Finding Me in Miami

After the Independent Hotel Show in Miami and hearing about the Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, I decided to stay an extra night to experience the largest spa on the eastern seaboard—and what promised to be the spa experience of a lifetime.

Before my stay, I soaked up Miami’s vibrancy and color—wandering off the beaten path for street art and Cuban trio music, exploring beyond Collins Ave and up Lincoln Road Mall. I can’t wait to get back to Kith, a boutique I discovered off Collins! Lunch at Maxine’s was fresh and healthy, and the lemonade was the best I’ve ever had. If it hadn’t been drizzling, I would have eaten on the cute patio.

Checking into the serene and lovely Carillon, a Miami-beachfront hotel with both hotel and residence sides, I felt like I was entering another world. My 7th-floor room was a modern luxury apartment—gorgeous furniture, a small kitchen, and two side by side bathrooms (I alternated between them!).

Wrapped in my robe and slippers, I headed up to the spa. After booking my morning treatments with the most helpful staff, I spent 90 blissful minutes in the women’s hydrotherapy circuit. Late on a Friday evening, the space was nearly empty, and I luxuriated in every feature until closing time.

Dinner was insane lobster pasta via room service—so delicious, sorry no time for a photo!—paired with a crisp glass of white wine. I slept silently in my heaven bed, in a time-warp, cocooned from the outside world.

I began my wellness adventure with breakfast at The Strand, the main restaurant at Carillon. My attentive waiter helped me choose from a long list of healthy options—it turned out to be the best oatmeal (better right before yoga, he said), the freshest green juice, and a perfect latte.

I dashed out to beach yoga, a restorative class that was exactly what I needed. Feeling run down and depleted, I had been searching for renewal—and I was on my way. The teacher was incredible, and I wasn’t surprised to learn she also practices spiritual healing. After class, I dove into the warm ocean, did a few summersaults and pulled myself out toward the SPA.

My Skin Authority VitaD Glow Massage was 80 minutes of pure mental detachment; every touch felt amplified as I surrendered to letting go. Afterward, I sampled a piece of one of Carillon’s “Touchless Experiences”—a series of therapies designed to meet your deepest wellness needs. I chose Better Your Back and tried the ReLounge Wave Mat. OMG. It felt like thousands of micro-raindrops penetrating my muscles, melting all tension away. After my trip to the moon and back, I rested on a heated zero-gravity chair, blissed out.

That’s when I tried to change my flight. Why was I leaving now? My kids would be out on a Saturday night, my husband probably enjoying his own time—what’s two more hours? Sadly, there was no room on the flight, so I gathered myself, feeling more grounded, more centered—still imperfect, but far better than when I’d arrived.

There will absolutely be a next time. Next visit, I’ll book at least two Touchless Wellness Circuits, a body treatment in the Aemotio Spa (look it up—it’s unreal), and one of their state-of-the-art facials. I’ve since learned you can complete an online questionnaire to tailor your experiences and even choose from a variety of 4-day retreats designed around specific wellness goals. https://www.carillonhotel.com/en/wellness/

See you again, Carillon. 🌿