Change your life at this luxury spa in Sedona, Arizona

August 22, 6:01 PMLuxury Travel ExaminerLisa Davis

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The Mii amo Spa at the Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Arizona is like no other spa in the world. This luxury spa is more than just about physical change; it’s about soul change. You can get a glowing face from a facial and perfectly groomed eyebrows just about anywhere, but how often can you learn how to prevent stress and anxiety, and maybe learn how to stay out of the cookie jar at night?

Mii amo’s approach to well-being
Mii amo’s “spa healers” are masters at creating the perfect spa itinerary. Before you even arrive at the spa, you are given a questionnaire to fill out and then a call with one of the spa healers is scheduled who will recommend which “path” you should take while at Mii amo, such as Spiritual Exploration; Ayurvedic Balance; De-stress Mind & Body, Rejuvenation – A Healthy Aging Approach; or Healthy Lifestyle.

Spa services
One thing Mii amo does well is taking a traditional service, like a facial, and turning it into something more personal; something more soul gratifying. For instance, try the Crystal Facial, which includes placing chakra crystals on key energy centers. For a massage, try the Vibrational Massage, which massages your charkas using special aromatherapy oils.

Mii amo also offers non-traditional spa services including Astrology and Aura-Soma Color Reading, which is a healing system from England, based on plant colors, essential oils, and flower essences.

Another treatment you should not miss is Watsu, which is a form of aquatic bodywork based on stretching techniques and Shiatsu. While floating in 96-degree water overlooking the red rocks, your therapist gently moves and stretches you.

One service to try before bedtime is the Abhyanga and Shirodhara. As described by Mii amo, “…using two therapists who will work in synchrony [the] Abhyanga is a ‘light touch,’ rather than a deep tissue massage that [gives you a] deeply relaxed physiology and enhanced feeling of well-being.”

Following the 60-minute Abhyanga treatment is a Shirodhara, which is a slow pouring of warm oil onto the forehead using a specific pattern for approximately 15 to 20 minutes followed by a gentle scalp massage. After the treatment, guests are given a special Ayurvedic tea: cinnamon, ginger, and all those good soothing herbs.

Location
Miia mo is nestled right up against the red rocks of Boynton Canyon in Sedona, Arizona (4,600 feet above sea level) and is about two hours outside of Phoenix. The canyon is considered sacred by Native people.

Spa fare
Even with counting calories, fat grams, and carbohydrates (menus list each food item’s nutritional content), you have no idea how good spa food can be until you go to Mii amo. (Your package includes three meals a day. Alcohol, specialty drinks, and snacks are extra.)

One of the best breakfast items are the blue corn waffles with fruit compote and prickly pear syrup and orange cranberry bread. For lunch, try the spa’s sushi, and at dinner, top choices are the pan seared Hawaiian sea bass with spinach potato puree and the seared Hawaiian escolar with warm bamboo rice and vegetable roll with ponzu wasabi drizzle. The grilled free-range chicken breast with mushroom barley, roasted shallot cabernet sauce, and the Mii amo onion soup gratinée with croutons and New Zealand cheddar are also divine.

Dessert will never disappoint you at Mii amo, even with being healthy and low-fat. Try the tapioca brûlée topped with caramelized sugar and fresh berries, and the lemon raspberry chocolate mousse cake with white chocolate mousse and dark chocolate coating. Who’s counting calories?

Bedtime
The spa has 14 adobe-style guest rooms called casitas and two deluxe spa suites that come with a private courtyard, outdoor shower room, and private massage room. All rooms have fireplaces, and each casita has a deep, gray-tiled tub. Every night, the Mii amo spa staff turns down your bed leaving you with a special gift and special Native American poems. Be sure to play the Native American music CD in your room. Its flute melodies guarantee sweet dreams.

Keeping you busy
One thing is for sure, you will never be bored at Mii amo. From day to night, there are activities: Qigong, Korean Yoga, Pilates, mediation, kickboxing, hiking, mountain biking, power walks, and more. They also have a Vortex Walk where you learn the history of Boynton Canyon (in which Mii amo is located), including finding out where the vortexes lie and places where you can see images in the red rocks. This might sound a little off-the-wall, but you really can see various places and monuments in the rocks, such as Angkor Wat (Cambodia); Pantheon (Rome); Step Pyramid (Egypt); Parthenon (Greece); and the structure that holds the Dead Sea Scrolls in Jerusalem.

You also don’t want to miss out on spending time in the spa’s Crystal Grotto. Inspired by Native American round ritual rooms, the Grotto has a sand floor and round ceiling that opens up to the sky. The perfect place for quiet time. The spa also has cooking classes and a tea class where you learn about the healing powers of various teas from around the world.
 
For more info: Mii amo Spa; 525 Boyton Canyon Road, Sedona, Arizona; 1-888-749-2137