A few weeks ago, I took a trip to Austin, Texas to visit the Miraval Austin Resort & Spa. I have two words to describe my experience there ” Life Changing”. I have been to many resort and spas but none like this one so far. They found a way to cover every expect of your life, your mind, body, soul, and spirit. Each experience you partake in, ends with a moment to debrief and reflex on what you got out of the lesson or what would you take away from it. With hundreds of things to do at Miraval, I did not have the time to experience it all. The services I experienced while there I have recapped below. The resort & spa has something for everyone. Whether you are married, single, grieving, pregnant, retired or just want to have some me time, this is the place for you.
The Rooms
stayed in their Double Queen Dreamcatchers Room. It was so spacious, and the views were everything!! I never closed the room shutters because no matter if it were day or night, the scenery was always beautiful. The bed was the highlight of my room experience, it was the most comfortable bed. If you want to take the mattress and bedding with you, they sell it on their website which leads me to believe, they knew exactly what they were doing by providing such a comfortable bed.
If you find it hard to get some sleep, simply turn on the mediation station on the television and you will be in no time. The room had the standard amenities, such as refrigerator, dryer, bath robe and coffeemaker. I would add they closet had lots of space of storage and a place to hang your jewelry. Overall, it was a nice and comfy room.
Contactless room service is available throughout the day as well.
The Food
THE HILLTOP CROSSING KITCHEN
Before I get into the food, let me mention the view. The restaurant overlooks Lake Travis is the view is breathtaking. Now to the food, the menu offers delicious, yet healthy meals and they top it all off with a yummy desert. Most of the fruits and vegetables comes from the farm right at the resort so they are always very fresh and very tasty. Every dish I had was delicious, they have signature dishes that remain on the menu all the time and they add a new selection, for each meal. Because it is all-inclusive. you can order what you want. I recommend ordering a few dishes and share if you are going with someone. Even if you are there solo, try as many options as you can because the portion sizes are fair, and you won’t leave the restaurant feeling blotted.
The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Due to COVID-19, it is recommended that you make a reservation a few hours before you are ready to eat. We did not have any trouble making a reservation and the tables were socially distant. If you prefer to eat in your room, the full menu is available, and it can be delivered to your door.
THE NEST
Want a quick bit before dinner or between activities? The Nest is the spot for that. They have a full-service bar for drinks, tea, and coffee. They also have a station that has snacks to go, such as chicken salad sandwiches, lettuce wraps and these amazing avocado cookies that you must try! It is located right next to the spa so after you do a little self-care, you can walk right next door and grab you a light bite to eat.
THE NOOK
This is your cozy corner for private dining events. Whether you are looking to host an intimate family gathering or a professional private party, this is the perfect space for creating camaraderie and conversation as you dine among friends, family, or peers
The Life in Balance Spa
While at the resort, I did partake in some much-needed self-care. I received the 90 minute, Miraval Deep Tissue Message and the 90-minute Spiritual Warriors Facial. At spa check-in, you are required to have your temperature checked. A staff member escorts you to your locker and remains in the locker room to make sure things are cleaned often. Both of services were great. They only use all natural, organic products which I can appreciate. I also recommend, whatever service your choice, do the 90 minutes as oppose to the 60 minutes. It makes a big difference and I probably will never do a 60-minute spa service ever again. The esthetician and masseuse were both knowledgeable and very pleasant.
The Wellness Experiences
The wellness experiences are categorized into 5 sections.
Wellbeing- consist of wellness counseling, meditation spirit & soul and creative expression.
Outdoor Adventures- which consist of challenge courses, hiking water sports and other physical activities.
Equine- are all horse related activities.
Culinary & Nutrition- these arrange from cooking classes, to wine tasting and cocktail making.
Yoga & Fitness- Pilates, yoga, fitness and exercise physiology
Sustainable Living- Miraval Bees & The Farm
My Wellness Experiences
I wanted to experience a little bit of every wellness experience Miraval had to offer so I selected at least one activity form each wellness category. For wellbeing, I decided to do the Cleansing Ceremony. This workshop offers a ceremony for energetic cleansing. The group leader shares the purifying properties of ancient plants like sage and palo santo. These herbs, when burned, create a safe and sacred space of protection and clarity. You are supposed to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to release energy that no longer serves you and make a conscious choice to move forward. You then write to your future self on a take-home notecard as a token and talisman of your experience
For my outdoor adventure I took a leap of faith literally and completed the Quantum Leap challenge. This was by far one of the scariest things I have ever done. You basically climb of a 25 -foot pool and jump off. This activity requires you to have strength, balance, and trust. I did believe I could so it, but I was overjoyed when I did.
The Archer
I also did The Way of The Archer. It was great practice of meditation and breath work, archery gave us an opportunity to practice being in the moment, and to learn how to work through stress, pressure, and fear all while hitting a target with the bow and arrow.
Rhythmic Riding
For my Equine activity I selected Rhythmic Riding. You ride to the rhythm of Texas tunes in this two hour workshop that is a therapeutic, fun way to practice rhythm and self -regulation skills. You will gain self-awareness and balance all while finding relationship and connection with your horse. This was one of the highlights of my stay and I really enjoyed getting to know my horse, Trigger.
As is relates to Culinary & Nutrition I decided on a few activities.
World of Wine, which was a wine tasting class that allowed us to experience wines we might have never tried. We also learned the history of those wines as well.
Next, was The Bloody Mary class, it created out own Bloody Mary’s with the guidance of a mixologist then we drank them! What’s not to love about that ?
Lastly was Pasta A Mano. In this class we made delicious handmade pasta together and learned simple and easy technics that we could use at home.
For Yoga & Fitness I decided to try Aerial Yoga. We were able to swing, stretch and flip all while hanging from a hammock. It was so fun!
I think it is safe to say that I had an exciting, eventful, yet rejuvenating experience at Miraval Austin. I highly recommend this location. I hope this recap answers all of your question and if not, please feel free to drop a comment below.
March 9, 2021
