This Is Exactly How I Booked a Wellness Retreat in the Berkshires on Points

Earlier this yr, I redeemed factors and miles for a Berkshires retreat. My good good friend and journey companion had simply gotten married a couple of weeks prior; it was lastly time to place the stress of marriage ceremony planning behind her.

The charming cities, pastoral surroundings, and historic museums of the Berkshires are a stone’s throw from the massive cities of the Northeast. There are luxurious lodging galore, and as such, the world usually requires a hefty funds — particularly for those who partake within the many wellness actions and farm-to-table eating the area is thought for. 

However for this journey, due to World of Hyatt factors, we averted paying hundreds of {dollars} in resort, meals, drink, and actions prices on the Miraval Berkshires. Right here’s precisely how I did it, and how one can replicate the expertise. 

A Factors and Miles Primer

One main good thing about factors and miles is unlocking journey adventures that in any other case wouldn’t be accessible. In different phrases, I like to save lots of and finally redeem my loyalty rewards on inns and flights that skew towards the posh finish. These high-value redemptions can embrace business- and first-class flights, or fancy lodging supplied by a few of the main resort chains. 

My favourite travel rewards credit cards supply the power to switch factors to quite a lot of airline and resort companions. Transferring factors — as a substitute of redeeming instantly via the bank card’s journey portal — can usually present one of the best worth and adaptability. 

As an illustration, certainly one of my favourite methods to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards — factors I earn from my Chase Sapphire Most well-liked card — is by transferring them to the World of Hyatt resort program. Hyatt has probably the greatest loyalty packages on the market, not simply due to the variability present in its 1,150 properties, but in addition as a result of the variety of factors required usually prices lower than opponents. 

Most significantly, this system has an award chart, which means you’ll know roughly how a lot each Hyatt resort will value in factors. (That may’t be mentioned for different resort packages that supply “dynamic” factors pricing.) 

How I Booked It 

The Miraval model, with areas within the Berkshires, Austin, and Tucson, focuses on wellness experiences with an all-inclusive-like mannequin. And sure, which means most meals, nonalcoholic drinks, and an array of actions are included within the whole value of your keep. Even higher, Miraval is a part of World of Hyatt, so visitors can earn and redeem Hyatt factors when staying there. 

A midsummer expertise for 2 visitors at Miraval Berkshires would usually begin at round $2,000 per night time. Alternatively, a reserving with factors required 65,000 factors per night time for 2 visitors. (Because the resort has an all-inclusive mannequin, a reserving with just one visitor prices 45,000 factors per night time.) 

I booked my keep by transferring factors from my Chase Final Rewards account to Hyatt — a course of that happens immediately on-line via an easy-to-use portal. As an alternative of paying over $4,000, I booked this wellness weekend with 130,000 factors, most of which had been Hyatt and a few moved over from Chase. 

Was It Value It? 

A few hours north from New York Metropolis, we shortly grew to become immersed within the bucolic splendor of the Berkshires. Whereas 130,000 Hyatt factors is definitely a big quantity, it’s additionally significantly better than paying over $4,000 in money. (If you happen to do the mathematics, that’s about 3.1 cents per level in worth, which is a strong redemption.) 

At Miraval, my good friend and I received to expertise a few of the area’s greatest choices, together with an array of wellness actions, from sound baths and vibrational remedy to guided silent nature walks, hatchet throwing, and beekeeping. 

The foods and drinks had been additionally a serious spotlight, with recent and regionally sourced substances for breakfast, lunch, and dinner together with wholesome smoothies and mocktails. As talked about, with the all-inclusive-style mannequin, most actions and eating had been a part of the deal, even when utilizing factors. 

Visitors at Miraval additionally earn a $175 resort credit score per particular person every night time of their keep — each on factors and money bookings. That credit score can be utilized on something, from spa therapies to additional-cost actions. 

Better of all, the journey was an ideal technique to spend a weekend with an in depth good friend who lives throughout the nation — and for her to decompress post-wedding planning. However the true fantastic thing about factors and miles? It makes it doable to create these experiences with out spending quite a bit out of pocket.