Civana Wellness Resort & Spa

Civana is beautiful on the surface and the marketing is genuinely excellent. Paid influencers will make it look like the most serene transformative wellness escape of your life. The reality is more nuanced and as someone who went specifically chasing that experience I feel obligated to be honest. Let’s start with what is actually wonderful. The spa facility itself is genuinely impressive. The salt pool, the cold plunge, the thermal circuit, the luxurious upstairs waiting area as you prepare for your treatment – that part lives up to the hype. The desert sunsets are breathtaking in that way that only Arizona can deliver. Now for the part the influencers left out. The rooms are small, dated and not what you would expect for what you are paying. Not even a mini fridge or microwave. For a wellness resort at these prices that is a basic miss. The wellness classes are encouraged to be booked in advance because they fill up fast. Fine. But miss one and they charge you $15. So instead of feeling relaxed we spent the weekend stress watching the clock making sure we did not miss a class. The irony of feeling stressed at a wellness resort was not lost on us. Finding one of our classes required a cross resort trek in over 100 degree Arizona heat with zero transportation provided. We arrived flustered and overheated to a bungalow packed with 30 people. Sardines in the desert is not the vibe. The spa is the centerpiece of the whole experience and at $250 to $300 for a day pass plus treatment you expect to be transported. The massage was mediocre at best. I added a $45 scalp massage that amounted to five minutes of oil applied to my hair and nothing more. And when you check out they auto add a 20% tip that came out to $65 in our case. Just be aware so you are not caught off guard after an already expensive day. Here is my honest recommendation. The Carefree and Scottsdale area is gorgeous. Book a condo nearby for a fraction of the price, enjoy the desert, and if you want a spa day book a single treatment at Civana for access to the amenities. You will get the experience without the glorified hotel markup. The spa facility is worth experiencing. The full resort stay is not worth the price they are charging for it.

I was not thrilled with our stay at Civana. There were definitely highlights, but overall I think it is average. Highlights: the spa! That was terrific. I had a wonderful massage and the spa experience was 5 stars- relaxation room, massage, staff, and the spa pool. We had our massages in the late afternoon and stayed at the spa pool until it closed. Other positives were the classes, the hike, and the setting. The food was also very good, fresh, healthy and creative. Staff were very friendly and helpful. We rode bikes to town and got brunch one day, which was really fun and a nice way to see the area. The negatives of our stay were that the classes weren’t broadly available. We signed up 27 days in advance (think you can only do so starting 30 days before your trip). Many were already waitlisted and people who did last minute trips couldn’t get into any classes. Why not offer enough to accommodate guests??? I would have loved a longer massage but they didn’t offer a 75 or 90 minute option. The regular pool was very average, maybe below average because it was quite dirty. There were lots of dead bugs, bees, and debris in the pool. I was shocked it was that dirty. They overcharge for a lot of things- like $35 for sunscreen and $15 for a tiny sparkling non alcoholic tea at the pool. The pool drinks are tiny and pricey. The property is small so not a lot of space to explore. We ordered room service one night which was nice. We had tuna and Caesar salad and called to say we put the tray in the hallway, requesting they come get it. I didn’t want other guests to smell those leftovers the next day. The dirty plates were still there at 10 am the next day. The rooms were nice but not 5 Star. Overall: I think it is overrated and they need to improve some things, especially offering more classes and improving the main pool.

Beautiful property, disappointing customer service. I stayed at CIVANA Resort & Spa from May 29–June 1, 2026 and accidentally left a pair of reading glasses in the spa. After I returned home to California, I received an email confirming that the glasses had been found. The problem? The only option offered to return them was approximately $55 FedEx shipping for a small pair of reading glasses. I called and suggested a simple alternative, such as mailing them in a USPS prepaid box. I offered to cover the cost and even tip the employee handling it. After speaking with a manager, I was told there would be no exceptions and the expensive shipping option was my only choice. I understand that leaving the glasses behind was my mistake. What I don’t understand is a luxury resort refusing to use common sense or show any flexibility once the item was recovered. I’ve stayed at many hotels and have never been charged anything close to this amount to have a small forgotten item returned. The lack of customer care was surprising and disappointing. Unfortunately, this experience would make me think twice before returning.

Usually never like to go to the same place twice, but this was my second time and contemplating annual visits. Loved all of the class options, low-key atmosphere, focus on healthy food options (though less healthy available as well) and the spa is amazing. 2nd floor spa room had beautiful view and left a vacation actually feeling refreshed.

I had an amazing experience at Civana. I stayed in a double room and it was clean and spacious. The staff were friendly and helpful throughout our stay. I spent a day at the spa and it was one of the best spas I’ve visited. Next time I will venture into the town for dinner. The options were limited at the resort.