Hi, sweet friends! The Mister and are fresh off a few days under the Arizona sun at our absolute favorite escape from real life. This was our third wellness getaway to Miraval – we’ve been to the Arizona Miraval twice now and the Austin Miraval once. If you’re choosing between the two, I highly recommend Arizona. It’s the original location and the energy, the vibe – all of it – feels better.
Alright, this is not a sponsored post, but man oh man do I wish it were! Ha. I’ve been getting some questions about our stay, and thought I’d share my thoughts and what we did during our stay.
(This post contains affiliated links.)
I tried to capture the beauty of Miraval, but even this photo just doesn’t do it justice. The energy and vibe of the entire grounds is so special and unparalleled.
Most of Miraval is device-free, which means there’s no mindless strolling during dinner or annoying phone calls in the background. It’s AMAZING.
Since returning home, I’ve been thinking a lot about our time there. Before our trip, I had imagined I would do a lot of writing and journaling in an attempt to process my grief in silence. I thought I would feel more connected to my dad – maybe some questions would be answered.
That wasn’t what happened.
Instead, I nourished my body. I ate fresh food. I did yoga and meditated. I treated myself to more spa treatments than days we were there. I was scrubbed and hot stoned and aromatherapy-ed and wrapped in green clay.
I kept waiting to feel moved to write, and it just didn’t happen. So, I kept feeling disappointed. Why wasn’t I writing in this haven? Why wasn’t I taking full advantage of it’s energy and quiet and solitude?
Now, I realize I was giving myself exactly what I needed. It starts with my body. If my body isn’t nourished, how can my soul and mind flourish?
And, now that I’m home feeling healthy and strong, my writer’s block has evaporated like puddles on the Arizona desert floor.
Funny how that works…
They call this Out Of Office tee a “dress,” but I’ve been using it as a nightgown and it’s perfect. I’m wearing small.
Look! We’re rested and smiling and there are no children hanging on us and asking us for snacks. It’s a miracle.
If you’re thinking of taking a getaway with your spouse, I highly recommend it. There’s just something about getting away from our daily lives and being able to connect and finish sentences. It’s like we’re reminded what it used to be like, when it was just us and connecting was the focus.
We arrived at the hotel early and couldn’t check into our room yet, so we headed to the spa! Obvs.
I had the Body In Balance massage and it was amazing. She incorporated calming hot stones followed by ice and it was just what my shoulders and neck needed.
Because if there’s a gong, you know we’ll pose. The cotton candy sky and sunset our first night there was breathtaking.
I tried to spend as much time as possible in this room – yoga with a view of mountains, floating meditation with a sound bath. This was my happy place.
Go there for the food. For real. Not only is it worth every single penny not to have to cook every day, but I LOVED being able to eat fresh greens and yummy food and SIT DOWN FOR EVERY MEAL. I am obsessed with their balsamic vinaigrette and I’ll be whipping it up at home this weekend. (I’ll be sure to share the recipe and if it worked!)
After being shut down because of Covid, the buffet is back! They have a buffet for breakfast and lunch, although you can also order off the menu. I’m all about a buffet and this one is hands down my favorite.
When’s the last time you lied down in a hammock? 10/10 recommend.
We’ve done a few of the challenge courses and this time we chose to do Out On A Limb. We crossed a log suspended 25 feet in the air. Thanks to my brother,(a profesh rock climber), I’ve been exposed to a whole lot of climbing in my life. I’ve been rock climbing with him since high school, so the exposure and heights weren’t a big deal for me. Still, it was such a neat experience. I even walked backwards across the log. 😉
The Mister totally rocked this challenge! He’s not a huge fan of heights, but you wouldn’t have known watching him crush the log. I made him do his power pose in the middle of the log for a photo op. Obvs.
I’ve fallen in love with the desert.
Let me know if you have any questions about Miraval! We’re already planning our next stay…
