm's signature restaurant, Clay. Don't leave without fighting over the last bites of the cinnamon roll bathed with a glossy cream cheese icing and dollop of honeycomb. The Hudson Valley's agricultural roots are on full display with the kitchen working in concert with on-site farmers and neighboring producers. The restaurant highlights wood-fired fare with a hyperfixation on seasonal ingredients sourced from the Hudson Valley.
Many dishes make vegetables the star ingredient. Slow-braised cabbage with puffed black rice; twice-baked celery root with celery cream and black truffle; and lion’s mane maitake mushroom risotto with lemon-brown butter and cheese from 5 Spoke Creamery in neighboring Goshen are absolute musts. They're complemented by ethically raised meats and fresh regional seafood. The szechuan peppercorn-crusted porterhouse with black garlic butter is a nonnegotiable.
Imbibing
On-site, Wildflower Farms offers botanical mixology classes. The season dictates the spirit (e.g. gin in spring, mezcal and tequila in summer), and the lesson covers its unique history. You'll make two botanical-infused cocktails and learn integral cocktail-making tips and tricks, including the proper way to use tools.
Alternatively, you can meander along the “whiskey trail” footpath that guides guests from the resort to Tuthilltown Spirits Distillery, which earns the distinction as being New York’ state's first post-Prohibition distillery. Enjoy Hudson Whiskey in the tasting room during happy hour.
Final Verdict
Wildflower Farms is expensive, point blank. Accommodations start around $1,000 per night. But if you're a whiskey lover with a penchant for rustic retreats or an urbanite in desperate need of a quiet respite, this fits the bill. Exceptional service and beautifully curated spaces push it over the edge. Turns out you can put a price on a mind-and-body recharge.
