Check In to Mentally Check Out at This Berkshires Wellness Resort
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You know that feeling when you wanna quit your normal life for a few days (or like...a month) of relaxation and rejuvenation? Maybe at a place where you're surrounded by mountains, trees, and clear blue skies....not to mention a pool, or three? Enter: Miraval Berkshires Resort & Spa.
But Miraval Berkshires isn't a regular spa, it's a cool spa. For one, it has regular massages, but also *crystal* massages. Its choose-your-own adventure-style itinerary lets you attend classes on topics like Ayurveda and aura photography, have a one-on-one session with a breathwork teacher or tarot reader, and participate in lessons on everything from fire-building (yes, Girl Scout-style) to why "earthing" (aka walking around barefoot) is good for you. And with the Hampton Jitney now offering rides straight from Midtown Manhattan to Miraval, it's easier than ever for burned-out New Yorkers to head away for a weekend (or a straight up week) in nature.
While Miraval Berkshires offers plenty of athletics like tennis, hiking, kayaking, and rock climbing, as Cosmo's senior astrology editor, I went straight for other activities like a crystal meditation and a sound bath. Check out my crystal-filled itinerary and definitely take some notes before your next much-needed wellness-y getaway.
(FYI, The writer received comped accommodations, meals, travel, & experiences during this getaway.)
Stay
Miraval Berkshires: Located in Lenox, Massachusetts, Miraval Berkshires looks kinda like a sprawling, grown-up, luxury summer camp. The main building is set up like a gently winding maze, with hallways leading to guests' rooms; amenities like a spa, gym, dining room, and indoor and outdoor pools; and cozy corners to chill in. It's full of small, stunning spots like a gorgeous cork-covered room used for sound baths or a stunning display of giant crystals in the spa lobby.
Towering over the rest of the resort is the Wyndhurst Mansion, a gorgeous brick Gilded Age-era building once owned by author Harriet Beecher Stowe's family. It includes some guest rooms as well as meeting areas, and it's no surprise to learn that it regularly hosts weddings. The extensive grounds include a golf course, horse stables and pasture, tennis courts, a garden, and even a chicken coop, and guests can sign up for hiking excursions in the area as well.
Play
Crystal massage: It's like a hot stone massage, but with ~crystals~. The massage featured crystals chosen for both their origin and their healing properties, like locally-mined stones like pink rhodonite for self-love.
Crystal meditation: Yes, I got even more into crystals than I already was, okay??? This workshop involved an instructor-led lesson on choosing the single crystal that spoke to you, cleansing it, and working with crystals n general, and then a guided meditation on intention setting with your new, intuitively-chosen, crystal BFF.
Sound bath: ICYDK, a sound bath involves relaxing or meditation while "bathing" in sound waves like those from a gong or singing bowl. Or in Miraval Berkshires' case, a whole room full of hundreds of antique singing bowls. It's weirdly as relaxing as a massage but without anyone actually touching you.
Grounding: Aka "earthing," grounding involves walking around barefoot and soaking up the earth's ~vibes~ and focusing on deep breathing to bring your body to a more *chill* state. And let me tell you, the grass at Miraval is comfier than carpet on your bare toes.
Eat
Harvest Moon Restaurant: Miraval Berkshires' main eatery features a rotating menu that incorporates a lot of locally-grown and sourced food. Breakfasts and lunches are a casual, "stop by whenever" affair (and you choose to have your cold brew and avo toast in either indoor or outdoor seating), while dinners require reservations and involve multiple courses, like roast duck served with charred local veggies. The foods are chosen with nutrition in mind, ofc, but they're also super tasty—like almond pancakes with berries for breakfast (check out that masterpiece below) or a vegan cauliflower banh mi for lunch.
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