Incredible Wellness Destinations: A Weekend Escape to Country Hill Texas Sage Hill Inn & Spa, Eviivo Collective
A Weekend Escape to Country Hill Texas Sage Hill Inn & Spa, Eviivo Collective
I was sitting in the Uber a bit puzzled. This place is supposed to be secluded. The area we are in is booming with residential development. From the Uber driver, I got that Kyle, TX used to be farmlands which are now being developed as more people from Austin are lured to move into the suburbs.
I was a bit confused. I expected to be in the middle of nowhere and was honestly looking forward to the experience.
The car made a right turn.
Unexpectedly, we were on a quiet, one-lane road entering Sage Hill Inn & Spa. Not your typical entryway. A mile-long paved, winding road surrounded by nothing but greenery.
I could instantaneously feel the shift of energy — my heart skipped a bit faster. “May I open the window?” I asked eagerly looking forward to taking a deep breath from this lusciousness. “Of course!”, said my now-friend driver, Roberto, who we got to share a get-to-know conversation while stuck in traffic.
“What is this place?” he asked, I think equally intrigued by the shift of energy and scenery.
The traffic getting to the Atlanta airport was horrendous even though it was only early Friday afternoon. It was a really good idea that I took my husband on his offer to drive me to the airport; otherwise, I could have easily missed my flight (thank you, babe!).
The airport was a zoo. Packed. People stressed out because of the delay getting to the airport and then limited parking due to construction.
A lady in front of me dropped her hair clip as she sat down. I picked it up and attempted to get her attention. She was too engrossed shuffling papers and not hearing as she had ear buds in. To whereas before we were distracted with our noses in our phones, now there are the wireless earbuds; now we can’t hear either. Just keeps getting better.
This was my great affirmation for the upcoming weekend — at this point, the world really needs escapes from reality.
2-hour smooth flight, and I was in Austin, TX. Austin airport was equally intense. What made the experience better for me were the live bands keeping vibes high.
Ordered an Uber and once again, hit traffic even though it was almost 7 pm local time. I could not wait for my little weekend escapade at Sage Hill Inn & Spa in Kyle, Texas.
Sage Hill is a part of Eviivo Collective, the first world collection of unique, notable and luxurious independent properties around the globe. My gem is escapes promoting wellness and disconnecting from the noise of the world to inner connect. Let us see what Sage Hill Inn & Spa was all about….
Located on 88 acres of pristine greenery, you are immersed in a world of tranquility. A gem beautifully tucked and offering everything you need to quiet within.
I was greeted by Aric at the reception. Aric showed me around and drove me to my cottage — Live Oaks, a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom cottage with rustic style, tons of natural light and serene, private back yard equipped with a fire pit, hammock, and a sitting area. The cottage was spotless clean. A bonus for someone like me who reads ingredient lists — the cottage was equipped with clean personal care products. The beds were covered in soft, white linens.
I refreshed quickly eager to get out and explore all Sage Hill has to offer. I love being outdoors and this place is a heaven if you are a seeker of nature, oak trees, breeze, and greenery beyond your gaze.
I was hungry and headed to the restaurant. A cozy, rustic setting with delicious aroma which only made me hungrier. The restaurant was full of couples or ladies on girls trips, from what my observations could tell. As I entered, I was asked for my name. A table with my last name awaited me.
Here comes the next great part. The food. Simple, fresh and absolutely delicious. I opted for the pesto salmon. The fish was cooked to perfection, and I have never had such flavorful pesto sauce. Sage Hill sources its vegetables from its own garden and its eggs and some produce from their own farm. We will get to that part in a second….
During dinner, I had the opportunity to talk for a few minutes to Ethan, the Head Waiter, and Sophia, my waitress. Both said they love working at Sage Hill despite their 30-minute, on a good day, commute.
The dessert was simple and delicious — berry cobbler with vanilla ice cream. I opted to take my dessert outside and sat in a rocking chair gazing into the lush greenery ahead.
The day was starting to turn into late evening as I decided to take a little hike. That is the other special piece about Sage Hill. It is surrounded by hiking trails and incredible views. I randomly chose a path. It was just me. Me on an unpaved path surrounded and greenery, trees and the sounds of nature. Prime spot for being present in the moment. Easy to silence the mind surrounded by the magic of nature.
I called it a night early. A nice, refreshing and relaxing shower with two shower heads and then into the cozy bed wrapped in high-quality linens.
During the night, I got to experience a Texas storm. Thunder, lightning, high winds and a down pour. Nothing like being curled up in bed while nature plays its magic show.
My alarm rang early. I was supposed to do an early morning hike. I opted to sleep a bit more. The bed was way too comfy, and my body needed it after an intense week.
I woke up to natural light and the sounds of nature. I got up and stepped outside in my pj’s. Bliss. Seclusion. Peace. Nowhere to go, nowhere to be. I took my time and headed to breakfast. Continental style breakfast including fresh fruit, pastries, yogurt and such. My favorite — the eggs. I have never had such delicious eggs, mind you my family frequently sources our eggs from local farms.
I enjoyed a quiet breakfast sitting outside soaking in the same view as dessert time the prior evening. The type of view which refreshes your mind and soul. The type of view which leaves you speechless and makes it easy to not want to do anything else but sit and watch — watch into the serene landscape stretching for miles.
Post breakfast, another highlight of the trip took place. I had the opportunity to meet the owner of Sage Hill — Eric Goldreyer. As I frequently say, one of my favorite parts of my work is getting to meet incredible people who are not only dreamers but also action takers. People who have a vision and courageously go after execution with consistency and huss despite the tribulations on the way.
Eric and I had a fascinating conversation prior to the interview. You can tune in to the video interview or read the digital interview for Authority Magazine.
As someone who preaches self-care, inner-connection and wellness and encourages people to get away and travel as a way to grow, it was absolutely delightful to hear Eric’s vision for the type of visit he wants his guest to experience. A holistic, transformative experience.
I had the opportunity to speak to a few of the guests. One of the quests said she is a frequent visitor. She and her partner come to Sage Hill recurringly to experience peace.
Another couple I spoke to is visiting because the husband has been under tremendous amount of stress. They needed a place where it is easy to relax and reconnect.
Post the interview with Eric, I got into my workout gear. I took on the luscious entryway path a couple of times for an hour mixing walking and running (it was getting hot). No cars. No people. Just me. My music. The rhythm of my body moving. Heavier breathing. Rejuvenating body, mind and spirit. The exact and beautiful activity preceding my next adventure — a Swedish massage at The Garden Inn — Sage Hill’s Spa.
The spa is settled in the midst of greenery and a pond. The spa is a house beautifully decorated and aimed to nurture the senses with essential oil aroma, salt lights and background music. My massage by Shawn was divine, a combo of deep strokes and light stretching, both of which my body savored. Feeling super relaxed, the 2-minute trip to the Live Oaks cottage appeared long. I took a few minutes sitting at the porch on the rocking chairs simply being.
My body asked for extra relaxation. I gifted it and then early afternoon I headed to the pool at a perfect time when the sun was losing its heat and the few people sitting around left. It was me only enjoying the million-dollar view, the oak tree breeze and delightful sunrays.
As the clock stroked 6 PM, the dinner bell rang. I headed to the dining area. Thanks to community style sitting, I had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful couple expecting their first born. Have I mentioned that I love, love, love meeting new people? Immersed in a delightful conversation getting to know each other, we enjoyed the wonderful atmosphere and delicious dinner. This time, I opted for the Cajun style shrimp and stuck to the same dessert — I am a foodie and have great appreciation for fresh, quality food.
Post dinner, I took another stroll on the hiking trails. There is such power to being alone and present surrounded by nothing but nature. As the sun set down and darkness started setting in, I sat by the fireplace and gazed into the miles of greenery ahead. A couple I had met earlier in the day came and asked if they can join me.
We had a pleasant conversation. We talked about life, kids, growth, shared our stories. What was the last time you met strangers and spoke for a couple of hours getting to know each other? We are so stuck with our noses in the phones and laptops. We miss on the human connection, essential for our well-being. In this short weekend away, I got to connect to human beings the old-fashioned way. It was almost 11 PM by the time I walked back to my cottage.
What a soulful experience! Remarkable what a day away can do for you. No agenda. No opinions. Just you. Time for you. Reconnecting to you. Giving yourself permission to be fully present. Nervous system screaming from joy. Body grateful. Mind quiet. Clarity abundant. Energy elevated.
And should your daily existence call for you to escape, seek no further than Sage Hill Inn & Spa where you don’t have to think about anything but you. A great resort to ask yourself what you want in this gift of life you are in charge of.
Thank you for the perfect disconnect weekend, Sage Hill Inn & Spa and Eviivo Collective.
