Eforea Spa
Relaxation is a beautiful thing. However, if you are looking for a treatment that offers visible results, you want to head to eforea spa at Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock. Earlier this year, eforea debuted its new Rhonda Allison line of skincare, and the products have been flying off the shelf, says Heidi Kenney, lead esthetician. (Heidi has been an esthetician for eight years, first in Atlanta and, for the last three years, in Sedona.) Eforea’s Signature Anti-Aging Facial incorporates Rhonda Allison products. “After this facial, you will notice improvements in your skin over the course of a week,” says Heidi. This writer can attest to that. (In the interest of disclosure, my husband is the director of eforea spa.)
All facials at eforea are customized based on a person’s needs, goals and allergies. Expect a mini interview prior to the start of the treatment. The facial begins with a cleansing and an exfoliation, then a mint-papaya enzyme mask is applied to the skin. One of the ingredients in the mask is naturally occurring salicylic acid that Heidi says is great for anti-aging as well as the treatment of acne and rosacea. The mask is hot and cold all at once, and it tingles the skin. As you wait for the mask to work its magic, you receive a neck and shoulder massage. Next ChronoPeptide A serum rejuvenates the skin, Drops of Essence fatty acids feed skin cells, and the Eye and Lip Renew Serum exfoliates and hydrates the tissue around the eyes. The star of the treatment might just be the Natural Lift Mask, which hardens on your skin to such an extent you won’t be able to carry on a conversation with your esthetician. While that’s happening, your hands receive an anti-aging treatment of their own with the help of a bamboo scrub and a hydrating cream. The mask is removed and followed by a 10-minute NuFace treatment. The handheld NuFace micro-current machine lifts and tones the facial muscles. The treatment ends with a growth-factor serum that nourishes new skin cells, a lifting tonic, a facial massage using cool ice globes and an application of sunscreen. It’s no wonder you walk out glowing.
And though eforea spa offers many results-oriented treatments, that’s not to say that it isn’t a tranquil environment. The spa’s huge locker rooms feature jetted hot tubs, clothing-optional sundecks, steam rooms and saunas. The Stillpoint waiting area is sublime. Arrive early, grab a cup of herbal tea and spend time on the leather chaise lounges before your treatment.
Signature Treatment: 90-minute Signature Anti-Aging Facial, $207
Why We Love This Spa: The therapists here are some of the very best in Sedona. No matter what treatment you are receiving, they take the time to get to know you and your needs. If you are a repeat client, you will quickly develop a relationship with your therapist. It’s a very nurturing environment.
The Details: Eforea (90 Ridge Trail Drive in the Village of Oak Creek) includes nine treatment rooms. The adjacent Sedona Athletic Club offers more than 30 fitness classes seven days a week plus a 25-meter lap pool, fully equipped gym, concierge physical therapy services and the Warrior Pit, an outdoor CrossFit experience. It’s all available to you when you book a spa treatment. Call 928-284-6900 or visit www.eforeaspasedona.com.
Mii amo, A Destination Spa
There is no place quite like Mii amo, A Destination Spa at Enchantment Resort nestled between the sandstone walls of Boynton Canyon. But there’s a catch: You have to stay at Enchantment or Mii amo in order to experience the spa. You absolutely want to do this at least once in your life, even if you already live in Sedona. The exclusivity, the indescribable landscape and the fact that there is no cell service give the spa a level of serenity that’s hard to match in our plugged-in society. Spend even a few minutes inside Mii amo’s Crystal Grotto, a circular-shaped room with a dirt floor, petrified-wood water feature and round skylight, and even the busiest among us will be affected on some level.
Mii amo opened its doors in 2001, and the utmost attention went into its design, says Robert Vance, spa director. The spa was built around the aforementioned grotto; guests can write their worries on pieces of paper and leave them in a basket outside the grotto. The papers are burned each morning, turning the need to let go into a physical act. And you won’t find better views from a swimming pool in all of Sedona (adults only). Mii amo also has 16 rooms where guests stay for three-, four- and seven-night all-inclusive “journeys” geared toward specific goals (destress, health, spirituality, etc.). If you stay at Enchantment, you can book individual treatments and enjoy everything that Mii amo has to offer. If that’s your intention, the signature Hozhooji, The Mii amo Blessing is one of the most beautiful treatments on a spa menu – anywhere. It blends Native American rituals with massage and a mineral-rich mud mask. The treatment is designed to encourage you to focus on gratitude. It begins with a sage smudge. Then you are presented with a Hopi basket filled with different colors of cloth. Focusing on what makes you grateful in life, you choose a color. The cloth is then filled with tobacco and tied into a bundle with sinew. The bundle is placed on a bed of bright turquoise magnesite stones, which are said to aid in introspection. The stones and bundle are placed under your face cradle so that you can see them during your treatment and stay focused on the things in life that inspire gratitude. Once you are on the table, your therapist leads you in a Hopi prayer. The palms of your hands, soles of your feet and your third eye are covered in clay. Your body is then massaged with a subtly fragrant sweetgrass oil. At the end of your treatment, you leave with your bundle and suggestions from your therapist on what to do with it (put it on your desk, sleep with it under your pillow, tie it to a tree, etc.).
Spend the rest of your day lounging in your robe by the pools. Sip juice from the juice bar, enjoy a glass of organic or biodynamic wine and make sure you enjoy a meal at the Mii amo Café where Chef Alexander Pasco’s “intelligent cuisine” focuses on organic and locally sourced ingredients. The café serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, light fare and cocktails.
Signature Treatment: 120-minute Hozhooji, The Mii amo Blessing, $350
Why We Love This Spa: It’s the attention to detail from the attentive locker room attendants, to the treatment rooms with windows that allow you to gaze at the red rocks while you are on the table, to the pitcher of ice water delivered to your chair as soon as you take a seat by the pool. You want to relax, heal or just feel like a queen for the day? This is your spot.
The Details: Mii amo (525 Boynton Canyon Road) boasts 16 treatment rooms, four outdoor wikiups that are also used for treatments, a fitness room, movement studio, library, labyrinth and meditation garden, an indoor pool (with underwater speakers), an outdoor pool, a juice bar and an award-winning restaurant. You must be a guest of the resort to take advantage of Mii amo. Call 844-993-9518 or visit www.miiamo.com.
