Spring has arrived, and with it, a sense of renewed energy here at Crystal Springs Resort. We hope this season finds you well. We are pleased to report that the year is off to a strong start, with high occupancy rates reflecting the exceptional appeal of the Grand Cascades Lodge experience. Our success is built on a simple promise: putting our guests first. By offering diverse seasonal packages and maintaining our status as a premier AAA Four-Diamond retreat, we remain an attractive destination for those seeking luxury near the city.
The testimonials we receive from our leisure and group guests are a source of great pride. They speak to the heart of what we do — providing a welcoming atmosphere and world-class service in beautifully maintained spaces. This excellence translates directly into business growth and increased asset value, ensuring the continued strength of your investment.
Thank you for being such an important part of our story. We invite you to explore the following updates regarding our world-class offerings.
Spring 2026
NOTEWORTHY PROJECTS + ENHANCEMENTS
Crystal Springs Resort continually enhances its offerings through new projects and refurbishments. Both the interior and exterior of Grand Cascades Lodge and the Crystal Springs Clubhouse are consistently maintained and upgraded to uphold our standard of excellence. Specific undertakings by property location are detailed below:
GRAND CASCADES LODGE
Executive Owner’s Lounge
• A stunning new lounge, located in what was originally guest room 238, is now open for full use and enjoyment.
• The room’s design drew inspiration from the hotel’s lobby, creating a seamless and comfortable transition between the two spaces.
Springs Bistro
• The Resort has been working on the renovation and expansion of Springs Bistro, with a projected grand reopening of mid-April.
• The newly debuted Gino 34 will feature an exciting Italian menu, introducing several of our founder’s favorite dishes as a special tribute.
• The bistro will be enhanced by a striking design featuring an enclosure with glass walls.
• The interior will be broadened to allow for additional seating, which will prove beneficial particularly during high demand weekends, summer months and periods with school breaks.
• A kitchen expansion will allow for the creation of a broader menu, improved efficiency and greater offerings including capacity for takeout to serve owners, members and area residents.
Guest Room Renovation
• Three guest rooms have been fully renovated and are now included in the rental program.
• Formerly featuring the original décor, these rooms have been redesigned to meet the biophilic standards found throughout the hotel.
Interior Stairwells
• The lodge’s interior stairwells have been fully repainted.
• The updated finishes on the ceilings, walls and floors provide a clean, inviting transit space for both staff and visitors.
Springs Bistro
Owner’s Lounge
CRYSTAL SPRINGS CLUBHOUSE
Wine Cellar
• The Bordeaux Room’s transformation is anchored by stunning new dining tables, hand-carved in Mexico from Texas mesquite.
• Their organic design serves as a tactile tribute to the property’s rugged natural beauty.
Glice Rink
• The Resort centralized its festive activities at the Glice Rink for a more seamless visit.
• Highlights included a redesigned Santa experience set within a “Christmas tree farm” immersive installation, offering the perfect backdrop for holiday memories.
Exterior Staircases
• The transition between the Crystal Tavern and the Wedding Garden has been enhanced with a new exterior staircase.
• This project replaced the previous metal structure with a durable, visually refined design befitting this high-profile location.
SWIMMING POOL COMPLEXES
Biosphere
• Our 140-foot Biosphere slide just received a full hardware tune-up.
• We proactively replaced every bolt, ensuring the structure is solid and ready for the high traffic that warmer weather brings.
OPERATION SYSTEMS
Project Management Software
• The engineering department has implemented a new management software to streamline operations.
• Technicians can now receive and respond to work orders directly via mobile, while the system maintains a comprehensive inventory — including serial numbers, equipment age, and maintenance schedules.
• Further, the platform allows for instant reporting on all completed tasks.
STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS
Heidi Nowak
Last month, Crystal Springs Resort welcomed industry veteran Heidi Nowak as Chief Sales Officer, a strategic hire to strengthen and advance the resort’s commercial success as the premier luxury resort destination in the Northeast, while positioning it for expanded growth across broader markets.
Heidi brings extensive international and domestic experience transforming luxury hospitality brands and portfolios into highperforming assets, including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Six Senses, Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Salamander Hotels & Resorts, The Ritz-Carlton and Timbers. She has led major commercial turnarounds, repositioned flagship destinations and guided teams responsible for more than $200 million in annual revenue.
Recognized for her dynamic leadership integrating sales, marketing, revenue management and distribution into unified, performance-driven strategies, Heidi pairs strategic insight with operational discipline.
Chef Florian Wehrli
Earlier this year, Crystal Springs Resort welcomed back culinary icon Florian Wehrli as Executive Chef. A celebrated international talent, Wehrli returns to New Jersey’s premier luxury destination bringing his signature farm-to-table mastery and global expertise. His career began in his native Switzerland, training under the legendary Georges Wenger at his two-Michelin-star restaurant.
After refining his craft across Europe, Florian’s career took him to major culinary hubs in New York City, Colorado and Las Vegas. Most recently, he served as Executive Chef for the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center, overseeing high-profile galas, black-tie events, and the iconic Grand Tier restaurant. Guests at Crystal Springs Resort can once again experience Chef Florian’s masterful culinary direction firsthand.
LEISURE STAYS + ALL-INCLUDED ACTIVITIES
Crystal Springs Resort continues to increase demand and occupancy at both hotels by marketing to a variety of audiences for family vacations, couples escapes, girlfriend getaways, golf trips and social celebrations. Our communication plan focuses on digital initiatives featuring captivating photography and video showcasing our offerings. Additionally, we have heightened our partnerships with influencers and content creators, as these relationships have proven to be an effective way to increase brand reach and grow our following.
Feedback on the All-Included Activities program that we launched two years ago has been very positive. The inclusion of all Resort guest activities {other than workshops} such as fishing, axe throwing and rock wall climbing, has resulted in improved guest satisfaction and higher leisure demand.
Currently, the Resort is aiming to capture more midweek leisure reservations – Sunday through Thursday stays – from the valuable New York DMA, leveraging diverse offerings in golf, spa and dining. Our messaging strategy is to persuade those seeking leisure travel that Crystal Springs Resort offers a convenient and premium alternative to destinations requiring air travel. The campaign will highlight the Resort’s diverse high-quality offerings and the ease of access from the New York DMA, reinforcing the message that a luxurious and fulfilling escape is within closer reach than they might think. The core message will be centered around the time-saving and stress-free nature of choosing Crystal Springs without compromising on experience.
2026: ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS
Crystal Springs Resort has improved the guest activity experience for visitors to enjoy in all four seasons.
Prioritizing Consistency and Quality
We are refining our guest experience by enhancing the most popular activities and optimizing our schedule to ensure maximum participation. Moving forward, we are prioritizing complimentary offerings to provide even greater value during our guests’ stay.
While favorites like Glow Parties will move to busy Friday nights, Goat Races will now be featured exclusively as a special Holiday Weekend event. We remain committed to our premier activities — from the excitement of axe throwing and laser clay shooting to the serenity of forest bathing and koi feeding. We will continue our other core, high-performing activities such as archery, fishing, glow bingo, scavenger hunts, hoverball archery, dive-in and outdoor movies, live weekend music, kids craft corner, marshmallow roasting, sparkler photos and farm tours.
Expanding Age-Exclusive Activities
We are excited to introduce an expanded lineup of complimentary activities designed exclusively for our teen and adult guests. To better serve our older demographic, we are offering dedicated sessions for pyrography, flower pounding and resin crafts, alongside mindful experiences like trailside sketching and star-bathing. These programs are available solely for these age groups to ensure a a more mature atmosphere.
Fee-based Workshops
These will remain in our offering rotation and include chocolate molding, mixology, wine tasting, glow painting, stuffed animal builds, paint-and-sips, metal stamping, and seasonal/holiday crafts. Note that our emphasis will remain on our value-add experiences with complimentary offerings.
Animal Programming
Our petting zoo location will revert back to the space adjacent to the Biosphere Pool complex. Our animal programming will be rounded out with animal educators, meet-the-chickens {with a chicken freeze dance in the summer to attract a younger audience}, bunnies, beekeepers, pollinator talks, pony rides and goat yoga at sister property Minerals.
SPRING/SUMMER 2026: SPECIALS + PACKAGES
We have successfully launched our seasonal packages, which are a mix of new offerings designed to stimulate the aforementioned midweek demand plus existing summer promotions which have previously performed well.
Spring Fling Savings + Spring Break Getaway
Up to 30% savings {with a 3 night stay} on hotel stay plus all-included activities, breakfast credit and more.
Sunshine Swim + Sip
Springtime hotel stay plus all-included activities, two plush robes, $50 credit to use towards drinks, complimentary room upgrade, breakfast credit and more.
Sweet Summertime Escape
A summer package which includes a beach bag bundle consisting of 2 plush beach towels, 2 pairs of sunglasses, 1 tote bag and gelatos for 2.
Culinary Garden Getaway
Niche offer with a Chef’s Garden Tour conducted by expert Resort gardener, pot of planted herbs and a $100 dining credit.
World Cup Packages
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup arriving in North America, Crystal Springs Resort is uniquely positioned to serve the influx of fans traveling to MetLife Stadium. As local lodging reaches capacity and rates soar, the Resort offers a premium alternative for those seeking world-class accommodations within reach of the tournament’s East Rutherford hub.
SUSTAINABILITY — BEE INITIATIVES
Crystal Springs Resort continues to be supportive of bee-related initiatives with the goal of creating awareness regarding issues that are plaguing bees. Below are some of the projects we have undertaken:
Honey-Infused Cocktails in the Chef’s Garden
The past season saw the introduction of a collection of innovative honey infused cocktails including Pleased Bees, Honeyed Breeze and the alcohol-free Bumblebee
Bee Mural in the Chef’s Garden
Grand Cascades Lodge concluded its collaborative project with The Good of the Hive, a global art organization founded by Matt Willey. The artist’s undertaking is based on his personal commitment to hand-paint 50,000 honey bees – the number in a healthy, thriving hive – in murals around the world to bring attention to the plight of bees. Matt had selected the Chef’s Garden for one of his creations, and painted a stunning ceiling mural at our outdoor restaurant. Guests have been intrigued by Willey’s work, and we are proud to have his artwork be an ongoing source of interest for our visitors.
Landscape Design
The Resort’s has select landscapes which were created to provide bees with the nectar and pollen they need to thrive. The parking lot at the Crystal Springs Clubhouse was purposely laid out to be filled with wild flowers plus other flowers that bees love including Monarda, Babtisia, Coneflower, Joe Pye Weed, Goldenrod and Marsh Blazing Star. Native trees such as Willows, Red Buds, Basswood, Tulip Popular and Black Locus were selected as excellent sources of food for bees.
On Site Hives + Bee Nesting Boxes
The Resort has installed on-site hives throughout the property and bee nesting boxes along our Wild Turkey Nature Trail to support enhancing the local bee population.
Bee Box Teambuilding
Corporate group guests can participate in a bee box building team development offering. Groups work with a local beekeeper to build a bee box with supplied materials. The beekeeper shares fun facts about how a bee colony develops, how honey is made, as well as how bees are critical to local agriculture and the food chain. The completed bee boxes will be donated to a local farm and become the new home of a bee colony.
Meet the Beekeeper
The Resort has a regularly scheduled beekeeper, JC from Bees, Birds & Bears Apiary, who discusses fun facts about how a bee colony develops, how it makes honey and why bees are so important to the food chain. This activity is complimentary for guests staying at the Resort.
Honey: Retail
The Resort sells local honey in its Pro Shops and markets throughout the property, and also uses it as an ingredient in various menu items at our restaurants. Profits from all honey sales will be donated to Project Apis m., which funds and directs honey bee research to enhance honey bee health and vitality while improving crop production.
WEDDINGS
Crystal Springs Resort is redefining the modern destination wedding with the introduction of immersive, multi-day celebrations set across our four distinct properties. Designed for couples seeking more than a single-day event, the resort’s reimagined wedding experience transforms celebrations into thoughtfully curated weekends where welcome gatherings, ceremony backdrops, culinary moments, and farewell brunches unfold seamlessly across a collection of unique settings.
Our wedding events continue to perform very well, with a near full schedule for the balance of this year and strong 2027 business projected for the hotel’s Emerald Ballroom and Big Sky Pavilion, which can accommodate larger wedding groups.
The Resort has heavily invested in marketing programs including paid search, CTV campaigns and promotion via top media vendors {The Knot, Wedding Wire, Zola, Here Comes the Guide and others} in order to generate qualified leads and booked business.
For more information on planning events, please scan the qr code to fill out an RFP.
CORPORATE SALES
The Resort is seeing a significant surge in demand from groups who recognize the unparalleled benefits of in-person events. Our clients increasingly value face-to-face meetings, understanding that they foster superior communication quality. Participants can easily read body language, minimize distractions from sidebar conversations, and maintain a stronger team focus.
A crucial element of in-person gatherings that was largely absent during the hybrid/Zoom era of COVID is teambuilding. Impressively, 90% of groups visiting The Resort incorporate some type of activity, which significantly contributes to the overall success of their meeting. Many of these activities are focused on wellness, as planners are actively seeking team time that is inspirational, energizing, and rejuvenating within a calming environment. Teams can engage in hands-on experiences like guided nature walks, life/health coaching, cooking with locally foraged ingredients, restorative yoga, sound bowl healing, meditation and rock climbing — all set against our beautiful, bucolic mountain backdrop. Further, The Resort has heavily invested in marketing programs including paid search, CTV campaigns and promotion via industry platforms and partners {Cvent, Teneo and others} in order to amplify our message, generate qualified leads and yield booked business.
For more information on planning meetings and events, please scan the qr code to fill out an RFP.
INSPIRATION SERIES TEAMBUILDING HIGHLIGHTS
The Resort offers the most comprehensive teambuilding and group activities program in the Northeast. With our curated Inspiration Series, staff can participate in tactile experiences within the categories of nature, wellness, sustainability, culinary and local agriculture. Popular offerings include guided nature walks, cooking with locally foraged ingredients, restorative yoga, sound bowl healing and meditation in a beautiful bucolic mountain setting.
In addition to the Inspiration Series, the Resort offers an array of additional team building activities with themes focused on culinary, wine and mixology, charity builds, group games, outdoor adventures, golf clinics, creative endeavors, team training + development and more.
GOLF OUTING SALES
As the Northeast’s largest golf resort, Crystal Springs Resort is the ideal place to host a golf outing for businesses, non-profits or leisure groups looking to hit the fairways. Our experienced team hosts over 500 golf events every year and can make an outing event a success in achieving fundraising, celebration and team building goals. For the third year in a row, we have been selected as the site for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation first responder outing, the largest of its kind in the United States. We have recently introduced our Summer Outing Special available at all 18-hole courses, midweek in July and August. Additionally, we have an array of unique golf outing packages which differentiate us from our competition. Ballyowen Bagpiper & Scotch Experience, Highlands Golf & Hand-Rolled Cigars and the Triple Shotgun Outing have been popular choices for groups looking for a one-of-a-kind event.
For more information on planning an outing, please scan the qr code to fill out an RFP.
HOLIDAYS + EVENTS
The Resort continues to offer a mix of compelling events and holiday gatherings which guests return to year after year.
THIS SPRING/SUMMER, OUR MAIN EVENTS WILL BE:
NJ Wine and Food Festival
During May 1 -3, Crystal Springs will hold its annual New Jersey Wine & Food Festival featuring legendary Chef Marco Pierre White. Dubbed the godfather of modern English cooking, the first rock-star chef is a renowned chef, restaurateur and TV personality. He has led the UK restaurant scene for over 40 years and is regarded by many to have single-handedly brought it to being at the forefront of modern gastronomy.
In addition, the event will feature three Top Chefs preparing an amazing dining experience, a cocktail competition with top New Jersey bartenders, and the popular Grand Tasting which covers the expanse of the Crystal Springs Clubhouse. We host approximately 1,500 guests over the course of the weekend and the overall event is always managed flawlessly by Resort staff.
NJ Beer and Food Festival
On June 20, the New Jersey Beer & Food Festival will be held on our Festival Field adjacent to Route 94. Guests will enjoy an over the top barbecue feast with tastings of over two hundred beers, ciders and hard seltzers, live music, fun-filled activities, lawn games and more.
Black Bear Bourbon + BBQ
Held monthly from May to August, this popular event at Black Bear Golf Course will feature specialty BBQ, bourbon tastings, draft specials, darts, pool tables, goat yoga photo booths and a 9 & Dine component for golfers.
Hickory + Scotch
The Hickory & Scotch tournament at Ballyowen Golf Club is an annual, popular event featuring vintage 1929-era hickory stick clubs, oncourse fine scotch tastings, and a four-player team scramble format.
OUR SUCCESSFUL HOLIDAY OFFERINGS IN Q1 +
Q2 INCLUDE:
Valentine’s Day
Guests were invited to celebrate the day of love with exquisite dining, spa specials at Reflections and Elements, spa gift cards and romantic getaways for the holiday and beyond.
Easter
This springtime holiday will offer multiple dining opportunities including 3 buffets, an Easter egg hunt, visits with the Easter Bunny and live entertainment at our brunch venues.
Mother’s Day
Families will be treated to their choice of brunch or sit-down dining, highlighted by a professional family photo booth and a build your own bouquet activity at The Canyon {Minerals Hotel}.
SIP + SAVOR
The Curator Wine + Spirits Bar Room
Guests can discover an extraordinary and ever-evolving collection at our stylish retail venue, nestled within our Wine Spectator Grand Awardwinning Wine Cellar. We offer a curated selection of fine wines, spirits and wine merchandise, plus artisan chocolates. Explore our recent additions of rare Tequila, Scotch, Bourbon and Cognac.
The Chef’s Table at Restaurant Latour
Make your reservations now for The Chef’s Table at Restaurant Latour, an exclusive and immersive dining experience offered each Friday evening. The evening begins with a welcome gathering in The Curator, followed by an elevator ride direct to the kitchen of Restaurant Latour where guests are greeted by our chefs. Utilizing an array of foraged and meticulously sourced ingredients, Chef Florian Wehrli and his team prepare five exceptional courses of seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, delighting guests at the renowned Restaurant Latour. The menu is refreshed each week and also features surprise offerings from the kitchen.
Local Distillery Collaboration
The Resort has partnered with Claremont Distillery, next door to the Resort’s administrative building. We are using a selection of their spirits at our resort dining outlets and have collaborated with them for various leisure offers.
CRYSTAL CABARET
In the spirit of the cabarets of yesteryear, Crystal Springs Resort has continued the Crystal Cabaret offering in the attractively decorated and furnished Napa Room. Guests can enjoy extraordinary weekend entertainment featuring gifted singers and talented comedians. Grammy Award winner Hernan Romero will perform during each show’s opening and intermission.
Located in at Crystal Springs Country Club every Saturday night through May and will resume again in September.
Includes signature cocktails and wine, plus sweet or savory fondue.
Book now by calling 844.845.9697 or emailing info@csresort.com
Crystal Springs Resort, the Northeast’s premier golf destination, is raising the bar for the 2026 season with enhancements designed to welcome first-time players, families, and young adults — while continuing to impress returning guests and seasoned golfers alike.
The Resort anticipates record-breaking participation this season, fueled by the national resurgence in golf’s popularity — particularly among 18- to 34-year-olds who value the sport’s blend of physical activity, mental wellness and outdoor social connection. Crystal Springs is responding to this momentum with exciting upgrades across its courses and facilities including:
Black Bear Trackman Range
Guests enjoyed the inaugural season of this vibrant & lively facility last year and we intend to heavily promote its benefits, including:
Exciting Challenges: Contest Nights {most Friday evenings during spring and summer}.
Games for Everyone: Interactive golf games suitable for all ages and skill levels.
Swing Improvement: Cutting-edge Trackman technology to fine-tune your swing.
Practice Areas: Improved skills via the natural grass range tee and practice area.
Expert Tips: Complimentary instructional events to improve your golf game.
Bites + Sips: Handcrafted food and drinks compliment the Trackman experience.
Night Golf: 100% lighted driving range allows the fun to continue after dark.
New for 2026! The Black Bear Trackman Range Membership gives golfers access to cutting-edge practice technology and flexible membership options. This premium-level membership is designed to deliver enhanced value through added playing privileges and exclusive perks.
Premier Limited Membership
The resort has introduced this membership type which includes lower pricing & some weekend restrictions in order to attract higher membership.
Golf Course Renovations
The resort continues to renovate its championship-caliber courses, including work on the irrigation systems, bunker renovations & tee leveling.
The
Leadbetter
Golf Academy
As the game grows, so does interest in lessons and clinics for all ages and experience levels. The Leadbetter Golf Academy at Crystal Springs continues to see strong demand, thanks to its reputation for excellence and a staff of certified instructors including Golf Magazine Top 100 instructor Sean Hogan.
Reflections Spa continues to delight guests with its pampering services, expansive retail and dazzling ambiance. The spa’s menu features lavish massages, skin therapies and beauty treatments that incorporate innovative techniques and products. The luxurious facilities and glamorous atmosphere are sleek and seductive, inviting guests to release their stresses and find elevated heights of relaxation. Reflections Spa is implementing several new services:
Head Spa Experience
This elite head spa experience is a restorative ritual that honors both mind and body. The process blends scientific precision and sensory tranquility, cleansing the scalp, stimulating circulation, and creating an environment for healthier, more radiant hair.
Red Light Therapy Panels
This treatment has been designed to stimulate collagen, reduce inflammation, and improve overall skin tone.
Aesthetics Menu
We will debut a new menu this Spring, which will include the use of Glo2 Facial, which is a non-invasive “oxygenation” treatment that uses patented technology to exfoliate, infuse active nutrients, and stimulate oxygenation from within to produce immediate, glowing results with no downtime. A VIP preview event is planned for Tuesday, April 21st.
Lunchtime Lift
This new option will be available for our VIP members and is designed to sculpt and tighten, removing years from your skin with weekly 30 minute treatments.
The spa boutique continues to offer an attractive collection of apparel, jewelry and top product lines such as Caudalie, NuFace and Tara. This year, Reflections Spa was awarded the honor of #2 Luxury Spa in NJ by Spas of America Top 100 Spas of 2025.
We are delighted about the continued extraordinary feedback for Minerals Sports Club facilities, which include:
The Foundry: An expansive cardio and weight training floor, located in the former basketball court space. The MSC gym floor recently received 14 new pieces of equipment, which has enhanced the member experience as part of our plan to gradually renew all gym equipment.
Fit Works Studio: A sophisticated studio space with a robust fitness and yoga class schedule.
The High Wall: A sleek basketball court and high energy rock climbing wall space.
The Gristmill Spin Room: A space for indoor cycling which increase cardiovascular endurance & muscular strength.
Pool Complex: Indoor/outdoor pools, steam, sauna, hot tubs, cold plunge.
Pickleball Courts: 3 regulation courts for use by our members and guests.
Personal Training — Get Fit for Life!
Our personal trainers will guide you through a fitness routine that meets and succeeds your individual goals. Instruction includes proper warm-up exercises, form and technique to stay injury free, a healthy diet to improve your lifestyle, plus how to remain motivated.
For membership and pesonal training information, please email jcougle@csresort.com
OUR LODGING TEAMS
In addition to our dedicated frontline team members, the following managers are critical to the continued success of the Crystal Springs Resort lodging program and are always at your service for any questions or requests:
MINERALS HOTEL
Sherif Ayoub, General Manager
973.864.8047 • sayoub@csresort.com
Caroline Little, Owner Relations
973.864.8980 • clittle@csresort.com
Betty Decker-Verkon, Accounts Receivable Manager
973.864.8901 • bdecker@csresort.com
Gail Sanson, Director of Resort Revenue and Reservations
973.864.8084 • gsanson@csresort.com
GRAND CASCADES LODGE
Bill Polchinski, General Manager
973.864.8059 • bpolchinski@csresort.com
Caroline Little, Owner Relations Coordinator
973.864.8980 • clittle@csresort.com
Gemmy Dimitry, Assistant General Manager
973.864.8955 • gdimitry@csresort.com
Nicole Sisco, Director of Front Office 973.864.8703 • nsisco@csresort.com
Gail Sanson, Director of Resort Revenue and Reservations
973.864.8084 • gsanson@csresort.com
Call the Crystal Springs Resort Reservations Sales Center at 888.239.1016 to book your stay. Visit our Resort website for all the latest happenings. TheCrystalSpringsResort.com
We are committed to improving as a partner to our Homeowners and making Grand Cascades Lodge at Crystal Springs Resort the premier staycation in the New York metro area.
Wishing you all the best!
Sincerely,
Robby Younes Chief Operating Officer
Bill Polchinski General Manager — Grand Cascades Lodge
