Located about a 30-minute drive from downtown Austin and Austin Bergstrom International Airport, and nestled in Central Texas’ legendary Hill Country on the shores of Lake Austin, Lake Austin Spa Resort offers immersive wellness experiences with an emphasis on the naturally restorative power of water.
Open year-round and offering a variety of overnight and multi-day packages for both groups and individuals, Lake Austin Spa Resort is a pet-friendly, all-inclusive, 40-room lake-side property where guests have access to a wide range of fitness activities both in nature and indoors, plus a signature, award-winning spa. Groups of between six and 60 (or a complete buyout of the 40-room resort) can include bachelorette parties, birthday celebrations, girls’ getaways and employee celebrations.
Points of Distinction
Acknowledged as a destination where “wellness meets the water,” Lake Austin Spa Resort is surrounded by a pristine lakeside location, and offers a wide range of wellness-on-water options including canoeing, hydro-biking, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), water meditation, AquaFit and Floating Boot Camp. Other daily activities offered as part of the all-inclusive nightly rate range from BodyFlow and DaVinci Body Board Band Camp to Gentle Yoga and Nia Dance classes as well as Crystal Bowl Sound Bathing, hiking, Pilates, tai chi, yoga and many other classes, sessions and in nature excursions. Private sessions with certified fitness professionals are also available. The weekly activities calendar can be found here: lakeaustin.com/activities/calendar.
Beyond the classes and sessions, guests have access to wellness-focused lectures and what Cindy Present, director of wellness at Lake Austin Spa Resort, refers to as “discovery programs.” She says, “discovery classes in healthy cooking, nutrition, communication skills, body image, relationships and sexuality, journaling, crafts, gardening and others are offered regularly. Both the mind and the body are enriched through programs taught by staff and special guest instructors.” Special weeks, events and seasonal topics include Just Breathe, Reboot Camps, Feng Shui Beauty, Mother/Daughter, the Culinary Experience, among others. You can check out upcoming events here lakeaustin.com/activities/events.
Cuisine, Spa & Other Delights
The lakefront resort is also home to abundant organic gardens from which herbs and seasonal vegetables are picked daily to be incorporated into daily nutritious meals prepared on site by executive chef Stephane Beaucamp and his culinary team, and served in the resort’s dining room and in the Aster Cafe at the LakeHouse Spa. For alfresco dining, guests can also request picnic basket service. Cooking classes, one of many activities included with the nightly fee, are scheduled throughout the week.
The signature 25,000-sq.-ft., onsite LakeHouse Spa offers a wide range of spa and salon treatments combining Eastern and Western modalities, and with a variety of indoor and outdoor treatment location options such as The Bamboo Room, a private, outdoor treatment space with a private hot tub.
Present points out that one of the spa’s signature treatments is The Regal by Valmont, a unique 3-hour, $1,050 facial created exclusively for resort guests. Day spa packages include a selection of spa services, lunch in the Aster Cafe, gratuities and access to the Palm Pool, Pool Barn and various water-focused areas. All-inclusive nightly rates start at $595 per person.
Target Audience for Lake Austin Spa Resort
The target audience is anyone interested in wellness. Resort activities and spa services are designed for solo travelers, couples and teens age 16 years or older. Present also says Lake Austin Spa Resort is “a particularly good option for solo travelers if they are in search of the ultimate rejuvenating getaway.”
On a final note, she points out the goal of the Lake Austin Spa Resort team “is to inspire guests to higher levels of wellness and well-being during their stay. From traditional fitness and mind/body experiences, to ritual practices, fun and flavors, and time on the lake, we are here to completely customize a program, experience, or outing just for the guest. We have always “naturally” embraced the invigorating waters of Lake Austin along with the science of Blue Mind (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Mind), which validates the mental and physical benefits of being in, near and on the water.”
While weather conditions tend to be moderate to warm year-round, spring, when the Texas wildflowers are in full bloom, is a popular time to visit. During the warmer summer season, “there’s always the cold lake to take a plunge as needed,” says Present.
For more information, visit lakeaustin.com.
Recommend magazine has partnered with the Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) to bring you monthly columns to help travel advisors sell wellness travel. For more information on the WTA, visit wellnesstourismassociation.org.
