By Araxe Hajian

From corporate office retreats to girlfriends’ getaways, groups at Miraval Resorts return again and again to bond, get a boost, and take a break together.

After long lockdowns and delays, we all want to see each other in person again—whether it’s to boost productivity and camaraderie in the workplace or reconnect with old friends and kindred spirits.

Our specialists and colleagues combine with groups and guests at our breathtaking resorts in a special kind of alchemy. Most of us just call it “Miraval Magic.”

IFYKYK—and if you are curious, book your next group, take a seat at our table, and tell your own group story of balance. We can’t wait to help you create it. At Miraval Resorts, we always hold space for you and make the planning process easy with our expert team of Experience Planners.

It’s time to get in touch again.

Why? The reasons are endless, but here are five our visiting groups have shared through notes, calls, social media—and even several heartfelt hugs.

1. Feeling Valued & Fulfilled

How good does it feel when your company truly takes care of you?

Trade drab, stale-aired convention centers for biophilic designs, natural sanctuaries, and light-filled spaces. Every aspect of Miraval Resorts—from a no-tipping policy to the famous cloud-like bedding—makes people feel special. Valued. Fulfilled.

And when your cup is full, you feel more compelled to share—ideas, creative solutions, and support. In short, people who feel well work better together.

The Great Appreciation vs. The Great Resignation

“We love seeing companies recognizing and rewarding their employees who stayed through tumultuous times by sending them to our resort.”

-Miraval Austin General Manager Sheri Morgan Muskin

2. Customized Face-to-Face Collaboration

No matter how much videoconferencing connected us during lockdown, you just can’t hold someone’s hand through a screen.

And sometimes, lending a hand while traversing a tightrope 30 feet in the air makes us stronger. Connected. A solid team.

Miraval Resorts’ challenge courses, archery, farm activities, and demonstration kitchens teach people to work together cohesively, trust each other, and discover how to play to each other’s strengths.

People even report that the transformational experiences they discover at our resorts go beyond just making them feel good—they cultivate a rekindled sense of purpose and passion in both their professional and personal lives.

At Miraval Resorts, we call it discovering your Dharma.

3. Nature Nurtures & Makes us Nicer

We have an innate drive to connect with our natural surroundings. Even if you’re not an outdoorsy type, just being around nature can make you happier, more empathic, and more generous.

There is more than one way to do it: Hike, bike, or kayak along Arizona’s desert vistas, Austin’s hillsides, or the Berkshires’ freshwater lakes. Whether you like to forest bathe or gaze at the horizon under a warm blanket, you can do either or both at Miraval Resorts. If plunging into the forest is not your thing, you can tap into your inner nature with a Himalayan sound bath.

More time outside improves moods and lowers stress and isolation—in fact, company retreats in natural settings help combat loneliness (Forbes reports loneliness can reduce life expectancy by a staggering 70%).

Even if you’re going home to a concrete jungle, the American Psychological Association says that your sense of connection with nature contributes to happiness, even when you’re not physically immersed in it. Post-stay, Miraval sends you home with all kinds of tools, from guided visualizations to natural soundscapes.

4. A Balm for Burnout

Hitting the pause button is hard—especially when the world keeps telling us to do more, work more, be more. Ironically, even when we are away from our desks, we spend way too much time thinking about working and stopping ourselves from having fun.

The number-one response our groups have when they get here is a big sigh of relief. Brains power down under our big skies. Bodies move freely, float serenely, or push limits.

Reboot your glutes in our workout classes or retrain your brain on our challenge courses—the results are all coins in the bank: bigger attention spans, positive feelings, and mad problem-solving skills.

We even have a dedicated Quiet Room, where you can meditate, mute the world, or take a delicious nap.

It’s not ok that the CDC has declared insufficient sleep a public health epidemic. If we’re looking at bottom lines and ROI, sleep is a priceless investment. And at Miraval Resorts, your team learns how to get the sleep they need—in workshops, spa treatments, and on bedding people love so much they often buy the whole bundle and bring it home.

It’s a lot easier to rise to your best self when you get enough rest.

---

Tips from last spring’s book selection: Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker

• More than 1/3 of adults fail to get the recommended 7-9 hours of nightly sleep.
• Your emotional IQ, or the ability to regulate our emotions, depends on getting sufficient REM-rich sleep night after night.
• Sleep enhances your memory and makes you more creative.
• Sleep before learning something new refreshes our ability to make new memories. Sleep after learning something new enhances memory retention.

---

5. Fewer Screens = Less Stress

Does the thought of not having your phone nearby make you break out in hives?

You are not alone. A smartphone addiction survey last year revealed that 99.2% of users show some level of fear and anxiety if they accidentally leave their phones behind.

No one is asking you to ditch your phone—you can still use it in your room and designated areas. But we invite you to see what it’s like not to be controlled by it.

While we recognize that work and life depend on digital connectivity, we often forget that there are other ways to bond. When you aren’t distracted by your digital life, you start to notice the world (and people) around you.

We even give you a take-home cell phone sleeping bag so you can practice putting your stress to bed along with your screens.

Miraval Resorts are inclusive—meaning many things are included (meals, snacks, smoothies, and more – did we mention Miraval is gratuity free?)—but also that everyone is included. We welcome all types of groups, cultures, characters, and intentions.

The only thing we don’t welcome at our resorts is stress.

We even take your wardrobe worries away—at Miraval, it’s always Yoga Friday (pack your athleisure items and leave the suits at home). Sometimes guests leave the spa so relaxed that they dine in their bathrobes. When you’re practicing mindfulness and presence, there is no wrong way to show up.

“At Miraval Arizona, I could walk around without concealer. And I do not do that anywhere else. I could put on my diamond earrings, my fancy necklace, and my bathrobe and go to dinner.”

-Miraval Arizona guest & Authentic Circle Member Phyllis B.

While we could go on and on about the benefits of a wellness retreat, we think it’s important that you hear from the people who have experienced Miraval firsthand. Take a look at some of our guest testimonials and see how transformative our programs can be.

Ready to book your group’s retreat? Contact us today and let us help you create an unforgettable experience by emailing us here or following us on LinkedIn.

---

In Their Words

Amazing Experience. Winter in the Berkshires.

Overall an amazing experience with a group of coworkers. The attention to detail and the whole Miraval Mode experience was thoroughly enjoyable. A wonderful respite and way to recharge. The snow falling softly outside was just a wonderful compliment to the serene atmosphere within. I loved the fireplaces throughout…The bed was like sleeping on a cloud.

KatMerr13 wrote a review Jan 2022

---

Sources

Bogunovic, S. (2022, May 24) 36 Stats that Prove Corporate Retreats are Still a Good Idea via Travelperk
Bohns, V. (2017, April) 11 A Face-to-Face Request Is 34 Times More Successful Than an Email  via Harvard Business Review
Chang, J. (2022, January 14) 90 Smartphone Addiction Statistics You Must See: 2022 Usage and Data Analysis via Finances Online
Freeman.com. (2021, March 2) New Freeman Research Shows an Accelerated Return to In-Person Events via Freeman
Goldstein, M. (2018, January 28) Millennials Say Business Travel Is Rough, Give Us More via Forbes
Kellogg Murray, J. (2022, September 7) 50% of Remote Employees Miss Their Commute  via Indeed
Mendoza, N.F. (2020, February 20) 66% of Americans Admit to Sleeping with their Phone at Night via Tech Republic
Pechko, A. (2020-2022 update) Smartphone Addiction Facts & Phone Usage Statistics, The Definitive Guide via Bank My Cell
Stahl, A. (2020, September 1)  Work-From-Home Burnout: Causes And Cures via Forbes
Treece, D. (2022, September 19) How Much Time Are Your Employees Wasting on Their Phones? via Business News Daily
Walker, Matthew. 2018. Why We Sleep. Harlow, England: Penguin Books.
Weir, K. (2020, April 1) Nurtured by nature. Monitor on Psychology, 51(3) via American Psychological Association