03 Oct 2023
Miraval’s fourth Life in Balance Spa opens in California at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort
BY Megan Whitby
A new Miraval Resorts & Spas wellness destination has opened in San Diego, California, within the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa.
The 15,000sq ft Miraval Life in Balance Spa Aviara represents the destination spa and wellness operator’s fourth outpost. Located along Southern California’s picturesque Pacific coastline, its opening marks the final phase of a US$60 million (£49.5 million, €57.1 million) resort-wide transformation.
The Miraval spa has come to fruition following a redesign of the Hyatt-owned hotel's existing wellness facility conducted by Wimberly Interiors.
Complete with 20 indoor and outdoor treatment rooms, Spa Aviara is guided by Miraval’s full-service Life in Balance Spa concept. This serves as the centrepiece of each of its three resort and spa destinations in Tucson, Arizona; Austin, Texas; and Lenox, Massachusetts.
“Life in Balance Spas are designed as sanctuaries for respite, reflection and rejuvenation,” said Susan Santiago, head of lifestyle and Miraval operations.
“Through Spa Aviara, we’ve blended elements of the San Diego landscape with signature Miraval spa and wellbeing offerings to create an intention-driven experience that supports guests in creating balance and cultivating mindfulness.”
A Californian wellness escape
According to Miraval, the hotel spa’s design blends natural materials and local building methods to create a space that is both refined and elemental.
Design details include polished finishes and sleek edges softened by worn, distressed materials and natural textures. The space is also populated with crystals, cairns and mandalas to create a re-energising haven for relaxation and personal reflection.
Miraval's goal was to create a spa with an unpretentious contemporary style rooted in the culture and natural environment of Southern California.
Facilities include a spa pool for a sensory deprivation treatment, a lounge for personal reflection and a large room with hanging yoga silks for Miraval's take on Thai massage, Naga Thai.
In addition, Spa Aviara is home to a fitness centre for signature Miraval exercise classes, a studio for yoga and meditation, a Pilates studio with Body Balanced equipment and a retail space where guests can purchase products used in their services.
The spa menu is complemented by a daily schedule of activities ranging from wellness counselling, nutrition classes, culinary workshops and outdoor pursuits to sound bathing, chakra balancing and meditation.
Gardening and beekeeping are soon to be added to the roster.
Dynamic treatment offerings
Open to resort guests, day visitors and locals, the spa provides five categories of treatments; Ayurveda; Energy & Eastern; Body Renewal Rituals; Massage; and Skin and Nail Care.
Rituals range from rejuvenating skincare, traditional and prenatal massages and body renewal rituals to nail care, reflexology, craniosacral treatments and Reiki practices.
Miraval has also devised a collection of signature services which take inspiration from the resort’s oceanfront location along the coast of Carlsbad. Highlights include Ocean Song, a 100-minute body renewal ritual that invokes the vitality and peace of an ocean wave.
The US$460 (€439, £381) service begins with a rosemary sea salt exfoliation followed by a sweet birch and magnesium soak and a full body massage. The finale concludes with harmonic vibrations of a singing bowl and the sounds of the sea to centre the soul.
Individual and group retreats
Further enhancing the Park Hyatt Aviara guest journey, Spa Aviara offers a collection of three- or five-day retreats designed to foster balance, serenity and relaxation.
Drawing from a wealth of wellbeing activities and spa services, each guest can create a personalised itinerary that aligns with their intentions, whether that be relaxation, reconnection or self-care.
Membership
Miraval Life in Balance Spa Aviara offers a membership programme for community members.
In addition to access to spa amenities, benefits include discounted spa services and fee-based experiences, guest passes, invites to monthly culinary experiences, quarterly member-exclusive social events and more.
The bigger picture
The new spa is just one component of Park Hyatt Aviara’s comprehensive overhaul.
Other details include a dramatic redesign of the resort’s lobby entrance and public areas, elevated guest room and suite product, enhanced pool offerings, the introduction of several restaurant and bar concepts, and upgrades to the resort’s 83,000sq ft of meeting and event spaces.
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