Sarah here this week while John, Kendall, and Shanna are in Las Vegas for Virtuoso Travel Week—a yearly gathering of the world’s top travel advisors, hoteliers, cruise lines, and destination experts. It’s a whirlwind of connection, relationship-building, and discovering what’s new in luxury travel. It’s quite the event, with never a dull moment. John will be reporting on all the highlights when he gets back, so stay tuned!
While they were in the thick of networking and note-taking, I was on my own kind of mission: to slow down. I'd just returned from a unique stay at Miraval Austin, nestled in Texas Hill Country and overlooking Lake Travis. Known as a wellness retreat and surrounded by wild beauty, it naturally slows you down so you can truly appreciate the moment. It’s the kind of place where the noise of life fades—and you can hear yourself again. When in a season of life that is go, go, go, this is the perfect opportunity for some quality R&R.
Here are my top five favorite takeaways from my four days in this peaceful corner of Texas Hill Country.
A Digital Detox
All around the property, the public areas are device-free. While it took a little getting used to, not having my phone in hand every second was nice. I reached a point where I didn’t even miss it. Without the temptation for mindless scrolling, you have more time to soak up meaningful moments—like watching the sunset over the hills with house-made salted caramel cashew cream gelato in hand and enjoying uninterrupted conversations (just to name a couple).
The Room & The View
I stayed in the Hill Country Suite, which felt like my own little sanctuary. Each room has its own balcony, unique view, and plenty of space to spread out. Inside the shower, there was a door leading to an outdoor shower—such a fun touch. If it hadn’t been 93 degrees and humid every day, I would have absolutely taken advantage of it. Though, my favorite feature? Hands down, being able to sit out on the balcony and enjoy a nice (iced) coffee before getting the day started.
Unique Wellness Experiences
Miraval Austin offers an array of wellness activities that go beyond the usual yoga and meditation. I tried aerial yoga (yes, that’s me hanging upside down) and participated in a soul journey—a moving meditation practice that connected me with a few other guests and left me feeling centered and grounded. There was also a session called Wine & Your Sign, where we learned about our rising, sun, and moon signs, then paired them with different wines—I don't know much about horoscopes and it's not something I'm typically into but this ended up being one of my favorite activities
There are daily nature hikes through the stunning Hill Country, challenge courses, hatch throwing, archery, kayaking, then creative experiences like equestrian canvas painting, breaking bowls and reassembling them using the Japanese art of Kintsugi, following a beekeeper around the farm, and so many more. It’s hard not to jam-pack your day just to try as many activities as possible. Every day really does feel like a new adventure.
Wine is Wellness
Contrary to what you might think, a stay at a wellness resort isn’t just wheatgrass shots and tiny portions. On the first evening we arrived, we had dinner in the Nook, a private dining space within the main restaurant. A sommelier came in and, before even saying hello, stated, “Wine is Wellness!” And frankly, I couldn’t agree more. She handpicks all the wine for the entire resort, focusing on women-owned vineyards. Having her walk in and say this was such a good reminder that balance is a big part of wellness too.
The Food
The food was an experience in itself. There were so many options—plenty of dietary-friendly choices, an impressive vegetarian/vegan menu, and all dishes were so fresh and flavorful using local ingredients, some even grown on their local farm. Between activities, I liked stopping at the snack café, Nest, which serves smoothies, coffee, fresh juices, and alcoholic beverages all day. And then there was the chocolate avocado cookie—soft, rich, and completely addictive. (Don’t knock it until you try it.) I’m still dreaming about that cookie (as seen above along with my iced coffee and coloring pages).
Ready to start planning your very own unqiue wellness retreat? Let's get started.