HILL COUNTRY Travaasa
The former Omega Institute at the Crossings is truly an Austin original. You’ll feel like a DIY New Age expert when you cross the threshold into this newly revitalized oasis. Seeking a new physical quest? There’s plenty here with hiking, archery, and geocache treasure hunting, to name a few outdoor activities. From the Prickly Pear Challenge Course that offers you an unbelievable view of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve as you zoom over the treetops on the dual zip line to creating a sense of self-awareness during equine experiences, this is a life-enhancing destination for folks who feel travel should be adventurous. Part of Travaasa’s reawakening process includes the outdoorsy fun plus world-class spa services, food and beverages with local flavor, and breathtaking vistas just about everywhere you turn. It will be easy to share this weekend with someone spe- cial and bond over the experience in a place where you can learn, touch and do new things. It’s an experience the owners couldn’t find in their own realm, or at the local spa or gym, so they created it here. You’ll be glowing when you finish your retreat, where living life by intent, and not reaction, is a way of life. For more info on special packages, visit: travaasa.com
DOWNTOWN Four Seasons
The downtown luxury hotel with the name that represents sublime comfort is in the heart of the action of a bustling restaurant and club district. Still, it offers a tranquil opportunity to swim at the pool on the lake amongst the abundant foliage in the middle of a truly urban experience. The go-to place for presidents and potentates, the hotel offers so much more than anything of its caliber. It’s casual glamour at its best, from the spa’s nature-inspired materials to the eight treatment rooms and relaxation lounge to the nail sa- lon and eucalyptus-infused steam rooms, it’s sure to soothe the day’s cares away. We recommend a Swedish or deep tissue massage in the privacy and comfort of your hotel room, too, before popping down to the grandly furnished lounge or for a bite to eat at the TRIO restaurant that offers a memorable and tasty lakeside dining experience. For more info on special packages, visit: fourseasons.com/austin
URBAN Kimber Modern
Want to feel like you’ve landed in a dreamy episode surrounded by midcentury chic? This is the place to feel like Sa- mantha Stephens. Lesbian-owned and nestled off lively South Congress, the tree canopy of oaks in the artfully landscaped courtyard will have you at hello, as will the twenty-foot glass water feature and a modern outdoor firebox. This jewel box of a hotel has seven pristine rooms surrounded by 600 square feet of light-filled common area that makes it a fun spot for any occasion: a birthday party, small wedding, cocktail party, corporate retreat or just gathering friends for a fun weekend getaway. Its angular proportions reveal that there’s a heart of goals behind the details of this modernist retreat. They want you to have the best time possible, especially in the White and Red suites that contain amped-up amenities that can also be found in the rooms: 500-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets, all-natural latex queen beds, and distinct glass bathrooms, to mention a few. Run, don’t walk to the Kimber for a slice of modern glam for a change. For more info on special packages, visit: kimbermodern.com
