The Best Spas in the U.S. & Around the World: 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards
"It was a complicated time to open a hotel, but the arrival of the Miraval Berkshires Resort & Spa in summer 2020 felt unexpectedly right. And Miraval’s “Life In Balance” motto, a nod to the brand's measured approach to wellness, continues to appeal. Unlike much of the competition in the wellness retreat space, the Hyatt-owned Miraval doesn’t tout starvation diets or extreme exercise regimes, nor does it position itself as a “dry resort” (a glass of pinot after a full day of beekeeping, yoga, and gua sha does round it all out nicely). Rather, the brand has created a sprawling retreat—102 rooms and suites across 380-acres—in western Massachusetts’s bucolic Berkshires that touts a nuanced view of wellbeing. The Berkshires, about 150 miles from both New York City and Boston, have long been a wellness destination ranging from earthy-crunchy holistic retreats to luxury hotels, and the Miraval spa (one of the largest in New England with 28 treatment rooms) benefits from a rich, experienced pool of massage therapists and aestheticians; the Deep Mountain Massage with arnica and rosemary is exactly what you want after a day diving into the retreat's activities. Hiking, kayaking, ropes courses, and encounters with rescued horses and birds of prey all become lessons in self-discovery and sustainability. And the epic pool area, just right for lounging, drives home that this place is indeed all about balance." - CNT Editors
