Enchantment Resort Is the Southwest’s Most Transformative Hotel

Updated November 15, 2024 04:11PM

Ever come across an incredible hotel that stops you mid-scroll and makes you think, Wow, wouldn’t it be something to stay there? We do, too—all the time. Welcome to Friday Fantasy, where we highlight amazing hotels, lodges, cabins, tents, campsites, and other places perched in perfect outdoor settings. Read on for the intel you need to book an upcoming adventure here. Or at least dream about it.

Why I Love the Enchantment Resort

Sedona, Arizona, is best known for two things: the stunning red-rock landscape, which draws thousands each year for hiking and mountain biking, and its vortex energy, a contested phenomenon that has drawn plenty of curious people and turned this high-desert city into a metaphysical mecca. The Enchantment Resort is the nexus of both.

From its location at the base of Boynton Canyon, the 70-acre luxury property is surrounded by high sandstone cliffs that make you and your problems feel minuscule (that’s a good thing). The canyon has long been considered sacred by Native people and, more recently, holy by pilgrims and unique by New Age mystics and psychics who believe in its spiritual powers. Today, Enchantment Resort tends to draw guests seeking change in their lives, managing director Stan Kantowski told me, or those hoping for peace and resolution in the wake of some tough change. “It’s an emotional place,” he said.

The mystery of just how transformative an experience this could be intrigued me. The regenerative powers of nature are proven, but would I feel different hiking in a high-energy vortex zone, said to induce physical effects like tingling or hair-raising? Would I return home convinced in the merits of carrying crystals in my pockets, newly grounded by hours spent among heavy red rocks that have loomed large here since before the dinosaurs? And would the Mii Amo spa’s long list of alternative (and expensive) treatments—from sound baths and chakra balancing to manifesting-new-moon ceremonies and reiki—release the bad and let in the good?

I wanted to be convinced, to be cared for. My personal life had been taking a nosedive, and I longed for something magical to happen. So I called one of my best friends to meet me for a short stay, and we headed there with open minds.

What Exactly Is a Vortex, and Why Is Sedona Known for Them?

A vortex is a spot where some people believe intense energy is emitted (called an electric vortex) or pulled back into the earth (a magnetic vortex). It is believed to occur the intersection of ley lines, or electromagnetic threads of energy that crisscross the planet. Boynton Canyon is considered to be one of four major vortices within an 11-mile radius in Sedona, its energy electromagnetic—a combo vortex of sorts.

Where there’s talk of heightened energy, there’s talk of spiritual awakening. Exactly what that means and how the area’s vortex energy will work for you—or whether it will at all—depends on the person and their intentions. In short, Sedona is “a place to feel alive,” said Carina Leveriza, who moved here 13 years ago after her husband died. She hiked every day for months as a way to heal. Now she leads vortex treks at the Enchantment Resort.

“Whatever you bring to the vortex will be amplified,” she said when I asked her what I might expect after a hike up the canyon. “If you’re happy, you’ll be effervescent. If you’re grumpy, you’ll be grumpier.”

Vortices are also thought to be portals to other dimensions, and especially so in Boynton Canyon. In her book Earth Frequency, Melissa Alvarez writes that “the veil to other dimensions is believed to be thinner in Sedona than it is at other vortex sites” (which, in the United States, include Mount Shasta, in California; Sugarloaf Mountain, in Utah; and Ni’ihau Island, in Hawaii). The Sedona canyons are believed, she writes, to enhance “spiritual growth and an intrinsic connection to universal knowledge.”

Adventure Intel

Enchantment Resort offers access to 400 miles of trails, for hiking and mountain biking (with equipment available from the on-site Trail House), and staff can arrange guided tours to suit your interest and skill level.

My friend Danielle Gill and I set off on the easy 2.6-mile Boynton Canyon Trail one afternoon with Leveriza, who was a fount of good energy, eager to tell us personal stories and lore, receptive to our infinite inquiries, and generally ambling along in an upbeat way. The beautiful sandy path led past pines and succulents, and Leveriza stopped occasionally to point out some of the more than 180 ancient cave dwellings on the box canyon’s walls, quartz crystals (said to be a source of clarifying energy) flecking the red rocks, and twisted tree trunks and branches that she told us were evidence of the canyon’s spiraling vortex effects.

“Hike with intention,” she said, then asked us to stay silent for a few minutes to consider what was deep in our hearts. “Psychics have said that what pierces the portals here are our intentions.”

I vowed to have more resolve, to be more joyful, to devote more time for myself, and to make hard decisions rooted in kindness and fairness. In the quiet of the canyon, it all seemed possible.

As we arrived back at the resort, a group of women were meditating on the lawn. Javelinas munched the grass, and two deer hoofed slowly up a hillside toward a casita. Leveriza directed us to an incredible vista overlooking the property and the rock massifs that make the greater Sedona panorama so magnificent. She lit a sage smudge stick, waved it slowly around our heads, and recited a meditation, the smoke lingering in the air as if it were a spirit listening in, too.

Hiking was a highlight for me, but Enchantment has several other recreational options, including swimming in four pools, stargazing—Sedona is an International Dark Sky Community—and, in winter, a “glice rink” for outdoor skating. There are tennis and pickleball courts; yoga, Pilates, and qi gong classes; chanting sessions; and educational sessions on nutrition and juicing. Curated, private high-end offerings around northern Arizona are also enticing, if your budget allows, and include heli tours to the Grand Canyon; sommelier-led wine tours of Paige Springs, a growing viticulture destination; and climbing excursions in Prescott.

At the resort, the deeper dive into self tends to happen at Mii Amo spa, which reopened in 2023 after a multimillion-dollar renovation. Considered one of the best spas in the nation, it’s open only to Enchantment guests. Treatments aren’t cheap (the least expensive is $250 for 60 minutes), but there are many—more than 50—and they head into metaphysical terrain not normally on offer at a resort spa. I wanted to sign up for the hourlong sound bath to reduce stress, meditate deeply by walking a labyrinth, get a numerology or tarot or pendulum reading, undergo hypnosis to delve into past-life regression, and treat my doshas with a balancing wrap. When would I ever see a menu like this again?

Instead, I opted to have my chakras (which I knew nothing about) balanced. The therapist who led me though this treatment was empathetic, her voice soothing, her touch gentle. I lay prone on the massage table, and as she rocked my body back and forth, I started heaving huge quiet sobs. She continued as if my crying was the most natural thing in the world, telling me that my heart chakra must have been blocked. I flipped over, and she massaged my muscles using a different scented oil for the seven chakras—focal energy points in the body—and then placed polished gemstones atop each, to amplify those energies.

I was tired. I padded to the lower floor of the spa in my slippers and robe to the dry and wet saunas and hot tub, and rotated between them all for another half-hour.

That evening I popped into the Crystal Grotto, a dark, circular room with crystals the size of cats demarcating the four compass points. Before entering, you’re invited to write down something you’d like to let go of, with the promise that the sheets of paper would be burned, releasing those troubles to the universe. Then you remove your shoes so you can feel the bare ground beneath your feet. I wrote a note and deposited it into the little box of burdens; I curled my toes into the soft sand; and as the grotto guide took up a singing bowl in the low light, I closed my eyes and zoned in on the humming sounds, which research has shown to reduce stress and improve your mood. Good vibrations.

Choice Rooms

The resort has 38 adobe-style casitas, housing a total of 218 guest rooms, each with its own patio and views of the massive canyon walls. My room, 180, was spacious, with a living-room area adjacent to a queen bed, and a large bathroom with a deep bathtub. It was a five-minute uphill walk to the main reception area and restaurants, but guests anywhere can call for golf-cart service.

I asked the bellhop and our hiking guide which rooms were considered the best. Both liked casita buildings 37 and 38, situated higher on the grounds and deeper within the canyon than the rest. They face the eastern walls of the canyon, which glow in hues of orange, red, and russet as the sun sets.

Eat and Drink

At all of the resort’s three restaurants, the whole-foods-focused menus and relaxed ambiance come served with vast views. The hardest restaurant to book is Che Ah Chi, more of a fine-dining experience, but the one I liked the best is its newest, Hummingbird, located within Mii Amo. I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast there one morning while gazing up at hawks drifting in the thermals near the canyontops. The clouds looked liked they’d been painted by Georgia O’Keeffe.

Off-site, I was wowed by Local Juicery, a vibrant, popular local place just 13 miles from the resort. On offer are 20 kinds of smoothies, superfood coffees, tonics, juice blends, and a grab-and-go selection of healthy treats that you can take to the trail. This being Sedona, you can also pick up herbal supplements targeted toward better focus, energy, mood, and sex drive.

Finally, for cheap eats, I asked locals for their recommendations. They like the Oak Creek Brewing Co., Eriberto’s, Layla’s Bakery, and Tamaliza Café, for fresh tamales made daily.

When to Go

Spring and fall, when the weather tends to be most pleasant in northern Arizona, are the busiest months at Enchantment Resort. March sees the most rain.

The hottest month in Sedona is July, with an average high temperature of 97 degrees, though the summer monsoons, which usually begin in June and can last as late as August, bring cooling afternoon rains.

December and January are the coldest months, with an average high of 57 degrees. While it only snows in Sedona a handful of times each year, staff tell me that Boynton Canyon covered in snow is a sight to behold. Guests in December can also look forward to live music every night.

How to Get There

Most out-of-state visitors fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, rent a car, and motor the 126 miles north via Highway 260.

I road-tripped in from New Mexico, and swung down from Flagstaff, a spectacular drive south on State Route 89A through Oak Creek Canyon—where the fall foliage was a brilliant yellow in September—and past Slide Rock State Park. It’s slow going, because everyone is rubbernecking at the scenery, but I thought of it as the easy introduction to, and grand finale of, my wellness journey at the resort.

Don’t Miss

Crystal shops are everywhere in Sedona. Give in to your curiosity and check them out; it’s part of the woo-woo experience here, especially for first-time visitors.

Danielle and I spent an hour at Mystical Bazaar after our spa treatments at the resort. We picked out gemstone bracelets for friends and mementos for ourselves. We had our aura photos taken; I was happy to read that mine was reportedly now strong and radiant (no doubt thanks to my balancing session at Enchantment) and that my predominant color—green—reflected growth and joy.

We weren’t able to book an immediate consultation with a medium or psychic—the time slots for the remainder of the afternoon were all taken. Maybe next visit.

After a few days at Enchantment Resort, I’d eaten well and exercised, I’d soaked up the vortex vibe in a beautiful canyon, and I’d pondered spiritual growth in a new way. I felt lighter about life. Maybe it was simply the effects of finally being on vacation after a lot of weary workweeks. But two months later, I still feel changed by the experience. I believed—and that’s a big part of any trip here—there was genuinely something to it.

Details

Tasha Zemke is Outside’s managing editor. She formerly lived on the Sicilian island of Pantelleria, where the phrase “anything is possible” was a common saying and her in-laws believed in the evil eye. Her truest faith is in nature’s power to heal.

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Sedona’s Enchantment Resort Is a Powerful Nexus of Nature and Vortex Energy