My kids call it "Mommy Camp." The older ones tell the little one, "You want her to go there, she comes back relaxed and nice!"

I have been to Miraval several times. Out of them I have had many epiphanies... sometimes a couple a day - not every day, but enough to make me want to keep going back. So far I have been able to get my best friend, my mother, my sister and her partner and my husband to try this place. Despite their initial misgivings, all have enjoyed themselves thoroughly. One guest summed it up nicely when she said, "I come here once a year to undo all the stress my life gives me." Their theme is “Life in Balance” and they teach and live “mindfulness” all helping immensely with serenity for life.

I found Miraval when my doctor told me my cholesterol was high and I didn't want to take medication for it. I asked her how do I fix this. I was told to read Dean Ornish's book on reversing heart disease. When I read Dean Ornish's book, I knew I needed help to follow the plan. Going on-line, I wasn't able to book a Dean Ornish workshop, so I did a search for a health spa with the basics of the Ornish plan... diet management, yoga, exercise and meditation. I found three places, but Miraval caught my eye because included in the price were daily spa treatments. (www.miravalresort.com/)

My first visit I found the place initially overwhelming, as noted in the other Epinion reviews. The site is huge and there is a lot to look into even well before one gets to the resort. The booklet of information sent to me was over 80 pages and it is just short blurbs to get one acquainted with the basics. After a day or two of poking around I felt right at home. Since everyone is helpful (with the exception of the rare problematic guest) asking is always a good thing to do when needing help.

Upon arriving, one feels a sense of serenity. Yes, I was overwhelmed, but I was being well taken care of, calm and not worried about things. Even though you are in the desert near Tuscon Arizona, there is running water throughout the area and the birds and other animals have found their way for you to listen to and watch; rabbits, quail and other wildlife are running around all over the place - it doesn’t seem like a desert, more like an oasis. The Catalina mountain range is always visible and gorgeous. There are several spots to stop and reflect in all this beauty. When I arrived, I was given my initial tour of the property and then brought back to my room.

The rooms are called Casitas. With large beds, luxurious bath areas, a comfortable sitting area, two phone lines – for computer hook-up, plush robes, a mini-fridge with free snacks, a coffee maker, a safe, a radio/CD player with dual alarms, a large television with DVD players (and DVD’s at the front desk available to borrow) and maid service twice daily, this is a very comfortable situation. At night, instead of mints on the pillows, there are Zen cards. When I went with my friend, we stayed in a double room; these rooms have an added fireplace area and an extra sink in the bathroom. There are also washers and dryers available free for the guests to use – so you don’t have to over pack.

The first place I went was the dining room. After a long flight and some great jet lag, I needed sustenance. The food is superb; presentation and taste is top notch. The portions are correctly sized, so they seem small in this culture of huge servings. Luckily one can order as much as one wants, two appetizers... no problem, another entree? Sure!

Breakfast and lunch are buffet style with a small menu to choose other entrées from. There are always fresh berries and other standard fare at these buffets, and loads of new choices for both breakfast and lunch. Dinner is based on a theme – French Night, Mediterranean Night, etc. with a few choices for appetizer and a few choices for entrée and again a few choices for dessert. If you don’t like what is on the menu, you can ask to have something else, and if you find something you love, you can pre-order it for another night. This was something I did with the choco-taco, a beautiful fruit salsa in a chocolate taco shell – YUM!

Food is available from 6AM to 9:30PM and is all paid for. A quick smoothie or snack is yours for the asking at the Snack Bar. Fruit is usually set out on trays all over and water is easily gotten. Don’t forget to take some back to your room for any late night snacking. Nutritionists are on hand to dine with or consult.

My favorite food experiences are the cooking demonstrations, weight loss without dieting class and ‘Mindful Eating’. The cooking demonstrations not only show you how to make their wonderful food, but also give great tips on shopping, cooking light and presentation. I learned in the weight loss class how to not worry about counting calories and that dieting can cause weight swings which make it detrimental to weight loss. Mindful Eating has you really spend time paying attention to your food, which gave me an epiphany or two. I must say that there were some people who didn’t like this program at all, because it is very difficult to tune only into your food when eating. What does all this add up to? I learned how to change my eating habits and I’ve lost 35 pounds and significantly lowered my cholesterol and kept it this way for more than two years.

The spa is a luxurious place that is bountiful in services. One must remember to get there early to get ready, get a warm cup of tea and spend time in the Quiet Room reflecting upon the mountains. They have the expected, like massage; but there are more than 10 kinds of massage. They also have new and different things like Aqua Zen where you are floated in wonderfully warm water and given a type of massage/meditation that I highly recommend. My other favorite service is the Ultimate Ayurvedic treatment, which after a massage and wrap culminates with warm oil streamed over your forehead calming and totally relaxing you. Other services include Oriental Bodywork, Body Wraps, Exfoliation, Hydrotherapy, Facial Treatments and Salon Treatments. After all that, there are also saunas, steam rooms and whirlpools you can go to at any time. One feels totally pampered after coming out of the spa.

One of the very nice things about Miraval is that there is such a diverse activity list that just about anyone can find something they love to do. I knew my husband wouldn’t really go for the meditation – yoga route, so we went for the sexuality course. He also enjoyed the biking, hiking, ropes course/ challenge work, and some of the nature programs. In addition to that there are photography courses, horses, tennis and golf to name but a few.

Actually one of the pitfalls here is that guests tend to “overbook” themselves in classes and programs and feel pressured by time. One occasionally needs reminding that you are there to relax. Those movies don’t get taken out all that often, at least not by me.

I guess here is the place to tell you about the Equine Experience. This is unique to Miraval and is a powerful program. To quote the brochure, “…this program provides remarkable insight into your personal and professional relationships in an enlightening and enjoyable way.” I have to agree as I have attended a class every time I have been to Miraval. I have had profound insight into my workings and have become a better person for it.

Upon looking at what I’ve written so-far for this review, I find what I’ve written inadequate for the experience; I haven’t even talked about the meditation or yoga centers. I’ve totally skipped out the exercise programs, and yet even if I did write about all these wonderful things, not only would it take me more than 80 pages, I wouldn’t be able to accurately describe it all to you. It is one of those places that have to be experienced to be understood.

epinionated63 has also written a nice review on Miraval at: http://www.epinions.com/content_105373273732 and I urge you to read it.

It’s not possible to fix everything in one short vacation, so I highly recommend using a visit to Miraval as a starting place for personal growth and change that you follow at home… or plan on returning regularly. Well, that's my opinion and I'm stickin' with it.


Recommended: Yes