It’s hard to talk about the beauty of Sedona without sounding like you’re on drugs. The Arizona town is famously otherworldly, with red rocks and an ethereal golden glow that make you feel like you are on Mars and, for some reason, induce you to sprinkle your sentences with words like dude and epic and soundtrack drives to Pink Floyd. Then there’s the energy of it all. The aura. The vibes. Sedona is known for its four vortex sites, spots that have more iron and quartz in the earth; allegedly this creates a higher energy frequency that inspires introspection. These sites have long been considered sacred in Native American culture, and spiritual seekers have been flocking to them for decades in the hopes of soaking up some of their healing energy. And chances are, no matter where you fall on the metaphysical pendulum, you’ll feel some of vortices’ intangible magic when you visit, too.
Or at least that’s what happened to me and my husband last month when we checked into Mii amo, a gorgeous, all-inclusive destination spa that’s tucked into Boynton Canyon, one of Sedona’s four vortex sites. Though the beloved spa originally opened back in 2001, it closed in 2021 for a two-year, $40 million renovation and expansion and recently re-opened in 2023 to the relief and delight of its many repeat guests (Gwyneth Paltrow and Hailey Bieber have visited). I’m not exactly steeped in aura-speak in my everyday life in New York, but at Mii amo, it didn’t take me long to tell my husband I “felt the energy” of the surrounding crimson-hued canyon. And according to Dana Tang, lead architect and designer of the original Mii amo, whose firm, Gluckman Tang Architects, was also tapped to lead the renovation, that was very much the idea. “From the beginning, we wanted the buildings not to stand out,” she told me, “but to act as a frame for the experience of the canyon and to heighten the overall sense of place.”
Their plan worked. Mii amo completely blends into its surroundings, thanks to the use of local and simple materials like earth-toned concrete, river stones, adobe brick, and stucco the color of the canyon walls. This makes it hard to tell where the canyon ends and the resort begins, which, again, is the whole point: “Mii amo’s architecture is intended to feel like it’s always been there, grounded in the canyon,” Tang continues. “The design is meant to inspire both an outward connection to the canyon and inner exploration, too.”
Though the renovation and expansion didn’t change the spa’s design in a drastic way, its size did increase by 40%, landing at 42,000 square feet of space laid out to help guests connect to nature and to themselves. In addition to Mii amo’s pre-existing standout features, like its outdoor pool with red rock views and its indoor sauna, steam room and hot tub facilities, Mii amo now includes a sensory garden, a two-story movement and fitness studio and reflexology path, seven new casitas (plus 16 fully-renovated ones), all sorts of re-imagined spaces, and a signature restaurant, Hummingbird, led by Executive Chef Beau Widener. It must be noted here that unlike many wellness retreats, where the food is often meh at best, Widener’s creations are a truly tasty highlight—especially at dinner. Don’t miss the lamb with olive tapenade, the baked purple sweet potato topped with lemon butter (so good my husband and I ordered it every night of our stay), or the mushroom curry, all of which follow Mii amo’s “healthy food is whole food” philosophy.
The biggest change to Mii amo are the relaxation areas for “Journey” guests. When you stay at Mii amo, you choose between a three, four, seven or ten-day all-inclusive “Journey” curated by a personal guide (those who are staying at the neighboring Enchantment Resort can come in for one-off treatments, but you can’t stay at Mii amo unless you’re doing a Journey.) Journeys include accommodation at one of the 23 casitas, a daily credit for spa treatments or nature experiences arranged through the Trail House at Enchantment (either $250 or $500, depending on which package you book), unlimited access to lectures, fitness classes, and the Juice Bar, three meals per day at Hummingbird (alcohol is not included), and, of course, license to chill at the new private Journey guest spaces, which range from a tranquil plunge pool and garden to a lounge with stunning views of the iconic red rocks.
My husband and I did the three-day Journey, and by the end of it, I was not only blissed out, but also tuned in. Like many spiritual seekers before me, I’d gone into my Journey with a mission to heal. I’ve been going through fertility treatments for the past two years, and the process has left both my body and my mind a bit frayed. I’m currently taking a break from it all, and I wanted treatments that would (hopefully) help me relax and put me at ease. Fortunately for me, the spa menu at Mii amo is filled with all sorts of options that fit that very bill, from the usual suspects like massages and facials and body wraps to the “uniquely Mii amo” options, like a connection ceremony to help you through times of transition and an inner quest to help you gain clarity.
While you can’t go wrong with whatever you choose, you won’t want to miss the energy-clearing treatment with Bruce Haveri, who’s been at Mii amo for 13 years, or the aura photography session with Kim McDermott, who’s been there for nearly 20. During my energy clearing session, which took place at 8 pm by the light of the moon, Bruce asked me to write down three energies I wanted to release, and three I wanted to call in. This prompted a kind of therapy session that nearly brought me to tears; luckily, the next part of the treatment was a moonlit massage. Once every muscle had been unknotted, Bruce sent me back to my casita with a healing essential oil blend he’d whipped up just for me, and a gentle reminder that I was on the right path. Maybe it was the heady setting, moonlight illuminating the monumental red rock silhouettes outside the window, or maybe it was Bruce’s kind vibe, or maybe it was a combo of both, but I believed him.
I had a similarly cathartic experience with Kim during my aura photography session (which may just be the most Sedona sentence I could possibly write.) When I entered the treatment room, Kim had me place my hands on a very fancy machine, at which point my aura colors popped up on the screen. Turns out, the majority of my aura was orange and yellow, which Kim said generally represents creative energy and optimism, but then the area around my stomach was green, which signifies healing. When I told Kim about my fertility struggles, she smiled and told me that checks out: “That means your body, specifically your uterus, is in the process of repairing itself.”
Okay, I realize that skeptics may not believe in “aura photography.” I oscillate between skepticism and the desire to believe, myself. But in that moment with Kim, I was all in. Seeing my healing in visual form gave me permission to keep healing, which is exactly what I needed. And in the end, that’s what Mii amo is truly all about: meeting yourself where you are. “The moment you see the red rocks, you step into their field of energy, and then that energy works with your energy—so you are better able to process what you’re already going through,” Kim, who’s a senior member of the mindfulness team, told me during our session. People book a stay for all sorts of reasons, whether it’s to work through a loss (like a layoff or a divorce) or to celebrate a new life phase, like moving cities or starting a company. And Mii amo is there to help guide you on your path no matter what. “When you come into a high-energy area, it’ll work with you in the way that you need—because that’s all part of the magic.”
With all these soulful treatments and practitioners, it can be hard to rip yourself away from the spa itself. But it wouldn’t be a trip to Sedona without a red rocks hike, and fortunately, there are two trails that begin right on the property: Boynton Canyon Trail and Boynton Vista Trail. (Or you can also arrange other hikes through Enchantment, Mii amo’s sister property across the street.) As its name suggests, the canyon trail takes you through the canyon, and is the longer trail, about six miles roundtrip. It’s surprisingly green in certain parts and also very sandy at the beginning; it’s like walking on a red-sand beach. The vista trail is a 30-minute hike to the iconic Kachina Woman rock formation—said to be the pinnacle of the vortex energy in the canyon—and is best done at dusk. When you reach the top, you’ll be met with sweeping 360-degree views of the canyon below, which will just be starting to sparkle from building lights. If you’re lucky, as we were, you may also get a spectacular sunset—and I hope you do. Watching the red rocks glow against a pink and purple sky is a Peak Sedona experience.
But the magic of Mii amo is that your stay is filled with Peak Sedona experiences. I haven’t even mentioned the starry skies (actually transcendent), or the night we saw Saturn through a telescope, or the time we glimpsed a family of four deer mere hours after Kim suggested I ask for a sign from the universe (“animals are such pure spirits,” she’d said, “and can be used as messengers.”) And Peak Sedona vibes last beyond checkout: I’ve felt a sense of peace and clarity since returning home. Which may just be the most magical experience of all.
