This just in
Books and classic typewriters fill the shelves behind the check-in desk at The Publisher Hotel, a handsome hideaway occupying the previous site of Fredericksburg, Virginia’s oldest newspaper, The Free Lance-Star. Opened in July in the city’s historic downtown, the new build’s 98 guest rooms and suites are appointed with leather headboards, sitting areas, comfortable working desks, complimentary Illy coffee and mini refrigerators. Deluxe king or two queen rooms boast a lovely balcony with outdoor seating. A handful of suites offer separate dining and living areas.
The on-site restaurant Five Chophouse & Bar is open for breakfast, brunch, weekday happy hour and dinner. Start the day with a pudgy stack of blueberry pancakes or crabcake Benedict, then return for a dinner of tempting small plates (think croquettes, duck wings, seared octopus) or steak prepared with a rub of your choosing.
Nearby attractions include scenic river walks, craft breweries, history tours, boutique stores and more. Rates start at $375 per night. Valet parking is $22 per day.
The Publisher Hotel, 711 William St., Fredericksburg, Virginia, 540-518-2624, thepublisherhotel.com
Escape to a country estate
Swanky hotel Pendry Natirar, which opened in October, is set on a 500-acre estate with rolling hills and scenic trails in Somerset County, New Jersey. It’s located along the north branch of the Raritan River. (Natirar is Raritan spelled in reverse.) The property consists of a 1912 Tudor-style mansion that was once home to Moroccan royalty, an adjacent hotel and luxury spa, and a 10-acre sustainable farm.
Each of the hotel’s 46 studio guest rooms and 20 suites includes dark wood and mossy green finishes, a Nespresso coffee machine and a marble bathroom with a walk-in rain shower. Suites also feature an elegant soaking bathtub and patio. Relax by the fire in the mansion’s great room, grab a book from the library or play a game in the billiards room—then savor afternoon tea or an evening cocktail in Ladd’s Tavern.
Natirar’s farm-to-table restaurant. Photo courtesy Pendry Natirar.
Ninety Acres, the estate’s distinguished farm-to-table restaurant, is home to a cooking school offering classes taught by local chefs using ingredients from the on-site farm. The curriculum includes classes on vegan and gluten-free cooking, and courses on basic skills and advanced culinary techniques, with recipes ranging from global cuisines to family-friendly meals. Head out of the kitchen for a sustainable farm tour or a lesson on making cocktails, soaps or candles with herbs from the farm.
A 19,000-square-foot spa incorporates estate-grown jasmine, eucalyptus and rose geranium in its menu of services, which includes facials, massages and body treatments. Be sure to leave extra time to enjoy the spa’s tranquility room. An outdoor pool, tennis courts, guided hikes, rental bikes and Paintbox Kids’ Club (for ages 5-12) round out the many ways to enjoy the property, which is less than a four-hour drive from Bethesda. Rates begin at $476.
Pendry Natirar, 400 Natirar Drive, Peapack, New Jersey, 908-254-2300, pendry.com/natirar
Hop into a beer bath
The inspiration for BierBath Beerspa and Alehouse in Sykesville, Maryland, began when one of its three owners tried a beer bath in Iceland. He discovered the wellness practice—which involves taking a therapeutic soak in craft beer ingredients—was popular in several European countries as a ritual to detoxify, rejuvenate and nourish the skin and hair.
While there are a few other beer spas in the U.S., BierBath, which opened in December 2023, is the only one in the mid-Atlantic and the only beer spa in the states that has a spa and alehouse.
The convivial alehouse, marked by warm yellow walls and subtle nods to its rubber ducky logo, has the requisite bar, plus a lounge seating area featuring cast-iron tubs converted into mini sofas. Family-friendly board games line a nearby shelf.
As for the spa, two soaking rooms offer a large tub ($100 for one person; $180 for two). A third room has two tubs ($210 for two people; $240 for four people). All have house music piped in, or the option of pairing your phone with a Bluetooth speaker to enjoy your own playlist as you kick back in a warm soak with hops, barley and Epsom salts. Swimsuits are required.
After a 40-minute soak, enjoy 10 minutes (or less, if you prefer) in the infrared sauna, followed by a refreshing rain shower. All baths include beer, wine, sangria or another beverage to imbibe as you unwind.
The rotating craft beer selection features an array of local, national and international brews. Order a flight of local suds to discover breweries you might wish to visit in the area. (If available, try Ghost of the Ice Cream Man, a stout from Monocacy Brewing Co. in Frederick, Maryland.) The food menu is a cut above typical pub fare with dishes such as German bratwurst topped with rich truffle sauce, tangy Dijon wine mustard and caramelized onions, or the chivito Uruguayan sandwich stuffed with bacon, honey smoked ham, seasoned short rib and melted mozzarella.
BierBath, 1213 Liberty Road B-4, Sykesville, Maryland, 443-398-8189, bierbath.com
This appears in the January/February 2025 issue of Bethesda Magazine.
