Canyon Ranch Austin opens Thursday with Texas's largest spa at $1,325 a night. The Hill Country resort brings Texas's biggest spa and a first-of-its-kind women's wellness program. Published: Oct 15 2026, 12:35 AM EDT Canyon Ranch Austin opens this Thursday, October 15, on more than 600 acres of Texas Hill Country ranchland overlooking Lake Travis in Spicewood - becoming the largest spa in the state with 40,000 square feet of treatment space and a nightly rate of $1,325 that covers meals, fitness, and a $200 spa credit. The opening lands at a record moment for the US spa industry. According to the International Spa Association's 2026 study, Americans made 191 million spa visits in 2025, nearing the pre-pandemic record of 192 million visits in 2019, generating $23.5 billion in total industry revenue, up 4.2% year over year. Canyon Ranch Austin, the brand's first ground-up Texas resort and what a PaperCity preview reported as a $500 million initial investment, is one of the most ambitious bets any operator has placed on that growth. Texas's biggest spa spans 40,000 square feet and 37 treatment rooms. The spa is the centerpiece of the property. At 40,000 square feet with 37 treatment rooms, it is the largest spa in Texas, according to Canyon Ranch, and is designed as an indoor/outdoor facility that the brand describes as a place where "ancient rituals meet modern science." The space includes whirlpools, therapy tubs, steam rooms, lounges, and The Springs, an outdoor area with plunge pools, showers, and gardens. Specific treatments include a Circadian Skin Renewal Facial (80 minutes, $430) using RAESO skincare, a New Zealand brand launching exclusively in US spas here, and a Buccal Facial ($450) that Canyon Ranch Austin calls the first US offering of Irene Forte's intraoral sculpting technique. Spa treatment costs are in addition to the nightly rate and the included $200 credit. The resort's fitness center, called The Barn, spans 27,000 square feet and includes movement studios, a yoga deck, a training center, a recovery lab, and an outdoor workout lawn. A separate 12,000-square-foot medical center houses physicians, clinicians, and health technology covering sleep, brain health, metabolic health, mental wellness, preventive medicine, and human performance. What $1,325 a night covers at Canyon Ranch Austin. Nightly rates start at $1,325 and include meals across four food and beverage concepts and a $200 per-night spa and fitness credit applicable to treatment services. Guests who stay more than three nights receive an additional $300 health and wellness credit. Culinary Director Val M. Cantú - a Texas native who holds three Michelin stars for his San Francisco restaurant, Californios - leads Estella, the property's anchor restaurant. Reservations are available now through CanyonRanch.com/Austin or by calling (866) 494-9279. The 141-room resort is surrounded by The Ranch Home Collection, a private residential community of 134 home sites that are still under construction. The property sits on 1.5 miles of Lake Travis waterfront with a beach and watersports, plus five miles of ranch trails, two outdoor pools, equestrian programming, and tennis, pickleball, and padel courts. Guests also have access to more than 35 optional daily activities. A Women's Wellness program unlike any other resort in the world. Canyon Ranch Austin introduces the Women's Wellness Collective, which the brand calls the world's only dedicated women's health practice and program in a resort setting. The offering is designed to serve women at every stage of life, covering care, education, testing, and wellness programming. No comparable program exists at any other Canyon Ranch property, according to the company. The addition signals a broader shift in the wellness industry: gender-specific programming at destination spas has moved from a niche offering toward a structured, resort-scale practice. Canyon Ranch Austin is betting that women traveling specifically for health programming - not just relaxation - represent a distinct and growing market. Is Canyon Ranch Austin right for you? The entry price is high. At $1,325 per night, Canyon Ranch Austin targets the luxury wellness traveler. Individual spa treatments push the daily cost considerably higher once the $200 credit is applied and exceeded - the Circadian Facial alone runs $430. For a couple sharing a room over three nights, the total before spa upgrades runs to roughly $3,975, with the $300 extended-stay credit bringing it to approximately $3,675 in base costs. The property's location in Spicewood, roughly an hour outside downtown Austin via Texas Route 71, requires a car. There is no shuttle or public transit connection to the resort from Austin's airport or downtown. The Hill Country's fall climate - typically mild daytime temperatures and cooler evenings - makes October a favorable time to visit. Canyon Ranch operates two other US destination resorts: its original property in Tucson, Arizona, and Canyon Ranch Lenox in Massachusetts, which Michelin awarded Two Keys and named the top spa resort in New England. The brand also operates North America's largest day spa at The Venetian in Las Vegas. By entering Texas at this scale, Canyon Ranch Austin is the most expansive property the brand has built. The spa's soundtrack was grown from Hill Country plants. One of the more unusual elements at Canyon Ranch Austin is its spa soundtrack. According to a Texas Monthly preview published before opening, artist Justin Wiggan attached sensors to Hill Country plants and limestone to capture their electrical signals and vibrations, then converted them into sound - a practice called biosonification. The resulting 90-minute loop, titled The Living Hill, plays throughout the spa. The property also offers the Vinyl Revival, a massage synchronized to a full album played on a turntable. Albums are selected in partnership with Austin's Waterloo Records; the opening selection is Hues by Austin indie pop band Deer Fellow, per Texas Monthly. A property troubadour, singer-songwriter Sisi Berry, will perform several times a month and offer guitar and songwriting workshops. Mark Rivers, Canyon Ranch's CEO, has argued that creative programming - music, cultural offerings - directly supports cognitive and brain health, which aligns with the medical center's neurostimulation services. Whether that logic persuades guests or reads as Austin-themed differentiation will become clear once the property opens Thursday. Guests can reach the property through CanyonRanch.com/Austin or by calling (866) 494-9279. Join the Discussion

Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona to receive prestigious 2026 Pete García Los d-backs Hispanic Leadership Award. Posted Monday, August 24, 2026 1:34 pm The Arizona Diamondbacks and its Los D-backs Hispanic Council are celebrating one of Arizona's most influential Hispanic leaders, Dr. Richard Carmona, Chief of Health Innovation at Canyon Ranch, with their 2026 Pete García Los D-backs Hispanic Leadership Award for advocacy, leadership and service to the Arizona community, as selected by the council. A trailblazer and advocate for Latino representation for more than four decades, Dr. Carmona will be presented with the award and throw out the ceremonial first pitch during the team's Hispanic Heritage Weekend, presented by Estrella Jalisco, on Sunday, August 23. From humble beginnings in New York City to becoming the 17th Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Carmona has exemplified perseverance, leadership and an unwavering commitment to serving others. Raised in poverty by a Puerto Rican family, he transformed adversity into opportunity through military service, education and a distinguished career dedicated to improving the lives of others. Throughout his career, Dr. Carmona has served as a Vietnam-era combat medic, trauma surgeon, educator, law enforcement officer, public health advocate and community leader. In every role, he has championed equitable healthcare, preventive medicine, veterans' services, mental health awareness and education while advocating for underserved and Latino communities. Beyond his professional achievements, Dr. Carmona has remained deeply committed to mentoring young leaders and empowering others through service. He has emphasized education, family, discipline and civic responsibility, inspiring Hispanic students, first-generation Americans, veterans and working families to pursue careers in healthcare, public service and higher education. The Pete García Hispanic Leadership Award was created by the D-backs in 2007 to recognize individuals for their advocacy, leadership and service to the Arizona community. The annual winner is selected by Los D-backs Hispanic Council, a group of 17 local Hispanic and minority business leaders who work with the Diamondbacks to strengthen the club's relationship with the Hispanic community. In 2017, the award was named after Pete "Big Dog" García, a Phoenix native and former President and CEO of Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC). Under his leadership, CPLC's operating budget grew to over $60 million, and in 2008 it was named as the second largest Hispanic Non-Profit in the US by Hispanic Business Magazine. Upon retirement, García founded an organization that has raised more than $4 million to help underserved students attend college. Past recipients of the Pete García Award include Raúl E. Aguirre (2025), January Contreras (2024), Anna Maria Chávez (2023)Tony Astorga (2022), David Adame (2021), Rosemary Ybarra-Hernandez (2020), Dr. Cecilia Rosales (2019), Dr. Jose Cardenas (2018), Elisa de la Vara (2017), Terri Cruz (2016), Tommy Espinoza (2015), Ed Pastor (2014), Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick (2013), Paul Luna (2012), Mary Rose Wilcox (2011), Luis Ibarra (2010), Dr. Loui Olivas (2009), Armando Flores (2008) and Pete García (2007).

ElevateMeD recognizes Dr. Richard Carmona with 2026 Breaking Barriers Award. Dr. Richard Carmona recognized as 2026 Breaking Barriers Award recipient at Explosion of a Dream 2026. PHOENIX, AZ - ElevateMeD is proud to announce its sixth Breaking Barriers Award recipient, Dr. Richard Carmona. The ElevateMeD Breaking Barriers Award was established in 2020 to recognize physician leaders whose work addressing gaps in healthcare outcomes is positively and innovatively advancing opportunity within medicine. Dr. Carmona will be recognized with the ElevateMeD Breaking Barriers Award at its upcoming Explosion of a Dream event on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at The Camby. The honor celebrates Dr. Carmona's distinguished public service, physician leadership, and lifelong commitment to advancing public health and improving access to care. Throughout his career, Dr. Carmona has combined medicine, public service, and community engagement to improve health outcomes and expand access to care. His leadership and commitment to service exemplify the spirit of the Breaking Barriers Award and the possibilities ElevateMeD seeks to inspire in future physician leaders. About Dr. Richard carmona. Richard H. Carmona, MD, MPH, FACS, is the 17th Surgeon General of the United States, a physician, public health leader, and decorated U.S. Army Special Forces Vietnam Veteran. Born to a poor Hispanic family in New York City, Dr. Carmona experienced homelessness, hunger, and health disparities during his youth, experiences that shaped his lifelong commitment to improving health and opportunity. After dropping out of high school, Dr. Carmona enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1967, earned his GED while serving, and later attended the University of California, San Francisco, where he earned his bachelor's and medical degrees. Trained in general and vascular surgery, trauma, burns and critical care, he went on to help establish Arizona's first certified regional trauma care system and held leadership roles across medicine, public health, emergency response, and law enforcement. In 2002, Dr. Carmona was nominated by the President and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the 17th Surgeon General of the United States. During his tenure, he focused on prevention, preparedness, health disparities, health literacy, and global health. Following his service as Surgeon General, Dr. Carmona joined Canyon Ranch, where he continues his leadership as Chief of Health Innovations. Throughout his career, he has remained committed to public service, prevention, and improving health outcomes for communities. About the event. ElevateMeD will formally recognize the award during its dinner program at its Explosion of Dream event at The Camby on Saturday, September 19, 2026. The event features a dynamic dinner program featuring live entertainment, an exciting live auction, award presentations, and the keynote address delivered by ElevateMeD Scholar Dr. Naomi Coles-Strickland. Learn more in the official event press release. Limited tickets and tables are available for purchase at dream.elevatemed.org through September 11. About elevatemed: ElevateMeD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to elevating medicine by providing scholarships, mentorship, leadership training, and financial literacy education to the next generation of physician leaders. Through the Scholars Program, the organization will increase representation in medicine and improve cultural competence among physicians to reduce health disparities. Learn more about the mission and vision by visiting elevatemed.org and connecting on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook @elevatemedinc. Media Contact: [email protected]