Hey —
This week I'm doing something different. We're still going somewhere incredible — a luxury desert wellness resort near Zion that felt like it rebooted my entire nervous system. But I'm also sharing what I've been doing to make my own backyard feel like a resort. Because the truth is, you shouldn't have to fly somewhere to feel that calm.
The resort for when you can get away. The backyard for every other day.
Deal of the Week — Luxury Desert Escape
Red Mountain Resort — Ivins, Utah (near St. George)
From ~$156/night | All-inclusive packages available | Sagestone Spa | Minutes from Snow Canyon & Zion National Park
I have a soft spot for southern Utah. Years ago I spent a birthday at a spa in St. George — hot tubs, body wraps, tennis with the girls. One of those trips where you come back feeling like a completely different person.
Red Mountain Resort carries that same energy but takes it further. This isn't a "sit by the pool" resort. It's a full wellness experience — guided canyon hikes through red rock in the morning, spa treatments in the afternoon, farm-to-table meals, and stargazing at night. The Sagestone Spa uses custom-blended desert botanicals, local honey, mud, clays, and salts. Everything about this place is designed to reset you from the ground up.
Why it's worth the trip:
Direct flights from DFW to St. George (SGU) — under 3 hours in the air
All-inclusive packages bundle meals, guided hikes, fitness classes, and spa credits — the nightly rate looks higher, but do the math and it's cheaper than booking everything separately
Snow Canyon State Park is 10 minutes away — red rock hikes with zero crowds compared to Zion
Zion National Park is a 45-minute day trip
Villas available with private pools and whirlpools — if you're going luxury, go all the way
The insider move: Their "Stay More — Save More" deal is running now. The longer you book, the more you save. And use code UTAH for an additional 10% off if you book through their site. Same principle from last week — package rate minus included credits = your real cost.
Runner-Up — Desert Luxury
Black Desert Resort — St. George, Utah
From ~$200/night | Luxury | Golf + Spa | Newer property
If Red Mountain is the wellness retreat, Black Desert is the luxury escape. Newer property, stunning desert architecture, full-service spa, championship golf, and multiple restaurants. This is your "treat yourself" option if you want resort luxury with a dramatic desert backdrop. Both properties are in St. George, so you could even do a split stay — wellness reset at Red Mountain, luxury indulgence at Black Desert.
The Backyard Resort — Make Your Own
Here's what I've figured out over the past year: you don't need a $300/night resort to feel like you're at one. You need three things — the right sound, the right scent, and the right products on your skin. Get those right, and your patio becomes the most relaxing spot in your zip code.
I'm starting to build this section out in every issue — because a luxury life shouldn't only happen on vacation.
The Sound — Corinthian Bells 44" Wind Chime, Copper Vein ($181)
I hung a set of Corinthian Bells on my patio last week — the 44-inch Copper Vein, hand-tuned to the key of C — and within five minutes my neighbor walked over and said: "It sounds like a spa."
She's not wrong. These aren't the tinny, tangled wind chimes from the dollar store. Corinthian Bells are hand-tuned in Virginia by Wind River using thick aluminum alloy tubes that produce deep, resonant tones. The kind of sound that makes your entire backyard feel like a wellness retreat. Add some string lights and your pool deck just became the most relaxing space in the neighborhood.
Made in USA, 5-year warranty, powder-coated so it won't rust poolside. My neighbor is already ordering one.
The Shower — Viori Coconut Bliss Shampoo Bar (~$16)
Every resort spa has that one product in the shower that makes you want to steal it. This is mine — except I own it.
Viori makes handcrafted shampoo bars with Longsheng rice water — the same ancient recipe used by the Red Yao women in China, who are known for hair that stays dark and healthy past age 80. The Coconut Bliss version smells absolutely incredible and leaves your hair soft, shiny, and clean without any of the sulfate-stripped feeling you get from regular shampoo.
It's also zero plastic, lasts 2-3 months, and works out cheaper per wash than most bottled shampoos. I keep extras because friends literally take mine. After a pool day or a long afternoon outside — this in a steamy shower is the reset.
The Skin — Just Nutritive Body Nutritive Serum (~$25)
This is my outdoor skin secret and I've never put it in writing before. The Body Nutritive Serum is a vitamin-rich body oil made with kukui, hazelnut, and avocado oils. Apply it to damp skin after your shower — or before heading outside — and it nourishes while giving you that post-spa glow.
No mineral oil. No petrolatum. No silicone. No water or alcohol fillers. Just plant-based oils that make your skin look like you just walked out of a treatment room. I use it year-round, but in spring and summer when you're spending more time outside, it's essential.
Quick Picks — Backyard Ambiance Under $20
The details that take your patio from "nice" to "where did you go on vacation?"
Plant Therapy Lavender Essential Oil (~$10)
The one essential oil that belongs outside. A few drops on a warm evening — in a diffuser on the patio table, on a cotton ball tucked near your seating, or in a warm outdoor bath — and the entire atmosphere shifts. Research backs the cortisol reduction. But honestly, one evening with lavender on the breeze and you won't need a study to tell you it works. 100% pure, therapeutic grade, 25,000+ reviews.
Get Plant Therapy Lavender on Amazon →
Plant Therapy Lotus Flower Passive Diffuser (~$16)
No plugs, no cords, no batteries — just a beautifully designed ceramic lotus flower that diffuses essential oils naturally. Set it on your patio table, add a few drops of lavender, and let the evening breeze do the work. It looks like something you'd find at a boutique resort spa. Pairs perfectly with the lavender above. 4.2 stars, Overall Pick on Amazon.
Get Plant Therapy Lotus Diffuser on Amazon →
Spa Pro Tip
3 things that make a backyard feel like a resort (it's not the furniture)
I've stayed at enough resorts to know what actually creates that feeling — and it's never the lounge chairs. It's the sensory details.
Sound. Every luxury spa controls what you hear. Wind chimes, a small water feature, or even a good outdoor speaker playing ambient music at low volume. Silence is nice. Intentional sound is better. The Corinthian Bells above are the easiest single upgrade I've found.
Scent. Resorts pipe aromatherapy through their lobbies for a reason — scent triggers relaxation faster than anything visual. A passive diffuser with lavender or eucalyptus on your patio table does the same thing. No electricity needed.
Lighting. No resort spa uses overhead lighting. It's always warm, low, and indirect. String lights, solar lanterns, or candles along the perimeter of your outdoor space. The moment the sun goes down and the warm glow kicks in — that's when your backyard stops feeling like a backyard.
You don't need to renovate anything. Sound, scent, lighting. Get those three right and every evening outside feels like a check-in.
That's it for this week. The resort for when you can escape. The backyard for every day in between. Both matter.
Next Sunday: couples edition — the best spa packages for two in Texas, plus a full at-home couples spa night kit under $100 inspired by Japanese bathing culture.
