The Desert Reset Is Back and These Spots are Leading the Trend

The Sunset Wellness & Beauty Awards celebrate the rituals, retreats, and remedies that actually move the needle. These five retreats are the 2026 winners of the Best Desert Reset category. Check out the complete list of winners here. For our definitive and searchable guide to wellness in the West, click here.

CIVANA Wellness Resort and Spa

CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa

Outside Scottsdale, CIVANA offers an aquatherapy thermal circuit plus massages, facials, Reiki, energy healing, and reflexology. More than 100 complimentary fitness and wellness classes cover every interest, from the zodiac-inspired “Stars Align” program to expert-led retreats like “The Body Blueprint” with Brooke Burke and Sleep Retreats with Dr. Sheila Patel and Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar.

Tierra Luna Spa at Arizona Biltmore

Arizona Biltmore

At the base of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve, Tierra Luna draws on Sonoran muds and chakra-infused oils. The Sol Garden offers a cold plunge, hot tub, plush chaises, misters, and the Well Bar. Family-focused touches include the Tierra Luna Cabana for teens and tweens, with mini treatments and self-care services beside the Paradise Pool.

Amara Resort and Spa

Amara Resort and Spa

In Sedona, this serene yet sophisticated escape blends modern luxury with the region’s spiritual aura. Guests enjoy red rock–view yoga, locally inspired spa treatments, and desert-driven dining at SaltRock Southwest Kitchen—all just steps from Uptown Sedona’s trails, galleries, and signature vortex energy.

Tucson

Visit Tucson

Tucson’s wellness aura radiates from hundreds of trails across five mountain ranges and Saguaro National Park. The University of Arizona’s Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine set a national model. Resorts and spas draw on indigenous Sonoran ingredients—Arizona copper, blue corn, aloe—for inventive therapies. Icons like Canyon Ranch and Miraval anchor the scene.

Miraval

Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa

Miraval Arizona offers retreats for intuitive spirituality, grief and loss, manifestation, and pre-/postpartum and menopause programs. Sleep and dream workshops improve sleep health. Trust the Journey: Equine Immersion remains central. Outdoor adventures embrace the Sonoran Desert’s drama at this pioneering center for mindful transformation.

Sensei Porcupine Creek

Sensei Porcupine Creek

Sensei Porcupine Creek is where science-backed wellness meets relaxed luxury. Guests tailor their stay through guided fitness, one-on-one assessments, world-class golf and tennis, and rejuvenating treatments. Personalized itineraries balance movement, nourishment, and restorative downtime. The result is a precisely calibrated reset.