My mom celebrated a milestone birthday last year....60. We love birthdays so it was a big deal, and my sister and I wanted to make sure we did our part to make it a very big deal. My mom has always wanted to go to a destination spa. The kind of spa that you basically lived at for a few days of pampering and bliss. Nicole and I decided that sounded like the perfect gift to celebrate her big day.
Leave it to my sister to do the researching. That girl can research like no other. She leaves no details to chance. After pouring over all the destination spas in the entire United States and looking at what they offered, what the accomidations were like, what the reviews were, etc. she narrowed it down to Mii Amo.
Let me tell you....that girl is smart. Mii Amo is a simply a little slice of Heaven.
Mii Amo is located in Sedona, Arizona. It's a small destination spa - only 16 rooms available - which means they literally treat you like royalty. The pampering begins the moment you arrive. Our driver pulled up to the spa and we were greeted by a girl named Melanie. She welcomed us and presented each of us with a gift of Native American Ghost Beads. These beads are suppose to signify keeping all negativity and worries away. They were often given to Native children to help prevent bad dreams. Mii Amo presents them to guests as a way to begin your journey with a renewed spirit.
Melanie gave us a tour of the beautiful property. Everything at Mii Amo has significance and meaning to it. All of it is created to help you on your "journey" and to make things as peaceful and relaxing as possible for you (all Mii Amo guests are on a "journey" towards something....wellness, relaxation, spiritual connection, etc. You decide what your journey is and Mii Amo customizes your stay to fit your journey).
We began our tour by visiting the grotto (I had to pull this picture off the web, as my pictures were not good). Before entering the grotto there is a special bowl with paper and pen. You are to write your worries, place them in the bowl, and then leave them behind (they actually burn them later). Upon entering the grotto you quickly realize you are walking on red dirt and above you is a small hole that the sun pours through. In the middle is a circular formation with water, river rocks, and a large tree stump that holds a beautiful crystal. The grotto is a special place that incorporates the 4 elements of earth, water, fire, and air. The grotto is used as a place to meditate, to pray, or to simply sit in peace.
Other parts of the spa were just as beautiful and breath taking....
After Melanie's tour we celebrated the beginning of an amazing time together by sitting at the pool and enjoying a Mii Amo signature Prickly Pear Margarita and then attending a wine tasting!!
That night we embarked on our first spa treatments and spent the next 3 days indulging in all that Mii Amo had to offer. Let me tell you, I'm not sure I've ever felt so pampered.
Mom, Nicole, and I were usually up early because of the time difference. We started each day with a fitness walk around the property. It felt good to breath in the fresh brisk air (it was cool in the mornings), admire the beauty of the Red Rocks surrounding us, and get a little exercise in. It was a great way to start the day!!
After that we would enjoy breakfast. Let me tell you a little about the food at Mii Amo.....it is some of the best food I've ever had and it's all made extremely HEALTHY! I looooove that! All organic, very little oils or creams, and fresh ingredients (they actually have a garden where they grow a lot of the produce used). My day often started out with an egg white omelet, chicken sausage, potatoes, wheat bread, and fresh squeezed orange juice. A BIG breakfast by my standards, but a healthy one. I often enjoyed a fresh smoothie later in the morning too!!
Throughout the day we would often spend our time at various activities (yoga, fitness classes, etc.), enjoying spa treatments, sitting by the pool, or relaxing in one of the many little cozy nooks they have throughout the property to read, rest, or simply enjoy a drink.
We also spent a bit of time hiking. I'll be the first to admit I'm not a real outdoorsy type of girl....but Sedona is soooooo beautiful. Spending time hiking the Red Rocks with my mom and sister are some of my favorite memories from this trip!
(we were afraid we were getting sunburned so we made our jackets into some "hiking super capes"....it's a new style trend)
When evening would arrive we would enjoy dinner together and then go off to more spa treatments (I realized at one point I had 4 massages in about a 48 hour period. They were all different types of massages, but it's safe to say I felt very relaxed. Trust me though, Mii Amo has many more services than just massages....the list is nearly endless). In the evenings most guests would lounge around in their bathrobes (a gift from Mii Amo)....even eating dinner in them. It was so comforting and relaxing.
At the end of our spa treatments we would journey back to our room, and Mii Amo always had a gift for each of us waiting on our beds...a journal, pillow spray, etc. These little gifts made you feel so special!
At the end of our journey Mii Amo has you gather in the Crystal Grotto to reflect on your time spent there and present you with a departing gift (they actually tell you to pack lightly so you have room for all the gifts they give you in your suitcase). It was nice to have a moment to reflect on the past few days, as well as wish newly made friends safe travels before heading home.
Simply put, this was an amazing trip. Mii Amo really drives home that this journey is all about YOU and they are there to cater to your every need. I'll be honest, this was a real treat. Being a mom means that I often put myself LAST....not first. Having a few days to focus on myself was so nice. On top of that, sharing this journey with my mom and sister was such a special treat. I'm so fortunate to say that they are both two of my very best friends and I cherish the time that we are together.....and after being at Mii Amo for about 30 minutes we were already planning our next trip back.
"The love between a mother and daughter is forever"
--Anonymous
