Built in 1929, the Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort (Phoenix), is a legendary and luxurious hotel with a storied past. Set on 39 acres with a picturesque backdrop of Piestewa Peak, this resort has been a popular destination for locals and out-of-towners for nearly a century because of its Frank Lloyd Wright architectural style and old Hollywood glamour feel. Among its most-popular features is the Catalina Pool, which Marilyn Monroe once called her favorite pool and where Irving Berlin wrote the iconic song “White Christmas.” Although the property was renovated in 1992, its most recent update is perhaps the most exciting, as it led to new dining destinations, seven pools, refreshed luxury cottages, more than 200,000 square feet of transformed meeting and event spaces, and the new Tierra Luna Spa. “Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Piestewa Peak, Tierra Luna Spa embodies the divine connection between the desert and the cosmos,” says Becky Leuluai, senior director of spa and retail at Tierra Luna Spa. “Timeless and free-spirited, with a ruggedly chic aesthetic, the holistic spa is reinventing the modern spa experience. The physical space has been designed to integrate seamlessly into its desert setting, for a sense of openness that connects strongly to the cosmos.”
The spa’s name itself honors both the earth below and the moon above, so it’s only appropriate that the 12 treatment rooms are named after the 12 astrology signs. The treatment menu also reflects the spa’s connection between the desert and the cosmos with a range of spa treatments centered on three pillars: desert botanicals, cosmic connection, and dynamic recovery. “Each of the experiences at Tierra Luna speak to one of these pillars and helps our guests to connect to our purpose and story,” says Leuluai. What’s more, indigenous mud, desert herbs, and native scents are utilized throughout the treatments to pay tribute to the resort’s desert surroundings.
The menu incorporates a holistic approach and each therapy is customized to the guest’s needs. According to Leuluai, among the top-booked treatments and experiences at Tierra Luna Spa are the Desert Oasis Massage ($215, 50 minutes; $310, 80 minutes) and the Grounding Quartz Massage ($310, 80 minutes), which includes applying warm quartz on the body to ground and connect the client to the mineral’s energetic healing qualities, while providing warmth and soothing the body; and the Chakra & Sound Massage ($295, 80 minutes), which is a full-body aromatic massage that utilizes seven essential oil blends attuned to the vibrational energies of each of the seven chakras, as well as the sound of “ohm” to help release tension, alleviate muscle aches and pains, and increase energy levels.
The Luminous Quartz Cryo & Thermal Facial ($290, 50 minutes) is another popular choice. This treatment uses rose quartz to promote a sense of compassion, love, and peace, and includes a lymphatic drainage massage, warm and cool cryotherapy tools, and gua sha techniques. In addition, the Alchemy Mud & Crystal Wrap ($390, 1 hour 40 minutes) incorporates indigenous mud to detoxify and soften the skin, improve circulation, and ease aches and pains. The menu also includes cosmic experiences such as a mud and crystal bar, and an onsite astrologist who blends natal birth charts and current cosmic forces to provide personal revelations.
The new spa attracts clients near and far, with about 70 percent being resort guests and 30 percent representing locals and other outside guests. In addition to visiting the spa, wellness-focused resort guests can take advantage of the resort’s membership program, which provides access to fitness classes, the all-new fitness center, tennis and pickleball courts, resort pools, dressing rooms, special guestroom rates, and more.
While attracting guests to the spa has not been a problem, the opening of Tierra Luna did not come without challenges. “This year, we have been facing staffing challenges like so many others,” says Leuluai. “We have been working on developing our culture, our benefits, and our ability to position our team to grow in their careers. Training is a big part of this.”
In addition to attracting and retaining top-notch employees, the spa plans to open a new spa garden this spring. “The outdoor Sol Garden at Tierra Luna Spa will invite guests to reconnect with themselves to find a sense of grounding,” says Leuluai. “Accented with earth tones and natural materials, the design captures the expansive warmth of the Sonoran landscape, while cacti, succulents, and desert flowers add texture and color to the sensory journey.” Another new addition this spring is the Well Bar featuring light fare and healthy mocktails from Kin Euphorics. Both of these new additions support Tierra Luna Spa’s goal to bring a transformative new dimension of desert chic to the Arizona Biltmore experience. Says Leuluai, “Inspired by the unique spirit of the Sonoran Desert, Tierra Luna Spa is a place where guests can go to feel centered, at one with nature’s powerful beauty, and to experience a sense of cosmic wonder.”