Natirar is set in 400 acres of rolling parkland in New Jersey, an hour from New York City
The new Miraval at Natirar in New Jersey will be built in and around an existing operation owned and run by founders Bob and Kim Wojtowicz. Miraval replaced previous shareholder, Virgin’s Richard Branson, as a partner in the project. The new site will open in March 2015.
The stunning house, set in 400 acres, was the former home of the King of Morocco and already boasts a high-end farm to table restaurant – Ninety Acres – a cooking school and club which runs on a membership basis.
The wooded site has a 60-mile unobstructed view over New Jersey into Pennsylvania: “All you see is rolling hills and trees. No one can build anything in that view,” says Miraval CEO, Michael Tompkins. “The property is set on a hill and from the other side you can see Manhattan. You’re so close to New York, you just don’t know it.”
The site couldn’t be better located, being an hour by car from the city, 25 minutes from Newark International airport and near two train stations which go to Penn Station.
Under the scheme, the existing mansion house will be converted, and a second building constructed, says Tompkins: “The new-build will have the same architecture and use the same brick as the original. The plan is to have 66 keys, while an underground tunnel will be built to the new spa.”
Rockwell Group’s design for the spa building is a dramatic, grass-roofed, minimalist glass building with a waterfall cascading from the roof. Set among the trees, it looks set to be a real show stopper.
Natirar’s fitness centre will be expanded by 6,000sq ft (557sq m) and its stables will be used for Miraval’s famous Equine Experience.
In addition to hiking and biking trails, there’s also a lake on the property. “We’re aiming to organise paddle board yoga,” says Tompkins. “We’ll do snow shoeing in the winter and will be open year round.”
Miraval at Natirar plans to work with Clarins and continue its relationship with the brand: “We plan to roll out future spas with Clarins,” says Tompkins, “but we also aim to make them true to the locales, so at Natirar – which has a 13 acre farm to table garden – we’ll develop treatments based on the Clarins products which contain plant extracts from flora which is native to the area. Clarins head botanist, Jean-Pierre Nicolas, will be involved with scoping out the options.”
The existing operation at Natirar already has strong engagement with a high-end clientele. Combining this with its close proximity to New York City means the new Miraval could not be better placed to succeed.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2013 issue 4
Interview: Helene Goetzelmann
L'Occitane's international spa director tells Rhianon Howells how the consumer retail company has become a spa operator with 60 facilities
Ask an expert: Profit & Loss
Hotel spas need to fight capital expenditure allocation said an investor panel at this year's Global Spa & Wellness Summit
Research: All rise
There's been an increase in the five top key performance indicators in the US spa industry shows the 2013 ISPA study
Company Profile Promotion: ESPA promotion
As ESPA's 20th
anniversary year draws
to a close, founder and
CEO Sue Harmsworth
explains how and why the
company is still evolving
Safari Spa: Animal instinct
Safari spas are the staple for Amani, one of South Africa's largest spa chains. Lisa Starr talks to MD Ronleigh Gordon
Trends: Brief encounters
We take a look at some of the most innovative spa pop-ups, a growing trend across the leisure sector
Interview: Paul Smyth
Something & Son designer shares his insights on creating pop-up spa facilities. Magali Robathan reports
Summit review: Upping the ante
Katie Barnes reveals the takeaway messages from the 2013 Global Spa & Wellness Summit in New Delhi, India, attended by 375 industry leaders
Research: Local news
Domestic travellers dominate the global wellness tourism market which has an economic impact of US$1.3 trillion. SRI's Ophelia Yeung reports
Research: Thai up
Prantik Bordoloi analyses a 2013 Thai spa industry study based on both spa consumer and spa operator opinions
Software news: Tech talk
The latest developments and news from spa software suppliers from around the world
An opportunity to reimagine one of the UK’s most recognisable towers has been formally
opened by Rivington Hark, as St Johns Beacon invites operators and partners to shape its
next phase. [more...]
Natirar is set in 400 acres of rolling parkland in New Jersey, an hour from New York City
The new Miraval at Natirar in New Jersey will be built in and around an existing operation owned and run by founders Bob and Kim Wojtowicz. Miraval replaced previous shareholder, Virgin’s Richard Branson, as a partner in the project. The new site will open in March 2015.
The stunning house, set in 400 acres, was the former home of the King of Morocco and already boasts a high-end farm to table restaurant – Ninety Acres – a cooking school and club which runs on a membership basis.
The wooded site has a 60-mile unobstructed view over New Jersey into Pennsylvania: “All you see is rolling hills and trees. No one can build anything in that view,” says Miraval CEO, Michael Tompkins. “The property is set on a hill and from the other side you can see Manhattan. You’re so close to New York, you just don’t know it.”
The site couldn’t be better located, being an hour by car from the city, 25 minutes from Newark International airport and near two train stations which go to Penn Station.
Under the scheme, the existing mansion house will be converted, and a second building constructed, says Tompkins: “The new-build will have the same architecture and use the same brick as the original. The plan is to have 66 keys, while an underground tunnel will be built to the new spa.”
Rockwell Group’s design for the spa building is a dramatic, grass-roofed, minimalist glass building with a waterfall cascading from the roof. Set among the trees, it looks set to be a real show stopper.
Natirar’s fitness centre will be expanded by 6,000sq ft (557sq m) and its stables will be used for Miraval’s famous Equine Experience.
In addition to hiking and biking trails, there’s also a lake on the property. “We’re aiming to organise paddle board yoga,” says Tompkins. “We’ll do snow shoeing in the winter and will be open year round.”
Miraval at Natirar plans to work with Clarins and continue its relationship with the brand: “We plan to roll out future spas with Clarins,” says Tompkins, “but we also aim to make them true to the locales, so at Natirar – which has a 13 acre farm to table garden – we’ll develop treatments based on the Clarins products which contain plant extracts from flora which is native to the area. Clarins head botanist, Jean-Pierre Nicolas, will be involved with scoping out the options.”
The existing operation at Natirar already has strong engagement with a high-end clientele. Combining this with its close proximity to New York City means the new Miraval could not be better placed to succeed.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2013 issue 4
Interview: Helene Goetzelmann
L'Occitane's international spa director tells Rhianon Howells how the consumer retail company has become a spa operator with 60 facilities
Ask an expert: Profit & Loss
Hotel spas need to fight capital expenditure allocation said an investor panel at this year's Global Spa & Wellness Summit
Research: All rise
There's been an increase in the five top key performance indicators in the US spa industry shows the 2013 ISPA study
Company Profile Promotion: ESPA promotion
As ESPA's 20th
anniversary year draws
to a close, founder and
CEO Sue Harmsworth
explains how and why the
company is still evolving
Safari Spa: Animal instinct
Safari spas are the staple for Amani, one of South Africa's largest spa chains. Lisa Starr talks to MD Ronleigh Gordon
Trends: Brief encounters
We take a look at some of the most innovative spa pop-ups, a growing trend across the leisure sector
Interview: Paul Smyth
Something & Son designer shares his insights on creating pop-up spa facilities. Magali Robathan reports
Summit review: Upping the ante
Katie Barnes reveals the takeaway messages from the 2013 Global Spa & Wellness Summit in New Delhi, India, attended by 375 industry leaders
Research: Local news
Domestic travellers dominate the global wellness tourism market which has an economic impact of US$1.3 trillion. SRI's Ophelia Yeung reports
Research: Thai up
Prantik Bordoloi analyses a 2013 Thai spa industry study based on both spa consumer and spa operator opinions
Software news: Tech talk
The latest developments and news from spa software suppliers from around the world
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii
is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
remaining actively involved with the company.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its
recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’
planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–
Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism inv
Shedd Aquarium has opened the Immersion Theater developed in partnership with SimEx-
Iwerks, as part of a wider strategy to enhance the guest experience and create additional
revenue opportunities.
The UK government has announced a temporary reduction in VAT on visitor attractions and
children’s meals as part of a summer cost-of-living support package designed to stimulate the
visitor economy and encourage family days out.
As designer Yinka Ilori prepares for his first solo gallery show in London, he speaks exclusively
to CLADmag about his mission to spread joy, the power of play, and his bold approach to using
colour (including the colours you won’t see in his work).
The government of Thailand is exploring plans for a THB300bn (£6.3bn, US$8.3bn)
entertainment complex in the country’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), with officials
proposing a large-scale theme park and sports destination as part of a broader tourism and
economic development strategy.
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that can design, build and produce from a
greenfield site upw [more...]
Clip 'n Climb Clip ‘n Climb currently offers facility owners and
investors more than 40 colourful and unique
Cha [more...]
An opportunity to reimagine one of the UK’s most recognisable towers has been formally
opened by Rivington Hark, as St Johns Beacon invites operators and partners to shape its
next phase. [more...]
