Starting the New Year Off Right at Mii amo — An Award-Winning Luxury Destination Spa in Sedona

Before I arrived at Mii amo, a destination spa nestled in the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, nearly every friend who had visited offered the same warning: prepare yourself for the vortexes. They spoke of Sedona’s special and powerful energy fields, promising an extra-charged experience that might elevate my stay, my mindset, or, perhaps, my entire outlook on life.

As someone who is admittedly susceptible to new wellness philosophies, remedies, and rituals, I was instantly intrigued. What is more ideal for a wellness retreat than a literally supercharged spa? Celebrity wellness gals like Gwyneth Paltrow and Hailey Bieber have checked in on their socials from the lauded energy haven, so they clearly agree. And Forbes Travel Guide just awarded the property a coveted Five-Star rating – first and only five-star wellness resort in North America.

For those not in the know, vortexes are believed to be areas where energy swirls at a heightened frequency that many claim evokes increased clarity, calm, or emotional release. While there is no formal scientific explanation, the twisted juniper trees scattered about, the iron-rich red rock formations, and dramatic spires are physical proof.

Mii amo sits within Boynton Canyon, in the midst of these legendary vortex areas, with towering energy fields spire the Kachina Woman looking over the property. 

“Mii amo itself was intentionally designed to connect with the powerful energy held within Boynton Canyon,” says Christian Davies, General Manager of Mii amo. “We encourage our guests to be open to the special thoughts and feelings they may experience while on property and embrace these feelings.”

I knew timing Mii amo at the very beginning of the year to fully capitalize on the buzzy landscape, paired with the resort’s intentional programming, would be especially powerful. 

Checking in to Mii amo

Mii amo is part of the greater Enchantment Resort. While Enchantment caters beautifully to families and travelers seeking an adventure-filled luxury red-rock escape, Mii amo is its adults-only, wellness-focused counterpart. With just 23 suites arranged around the main wellness center, the intimate spa is a little resort on its own. 

At the center of Mii amo’s main spa building sits the Crystal Grotto, a domed sanctuary with red-dirt floors, embedded crystals, and a skylight aligned over a petrified wood centerpiece where guided meditations and guests’ quiet moments happen. The grotto, often referred to as the heart of Mii amo, is a thoughtful homage to the spa’s surrounding vortex-filled land that helps define the Mii amo experience.

“We strive to provide very intentional spaces which support moments of reflection and connection,” says Davies. 

Renovated in 2023 by Gluckman Tang Architects, the spaces strike a refined balance between elevated desert luxury and a subtle nod to Sedona’s 1970s spiritual-seeker roots, but with a modern interpretation of mid-century calm. And it’s all punctuated by the red limestone mountains framing every view.

Starting My Mii amo Journey

Every guest at Mii amo embarks on a journey, and that idea is taken quite literally. For all guests, their journey follows an all-inclusive formula encompassing accommodations, all meals at the signature fine dining restaurant Hummingbird, daily spa credits, a full schedule of specialty programming, fitness classes, fresh juices and coffees from the Juice Bar, and full access to Mii amo’s private wellness spaces. Journeys are offered in three, four, seven, and 10-night formats. Rates for a three-night Journey start at $4,600.

Prior to my stay, my Journey Guide, Mike, reached out to help curate my itinerary, thoughtfully suggesting a mix of body treatments, mindfulness and spiritual experiences, and fitness activities based on my goals. 

The treatment menu at Mii Amo is extensive and impressively specific, ranging from classic massages and facials to highly targeted offerings addressing grief, transition, and life recalibration. Choosing can feel overwhelming, which makes the Journey Guides a real perk.

“Mii amo’s holistic approach to wellbeing encompasses four pillars: nutrition, movement, mindfulness, and community,” says Davies. “While each pillar intertwines with the other – individuals can explore which pillar supports their pursuit of living a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life while being present with their current stage.”

For those that prefer to follow a more prescriptive path, Mii amo’s curated journeys are based on intention with a specific itinerary of suggested treatments and activities for all goals and mindsets including connection, discovery, quiet solitude, longevity, and more. 

The Customized Mii amo Wellness Itinerary

I spent my four-night journey floating through my seamlessly planned itinerary of spa treatments, mindfulness experiences, picturesque hikes (literally from the resort’s gate), and yoga classes, nourishing gourmet meals (eating in robes is encouraged) in between lounging in the spa’s ultra cozy deep burgundy and tangerine orange living room, listening to a crackling fire. 

My spa treatment plan was a thoughtful mix of mindful and physical therapies, intuitive energy reading, and insight sessions designed to bring clarity and alignment, followed by deeply restorative bodywork.

Every inch of tension was released from my body with the help of the signature Intentional Aromatherapy Massage, where a chosen intention guided a custom essential-oil blend used throughout a flowing Swedish massage, a Classic Deep Tissue Massage with a seasoned physical therapist, and the 120-minute Desert Mist Body Renewal, an indulgent head-to-toe ritual of dry brushing, mineral-rich clay, gentle heat, and a final shea butter massage that left my skin glowing and my nervous system noticeably calmer.

“Mii amo has been blessed with a team of truly gifted providers who feel a connection to the Canyon and energy of our surroundings. We continually seek their input,” Davies says of what sets the spa’s treatments apart.

Like the mindfulness treatments. There was Insight, a signature energy reading session, and Soul Consciousness, a customized session by a Reiki healer who harmonized my Chakras. Too “woo woo”? Maybe? But for someone who lives in a constant whirlwind of screens, busy schedules, and information overload, taking the time to reflect and learn about myself was fruitful, even if I didn’t actually know what a chakra is. 

On my final morning, sipping a spirulina and aloe-infused green smoothie at breakfast, I understood what everyone had tried to explain about this mystical energy land. No, I didn’t suddenly learn how to levitate or solve all of my problems after five days in the red rocks. But I did leave with a real sense of calm and uplifted clarity, something I am rarely able to harness. It turns out that when you combine thoughtful wellness programming with immersive nature, the result can indeed be transformative.