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NaturistDoc
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 Posted - 06/05/2006 : 8:23:02 PM
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I was happy to see the opening of Mira Vista Resort in Tucson amid much media fanfare. The Southwest, and the West in general, need lots more resorts! Has anyone on this forum had the chance to stay at Mira Vista? If so, a brief trip report would be greatly appreciated.
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Moderator
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Posted - 06/06/2006 : 12:41:13 PM
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From Bill Pennington & Camilla Van Syckle
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Some folks have asked for a report about Mira Vista and this one is happily given. Everything about Mira Vista, which means "Beautiful View" in Spanish, lives up to that name. Watching the sun set over nearby mountains and seeing the soft glow of the moon on adjacent Safford Peak was both inspiring and soothing. Mira Vista not only feels and looks like a home run, it's a home run with the bases loaded! Located only minutes off I-10, in Marana, Aridzone, Mira Vista is as easy to reach as it could be while still being away from the hustle and bustle of nearby Tucson.
One of the things that makes Mira Vista unique among Naturenude venues is that it's owned by a team of experienced nudist park owners; Dave & Helen Landman (Dave was the one who "found" the property), owners of DeAnza Springs in Jacumba, California, which, with more than 500 acres is one of the largest parks in the country; Suzanne & Wayne Schell, owners of Laguna del Sol in Wilton, California, one of the most luxurious nude resorts in the US; and Becky & Joe Lettelleir, owners of Paradise Valley in Dawsonville, Georgia and - - in Land 'O Lakes, Florida, the club with the most members of any in the world. Another unique feature is that Mira Vista and all the other resorts named above will offer an Ultimate Membership to full members. The Ultimate Membership entitles the holder to up to 45 days at each of the other resorts.
But let's return to the front desk where one is greeted by pleasant and informative Jan Pitts. Jan lives nearby and is a practicing nudist, so she knows how to make guests arriving for a clothes free or clothing optional experience feel comfortable with her warm personal charm and her extensive knowledge of the area. After the sign-in process is completed, Jan takes guests on a tour of the grounds, regaling them with bits of the extensive history of the place while showing them the inviting restaurant, the sitting room, the gift shop, and the fully equipped and air conditioned exercise room which will soon be complimented by a large new spa building. If you're a day visitor, your tour ends at the perfectly heated pool which is large enough to swim laps and if you're staying overnight, your tour ends at your room.
The pool area has many comfortable chaise lounges, some in the sun and some in partial shade, but it also has a huge shaded cabana for those wishing to be outside but not in the sun. A lovely waterfall flows and lulls poolside loungers to sleep. At night, lights make the whole area a fantasy land. There is free ice water and showers and toilets just off to the side.
The hot tub is in a huge stone arched structure entwined with plants. It's well shaded but at night, enough moonlight and starlight come in to make it a special experience. The temperature is just perfect for those hot days -- refreshing, but not too warm. The temperature is also adjusted according to the season of the year, with it being warmer in winter and cooler in summer, part of the fine tuning for guest comfort that Mira Vista is all about.
Natural desert plants, including dozens of giant saguaro cacti are all over the grounds at Mira Vista, adding to the southwest ambiance. There is plenty of parking, including for large RV's (hookups and dump station to be added) of which there were four during this visit. Because vegetative and topographical screening makes Mira Vista it's own private island, even though it's very close to the city, one has the feeling of being just far enough out in the country.
One of the most impressive things about Mira Vista is the restaurant, currently open Thursday through Monday for three meals daily. The food and service rate as the best of the best of any naturist park. Karen Beck and Gerard Convie make up a team that not only makes guests feel welcome, but also leaves them well fed from an eclectic variety of perfectly prepared and warmly served dishes. A full beverage license enables guests to enjoy their favorite libation, ranging from an unclothed diet coke to a Naked Captain Morgan. Karen and Gerard create such a warm atmosphere, it's impossible to even think about putting on clothes to eat elsewhere. All windows from the restaurant also afford a wonderful view of the mountains and surrounding countryside. Karin and Gerard are part and parcel of the warm feelings at Mira Vista where, it's happy to report, 100% of the guests were enjoying the superb facilities the nude and natural way.
Keith Bradkowski is the General Manager of Mira Vista and he's ever watchful, always making sure things run smoothly, be it skimming the pool to keep it crystal clear, greeting incoming guests and making them feel at home, or answering the phone in a warm voice that makes one want to reserve a room without even having seen the place. He has a way of making guests feel welcome that's appreciated very much.
Nude hiking opportunities abound outside of Marana and Tucson. There are several primitive nude friendly hot springs not far away, as well as commercial and dreamy Potters Aztec Baths, basic Essence Of Tranquility, and super clean Kachina Mineral Baths. Even more nude friendly is El Dorado Hot Springs in Tonopah with a separate nude only community area, as well as lodging, camping, and therapeutic massage. Shangri La Nudist Park offering full RV and resort services is conveniently located only 2.5 hours away from Mira Vista, 35 miles north of Phoenix in New River. Inquire for more information.
Stay tuned for news on planned condos and an RV park. Mira Vista is going nowhere but up!
Mira Vista Nudist Resort
7501 N Wade Road
Tucson, Arizona 85743
520-744-2355
www.miravistaresort.com
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Bare in the Desert
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Posted - 06/06/2006 : 7:29:51 PM
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We have reservations for the second weekend in July. I'll be sure to let everyone know how it goes. We're also gonna try and get out to Tangue Verde Falls for some hiking before heading back up to Phx.
If anyone's planning on heading out there around then, drop us a line, maybe we can meet up.
http://members.cox.net/freedomaz01
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Bare in the Desert
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Posted - 07/11/2006 : 11:32:42 AM
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We finally spend spent some time at Mira Vista Resort just this last weekend for an early B-day present to me. In short we had a great and relaxing time. Very clean resort with lots of rich history and great people. The other guests were very friendly and the employees: Keith, Karen, Gerard and Hannah made us feel like VIPs. The room we stayed in was awesome I especially liked the walkin shower. We had a blast and can't wait to go back. Since the place is so new and still a work in progress it will be neat to see what's been added or changed as the fine tune the place. I have a more indepth report on my website for those interested.
http://members.cox.net/freedomaz01
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NaturistDoc
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Posted - 07/11/2006 : 12:05:58 PM
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Bare: thanks for the report. We'll likely visit MV in September.
Bill & Camilla: Are you on their payroll?!?
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CopperQuail
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Posted - 07/11/2006 : 12:27:01 PM
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Is this on the site of the old Jardin del Sol?
CopperQuail
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NaturistDoc
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Posted - 07/11/2006 : 3:10:13 PM
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I don't think so. The property has done business under several names over the decades, but JdS was elsewhere.
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Cheri
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Posted - 07/11/2006 : 6:39:25 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by CopperQuail
Is this on the site of the old Jardin del Sol?
CopperQuail
It was never Jardin de Sol.
It's a totally different property.
Cheri
Doing what I can to positively promote nudism
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Cheri
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Posted - 07/11/2006 : 6:40:58 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by NaturistDoc
Bare: thanks for the report. We'll likely visit MV in September.
Bill & Camilla: Are you on their payroll?!?
Bill & Camilla are not on their payroll. LOL
I'll pass that on to them for a chuckle. They are well-traveled, VERY long-time naturnudists who were the owners of El-Dorado Hot Springs in Tonopah, AZ.
Cheri
Doing what I can to positively promote nudism
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NaturistDoc
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Posted - 09/30/2006 : 5:37:49 PM
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We recently spent three days & nights at Mira Vista. While I'm not as enthusiastic as Bill & Camilla (see above), it was an enjoyable time. The landscaping at MVR is a great feature. Lots of desert trees - ocotillo, mesquite, palo verde, even lime trees - and well-tended flower beds with at least a dozen species of butterflies make a morning stroll around the grounds a pleasure. The wildlife - songbirds, raptors, and foraging javelinas - were a bonus. On the periphery of the resort are the decrepit remains of a touristy Old West set, left over from an earlier incarnation of the resort. My understanding is that this will go away as the resort expands. There are plans to build a bigger bar/lounge fairly soon. Eventually they intend to undertake a major expansion, with a couple of new pools and a hundred (!) condo units.
I can't comment much on the restaurant, since it was only open one night. No wine, beer, or hard liquor served or even allowed at this time. (Somewhat alarmingly, the resort's water supply had failed a recent inspection, but the resort supplied plenty of bottled water.) The members we spoke with raved about the restaurant, but our meals were OK, nothing special. For off-resort dining, I can recommend the Wildflower Grill, about 15 minutes away.
There weren't many visitors during our stay. The majority of the guests appeared to be sexagenarians (a word less interesting than it looks), and none were younger than 50. Two of the guests chose to ignore the rules against smoking and cell phone use by the pool.
Things you might not think to bring: hair dryer; travel iron; and most of all, BUG REPELLENT! The Tucson area had had some recent rains which brought the mosquitos out in full force. It didn't help to see on the local news that two people in Pima County had died of West Nile virus.
Some subjective opinions: Folks in the Tucson/Phoenix area are lucky to have such a nice facility so close by. Would we go there again if we were in the area? Absolutely. Is it worth a special trip? Well ... maybe. It's an interesting place, but it's not the first place we'd pick to re-visit. Still, it's definitely worth a visit if you're travelling in the Southwest.
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allnaturalwife
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Posted - 10/02/2006 : 4:07:06 PM
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Thank you for all the information. Sounds like maybe a place my husband and I would like ti check out at some point. There are many many resorts that are much closer to us however. We live an hour outside of Palm Springs. NaturistDoc..like you we have heard many "rave reviews" about this resort. And,yes, although it was nice,it sounds to me that it didnt "live up to the hype". Like you said.."if in the area,good place to check out, but a special trip put there,maybe not so much". Thank you for the report. It will help a lot in making the desicion to make the drive out there.
Jenn.
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NaturistDoc
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Posted - 10/02/2006 : 8:50:45 PM
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Jenn,
I hope my post didn't come across as too negative. We did enjoy Mira Vista ... but if you're in the Palm Springs area, there are several really good places much closer to home.
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allnaturalwife
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Posted - 10/03/2006 : 5:33:31 PM
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Oh I know.. We go to - - - as well as Terra Cotta quite a bit. Been to Morningside as well. Actually we've been to them all. We are planning a trip with the RV up to AZ to stay at Shangri -La with some friends. Maybe while out that way we will check out Mira Vista. I get the impression its adults only though. Not really a place for our teenage daughters..or is that not the case?
Jenn
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NaturistDoc
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Posted - 10/04/2006 : 12:03:02 AM
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Jenn,
There weren't any teens there during my visit, but Jan Pitts mentioned a couple who had brought their daughter to the resort earlier in the year. You could always call them and ask what their policy is.
Have you been to Living Waters in Desert Hot Springs?
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allnaturalwife
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Posted - 10/04/2006 : 1:59:53 PM
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We have been there as well. Didnt much care for the facilities compared to - - - . We are curious about the Desert Fountain Inn. The website looks nice,anyway. I called out there,and talked to one of the owners. She seemed nice and all. As far as Mira Vista..its not so much that they would or wouldnt allow teens. Its more if my girls would enjoy going. As it appears to be a smaller more couple oriented resort.
Jenn
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HappyDaz
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Posted - 03/02/2008 : 11:24:51 AM
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The last trip reviews are from late 2006, has anyone been to this report recently? I'd be interested to hear what you thought. Thanks!
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Mira Vista Resort
