Nostalgic Nights
Dine and indulge like an old-time aristocrat while lodging at this quaint Edwardian-era inn
Sitting in the handsome lobby of the historic Bernards Inn in Bernardsville, you half expect a wealthy New York City couple—he in a homburg and spats, she in a long, tight-waisted dress—to step off the train at the station across the street and enter the inn for a restful weekend in the country. Staying at the inn, which was built in 1907, is like stepping back in time.
With its elegant early-20th-century Edwardian style, the inn is reminiscent of the sprawling mansions that were built by the wealthy on the mountain here in that era—people like Forest Dryden, founder of the Prudential insurance Company, and Charles Pfizer, the pharmaceutical manufacturer.
The inn has been restored and redesigned several times over the years, most recently in 2006, and is well known not only for its history, but also for its progressive American cuisine and 14,000-bottle wine collection. Executive Chef Corey Heyer has been amassing accolades since he arrived in 2004, and he continues to turn out inventive fare using seasonal ingredients obtained from local purveyors.
On my visit, the spring menu had just been unveiled, and i enjoyed a dry-aged sirloin steak in a red wine sauce with sides of fresh asparagus and potatoes fried in duck fat. Yum.
After my decadent dinner, I headed upstairs to Room 4, dubbed Claremont, which was decorated in soothing cream and beige tones with toile curtains and mahogany furniture, including a king-size, four-poster bed, which thankfully had a step stool to facilitate entry. Like all the inn’s rooms, the Claremont is named for a storied local estate, in this case the home of George Browne Post, a founding father of the Bernardsville mountain colony and a prominent architect of the time. While savoring the historic look and feel of the Bernards Inn, you will also be happy to find modern amenities including a flat- screen TV and wireless internet access.
The inn doesn’t have a spa, but for those who seek pampering, the front desk will happily arrange an in-room massage or an appointment at the Spa Rejuv down the street. There, warm terra-cotta walls and low lighting make for a relaxing respite, and esthetician Jocelyn will take excellent care of you during a Rejuv Signature Facial, including a neck, shoulder, arm and hand massage.
For those who want to get outside and enjoy the summer weather, a short drive will lead to prime hiking and birding destinations such as the Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary, with 276 acres of trails; the great Swamp national Wild- life Refuge; and Jockey hollow, where George Washington’s Continental army troops stayed in the late 1700s. There’s also horseback riding nearby at Lord Stirling Stable.
Worn out from the day’s activities? Head back to the Bernards Inn to unwind with a drink at the bar while enjoying live piano entertainment. After all, it’s what visitors from a bygone era would have done.
