It was the reset I had been trying to wedge into my schedule for months, and turned out to be exactly the kind of short, necessary pause I needed: two nights away at a nearby all-inclusive wellness resort: Miraval Austin.

I had been eyeing some of my client’s favorite hotels for a quick solo trip, but the last minute availability and flights just weren’t fitting nicely into the end of the school year chaos. Mexico, Arizona, California… I couldn’t nail it down easily. So instead I opted for a sort of staycation, just two nights in the Texas Hill Country at an all inclusive.

You don’t see many great all-inclusives based in the US, and this one just happens to be less than 30 minutes from central Austin. Gratuities, meals, experiences, wellness smoothies are included in the rate at Miraval. You aren’t signing anything, you aren’t even carrying around your phone which makes the experience feel truly focused and unplugged. Even a short stay can really reset your routines and rhythms back to something that feels more right.

Here is the low down on my experience at Miraval Austin.

The Vibe - Walking through the resort this time of year you’ll see wildflowers, a lot of milkweed, wind chimes, little piles of rocks everywhere and multiple large gongs. One of the tenets of Miraval is to digital detox. They have phone free areas and a little bed for your cell phone during your stay. I tried to really lean in and try it so I saved my content collection for a final walkabout on my last day.

The Arrival - The schedule at Miraval is JAM PACKED with options. Everything from breaking pottery, ropes course, astrology discussions, and painting the side of a horse... also wellness staples like yoga, meditation and spa. I jumped right in with a pre-dinner stretch session with Joseph in my normal day wear (side note, you will be in athleisure most of your stay, but not the hyper competitive trendy kind).

The Food - Truly delicious. There are a lot of allergy symbols at the bottom of the menu, but I never once heard the word “vegan” spoken aloud. I opted for branzino and carpaccio the first night, skirt steak the second night. There is a juice and coffee bar, and a real bar available as well.

One of the coolest sessions that I did over the weekend was Lunch with a Dietician where we just chatted about nutrition and routines. Here's a list of the discussion topics we managed to cover over the meal:

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The protein craze and Dr. Stacy Sims
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Body scans
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Fasting
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Fat vs water soluble vitamins
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Estrogen myths and tofu
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Non fat vs. full fat yogurt
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Where to find great smoothies when traveling

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The "new" Food Pyramid
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How to calculate your protein intake
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Under-eating
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Salt intake
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Protein absorption
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“Added Sugar” in protein bars
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Just as we were wrapping up someone mentioned GLP-1s.... 1 person was like, "ok I'm staying for this," but the rest of us left.

The Workouts - I am probably the most sore (in a good way) from the foam roller class with Tori, but at least now I’m confident that I’m doing it right. She also taught Cardio Drumming, which is ridiculous and fun and 80s themed. You are banging away at a giant yoga ball while dancing with strangers, midday and sober. You should not get a luxurious, softening hand treatment from The Beauty Way in the gift shop beforehand or your drumsticks WILL fly across the room (as mine did).

The Spa - I booked the Ginger Relief Treatment which has a deep tissue massage and body scrub. It was divine. The spa pool and facilities are beautiful and overlook hill country. This time of year you can see storm rolling in and Lake Travis. I fell asleep during my facial treatment, which is an endorsement.

The Experiences - These vary broadly and the recommendation is to push yourself out of your comfort zone a little bit. Painting the side of a horse was too much for me, but the Beekeeping experience was fascinating! Int he StarPath session I learned that midlife crises are actually written in the planets (for all of us!). There are meditation and yoga sessions of all kinds. I did Slow Flow and Restorative Yoga Sessions that were lovely and Manifestation Meditation where I wrote my own mantras.

Accommodations - The bedding and furnishings are next level and very comfortable with large bathrooms, outdoor showers and a tub. There are TVs in the rooms, which surprised me a bit. I used my down time for journaling and reading and making cups of tea instead.

I walked away from the weekend believing that solo travel and partner getaways belong in the "family travel" category. Time away isn’t an indulgence so much as essential for maintaining relationships with the people we love. I return home as a more patient version of myself when I’ve had a little space to reset, and I meet the rigors of everyday as a better mom and a better partner.

I went to a woo woo wellness retreat for the weekend and here’s what it was like.

To the End of the World