Miraval Berkshires
After more than a year cooped up from Covid, a trip to a health spa with all the implied asceticism may not seem quite what the spirit doctor ordered. But along with its focus on wellness, Miraval Berkshires comes with an array of activities that may have you feeling like you’ve gone to a five-star summer camp for grown-ups—one that serves wine and cocktails.
At this newly opened, New England outpost of the renowned Arizona flagship spa, you’re encouraged to push, but not exceed, the limits of your comfort zone. For the adventurous, there’s an aerial obstacle course high in the treetops, much like an adult playground but explored with the safety of harnesses. Archery, hatchet throwing and signature equine programs with rescue horses are other parts of the mix. You can delve into meditation with a master who plays ancient Himalayan singing bowls or defy gravity in a silk cocoon suspended from the rafters.
Lest we forget golf: as part of the Hyatt portfolio, Miraval Berkshires shares a campus in historic Lenox, Massachusetts, with the grand Wyndhurst Manor and Club, so guests have access to its 18-hole golf course. Miraval even offers sessions in Mindful Golf, intended to up your head game. Or you can just sneak off to the 19-century manor house for a cigar.
Of course, the point of visiting a destination spa is the spa itself, so don’t hesitate to surrender to its practitioners who will reacquaint you with the benefits of a massage, and much more.
And don’t worry about deprivation. There is no roughing it in Miraval’s sleek and modern accommodations (starting at $599 per person a night, including meals and some activities). Moreover, foodies can explore a range of culinary programs, including the Just Cook for Me private dinner with Adrian Bennett, director of culinary experiences. Guests watch as Bennett prepares a multicourse meal complete with generous wine pairings in the teaching kitchen. Even with tables six feet apart, the ambience feels like an old-fashioned dinner party from the before times.
