Globalist Notes
Entrance view of Miraval Austin Resort & Spa. The resort entrance features natural stone buildings, a rectangular pond, and a garden, creating a calm and orderly atmosphere under a clear blue sky.
MiravalAustin, United StatesJune 2025

Miraval Austin Resort and Spa Review

By the Globalist Notes coupleStayed, photographed, and reviewed in person

Published Updated

An ideal setting for all-inclusive wellness and adults-only relaxation, set against the quiet backdrop of Lake Travis.

WellnessLuxuryQuiet

Key Points from This Stay

Resort Fee$150waived byGlobalist Benefit
All-InclusiveBreakfast Benefit, Lunch, Dinner
Parkingsurface lot, Valet · Included
Outdoor Pool
Service notesExcellent

This Stay at a Glance

Miraval Austin Resort & Spa is an adults-only wellness retreat in the Texas Hill Country, built around the brand’s ‘Life in Balance’ philosophy of mindfulness, movement, and intentional rest. Perched above Lake Travis, the resort fosters a serene environment, encouraging guests to unplug via its ‘Miraval Mode,’ which discourages digital device use in most public areas.

Unlike resorts centered on high-octane activity, the all-inclusive dining, varied wellness programming, and scenic walking trails here invite a slower pace. It is a destination designed for clearing the mind rather than filling it with a packed itinerary.

One caveat: the volume of pre-arrival emails after booking was excessive. While the information was helpful, the frequency of the outreach felt at odds with the resort’s core focus on a digital detox.

The entry drive runs between stone buildings, past a rectangular pond and garden. The sound of water and the texture of the stone greet you before anything else, and you immediately get what kind of quiet this resort is after.
A huge sloped wall of Texas stone carries the words 'Live Oak Center,' with a black chair and a large urn in front. Most wellness programs and meditation sessions happen here, so I passed by it often.
The dining hall sits under a high timber gable roof with stone walls and round tables, and you can watch the staff cooking in the open kitchen at the back. The tall ceiling keeps it from feeling noisy even at busy mealtimes.
The Miraval logo is carved into a stone wall, fronted by flower beds and backed by dense trees. True to Hyatt's wellness brand, even the signage is understated, which set a calm tone from the first minute.
A round fire pit sits in one corner of the garden, ringed by natural stone seats, with a tall white building and trees behind. They light it after sunset, and it is a spot where sitting in silence feels like enough.
Stone-edged rectangular beds hold yellow and purple flowers and herbs, with big trees and the trail beyond. It looked like a kitchen garden for the restaurant, and in the evening the scent of the herbs rose up as I passed.

Room Upgrade Experience

Room on this stayDreamcatcher Queen

We stayed in a ground-floor Dreamcatcher Queen room at Miraval Austin Resort & Spa. We did not receive an upgrade from our booked room type. The ground-floor location felt cozy, connecting naturally to the outdoors and providing the feel of a small private backyard. It offered the slow, tranquil pace characteristic of a resort, a distinct departure from a typical city hotel.

The Dreamcatcher Queen room keeps it simple: white bedding, a gray sofa and round table by the window, and a ceiling fan. The green fields outside kept me on that sofa longer than planned.
The Dreamcatcher Queen bathroom pairs a beige marble vanity with a large backlit mirror, and the shelf below holds a generous stack of towels and amenities. The soft light is very forgiving first thing in the morning.
The room terrace holds two armchairs behind stone pillars and a low wall, with the Texas grassland and trees beyond. It is screened just enough from the outside that I kept bringing my morning coffee out here.
The minibar shelf holds a black kettle, mugs, and a tea caddy, with a glass-front fridge below. I made tea every night, and the see-through door meant no opening the fridge just to check what was inside.
The closet keeps an iron and robes on the top shelf, with hangers, an ironing board, a luggage rack, and disposable slippers below. I had a lot of changes for yoga sessions and never ran out of room.
A gold tray holds a singing bowl on a blue cushion, a wooden striker, a small pouch of calming stones, and a card with the Miraval logo. Ringing it a few times before bed seemed to change the air in the room.
ZENTS pump bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash sit on the bathroom wall shelf. The large sizes never ran low over several days, and the scent is mild enough to be pleasant after a long day.
The shower has beige tile walls, a ceiling rain head, an adjustable handheld wand, and a metal control lever. Turning on the rain shower after yoga or a hike felt like closing out the day.
Grassland and trees under a sky of scattered clouds: classic Texas Hill Country. Fields like this come into view from almost anywhere on the property, and simply walking through them slows you down.

No Lounge

Lounge access was not available on this stay.

Breakfast Experience

Miraval Austin features healthy cuisine using ingredients harvested from the resort's farm; all meals and non-alcoholic beverages are included in the all-inclusive rate. The main dining venue, Hilltop Crossings Kitchen, features an open kitchen, and breakfast is served as a mix of a la carte ordering and a buffet. The menu was clean and nutritious, with the 'Egg in a Nest' dish being a particular standout.

The breakfast menu at Hilltop Crossings Kitchen lists calories, fat, carbs, and protein for every dish, from buttermilk pancakes to the Farmer's Breakfast. If you are watching what you eat, ordering gets a lot easier.
Breakfast was toast topped with egg and sliced avocado, with microgreens on the side, served on a matte green plate. The ingredients tasted clean enough that the organic claim did not feel like marketing.
Breakfast was a yellow omelet filled with tomato and vegetables, piled high with microgreens. True to the organic billing, the vegetables tasted clean enough that no sauce was needed.
The Hilltop Crossings Kitchen breakfast menu in a wooden holder lists calories and nutrition for each item, from buttermilk pancakes to the omelet and avocado tartine. I studied it for a while with the wine cellar blurred in the background.
A three-tier glass case in the breakfast room displays cranberry-orange muffins, bagels, banana bread, and whole-wheat loaves, each with a label. They are baked in-house every morning, so the lineup shifted slightly from day to day.
My breakfast plate: watermelon, melon, blackberries, blueberry pancakes, a muffin, a scone, and scrambled eggs, with syrup and butter in little metal cups. With that much fruit, the sweet pastries felt less indulgent.

Dining Experience

All-inclusive dining

Lunch

During the day, beyond lunch at Hilltop Crossings Kitchen, various refreshments are available in the café, including non-alcoholic cocktails, protein drinks, coffee, tea, yogurt, fruit, and healthy desserts. The snacks in the café were perfect for a light energy boost between the resort's daily activities.

Beyond the wooden table on the outdoor terrace, the Texas Hill Country rolls away to the horizon. I picked this seat for lunch on purpose and spent more time looking at the view than the plate.
My lunch plate: tomato caprese, tuna salad, artichoke salad, a cookie and a madeleine, with a bowl of hot soup on the side. Mostly vegetables and protein, so I did not feel heavy afterward.
Lunch on a round plate: grilled steak with olives, cherry tomatoes, roasted squash, salad, and a grain dish. Seasonal vegetables take up more than half the plate, so it was filling without being heavy.
Plates of salads and sandwiches line the open-kitchen counter, each with a small card naming the dish. You can see the ingredients and pick right away, which is handy when you want a quick lunch.
Below the apples and bananas in a basket and the disposables on a wooden tray, a chilled case holds salads, wraps, and ready-to-eat meals in clear containers. When there is an awkward gap between sessions, this is where lunch comes from.
A wooden box holds individually wrapped avocado-cacao cookies and granola bars, each white wrapper labeled with ingredients and nutrition facts. Easy to grab one before a hike, and reassuring to know exactly what you are eating.
Chalkboards on either side of the bar list zero-proof cocktails and coffee drinks, and the lit center shelf is lined with bottles. Coffee by day, alcohol-free cocktails by night; I ended up here without planning to.
The café's wooden cabinet doors double as chalkboards, listing smoothies and coffee drinks alongside cowboy boot and hat illustrations. Milk options and ingredients are spelled out, and a smoothie here made a fine stand-in for lunch.
The self-serve station in the dining area has coffee servers and drink dispensers on a wooden cabinet, with a blue-lit Flowater purifier and a fruit basket by the window. Water and fruit are free to take even outside meal hours, so I stopped by often.
The Crossings Kitchen lunch menu lists entrées like a plant-based burger, hemp-seed meatballs, and grilled swordfish, plus desserts, with calories, fat, protein, and carbs under each. Seeing the numbers nudged me toward a lighter order than usual.
Lunch on two white oval plates on a wooden table: thinly sliced beef and roasted rainbow carrots sprinkled with sesame. The carrots were sweet enough to steal the show, and the beef was a sensible supporting portion.
Lunch of turmeric rice topped with grilled steak, black beans, tomato salsa, and microgreens, with another plate and a water glass behind. The most filling option that day, and perfect before an afternoon hike.
Lunch of seared fish and long-cut roasted eggplant over a creamy sauce, finished with herbs and nuts. The sauce is rich but never heavy, and I cleaned the plate, eggplant included.
Octopus on a gray square plate with grilled asparagus, vegetables, a green sauce, and baby greens on top. The octopus was grilled tender rather than chewy, making it the best lunch dish of the trip.
Lunch of thinly sliced roast beef arranged on a white oval plate with red radish slices and baby greens. Served with just salt and no sauce, and the beef was tender enough not to need any.
A chocolate-coated dessert held up after one bite, the cross-section showing the filling, with the wooden table and a water glass behind. It tasted like the sugar had been dialed back, yet it stayed good to the last bite, ideal after lunch.

Dinner

Dinner is served as a more formal, course-based meal compared to breakfast or lunch. While the menu, which emphasizes nutritional balance, was well-executed, the flavors themselves were not particularly bold or memorable for my personal palate.

A mint-colored plate came out with 'Happy Anniversary' written in chocolate, plus chocolate-dipped strawberries, blueberries, a meringue-topped pudding, mango sorbet, and a pastry. I had not asked for anything, so the gesture meant a lot.
Under the high gable roof, an open kitchen with chefs at work sits behind a row of bar seats, with wooden tables and a patterned carpet in front. Sitting at the bar, you watch every dish come together, which makes eating alone far from dull.
The Hilltop Crossings Kitchen hours sheet lists breakfast, lunch, and dinner times, contactless room service hours, a note that dinner requires a reservation, and grab-and-go options outside meal hours. Book dinner as soon as you arrive.
A close-up of the glass carafe and water glass on our table, with other guests at dinner blurred under warm light behind. With no alcohol at dinner the carafe emptied quickly, but it also kept the focus on the food.
A dinner starter of red dip topped with microgreens and dried fruit, served with triangles of grilled pita. It looks simple, but the dip had enough depth that I asked for more pita.
Dinner in a cast-iron pan: two meatballs over tomato sauce, finished with grated cheese and microgreens, with a salad plate behind. Not a huge portion, but the sauce was rich enough to satisfy.
A dinner salad on a dark gray plate: red cabbage slaw, roasted cashews, thin pickle slices, and microgreens. The crunch of the cabbage against the toasty cashews made it the most memorable salad of the stay.
Dinner on a pale green plate: fish over grilled bread with asparagus and microgreens. The bread soaks up the juices, so you end up finishing every last bite.
Dinner on a blue floral plate: a steak with clear grill marks under green salsa and microgreens, with corn and a side alongside. Even the plate pattern is part of the presentation, which is why the camera came out first.

Pools & Facilities Experience

Outdoor pool

The two infinity pools at the resort offer different atmospheres for relaxation. The pool near the fitness center and pool bar has a lively, social vibe, while the pool next to the spa is much quieter and better suited for static relaxation. The setting, which blends into the surrounding nature, is excellent; it is so serene that in the morning, you can hear birds chirping or spot cardinals flying among the trees.

The resort is well-equipped with group exercise facilities. You can participate in a diverse range of activity programs such as yoga, meditation, and challenge courses. Beyond paid experiences like the beekeeping session, there is a satisfying variety of complimentary activities available.

The fitness center lines up Technogym treadmills, bikes, and weight benches along a wall of glass. Running with the landscape in front of you makes a morning workout far less tedious.
Black loungers sit half-submerged in the shallow end of the infinity pool, with the Austin woods stretching out beyond. Lie back with just your legs in the water and the afternoon disappears.
The meditation room has a high timber ceiling, stone walls, arched glass doors onto the garden, and a gong on a stand in one corner. Even between sessions it is a good place to just sit.
Under an overcast sky, loungers and umbrellas ring the infinity pool, with a lounge building attached on the right. Grab a drink from the building, settle into a lounger, and the whole Hill Country opens up in front of you.
A small yellow-feathered bird landed on the edge of the pool, with the Hill Country woods behind it. It did not seem bothered by people, so I watched it up close from my lounger for a good while.
The Texas hills seen from the infinity pool deck at dusk, with the modern resort building and blue-covered furniture lined up alongside. Fewer people than in the afternoon, and easily the quietest hour of the day.
The ropes course rises against the dusk sky, a tangle of ropes and obstacles strung between tall wooden posts. It was nice to see that this is not only a place for meditation; there is something for people who want to move.
Aerial stepping stones and cargo nets run between tall wooden posts, with a red climbing wall on the right. My legs wobbled just looking up from below, but it is the kind of thing worth trying once.

Service Impressions

Service notesExcellentService notes are still being written.

All staff members were kind and attentive, ensuring a comfortable stay.

Resort Fee & Parking Check

Parking typesurface lot, Valet parkingComplimentary parking on this stayNo valet fee recorded for this stayResort fee$150Other fees

Both valet and self-parking are available free of charge at Miraval Austin.

Other fees: In addition to the room rate, a 25% resort fee is charged per night. During our stay, we had the resort fee waived by booking with Globalist points.

Late checkout was honored on this stay: 4 PM

Before You Book

[About Miraval]

Miraval is a wellness resort brand that launched in Arizona in 1995, focusing on mindfulness, physical activity, and intentional rest under the philosophy of 'Life in Balance.' It currently operates wellness-focused resorts in Arizona, Austin, and the Berkshires. The name 'Miraval' means 'View of the Valley' in Spanish, and the brand embodies a slow-paced retreat in harmony with nature.

[A Self-Care Resort Perfect for Solo Travelers]

While many guests visit as couples or with friends, there are also a significant number of solo travelers. Although some perceive it as a destination primarily for 'girls' trips,' my experience confirmed it is a place for anyone seeking self-care, regardless of gender. It is an environment where staying alone feels natural, and it is well-suited for focusing on one's own routine and well-being. Thanks to the variety of complimentary activities, there is no time to be bored even when alone, and the atmosphere is open enough that guests with similar goals often naturally strike up conversations.

Location & Getting Around

13500 Farm to Market Rd 2769, Austin, TX 78726, USA

See More Photos & Video

Stay Photos & Video

At check-in, a tablet asked me to initial each item: Miraval Mode (no phones in shared spaces), the no-smoking rule, and a safety pledge. It makes clear from the start that putting the phone away is the baseline here.
A cotton pouch on the room table reads 'Unplug. Be Present. CELLPHONE SLEEPING BAG.' The idea is to tuck your phone in for the night, and once I actually did, the evening felt a lot longer.
The entrance has a stone pillar marked 'ARRIVAL CENTER,' cactus landscaping, and a stop sign. The tall ropes course rising behind it is the first thing you notice, a hint that this is not only a place to sit still.
The property map marks the Discovery Pool, Yoga Barn, Life in Balance Spa, Sanctuary Cove lodging, walking trails, and amenities, and it flags the device-free zones. The grounds are big, so planning routes with this map on day one helped.
A gravel-and-paver path runs under a long wooden pergola wrapped in vines. I walked it every time I went between the dining hall and my room, and even at midday the shade kept it cool.
A wooden signpost on the trail reads 897 miles to Miraval Arizona and 1,817 miles to Miraval Berkshires. A fun way to show just how far apart the brand's other resorts are.
A sign marking the start of a device-free zone stands before a long stone wall along the trail, shaded by trees. Walking past it, you put your phone in your pocket almost without thinking.
Dozens of small cairns built by guests cover a large boulder along the trail, with trees and the resort buildings behind. I added a stone of my own; there was something oddly comforting in the traces left by everyone before me.
Golf carts line up behind a stone signpost pointing to the Body Mindfulness Center and the fitness studio. The grounds are big enough that I called a cart for the in-between distances, and one always came quickly.
Taken on a post-dinner walk through the garden: a stone wall and trees, the last blue of dusk overhead, and a row of warm lights switched on. It feels like a different place from daytime, and I ended up doing a loop every evening.
A night scene: lamp light falling on brush and trees under a dark sky. With no city noise at all, only insects could be heard, and I followed the lights for one loop of the trail before heading in.
The entrance with its cactus cluster, fire hydrant, and stone Arrival Center sign, with the Miraval-branded ropes course and a golf cart behind. The dry Texas landscaping tells you what kind of place this is before you step inside.
A concrete walkway runs under a long pergola of thick wooden posts, flanked by gravel landscaping and stone-walled buildings. I used it every time I moved between facilities, and the walk itself became part of the rest.
A wooden sign beside the trail reads 'LOOK UP. BE INSPIRED.' amid gravel paths and trees. Phrases like this appear all along the walk, and they do make you stop and look up now and then.
The breakfast omelet on a round plate, filled with tomato and vegetables and heaped with microgreens. Light and clean enough that I ordered the same thing two mornings in a row.
The Hilltop Crossings Kitchen breakfast menu lists calories and nutrition for each dish, pancakes and omelets included, with the restaurant interior and wine cellar soft-focused behind. It is the kind of menu that takes longer than usual to decide from.
The breakfast bakery corner: a black-framed glass case with three tiers of cranberry-orange muffins, bagels, banana bread, and whole-wheat loaves, each labeled. The whole-wheat and banana breads were especially moist, and I took one every morning.
A breakfast plate of watermelon, melon, and blueberries with a muffin, scone, berry pancakes, scrambled eggs, honey, and butter, with ice water alongside. Fruit first, pastries after, and the whole plate went down easily despite how it looks.
A huge round chandelier hangs over the center of the lobby lounge, above a stone fireplace, leather armchairs, and potted plants. A good place to sit for a few minutes around check-in, and where I had my coffee on the last morning too.
A man eats on the outdoor terrace under a big tree strung with lights, with the Austin hills and a lake spread out below. Once the sun drops the bulbs come on, and this is the first table I would recommend for dinner.
A pink soup in a gray bowl, topped with dark leafy greens, with a fork and water glass beside it. The color was pretty enough that I asked what was in it, and it tasted lighter than it looked.
A salad on the outdoor table: romaine, shredded carrot, red and yellow bell pepper, and crunchy croutons with dressing. A basic build, but the vegetables were fresh and it suited eating in the open air.
The main course: a nicely seared steak topped with microgreens and kale, with a separate plate of carrot-and-tomato salad. The meat is a restrained portion and the vegetables are generous, so dinner sat lightly.
Through a vine-covered stone arch: a long water channel, a lawn, and a lit garden, with a low stone wall and trees beyond. The arch makes a natural picture frame, and I stopped for a photo almost every time I passed.

Questions & stay tips

Ask a question about this hotel review or share your own Hyatt stay experience.

0 comments

No comments yet. Start the conversation with a question or useful stay tip.

More Hyatt Reviews to Read Next

Exterior view of Hotel Figueroa, Unbound Collection by Hyatt in Los Angeles. The building facade features a large mural of blue and pink flowers and leaves, with a rectangular outdoor pool and lounge seating in the foreground.
Los Angeles, United States · The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

Hotel Figueroa - The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

A property defined by its historic character and artistic sensibility, offering excellent access to Downtown LA attractions and the nearby arena.

Suite UpgradeLate Checkout 4PMOutdoor PoolValet OnlyPet Friendly
Exterior of the Hyatt House in Scottsdale, Arizona. The building features tan walls and red tile roofing, with a tall palm tree in the foreground and the blue Hyatt House logo centered on the facade.
Scottsdale, United States · Hyatt House

Hyatt House Scottsdale/Old Town

With its convenient Old Town Scottsdale location and kitchen-equipped suites, this property functions as a comfortable, apartment-style base for long-term stays or golf trips.

Suite UpgradeLate Checkout 4PMOutdoor PoolNo Parking FeePet Friendly2BR SuiteFull Kitchen
Arrowhead Ave street sign and a Route 66 centennial commemorative sign attached to a traffic light pole against a clear blue sky in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Flagstaff, United States · Hyatt Place

Hyatt Place Flagstaff

A practical, comfortable base for a Grand Canyon road trip, featuring spacious room layouts and an indoor pool.