[ON LOCATION] LAUREL HERMAN
Planners, take note: With a 29,0000-sf Life in Balance spa featuring 50 spa services as well as 500-plus indoor and outdoor experiences across its 380 acres, the Miraval Berkshires Resort & Spa, nestled in the heart of Berkshire County in Massachusetts, is a phenomenal opportunity for a wellness and teambuilding adventure for your next meeting or incentive group. Miraval is dedicated to enhancing attendees’ personal journeys in a luxurious yet understated environment.
The property’s 121 rooms and suites are available for buyouts and if your group is smaller, you can book up to 80 rooms (65 rooms is the sweet spot). The entire property was reimagined when it reopened as a Miraval resort in 2020, and today groups will find spacious accommodations with soothing textures and colors.
Fun fact: The landscape architect who designed New York City’s Central Park, Frederick Law Olmsted, also designed the grounds of Miraval Berkshires in the late-19th century.
The 28-treatment room spa, with a dedicated Vasudhara pool, an indoor-outdoor pool, saunas and relaxation areas, can host groups of 100 at a time. Services include massages, body renewals, skin care and Eastern therapies. We sampled the Ginger Healer treatment, a combination of deep-tissue massage infused with ginger oil complemented by a ginger salt scrub and private in-treatment room shower. The therapist was spectacular, as was the blissful ambient lighting and music and comfortable massage table—it all added up to a renewing experience.
“The property is admired for its seasonal activities and experiences that are unique to Miraval Berkshires,” says General Manager Gilbert Santana. He says that among the most popular are the Farm experiences including Morning Harvest. The Donkey Discovery, one of the resort’s Equine experiences, introduces guests to observe and learn from these animals.
During our stay we participated in the Miraval Equine Experience, learning how to be mindful and live in the moment as horses do. We had an expert facilitator that helped us perform equestrian ground skills with the horses, including grooming them. This type of experience can teach your attendees important life skills, and creates a teambonding moment.
He also recommends the Mindful Golf program that blends patience and presence with the well-liked sport of golf, while another favorite experience on property is Capture Your Aura.
“Team retreats and mindful group gatherings, from spa to adventure, are [quite] popular at Miraval Berkshires. Some of the top teambuilding experiences include the Warrior Challenge, Exploring the Self and Sensory Wine Tasting. All of these programs are intentionally designed to work together as a team, build relationships and leave as a more bonded and balanced group,” says Santana. During our visit, we loved a unique fitness class called Cardio Drumming as well as a pottery class that allowed us to express our creativity.
Santana says that the property’s programs and activities can be modified to accommodate any group size from eight to 100, although some need to stay more intimate for the full experience.
Receptions for up to 200 can be accommodated at the historic 1894 Wyndhurst Mansion, part of the resort, as well as at various indoor-outdoor venues. The culinary opportunities also are creative and varied, but one thing you can count on is fresh and locally inspired.
What makes the Miraval brand unique among spa resorts today is that they make mindfulness their mission. “At Miraval, activities and spa treatments empower guests to consciously explore the connection between body, mind and spirt. With intentionality top of mind, Miraval meets guests where they are, encouraging them to embrace the moment they are in—and to make wellness a way of life, day in and day out,” concludes Santana.
miravalresorts.com
