A 24-hour reset at Lake Austin Spa Resort

Under the shallow pool waters at Lake Austin Spa Resort, I feel my body begin to heal. 

Monica Gutierrez, a Certified AquaStretch practitioner, gently pulls and stretches each part of my body, beginning with my toes and ankles and slowly working her way upward to my neck and head. The water is warm. The sunlight-filled Pool Barn is quiet. And for the first time in what feels like forever, I am completely still. 

After an hour, I emerge from the pool and leave my familiar aches and pains behind me. 

Healing in water 

I’ve just experienced my first AquaStretch Myofascial Release with Gutierrez –– a one-on-one, water-based treatment designed to use manual pressure and assisted stretching to release fascial restrictions and improve mobility. It’s one of LakeHouse Spa’s signature (and most requested) experiences, and after I return home and go on my first pain-free run in months, I understand why.  

Monica Gutierrez performs an AquaStretch myofascial release session in the Pool Barn. Contributed by Lake Austin Spa Resort

Gutierrez’s connection to aquatic therapy spans decades. When one of her sisters was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at age 7, doctors encouraged the family to get her into the pool as much as possible. More than 50 years ago, her parents built an indoor pool in their home to accommodate her sister’s needs. Gutierrez eventually named the pool “Splash-Gym” and took numerous courses to help the special needs population benefit from underwater exercises in Mexico, where she’s still recognized as the pioneer of aquatic exercise programs. In 2010, Gutierrez and her family made the move to Austin where she continued pursing her passion all over again, becoming an AquaStretch Facilitator and Instructor and personally training under the technique’s founder. Today, she brings decades of experience and certifications to LakeHouse Spa at Lake Austin, enhancing the lives of countless guests who have benefited from her sessions. 

While my AquaStretch session was the physical highlight of my stay, it was the entire experience of being at Lake Austin Spa Resort that I needed just as badly. 

Close to home, yet a world away 

In late August, I escaped to Lake Austin Spa Resort with my mom and sister for a much-needed mother-daughter getaway. We had missed our annual Mother’s Day trip in May, and it took us four whole months to find a brief window in our calendars to make it happen.  

Lake Austin Spa Resort turned out to be the perfect distance from home: close enough to make a quick getaway doable, but far enough to make it feel like a real escape.  

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I don’t know about everyone else, but lately life feels like it is moving at superspeed. With three kids at three different schools plus each of their demanding list of extracurricular activities that consume our early mornings, late evenings and weekends, I start making breakfasts before 5 a.m. most days and still find myself heating up post-practice dinners after 10 p.m. 

These days, even 24 hours can feel like a vacation –– especially when you’re at this all-inclusive wellness destination where meals, spa amenities and a slew of wellness activities are included with your stay.  

I hadn’t been back in almost a decade, but as soon as I arrived, I remembered how peaceful it is on the shores of Lake Austin where water is more than just the backdrop; it’s woven into the entire experience. 

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We took full advantage of the resort’s palatial pools and aqua therapy sessions during our stay, but overnight guests also have access to complimentary water toys including paddleboards, kayaks and hydrobikes throughout the day. And every day at Lake Austin Spa Resort ushers in a slew of unique ways to find lake fun –– whether that means wake surfing, waterskiing and wake boarding, boat-and-float sightseeing picnics, or wind down wine cruises.  

Open year-round, the resort offers total immersive wellness experiences with an emphasis on the naturally restorative power and healing effects of water. Contributed by Lake Austin Spa Resort

Spend your day how you want 

That’s part of the beauty of Lake Austin Spa Resort. You can make your stay as active or as restorative as you want. You can spend the day moving your body, reading by the pool, floating in the lake, or drifting into a calmer mindset.   

I tried Healing with Water, a gentle group AquaStretch session that introduces guests to the same type of movement and myofascial-release techniques Gutierrez performs in her private treatments –– it’s the perfect sampler to help you decide if you want to book a one-on-one session. Following that, I took an aqua-Tabata intervals class that offered a great cardio workout with minimal impact.  

There are also yoga and meditation offerings, including a drift away floating meditation that invited us to surrender to the calming effects of the water during a guided meditation, and a rhythm and rise morning yoga session with soundscapes that offered a peaceful introduction to a new day. 

We also attended a session called “Insights from the Tarot,” which made us want to come back for private Tarot readings sometimes offered at the resort.  

Because we were short on time, there were only so many activities and classes we could squeeze in between relaxing and reconnecting. Next on my bucket list? Taking a Japanese sword class where guests can learn the art of Bokken-Do. But that just gives us a reason to return another time.  

And when you’re hungry, which you will be, because spa treatments and wellness classes require ample refuel, you’ll have your pick of chef-curated breakfasts, lunches and dinners with menus that rotate daily so every meal is something to look forward to.  

But for me, the biggest luxury was getting a much-needed “time out” from the hectic pace of life –– and of course the chance to reconnect, undistracted, with my mom and sister. Even short stint spent eating chef-prepared food, talking, relaxing and pampering ourselves is a rarity that we don’t take for granted.  

Lake Austin Spa Resort offers a peaceful, all-inclusive wellness getaway located right on the shores of Lake Austin. Mauri Elbel photo

Back to reality 

By Friday evening, it was time to dip back into reality. And life did not exactly ease me back in gently. Our weekend calendar was already packed with a cross-country meet, two soccer games, dance rehearsals, and an all-day water polo tournament. 

But this time, I felt refreshed. My body felt better and my mind felt calmer. Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to step away from the chaos –– even for a little while –– so you can return home ready to dive back in.