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January 2024 by Denise D. Gibson
Walkability: My family and I loved to get our steps in while exploring the grounds and take in the zen vibes while looking at the views.Noteworthy details: Our fave view was the lily pad pond with frogs lounging on top.
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November 2023 by Steven & Sarah Weis
My husband and I got married on 11/04 at Skylands Manor and we are still in awe of how incredible everything was! From the staff, to the food, to the timeline...everything was just perfection and exactly how we imagined our wedding day.Skylands Manor is truly a hidden gem! It is a big beautiful castle that you have all to yourself with a quaint and homey feeling. It's right in the botanical gardens making it perfect for absolutely stunning photos and a peaceful and romantic place to have your ceremony. We were so lucky to have a nice fall evening outside in Magnolia Lane.Our guests are still raving about the cocktail hour stations in the four different rooms. They also really loved our signature drinks and we received MANY compliments on how great the entrees and the cake were. Food was very important to us!My husband and I did not have to worry about a single thing throughout the day either. Our Maitre D, Linda was absolutely incredible from start to finish. As a control freak myself, I can confidently say that Linda and her staff can be trusted to make your day exactly how you want it. Leading up to our wedding, whenever I had questions she never hesitated to call me or text me. She's very detail oriented, attentive, and professional at all times. She even gave us some extra special things we wanted to have at our wedding and really made sure everything and everyone was taken care of. Linda also prepared plates of food for my husband and I so we could taste all the cocktail hour food before heading out to our guests. She really thinks of everything! Thank you Skylands Manor for the most unforgettable wedding day.
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October 2023 by Alexis Cavallaro
I am very disappointed as I expected something that could look so beautiful to end up being a total disaster. When I drove to the venue I had no idea where to park there were cones everywhere and the bridal party taking pictures I didn't want to interfere with their photos with my car in the background so I drove around twice to see if there were any valet workers but none in sight. When I first walked in I had no idea where to go, there weren't any staff to greet me at the door. The cocktail hour was scattered in different rooms and the bar was in the corner of one of the cocktail rooms which was hard to find. The food served at cocktail hour was cold. It was on and off raining and the reception was outside we were told that we couldn't move inside because there was another wedding for next Thursday (this wedding was on a Sunday). The bride and groom were so upset when this was supposed to be the happiest day of their life! When we went outside to sit down, the chairs were completely soaked. It was freezing, then it really started to rain so we had to sit inside which there was only one room with two tables that fit two people. The dinner was supposed to be served and it ended up being buffet style. Once again, we were all scattered in the different rooms without any music until hours later. We all wanted to be together but ended up having to be separated into different rooms because there wasn't enough space. It was very uncomfortable and upsetting. The people who worked there didn't even try to make us feel better or check on us they really were nowhere to be found. This bride and groom serve in the army and fight for our lives and this country. As an American who supports our troops, this place was a disgrace and I would not book any event here.
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October 2023 by Catherine Pena
I Attended a wedding at this venue and it was the worst and most unethical experience. Upon entering the venue there wasn't anyone at the door to great you and guide you towards the event. For cocktail hour, the cocktail spread was split into about 4 different rooms. You had to travel across each room in order to be able to see what was being served. Only one of the cocktail rooms had small tables and chairs which wasn't enough for all of the guest. The open bar was not located in a convenient section, it was indoors in the corner of a room, where as the venue was located outside. Lets dig in to the poorly presented outdoor venue, I am in awe with Groom and Bride who experienced the worst day of their lives rather then the most magical day that they deserved and pay THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR! It was raining, all of the guest had to sit on wet chairs, they paid for Dinner to be served for their guest. But instead the venue decided to instead make the food BUFFET STYLE ! Poorly presented Buffet style, the guest had to get up after sitting in the rain to serve themselves. To make matters worst the Groom and Bride asked to move the venue inside but were told they can't make that happen because they had a venue set up for an event that upcoming Thursday! The wedding was on a SUNDAY! The dance floor was wet making it hazard to all the guest dancing. A friend of mine also overheard two servers stating that there is a SPIDER in the food to remove it before serving it - how disgusting is that ?! They took advantage of this family and didn't provide them the services they paid for, it was over all it was a DISASTER! Think a Million times before booking this venue. They SCAM you of your dream wedding and no one ever deserves to relive a nightmare that should have been a fairytale.
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October 2023 by Dana Elia
Booked a stay here in the King Alfred Suite for our 10th wedding anniversary using the Groupon they were running. The suite was quaint and the idea of staying in a castle was exciting - but the bathroom was very dark and smells extremely musty. Check-in was simple however the innkeeper was obviously distracted with other guests and a wedding planned for the next day. He informed us that they lock the front door by 10 pm so to call his cell phone when we returned from our dinner reservation so he could let us in. We got back around 11pm and had to call numerous times before Vinny answered and he seemed annoyed when we returned and asked for some ice for our leftovers. Within the hour of returning to our room the power went out to our suite, leaving us with no electric but more importantly no heat and it was freezing in our room. We called repeatedly to no avail - no one was around or answered to help us with this situation and thus we froze all night in the room - I even had to sleep with a hat on! We were brushed aside in the morning as the skeleton crew staff was more occupied with the wedding guests and the power continued to go out even after they reset the circuit breaker. While the grounds and estate are lovely - be warned that the staff is stretched thin and obviously they do not have a proper plan in place for the staff to handle emergencies and relying on cell service in the building to reach staff has proven to be an epic fail! BTW if you do stay in the King Suite the fuse box is in a closet down the hall as you'll likely have to reset your own circuit breaker if you need to use the heat in the room.
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September 2023 by Deborah Lee
As a wedding photographer, I can say that this is one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in New Jersey! So many clients request their pictures to be taken here. It's the perfect spot for photos and a peaceful stroll.
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September 2023 by Tameka Beck
Absolutely wonderful stay! Rented a gorgeous room in the castle for a couple days for me and my husband's 27 yr wedding anniversary, and we had a blast! Big beautiful castle with big spacious rooms. My husband and I stayed during the week and we practically had the whole castle to ourselves!! The Inn keeper is amazing! Lemon water and cookies available all day. Lots of choices for breakfast. Lots of land and garden to walk and roam. This place is beautiful and very comfortable! I'm so glad we got a room in this castle instead of a typical hotel. Our room was huge! Loved, loved, loved. Will stay at again when I come back to this area of the states.
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September 2023 by Delong Cen
I got married at this venue in 2019 and it is even more beautiful than the photos can show. The catering company left a little to be desired but that doesn't take away from the amazing experience of spending your most special day at this historic site. You truly will feel like you are at a castle somewhere in Europe.
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June 2023 by Regla Fraga
Nice place with a great variety of plants and statues where you can have a picnic and enjoy nature.!!
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May 2023 by Mandy Warga
The Castle is an absolutely magical place to stay! Liz the innkeeper is exceptional! She provides extraordinary service and cooks the most Devine quiche I have ever tasted in all my life! This place is a must go!
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May 2023 by Lexi Johnson
Such an amazing experience at an actual castle. Staying in the middle of the New Jersey Botanical Gardens is a special trip that everyone has to make. The Innkeeper, Liz, specifically made me feel at home in the castle from the welcoming atmosphere I was greeted with to the five star breakfast that was made every morning. If you enjoy delicious food, pretty gardens, and an even better host/innkeeper, you'll never want to leave The Castle at Skylands Manor.
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May 2023 by Sandie Johnson
What a great trip! The photo opportunities alone filled up my camera roll. The breakfasts every morning made by Innkeeper, Liz, was mouth-watering and her hospitality made the castle feel like home.
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April 2023 by Elizabeth Barnes
What a magical place! It was like traveling to Europe. The Inn keeper Liz effortlessly took care of our every need (even ones we did not know we had). The breakfast was cooked by her and was chef quality. She catered to my mother’s gluten free needs and made her feel special and not that her dietary restrictions were a burden. We were provided with her cell phone number so that we could easily have any question answered no matter where on the grounds we were. She truly made us feel like royalty and treated us like family.Despite its age and size the manor was meticulously clean and fresh smelling. The beds and pillows were delightfully comfortable and modern. Our rooms had giant walk in closets. It was so nice to store our things and have a nice clean room free of clutter. Eating breakfast surrounded by walls from the 15th century was mind blowing. Located in the middle of the botanical garden gave us hours of pleasure. This is a hidden gem. We met people in the botanical garden who live nearby and had no idea they could stay here. Every evening and morning we took a private stroll in the gardens before they opened.The manor would be the perfect backdrop for any event! We had such fun exploring the manor. We had a scavenger hunt to find all the hidden mini window paintings. We would have loved to have learned more of the history of the house but unfortunately there was not a lot of information available. We were sad that there was nothing we could purchase to remember our trip by. The Skyland Manor and Liz far outdid our expectations. We felt like we were leaving our summer home as we drove away. We are already planning our next trip back!
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April 2023 by Samantha Awadallah
My daughter and I love staying at The Castle! We went for a special trip to sleep in a real castle, as my daughter is very into Princesses. The morning of our arrival, I received a welcome message from the inn keeper Liz, who I was then later able to let know we were running late. She greeted us outside when we arrived, which was so welcoming. Tip: Pull up to the Castle to unload items, then park in Lot A (closest lot). Liz was very helpful in getting us settled and throughout the evening as we needed things; she's very kid friendly. We stayed in the Queen's Suite, which was totally worth the full feel of being "in a castle." I loved that the bathtub was deep enough for me to take a full soaking bath in and also had the removable shower head which was perfect for rinsing my daughter off after her bath. The room was gorgeous- there was detailed wood carved paneling all around and gorgeous outside views. While there were a few not perfect physical aspects (ex. chipped paint in sink), it totally made sense because we were in a 100 year old castle, and it helped remind us of the history and add to the feel. The water was instantly hot for us every time, not sure if we just got lucky with that. In the morning, Liz was ready for us with a WONDERFUL breakfast of fluffy scrambled eggs and fluffy pancakes (as requested by my daughter), obviously both freshly made. We also enjoyed touring the grounds. We loved staying here and will return. Thank you Liz for being such a welcoming host!
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April 2023 by Calvin Barnes
We spent 2 magical days and nights at this magnificent castle and Botanical Botanical Gardens! Innkeeper Liz made us feel at home and catered to our every need. The fresh cooked breakfast was delicious and filling! The beds were like sleeping on a cozy cloud. We are already planning a return trip!
