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Full service hotels and country inns
Warm, Inviting Getaways
Twenty-five years ago, a hotel room was hard to find in Northwest
New Jersey. Aside from motels along state highways, New Jersey motorists
were provided little comfort, much less opulence in their accommodations.
With the genesis of the enormous corporate expansion in Morris and
Somerset Counties, and the completion of interstates 287 and 80, familiar
names rose on highway marquees. Expansive Hiltons, Marriotts, and Sheratons
joined HoJos, Ramadas, and Holiday Inns to greet every sort of business
traveler, from sales to executive. The hospitality industry continues
to thrive in our major corporate centers with the addition of names
like Doubletree, Best Western, Hampton, Comfort, Candlewood, Wyndham,
and Westin. And even as the big names arrived, independent properties
carved their own brand of suburban hospitality along the local tarmac.
Each of these hotels and country inns has its own distinctive character
that reflects the essence of the surrounding area.
All told, there is a wealth of luxury and snug serenity now available
in our neighborhood for recreational customers. Each destination offers
its own special opportunities for a warm, winter getaway. Treat yourself
to a cozy room, a dip in the pool or the hot tub, and that elusive
particular known as service. And don't forget, some
of the area's finest restaurants park themselves within these walls.
Bridgewater Marriott
The Bridgewater Marriott exceeds the expectations of today's business,
leisure and meeting guest with stylish decor, an array of amenities
and impeccable Marriott
service. Relax in the indoor pool and whirlpool. Enjoy superb cocktails
at Martini's, fine Tuscan cuisine at Tbones Steakhouse, or breakfast
in bed in your well-appointed guest room. This hotel
is conveniently located, close to the Bridgewater Commons Mall and
many other welcome diversions. State-of-the-art facilities, incomparable
staff and culinary excellence further distinguish the Marriott Bridgewater
as the premier hotel in Somerset County.
700 Commons Way , Bridgewater; 908-927-9300
website
Inn At Panther Valley
Country charm, rustic elegance and personal service are keywords
of the Inn at Panther Valley. The main building is comprised of
50 rooms and the remaining 50 rooms are in cottage units surrounding
the park-like and beautifully landscaped grounds.
The owner’s love of wildlife is evident in the art hung
throughout the Inn. A large stained glass piece depicts mallards
on the pond that is part of the grounds. The Pub, located in the
main building, is a warm and congenial spot for guests to meet,
dine, or just relax and enjoy the sporting events on the many televisions
surrounding the large oval bar. BLD’s restaurant offers wonderful
selections off of their varied menu and daily specials for your
dining pleasure.
The Inn’s five acres of manicured grounds offers seasonal
charm with it’s large gazebo next to a beautiful pond inhabited
year round by wildlife. It is a wonderful retreat for relaxing
or just to commune with nature.
The staff prides itself in the service provided in this unique and quaint setting.
The Inn at Panther Valley offers the opportunity to get away from the hustle
and bustle and experience the charm and beauty of the country without sacrificing
the amenities of a full service hotel.
Route 517, PO Box
183, Allamuchy, 908/852-6000
Getaway
Package
Inn at Millrace Pond, The Grist of It

Travelers and epicures in the Skylands are never far away from
one of New Jersey's finest dining and lodging experiences- the cozy
accommodations and artful cuisine of Hope's Inn at Mill Race Pond.
A conversion to lodging in the early eighties, the site is a restoration
of an old grist mill built during the founding period of Hope's settlement
by Moravians in the mid-eighteenth century.
The 17 room Inn and Restaurant
is comprised of three main buildings, the Grist Mill (location of
the restaurant, tavern, registry,
and the majority of rooms), Millrace House, and the stone Wheelwright's
Cottage. The "engine" that once allowed the mill to do its work;
a hand-carved, shoulder-width watercourse through grey striated
shale, drew water down from the pond and directed to the waterwheel
in the basement of the mill. At Grist Mill the warm hearth of
the tavern downstairs invite the eye and spirit to enjoy the
friendly character of the Inn's loving restoration. Upstairs,
exposed post and beam construction treat the eye of every restaurant
patron. The race, giving the site its name, fills now only to
give reflection to the quiet woods that gently rise from behind
the old millmaster's home, Millrace House, where wide board flooring
and antique furnishings grace every view. A deep plenum frames
each window in the formal symmetry of the two rooms at Wheelwright's
Cottage.
A fourth building, the Raoul Wallenberg Conference Center
at The Inn at Millrace Pond opened its doors in the Spring of
1999.
The rescue and renovation of this 170 year-old home has resulted
in singular opportunities for productive meetings in a state
of the art facility on the grounds of inn. Having prevailed over
of physical relocation to the property and the rigors of historic
restoration, the house now appears, in large part, as it did
in 1830.
And from the famous grist mill, where
so many have already enjoyed elegant hospitality, it will be
hard to look across the lawn at the old, proud house and imagine
that it belonged any place else.
Rt., 519, PO Box 359, Hope 07844 908/459-4884
website
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This Week in the New Jersey Skylands.
MAYDAY ALERT! MAYDAY ALERT!
May Day invokes a certain emotional and sensual liberty, summoning waves of Spring Fever and the happy feeling that this most stirring season lies largely before us. Time to dig your self back into Mother Earth. And what finer place than the New Jersey’s Great Northwest Skylands?
- 04/07/2008 11:12 AM
- Spring in the Skylands means falling in love- Reel Love. The enchantment of fishing, that is. Start with our general guide to fishing and see how to find 'em, catch ‘em and cook 'em.
- 03/24/2008 03:42 PM
- Some of the history in Northwest New Jersey is best explored on your own. A walk in the woods at this time of year can reveal more than you can imagine. Its warm, there’s little foliage to block your view, and you can watch, hear and smell the forest come alive. The rigorous climb to the Coppermines in the Kittatinny Mountains is well worth it.
- 03/24/2008 03:49 PM
- For a quick guide to many of the region's parks and outdoor resources take a peek at our outdoor destinations map. Click here and there and plan your day!
- 04/29/2008 03:56 PM
- Flowers generally bloom first in the forest where leafless trees allow the sun to the ground while breaking the wind chill. Tree trunks radiate the day's heat to the ground to protect bursting seeds from frost. Each flower has its own way of doing business. The first to pop above the layer of wet, dead leaves is always skunk cabbage, able to spontaneously generate enough heat to propel it through the frozen ground. Above ground, the plant emits a stink that mimics that of a freshly thawed carcass. The flies that respond will pollinate the hosts a full month before the sweet fragrances of other species bring on the butterflies and bees.
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