Miraval unveils second-ever wellness resort

Leading US destination spa brand Miraval has opened a second wellness-focused property outside of its flagship site in Tucson, Arizona.

Miraval Austin is set on 220 acres (89 hectares) overlooking Lake Travis. The 117-bed property, previously known as Travaasa Austin Resort, was acquired by Miraval in December 2016, just before the group itself was bought out by Hyatt in January 2017 for US$215m (€190.4m, £164.3m).

Central to the resort is the signature Life in Balance Spa, a 20,000sq ft (1,858sq m) offering conceptualised by renowned wellness designer Clodagh, which sits alongside a 10-acre (4-hectare) farm and Life in Balance Culinary Kitchen. The spa combines many of the Arizona health and wellness programmes – such as its famous equine therapy (see SB19/1 p70) – with new experiences that push the ‘farm to treatment table’ concept.

With the Wild Harvest Herbal Healer, guests pick herbs from the farm to be used in a massage, while the Spiritual Warrior Facial utilises the energies of plants and gemstones and has been created in collaboration with organic skincare brand Laurel.

There are 30 treatment rooms in total, plus a spa pool, relaxation rooms, heat experiences, salon, retail boutique and Body Mindfulness Center.

The opening is part of a rollout plan which has already seen Miraval’s signature Life In Balance Spa concept introduced to St Regis Monarch Beach Resort in California and Park Hyatt St Kitts in the Caribbean in the last three years. A third resort, an overhaul of the Cranwell Spa and Golf Resort, is expected to open in Lenox, Massachusetts by 2020.