Miraval Berkshires Resort and Spa Review: The Ultimate Wellness Escape

I’m all about enjoying a little zen during vacation. So when Miraval Berkshires Resort and Spa, an adults-only all-inclusive wellness resort and spa in Western Massachusetts, invited me to come to experience the property and all it has to offer, I jumped at the opportunity.

Miraval Berkshires has won numerous awards since it debuted in 2020 — including Conde Nast Traveler Reader Choice Awards 2022, Massachusetts’s Best Wellness Retreat 2021, and Travel + Leisure World’s Best 2021 — which increased my excitement about visiting.

I had previously been to Miraval Arizona (the brand’s original location) twice, so I was very excited to check out the newest location.

Miraval Berkshires Resort and Spa

Miraval is a brand of wellness and spa resorts that focus on creating a “life in balance.” There are currently 3 locations in the U.S. with a fourth (Miraval The Red Sea) set to open in Saudi Arabia in 2025.

Miraval Berkshires invites guests to put down their cell phones so they can focus on the present moment, and because of this, many areas of the resort are digital-free zones. Most guests take this to heart and really do keep their phones tucked away.

This is a luxury resort, but it’s not over-the-top Champagne-and-caviar luxury. The true beauty of Miraval Berkshires lies in giving guests the luxury of being able to shut off the outside world, the guidance to focus on the present moment, and the space to be truly relaxed.

Hot Tip:

Miraval Resorts has its own loyalty program, called Miraval Authentic Circle, in addition to participating in the World of Hyatt loyalty program.

Miraval Berkshires Location and Transportation

Miraval Berkshires is located in Lenox, Massachusetts, about 130 miles from Boston and about 150 miles from New York City. This remote area, known as The Berkshires, is a popular getaway for city dwellers looking to get back into nature.

I live in Ohio, so driving wasn’t in my plans. The closest airport to Miraval Berkshires is Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Hartford, Connecticut, and it’s just over an hour from the resort.

Since I was only staying 2 nights, I wanted to maximize my time there, so my husband and I flew in the night before checking in at Miraval. We stayed at Hyatt House Hartford North/Windsor, which was about 10 minutes from the airport. I had already used my Uber credits from my American Express^® Gold Card, so I opted for Lyft since I can earn 10x points with my Chase Sapphire Reserve^®. The ride from the airport to the hotel cost ~$26 including tip.

Hyatt House Hartford North/Windsor is a Hyatt Category 2 property that costs 8,000 points for a standard night. I opted to pay cash since it was only $135 (including taxes) and I prefer to save my World of Hyatt points for more valuable redemptions.

Hot Tip:

If you want a hotel that’s even closer to the airport, Sheraton Hartford Hotel at Bradley Airport is accessible directly from the airport terminal. I opted for the Hyatt House since I am aiming for Hyatt Globalist status this year.

When planning your Miraval stay, you’ll be able to arrange transportation from the airport to the resort. This is included in the price of your room, which is great since the resort is just over an hour from the airport. I was able to arrange a pick-up from the Hyatt House so I didn’t have to go back to the airport in the morning.

Hot Tip:

Transportation to/from Bradley International Airport, Wassaic Train Station, and Pittsfield Train Station (May through October) is included in your stay at Miraval Berkshires.

Check In

We arrived at the resort a little after 9 a.m. and our room was ready, so we were able to check-in. We were given some information about the resort and were able to choose between a Miraval branded tote bag or a sling backpack. We also received Miraval-branded water bottles.

Hot Tip:

Even if your room isn’t ready when you arrive, you can still get access to all of the property’s amenities. If you want to maximize your time, fly in the night before and arrange your transportation first thing in the morning on the day of check-in.

Miraval Berkshires Cost

Let’s talk about the cost of a Miraval Berkshires trip before getting into the details of the resort. Miraval resorts aren’t cheap. The cash cost for my 2-night stay in the base level Dreamcatcher King room would have been $3,488.

For full disclosure, I was invited as a guest of Miraval Berkshires, so my stay was comped, but I did pay a discounted media rate to bring my husband. While the purpose of this trip was to review the resort, Miraval Berkshires had no input in this article and all opinions of the property are my own.

I paid for my husband’s portion of the trip with The World of Hyatt Credit Card so I could earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays: 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels and 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member.

Resort Fee

My biggest criticism of Miraval Resorts is the exorbitant resort fee that’s charged on top of the room rate. While resort fees aren’t unique to Miraval, it’s less common to see them at all-inclusive resorts.

The resort fee at Miraval Berkshires is a whopping 25%! On top of the high room prices, you can easily end up paying hundreds of extra dollars per night.

The good news is that you can avoid paying a resort fee by booking your room using World of Hyatt points.

How To Book Miraval With World of Hyatt Points

Miraval Resorts are part of the World of Hyatt program, which means you can earn or use World of Hyatt points at all 3 Miraval locations.

While the cost in points is high, you can often get excellent value. A standard night for 1 guest is 45,000 points. For 2 guests, the cost is 65,000 points per night.

The cash cost of my 2-night stay would have been $3,488. Had I booked with World of Hyatt points, it would have cost 130,000 points, resulting in a 2.68 cents per point value. Considering we value World of Hyatt points at ~1.5 cents each, that’s a great deal.

The other great thing about booking Miraval Resorts with points is that you’ll avoid paying the resort fee.

Bottom Line:

Miraval Berkshires can be booked with World of Hyatt points. You’ll pay 45,000 points per night for 1 person or 65,000 points per night for 2 people for a standard night. You won’t pay a resort fee when you book with points.

What’s Included at Miraval Berkshires?

All Miraval resorts are all-inclusive, so you can enjoy the experience without having to pay extra for food, beverages, and more.

Here’s what’s included in every Miraval stay:

• All meals and snacks
• All non-alcoholic beverages, including smoothies, juice, soda, specialty coffees, and tea
• A daily schedule of activities
• $175 resort credit, per night and per person, that can be applied to spa services or specialty activities
• Round-trip airport transfer
• Tips

The $175 per-person per-night resort credit is unique to Miraval Resorts. This credit can be applied to any spa treatments or extra activity charges that you choose. It’s all lumped into 1 credit on your account so you could spend your entire credit on a single activity if you wanted to. For example, if you stayed 2 nights, you’d have a credit of $350 that you could apply to 1 spa treatment. It doesn’t have to be split across each day of your stay. This is such a cool feature of Miraval Resorts that allows you to customize your trip … it’s so nice to be able to pick and choose how you spend your resort credit. It’s also worth noting that this $175 resort credit even comes with bookings using World of Hyatt points!

Alcohol is not included in the price, but it’s available for an extra charge from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. at The Roost bar and Harvest Moon restaurant. The resort credit can’t be applied to alcohol charges.

Bottom Line:

Miraval Berkshires is an all-inclusive resort. In addition to all food, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages, round-trip airport transportation is included. Additionally, each guest gets a $175 nightly resort credit to apply to spa treatments or extra activities.

What’s Unique About Miraval Berkshires?

On the drive to Miraval Berkshires, our driver told us a little bit about the resort. He explained that there were 3 main things that made Miraval Berkshires different from the other Miraval resorts:

Golf

Miraval Berkshires is the only Miraval Resort to offer golf. In addition to the ability to play a regular round of golf, guests can try out one of Miraval Berkshires’ mindful golf activities to experience a new way to approach the sport.

Wyndhurst Mansion

Miraval Berkshires was constructed next to Wyndhurst Mansion, a historic building that was completed in 1894. The mansion, which had originally been part of the Destination by Hyatt brand, is now officially part of Miraval and is home to some very unique guest rooms, the 1894 restaurant, and a golf club.

Indoor Connections

Since Miraval Berkshires is located in Massachusetts, many people might assume it’s a summer-only destination (I sure did). However, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

One of the most unique things about the resort is that all of the main buildings (with the exception of the mansion) are connected by indoor hallways. That means you can go from your guest room to the spa, the restaurant, the gym, or any number of classes without stepping foot outside. This is a fantastic feature that makes a trip to Miraval Berkshires during the colder months much more appealing.

Bottom Line:

Miraval Berkshires is unique because it’s the only Miraval resort that offers golf, it has a Gilded Age mansion on the property, and the majority of the resort is connected by hallways, allowing guests to enjoy the amenities without having to go outside.

Miraval Berkshires Activities

One of the big draws of Miraval Berkshires is the huge list of activities available, many of which are complimentary. These activities range from meditation and yoga to hiking, fitness classes, seminars, and golf.

In addition to classes and organized activities, guests are free to use the gym as well as 3 pools.

The resort’s gym is located in the Body Mindfulness Center and was open 24 hours a day. It was incredibly spacious and had both weights and cardio equipment.

The outdoor pool was heated to 83 degrees even during the winter! While that’s still too chilly for me to swim, I enjoyed watching the steam rise off the surface on the chilly mornings of my trip (I stayed warm with coffee by the fireplace).

There was an indoor lap pool in the Body Mindfulness Center that was open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Finally, there was a small indoor/outdoor pool located in the spa. It was open between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. and could be used even if you didn’t have a scheduled treatment.

Miraval Berkshires Daily Schedule

Upon arrival at Miraval Berkshires, you’ll get a printed-out daily schedule. This is also available online. Before your trip, you’ll be able to choose the activities you’d like to experience.

Many popular activities can sell out, so it’s best to plan your schedule in advance. You can also add activities once you’re at the resort if there is space available.

Here’s a look at just some of the activities that were available during my stay:

Going through the activities calendar and planning your days is part of the fun of Miraval. There’s so much to choose from that you can really tailor your trip to your specific style.

Not every activity is offered every day, so on a short trip like mine, you won’t be able to do everything. However, you’ll be able to experience that Miraval vibe even in just a couple of days.

Hot Tip:

If you’re really short on time, day passes to Miraval Berkshires are available.

Miraval Berkshires Review: My Experience

For this trip, I wanted a nice balance of physical activities with plenty of relaxation throughout the day. We arrived on a Monday morning and spent the first part of the day exploring the property and grabbing something to eat.

The first activity I planned was the Gorge Trail Hike. We were driven to an area about 15 minutes from the resort to begin the hike. We climbed up along the Schermerhorn Gorge’s waterfalls to Felton Lake for some beautiful views.

After returning to the resort we had dinner and got ready for the Vibrational Sound Chamber. This experience takes place in a uniquely designed room that has limited right angles, a trait that enhances sounds.

After getting comfortable, propped up with pillows and covered in a blanket, we were led through a meditation accompanied by the sounds of antique Nepalese singing bowls. It was very relaxing and a great way to end my first day at Miraval Berkshires.

The next day, I woke early to head to the Sun Salutations class before breakfast. Of course, I grabbed a coffee and enjoyed some quiet time by the fireplace first.

This is generally an instance where I would grab my phone to play a game, read the news, or scroll Instagram. However, I made a conscious effort to embrace Miraval’s digital-free philosophy and kept my phone in my bag (except to snap a quick photo).

Instead, I just enjoyed my coffee while watching the steam coming off of the pool and the flicker of the fireplace. At that moment, I realized that part of the luxury of a vacation at Miraval is the space and time to put away outside distractions so you can truly appreciate each moment.

After breakfast, my husband went to the Donkey Discovery activity while I tried a Mindfulness at Miraval meditation class. The teacher who led this class was absolutely fantastic. He had such a calming energy and was able to lead meditation in a way that was very approachable and not at all intimidating.

Next, I checked out a seminar on emotional eating and then took a tour of Meadowview Farm and Barn, located across the street from the main Miraval Berkshires property.

The farm tour was somewhat disappointing. I was expecting more information and insight into how it works and what the animals are like but it was basically a staff member leading us around pointing to different animals. If you’re planning a trip to Miraval Berkshires, I would suggest skipping this tour and just walking over to the barn on your own to see the animals.

After lunch, I set out on the Tyringham Cobble Hike. This hike, which includes about 1 mile on the Appalachian Trail, was a lovely trek through the beautiful wooded landscape of The Berkshires. I enjoyed this one quite a bit more than the Gorge Trail Hike.

Next was the activity I was most looking forward to — Floating Meditation. I did this a few years ago at Miraval Arizona and loved it so I was eager to try it again.

For this meditation, you sit in silk hammocks suspended from the ceiling and are gently rocked so you feel like you’re floating. When I did this activity at Miraval Arizona, the guide played sound bowls, which really added to the experience. While there weren’t any sound bowls involved in this floating meditation, it was still a fantastic experience. It’s just as dreamy as it sounds and I would do this one over and over again if I could.

I started my last morning at Miraval Berkshires with coffee by the fireplace and Sun Salutations again. I was super “zenned out” at this point of my trip and really wished I could have a few more days at the resort. Since we weren’t leaving until the afternoon, I had time for a massage.

I scheduled a 100-minute Miraval Relaxation Massage on the last morning of my stay. It was such a nice treat to look forward to and I enjoyed every minute of it. Before my treatment I enjoyed the quiet relaxation room with an ice-cold towel over my eyes, wishing, yet again, that I could spend a few more days at the resort.

Hot Tip:

If this type of travel appeals to you, take a peek at some of these other wellness retreats in the U.S.

Spa at Miraval Berkshires

The Life in Balance Spa at Miraval Berkshires is what dreams are made of. This 29,000-square-foot space was open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Anyone staying at the resort can use the facilities at any time even without a scheduled treatment.

One of the things I love about Miraval Resorts is that you can apply your resort credit to spa charges. This allows you to book a fancy treatment without feeling like you’re spending extra.

On the women’s side of the spa, there was a sunroom that featured a central fireplace and glass ceilings.

Next to that was an indoor hot tub as well as a steam room and sauna.

In the co-ed section of the spa was the indoor/outdoor pool and an additional hot tub.

There’s an entire menu of unique spa treatments available at Miraval Berkshires. I scheduled this trip fairly last minute and some of the options weren’t available, so I just stuck with a straightforward massage.

Bottom Line:

Spa treatments aren’t included in the price at Miraval Berkshires, but you can use your $175 nightly credit to cover the cost.

Hemlock Suite at Miraval Berkshires

I stayed in a Hemlock Suite with King Bed during my 2-night stay at Miraval Berkshires. My room was located in Serenity Cottage and had a separate living area plus 2 balconies. It was decorated in a very minimalistic style yet was still cozy and comfortable.

The entryway to the room was very spacious and housed the closet as well as a full-length mirror.

In the closet were 2 plush robes and 2 sets of slippers. I soon found out that these were considered acceptable attire throughout the resort. It was even acceptable to wear your robe to meals at Harvest Moon restaurant!

To the right of the doorway was the living area. This space had a couch as well as a table and chair.

Underneath the TV was a dresser that housed a safe, extra storage, and a minifridge.

On top of the dresser was the beverage area. There was a coffeemaker as well as coffee, tea, mugs, wine glasses, and a corkscrew.

The highlight of the living room in the Hemlock Suite was the large balcony that offered sweeping views of the landscape and mountains in the distance. One of the interesting things I noticed was that Miraval’s property backs up to a residential neighborhood, so part of the view from my balcony was housing.

The balcony had 2 chairs and a table. While it was a bit chilly to make full use of the balcony during my stay, I did enjoy a bit of afternoon sun one day.

The bedroom featured a king-sized bed outfitted with Miraval’s signature bedding. The feather bed, duvet, and Italian sheets made it feel like I was sleeping in a cloud.

Next to the bed, on the nightstand, was an iconic Miraval feature — the cellphone sleeping bag.

There was a large dresser as well as a television and an armchair in the bedroom.

There was even a Juliet balcony with a screen door off of the bedroom. It was a little too chilly during my stay to use it, but this would be fantastic during the warmer months.

Hemlock Suite Bathroom

The bathroom in my suite wasn’t overly huge but it was bright and had plenty of space for 2 people.

If you’ve read any of my other hotel reviews you may know I am very particular about hotel showers — this one did not disappoint.

The stand-up shower had plenty of space and both a large showerhead as well as a handheld wand. The bath products by Zents were beautifully scented — the mandarin-scented shampoo was divine. I wanted to buy some in the gift shop but since I wasn’t checking bags for my flight, I couldn’t bring the full-sized product home.

There were double sinks and plenty of counter space.

Hot Tip:

You can check out a video tour of my Miraval Berkshire Hemlock Suite on Instagram.

Miraval Berkshires Dining

All meals and snacks are included at Miraval Berkshires. Meals are served in the resort’s main restaurant, Harvest Moon, while snacks are available at The Roost.

There’s a second restaurant located at the Wyndhurst Mansion called 1894. Since it’s only open Thursdays through Saturdays, I wasn’t able to try it during my stay. Meals at 1894 aren’t included, but resort credits can be applied to those charges.

Overall, the food at Miraval Berkshires was fresh and healthy. There were plenty of options for those with special diets including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. Most of what was offered leaned healthy but there were options that were more mainstream, too — think bacon and eggs at breakfast, a burger at lunch, and steak for dinner.

Harvest Moon Restaurant

Harvest Moon is the main dining area at Miraval Berkshires. Breakfast and lunch included a small buffet area as well as an à la carte menu.

Breakfast: 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Breakfasts were, by far, my favorite meals at Miraval Berkshires. There was a buffet with choices like pastries, oatmeal, yogurt, and eggs, as well as a menu with items including omelets and açai bowls.

The pastries were delicious and I loved the chia pudding from the buffet with yogurt and fruit.

Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Just like breakfast, lunch included buffet and à la carte options. There were both hot and cold items at the buffet as well as a selection of desserts.

I loved the premade beet and goat cheese salad as well as the Brussels sprouts salad. Instead of ordering off the menu, I grabbed a chicken salad wrap and yogurt parfait from The Roost to go with my salads. Meanwhile, my husband stuck with the burger for lunch.

Dinner: 5:30 pm. to 9 p.m.

The dinner menu at Miraval Berkshires consisted of a core group of choices that were available every day, in addition to specials.

Some of my favorites were the charred broccoli (we ordered this both nights we were there), the cheese charcuterie board, and the Caesar salad.

The Roost

The Roost is the bar/coffee shop/grab-and-go snack spot at Miraval Berkshires.

It was centrally located and was a comfy spot to relax between activities. I enjoyed coffee opposite this huge fireplace multiple times.

The Roost served specialty coffees and teas throughout the day.

It was open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. for smoothies and snacks, although in practice, you could get these later than 2 p.m.

The bar at The Roost was open from 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. daily. Alcohol isn’t included in the cost, but a full bar served cocktails and wine for an extra charge.

Service

The service I experienced at Miraval Berkshires was fantastic overall.

We loved Jerry, who drove us from our hotel to the resort. He was a delight to talk to and was a wealth of knowledge about Miraval.

Jack, who worked at Harvest Moon restaurant, was so sweet and seemed to know my name almost immediately.

Mark, who led the Mindfulness at Miraval class, had such good energy and was just one of those people you wanted to be around more. I also loved his laid-back approach to meditation.

Final Thoughts

Miraval Berkshires Resort & Spa is a luxury, all-inclusive wellness retreat in Western Massachusetts. I visited for 2 nights in April of 2023 and fell in love with the relaxed vibe of the resort.

Each guest at this adults-only resort gets a $175 per night resort credit to apply to a variety of fitness classes, meditation, spa treatments, and more. In addition, Miraval Berkshires also has a daily schedule of complimentary classes and activities.

One of the things I love the most about Miraval Resorts is that they can be booked using World of Hyatt points. While it can be a bit of a splurge, if you’re interested in visiting a wellness spa/resort, Miraval is a great brand to experience.