The Spa at Travaasa

My kids gave me a massage for Mothers’ Day at Travaasa and it was truly a delight. I’ve had many massages of different types including hot and hot/​cold stone massages. Each has been different, all enjoyable, but this one rates in the top 2. This was an 80 minute Sacred Stone Massage skillfully performed by Nicole. She is really talented with her hands, her motions being smooth, consistent and not too hard. She has an excellent technique with the stones. She’s very conscientious about your comfort, asking if I wanted the table heated or not and keeping the areas she was not working on covered for warmth. And let me say that the table was the most comfortable one I’ve been on. The time flew far too fast, even though it felt like I was there forever. So relaxing and so worth it!

This is my happy place. My mom and I come here to treat ourselves when she visits from Colorado. I received an 80 minute massage from Nicole who was incredibly intuitive and made me feel very comfortable and safe. I work 7 days a week so massages are few and far between. But I know when I come here, I’ll be taken care of. The views are stunning as well. Frankie and the rest of the staff are genuinely friendly and the food was lovely. A touch pricey but overall definitely worth it.

The hubs and I went here for our anniversary. We both chose the day package with included $ 125 credit which we both put towards a 90 min massage for $ 170. First thing, I specifically requested a female massage therapist but got a male. I was told I would have to wait for another 45 mins for the next available female MT. My husband already went in his room so I didnt want to wait and just agreed to proceed.
My room was so bright with cheap, cheesy cabin décor as though I was at an Outback steakhouse. And my massage session? Well, my male MT kept talking to me throughout my massage as though I needed to be educate on every muscles and strokes while his nano spewed out random fast paced classical music! I had to ask him a few times if he could change it to something soothing and relaxing which interrupted the session. Need I add that he reaked of cigarettes, too? At the end of my uncomfortable massage, I found out my chair was heated but (unlike any massage session I have ever been to) he never offered that option, which that would’ve been what I preferred. I left that awkward and uncomfortable session feeling more tense than when I came in. Although we paid for the day, it left such a bad taste in my mouth that I opted to leave just only 3 hours.
You’re better off at the Lake Austin Spa resort! Atleast (for all you spend there) you get what you pay for including complimenatry teas as well. Yes, at Travaasa, you have to actually pay for a cup of hot tea! That is pretty tacky considering it is a day spa/​spa resort.

I went here today for a facial and a 3 hour escape. It was wonderful! I had a facial with Tracey, swam in the pool, used the hot tub, ate lunch and a smoothie at the pool, showered.
Re: previous con reviews: I thought the smoothie and lunch seemed prepared on site and were tasty. A golf cart picked me up at my parking spot and drove me to the spa entrance. There were nuts and dried fruit along with apples and water in the waiting area. The showers had plenty of nice shampoo, conditioner, body wash in decent-​sized containers mounted on the shower wall.
I thought this place was clean, very relaxing, every single person was friendly and helpful. My facial was wonderful and my skin feels great. I went on a Monday and was discounted $ 20 for this. Total with my food was about $ 160. I personally think that it was a great value. I can’t wait to go back and stay the night and participate in some of the activities. Cool place for relaxation and to «get away» without really going anywhere.

I recently returned from a 4 day/​3 night mini-​vacation at Travaasa. My entire stay was wonderful! I often travel alone, but have never stayed at an all-​inclusive spa resort by myself before. The whole staff was knowledgeable, polite, helpful, and (this is rare) never once made me feel uncomfortable or inconvenient due to the fact that I was staying and continually dining alone. I had also wanted an extremely active vacation, and that is just what I got at Travaasa! :)
The spa itself was fantastic! I had a shiatsu massage, body polish, and custom facial during my stay, and all were exceptional. A good friend even commented upon my return how amazing my skin looked. I loved the dry sauna! The young man working the pool area was always attentive and made sure all guests had everything they needed to properly relax the afternoon away. Thank you!
The food was local, healthy, and delicious. The menu changed each night, which sometimes made decisions tough (each night, I wanted to try more than one item offered!), but there was a good mix of red meat, poultry, seafood, vegetarian, and gluten free items. I enjoyed the fact that they had listed the nutrition facts and calories beside each appetizer, entrée, and dessert. This made making healthier choices much easier, and allowed me to splurge accordingly. I loved the antelope! Portion size left me feeling satiated but never stuffed. The only drawback about the restaurant was that sometimes during breakfast or lunch, I would have to eat quickly in order to make it on time to my next activity. They advise you to allot 30 minutes for breakfast and/​or lunch, but I found 45 min — 1 hr to be better, as it seemed that all the occupants would eat at approximately the same time.
The gym was well equipped and I found myself there several times a day. Each day there was a great variety of classes including meditation, yoga, group exercise, hiking, and even a mechanical bull fitness class. The hiking trails are well maintained and i enjoyed exploring the trails by myself as opposed to the group hikes. The scenery was great and oftentimes I wouldn’t encounter a single person on the trails! So quiet and peaceful… I also participated in a watercolor painting class and an archery class which was exceptionally fun!
The bed and bedding were amazingly comfortable and I loved the caramel popcorn turndown service! The staff all truly go above and beyond, and after 3 nights at Travaasa, I felt relaxed and ready to take on the world again!

My sister lives in San Francisco and I’m in Boston, so we met in the middle of the country for a getaway. As part of our Austin visit, we headed to Travaasa for the afternoon. With our spa appointments, we had use of the facility for a few hours.
The drive up is beautiful and you instantly enter a land of serene nature and head up the hill, overlooking Lake Travis. It was impressively quiet considering that you’re only 30min from downtown.
Once we checked in, we headed for a stroll through the woods. There are two «hikes» which are each about a mile long and on well-​groomed trails with occasional steps. It was lovely and peaceful.
From there we headed to our spa appointments. We each got the sacred stone massage. If you’ve had hot-​stone massages, you’ll know there’s a balance between the massage piece and the ceremony of placing the stones. My sister and I each had different masseuses, and while they were very skilled, the experience was more about the ceremony of placing/​feeling the stones rather than the actual massage part. I personally would’ve liked a little more of that, but it was still a very relaxing experience.
After that, we headed to the infinity pool. I could’ve stayed there for days, and I was jealous of the folks around us who apparently were doing just that. The pool itself was heavenly on a 90-​degree day, but the area by the pool was equally relaxing. Because it was on top of a hill, there was still a breeze so the heat was never overwhelming.
The whole experience at Travaasa was calming and removed from any stress in the world. We interacted with about 7 – 8 staff members during our afternoon there, every one of whom was welcoming, helpful, and friendly. A wonderful getaway, and we’d love to go back.
(I took one star off for price, but that wasn’t a surprise. We knew what we were getting into when we booked the appt.)

As a self-​confessed spa junkie, I’ve made it a habit of visiting spas in whatever part of the country I might find myself in. I could say it’s because of some anthropological leanings to discern local relaxation customs, but really it’s because I’m a Taurus and I like being groomed.
That said, I’ve experienced the entire spectrum of spas, from one coast to the other, and I was excited to try Travaasa, because the price point indicated that it was fairly high end, at least for the area.
I booked a full day package, the Total Travaasa Day Package, just FYI.
Pros:
— I loved the drive out there, and the area around Travaasa and its view is gorgeous. The infiniti pool and the yoga studio both overlook it.
— The pool is heated, which made it the perfect temperature for a warmish December day.
— The yoga class I took was relaxing and well-​taught, and the studio provides a lovely view.
— It’s incredibly quiet and I felt truly contemplative when I went for a hike on the trails. I was there on kind of a slow Saturday, so that might have also been why.
— The massage, done by James, was excellent. It was a Swedish massage, but he was clearly trained in other modalities, because it was very thorough and lovely.
Cons:
— A meal came with my package, and the meal was mediocre, at best. The smoothie I ordered was pre-​made and put into a plastic cup. The lunch was a lot of canned veggies and very unimpressive main dishes.
— They were doing construction right next to the spa, so when I was in the hot tub and sauna, I could hear the saws and hammering. Not very relaxing. I could not hear them when I was in the massage treatment room, however.
— The supplies provided in the locker room are cheap and sparse. A bit of shampoo and conditioner in janky dispensers isn’t very spa-​like, in my opinion.
— It was very pricey, considering. They added an auto– gratuity of nearly 20% to my already pricey massage, and not that I wouldn’t have given 20% of my own accord, but it was part of the package, and I’m not sure that every therapist is as excellent as James.
— The lounge area where you wait for your massage therapist is oddly crowded and was very awkward. There were already two people there waiting on the couch when I arrived, so I perched on one of the outlying chairs, feeling as though I was interrupting their vibe. Awk.
In general, the spa was clean and pleasant, but not high-​end, and it’s definitely a high-​end price point, especially for the area. I think visiting during a particularly busy time could also make it seem very un-​relaxing, considering the size of the place and it’s proximity to other buildings.

My mom in law and I decided to take a girls day and wanted to try this spa out. The area and drive getting there is beautiful. The staff were very friendly and it’s got a more modern feel. The boutique is really really expensive, $ 225 for a baiting suit cover up. We had an 80 minute deep tissue massage and 50 minute custom facial. I loved the massage, the facial was good. I fell asleep in both but I felt like all they did in the facial was apply 12 different lotions. I really like when they «paint» things on my face. No peels were offered and the comedone extraction was just her pinching my face. The pool was an amazing infinity pool overlooking the hillside. You can have lunch (not included) and cocktails by the pool. Good food, but it took almost an hour to get it. We were worried we would be late for the facial.
The reason it gets only 4 stars is because there is no real place inside to lay around and relax while awaiting treatments. There are some hard back chairs and a couch. The poolside chairs didn’t have cushions either. I know these sound like small things but that gives a very luxurious feel. The dressing rooms didn’t really have a lot of products to try while getting ready as I have seen in other spas. And the other disappointing thing is when you aren’t staying the night, you have to pay to use the pool. I spent well over $ 600 for both of our treatments. We shouldn’t have to pay a fee for spa access.

The Spa at Travassa is as good as it gets… It completes the Travaasa experience, with the best spa services I have experienced ANYWHERE! When my friend and I decided to stay Labor day weekend, one of the main reasons we chose Travaasa was because of the Spa reviews, and they did NOT disappoint!
We opted for a package, which was well worth every penny. We started with a facial that put any other facials I have experienced to SHAME! It was 1.5 hours, with careful detail to my skin, and sensitivity factor. My skin glowed! Next up was a body wrap and polish, that was so incredibly indulgent, you can’t walk out of there NOT feeling like a million bucks! It involved being slathered in mud, then a rinse and scrub. My skin was incredibly soft and smooth!
The service there was top notch, as you can tell the people here care about their job, and you. Day passes are available for pilates and yoga classes, and poolside treats.
Honestly can’t enough good things about this place.

One of the best massages I’ve ever had!
The ladies are so kind and gentle. They apply just the right pressure to the areas that need the most work.
I felt so relaxed afterwards and the spa area offered so much, like a hot tub, pool, and sauna. A MUST VISIT if you’re in Travaasa!

Pros:
*I received a truly excellent, caring, comprehensive massage from Alex. The only thing I missed was a hot towel for my feet and face, which I think should be mandatory for any massage. I also don’t think he read my intake form at all, which is a pet peeve of mine. But — he was really an excellent massage therapist.
*Everyone working at the front desk at the spa is friendly and helpful.
*The pool is beautiful.
*The sandwich I ordered for lunch was very good, and the sparkling wine was delicious. The waiter was friendly and very helpful.
*The locker room area is clean and tidy.
*The shop has some really unusual, cool items for sale.
Cons (sadly, a lot):
*The resort, according to its own website, is a no-​tipping facility. However, the bill for food has a tip line (which I would have felt very strange about ignoring), and a very large grat was added to my massage bill. Prior to going, I assumed the very high price for the massage was because the tip was included. Nope.
*There is no dedicated parking for the spa. So, if you aren’t staying at the hotel, you can end up parking up to .5 mile away, lugging whatever bag you have in the heat to get to the spa.
*The front desk staff at the resort (check-​in) ignored us for five minutes as we waited to find out where to go. Even a «Welcome, we’ll be right with you,» would have been appreciated. When they did get to us, they pointed us in the direction of the spa (about a five minute walk away) — they should have offered to escort us since it’s not particularly close or obvious to a newcomer.
*The lounge (where you wait for your therapist to come get you) is drab and not very comfortable. I felt like I was in someone’s stuffy living room, not a high-​end resort lounge. Lounges should be low-​light and offer a lot of relaxation. Most high-​end resorts have more than one (and they’re usually gender-​divided), and there’s usually somewhere to lie down. Not at Travaasa.
*Most spas these days have a few energy-​boosting snacks around in the waiting areas. Travaasa has apples in a bowl and lemon water — that’s it. It would have been nice to have other fruit or some nuts, as well as other options for drinks (pretty typical at other spas). In addition, in one of the waiting areas (by the pool), the sink and hot water dispenser were both broken.
*One of the showers in the locker room was out of order, and all three of the other working showers were out of body gel and shampoo. The containers that hold the bath products are cheap and difficult to use. There were staff members in and out of the locker room while I was there — someone should have noticed the containers were empty.
*The bath products in the locker room are not high-​end.
*There are two weird open spaces in the locker room that have no hooks or mirrors, so they’re not changing areas, but I don’t know what they’re supposed to be. Along those same lines, there is no dedicated changing area (the area around the lockers is in view of the door).
* The locker room, overall, is very small and so blah. Most higher-​end resorts have very large locker rooms/​changing areas. It is also very bright and not relaxing. Additionally, there was no music or other sound (fountain, etc), so I could hear every single thing anyone in the locker room/​bathroom was doing — if you know what I mean. Awkward.
*The sauna is not attached to the locker room, so you have to walk all the way across the (very hot) patio to get to and from the sauna — makes the experience not as enjoyable.
*The outdoor showers are in full view of everyone on the patio. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t want to be on display while I rinse off, even in my bathing suit.
*The patio is SO HOT. They could use more shade and some misters to offset this a bit.
The caveats:
I used to work in the hotel industry and I have a lot of strong opinions about how things should be done. Additionally, I’ve been to the spa at Mandalay Bay in Vegas several times, and frankly, once you’ve been there, everything else feels meh in comparison. However, most of the things I’ve identified on this list could be (and should be) easily remedied.
Overall, for what you get at the Spa at Travaasa, it is much too expensive.

If i could begin every day at the Spa at Travaasa, I would be the most relaxed, zen-​ful woman on the planet! The staff is wonderful and friendly, the facilities are gorgeous, the menu of massages and treatments are extensive, and the therapists are top notch. You will not want to leave, even though leaving means going out to the equally gorgeous pool area. I love this spa so much — Travaasa, take me away!

The ambiance was only the beginning to the wonderful services I received at Travaasa. First of all, the staff was so pleasant and genuinely cared about you and how your day was going. Great customer service and smiles are hard to find at hotels and spas. Second of all, the spa staff was so friendly and the women’s locker room was pristine and equipped with everything from robes to flip-​flops to hair products and mouthwash. It was deluxe! The infinity pool made me feel like I was in a dream.
I felt so special, pampered and relaxed!
Lonnie in the spa has an amazing personality and massage therapist Amalle adapted to my many therapeutic needs. It was a treat to visit and I will defiantly come back next time I’m in Austin.