Escape to the Berkshires, Miraval

By the time the end of 2020 was upon us we were ready for a trip away but COVID made that particulary difficult as it was December, the number of cases was rapidly increasing across the country making traveling by plane not a great option. As it hadn’t snowed yet we struggled with where to go as ski resorts weren’t open and Christmas was around the corner.  We needed a break from the house but also didn’t want to be too far away. After a lot of research we narrowed it down to a few locations we could drive to and then we found Miraval, newly opened this summer, in the Berkshires. It was less than a 3 hour drive from Westchester and they offered so many activities. They could also accommodate for gluten and dairy allergies which is huge when we’re looking for a quick trip.

We arrived mid-day for our 11am check-in so that we could have lunch before starting some activities. Cell phones are discouraged during your stay so we did not take many photos and instead focused on disconnecting after a year filled with screen time so all of these pictures come from the Miraval website! Lunch was great with so many options to choose from. All of your meals are served in the main dining area (where everyone is masked and separated by more than 6 feet) unless you choose to have meals delivered to your room. You can also request dishes ahead of time as we did after our first cooking class where were learned from other guests that the salmon and duck (only served on certain nights) were not to be missed.

Aside from all the great activities, including cooking classes, yoga, fitness classes, hiking, cross country skiing, and clay building (almost all we tried) the spa is not to be missed. We only stayed a short time (2 nights, 3 days) and we visited the spa several times. We each loved our massages, so much so I went back the next day as you received spa credits as part of your stay, and I also got a pedicure. It was really relaxing even with certain amenities like the hot tub being closed due to COVID. The best part, and a feature often lacking in spas that we’ve seen is having a common waiting room so you can sit with your spouse before treatments and unwind. The spa here should definitely be on your list. Even talking about it makes me want to go back!