Spa Mio is a Great “Go-to” Spa—In Italian “mio” means “my” or “mine.” So “Spa Mio” translates into “my spa,” the perfect name for this very private and personal spa getaway. This is the spa where you and a close friend have treatments and hang out in hot tubs; heat up in the sauna or steam room; cool off in the wet area shower; and chill out in the lounge chairs with magazines and fizzy drinks..

I’ve visited this spa several times and always end up coming out feeling much better than when I went in. On my recent visit, I padded across the parking lot, exercise bag in tow, my feet scorching through my sandals and skin blistering. Up the sidewalk, open the door, and…

Cool. Peaceful and cool.

No casino. No cigarette smoke. Just a walk by a water feature down a short hall, and you’re there. Spa Mio is located at the M Resort, Casino and Spa on St. Rose Parkway, just off Interstate 15. It is one of the few resort spas that has an entrance right off the parking lot for easy access.

For many reasons, Spa Mio gets my highest rating, Five Towels and is definitely a yogini spa — one for healing and rejuvenation. So here are the five reasons it gets Five Towels:

Reason #1 — The Pampering

I occasionally have days when I’m totally invisible. Not many, but on invisible days I could walk through Nordstrom’s cosmetic department singing and waving my arms (possibly not even wearing clothes) and no one would offer a sample of perfume.

It sometimes happens in spas too. I’m abandoned to find my way around. I must seek out bottles of water on my own. I’m nervous the whole time about missing my appointment and return to my locker more than once to check the time on my.phone.

This has never been the case at at Spa Mio. I always feel pampered and cared for. I’m always given so much attention!  There’s the offer of help finding anything when I first go in, to the drinks delivered to the hot tub. There was also someone who brought me a  plastic bag for my swimsuit as I was packing to leave, I was treated to a wealth of information, services, and offerings. Two women who were swimming were told, “You have ten minutes till your treatment.” At one point during my visit, I was even brought an ice-cold washcloth while I was reading to, “put on the back of my neck.” Heaven.

Reason #2 —The Amenities

At Spa Mio there are little touches everywhere to make one’s stay more pleasant. First, the lockers are extra wide and have a nifty built-in box for storage of small items. The drinks I mentioned being passed out above? They weren’t just bottles of water, there was spa water with lemon and ice, and a beautiful red-to-pink drink with pomegranate juice (delicious). Slices of cucumber for your eyes sit outside the door of the steam room, along with truly ice-cold wash cloths. Plus, the dsteam room itself had tiny lights of different colors so you got a dose of chromotherapy as you steamed.

The shower and dressing areas were well-stocked with product and tools — combs, brushes, razors. It is wonderful to have all your needs anticipated and addressed!

Reason #3 — Clean (read that “spotless”) and Functioning

Almost every time I visit a spa there is something that I see that makes me think, “Can they not see that?” Examples include something as small as a door handle that makes a dint in the wall, or grout that’s not as clean as it could be. Sometimes water pressure is low in the shower, or a “rain room”  drips cold water until it gets turned on (and you get dripped on when turning it on).

Not so at Spa Mio. Everything was spotless and functioned flawlessly.

Reason #4 — The Ambience

The lighting at Spa Mio is elegant and subdued. A single, stunning chandelier hangs between the two hot tubs in the sauna, and soft (very soft) blue lights ring the drop-down, boxed ceiling. The lights in the locker and vanity areas are fun and feminine so you feel like you’ve stepped into a lighted jewel box. The hallway to the treatment rooms is dimly lit, inspiring a deep sense of peace and quiet.

Reason #5— The Gift Shop

I love a good gift shop. I don’t always buy something, but browsing around and finding interesting items or something you’ve only read about is simply fun.

The gift shop at Spa Mio has wonderfully, affordable items such as lipsticks, roll-on perfumes, and makeup brushes in addition to the ubiquitous bathing suits, sun hats, flip-flops and coverups. One thing I really liked was the fact that the store featured a fairly extensive selections of Janssen and Osmosis skin care lines, but also carried a few items from some of the more affordable (and fun) lines including Lalicious and Farmhouse Fresh. Finally, this gift shop has the most complete of Moroccanoil — with its beautiful turquoise packaging and skin-healing argon oil — that I’ve ever seen.

Etc. Etc.

Note that there is a full-service salon and barbershop in conjunction with Spa Mio. And for the men? Their space is exactly the same as the women’s except there is a television — usually turned to a sports channel — in the relaxation (?) room.

The spa menu is robust including scrubs, wraps, and many types of facials and massages. This is not a spa with fancy new equipment or trendy services. It’s your go-to spa when you need a lift. For me, it is a place for reflection and solitude. I’ve journaled here. I worked on this article here. The word I would give this spa is “restorative.”

Sometimes the cure for restlessness is rest.
Charlie Chaplin