SPA DELIGHT AT MIRAVAL AUSTIN
Admit it: You’ve always wanted to throw a hatchet, stand on top of a telephone pole to admire the views, commune with horses on a deeper level and work at an organic farm. At Miraval Austin, the Hill Country’s newest spa and wellness center — and sister property to the famed original in Tucson, Ariz. — you can do all that and more.
Set on 220 acres of prime hilltop real estate just outside Austin, on a nature preserve hovering above Lake Travis, Miraval Austin took over and enhanced a space created by Dellionaires Ken and Joyce Beck as a progressive learning center, called Omega at The Crossings. They offered mindfulness classes and retreats; had a labyrinth and vegetarian meals; and sought to create a place of repose and reflection showcased by nature. Later, Travaasa, an innovative boutique brand, gussied up the hideaway and drew luxury travelers. This latest incarnation combines the soul of both previous projects, thanks to Miraval’s long commitment to well-being and focus on transformative vacations.
Check in for a mindfulness reset. With 117 stylishly comfortable rooms and suites built to keep nature at the forefront, the resort promises restfulness. Most guests will want to fill their dance card with the plethora of offerings, which range from an equine program (called Mindful Horseback Riding, it’s meant to instill confidence and trust) to an extensive astrology session to a Tex Zen Yoga (set to Texas music) to meetings with a beekeeper at the on-site farm.
Foodies will swoon in the Williams Sonomaout-fitted kitchen as they learn to make bone broth or brew kombucha. A high ropes-challenge course over the ravine gets the heart rate up while time at the Life in Balance Spa soothes the mind, body and spirit. Don’t miss the Ayurvedic-meets-Austin-inspired Pranayama Dina treatment, in which you’re suspended from a silk hammock and massaged from beneath with feet, all to the soundtrack of the indigenous Golden Cheeked Warbler with a Texas starry night sky projected overhead.
All inclusive prices at Miraval Austin start at $529 per person, per night; miravalaustin.com.