Travaasa Austin provides the perfect backdrop to a girlfriend’s getaway. Combine one part spa with one part fitness retreat and one part adventure camp. Stir in delicious food, pour in wine in the evenings and coffee in the mornings and I’m packing up my besties for a few days of “us” time.
I had the opportunity to join Joy Berry, the visionary behind Travaasa, for breakfast one morning. After decades working for huge, international hotel brands, Joy set out to “put the magic back into travel.” That magic, goes the Travaasa thinking, can be found among their five signature pillars: Adventure, Culinary, Culture, Fitness, and Wellness. The resort works hard to deliver guests their fill of each.
Adventure? There’s horseback riding, slacklining and the outdoor Challenge course.
Culinary? Jean’s Kitchen delivers delicious food prepared without any of the nasty chemicals we can all do without.
Culture? Though I could be wrong, I suspect that Travaasa Austin is the only resort to incorporate a mechanical bull into its fitness program. Yes, you heard correctly. There is a mechanical bull installed in the fitness room.
Fitness? Speaking of fitness, a wide, wide variety of classes and lovely moderate hiking trails can keep you going most of the day. If you like.
Wellness? Wellness can mean different things for different people. For me, wellness can be found among the vast variety of spa treatments Travaasa offers, their wonderful yoga classes and the serenity of their gorgeous infinity pool.
But where does that magic come from? Christine, a veteran of other hotels and manager of the front desk at Travaasa, describes the “automatic sense of peace” that even the staff experiences upon arrival at Travaasa. “We are encouraged to experience everything here and that lets us share those experiences with the guests. I’ve never worked at a better place.”
And that says it all.
Last week marked Travaasa Austin’s one year anniversary. To celebrate, they are giving away prizes each week, along with tips, recipes and more on their Facebook page. “We are humbled by the great success we've seen in our first year of operation," says Ms. Berry. "This promotion offers us the chance to say, 'thank you' to our guests and friends who have helped to make our vision a reality." To join in the fun, visit www.facebook.com/travaasa
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The writer was a guest of Travaasa for three nights last October for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
