Spirit of the Heavens Sedona — Hotel in Sedona

We recently returned from our trip to SOTH, which unfortunately had to be cut short from 2 nights to just 1. We wanted to share our experience to help others make informed decisions.

Our main reason for choosing SOTH was the water/beach access within walking distance of lodging, crucial for our three young children under 5. We had planned to stay onsite for the duration of our stay, bringing our own groceries and settling into the Stardusk House. Upon arrival, it was apparent we were the only guests. Angel, our greeter, was friendly and offered advice on swimming and fishing with kids. However, shortly after settling in, we found the creek water to be muddy and devoid of visibility due to recent monsoons, eliminating swimming and fishing as options. If water conditions are essential to your stay, we highly recommend contacting the property ahead to confirm levels and seasonal considerations. Disappointed, we ventured into Sedona to explore Oak Creek, where the water was clear and inviting.

As for the lodging, the Stardusk home showed signs of age and wear: uneven floors, poorly shutting doors, low ceilings, old appliances and some dead bugs scattered throughout (though manageable). We paid $299 per night, and while amenities like a highchair and pack and play were provided upon request, we ended up not using them. If you have kids, we highly recommend bringing a beach mat to lay over the living room rug for the kids. We did this and it was great.

Cooking dinner presented no issues with appliances and utensils. Note that Verizon reception was nonexistent. Communicating with the host required using the Airbnb app (connecting to their wifi), and we recommend taking screenshots of essential information in case of connectivity issues.

Our experience took a downturn in the Stardusk home during bedtime. My husband's initial concerns about bed bugs turned out to be various dead insects- mostly small flies tucked away between all the sheets and pillows. Lots of live ones buzzed around the light in the master bedroom. Despite being avid campers in remote areas with no electricity, water, and forest/desert bugs, our experience was worst at SOTH. We were just disgusted and agreed that camping in our roof-top tent was better than the situation we were in.

We contacted the host who pointed us to the spare bed sheets in the closet, which helped marginally. There was a comforter and sheet in a bag. We used the new sheet to lay over the fitted sheet on the bed after brushing off what dead bugs we could. We also shook off the dead bugs from the existing bedsheets and pillows. Our exhausted and crying children made things worse. At this point, we were frustrated and debated leaving altogether, but the insect covered porch deterred us. There was no way of getting our things and kids out of the house without allowing more bugs into the home and car. It was late. The car ride was 3 hours. Ultimately, we stayed, having to use the bed with the bugs. We considered also sleeping on our beach mat but there are big bugs that make their way in at night! Roaches (which is expected for a cabin in the desert).

The next morning, we left the property without experiencing any of the advertised activities. We received a refund for one night ($299) but not the associated taxes. The total cost at booking was close to $900 for what was planned as a 2-night, 3-day stay.

We want to note that the host was incredibly responsive and accommodating with the refund. We do not want to talk badly about their business as it is apparent that a lot of hard work was put into this massive property. But with that said, we believe this property still requires more work to improve and maintain. Suggestions include investing in good quality bed nets, sealing openings to address the insect issue and providing sponges for dishwashing since there's no dishwasher. Despite the challenges, we appreciated the absence of a TV, which encouraged quality family time.

Overall, until the insect and lodging issues are resolved, we recommend considering SOTH only...

I’ve been to Sedona before, but WOW- this is such a hidden gem! Even touring Sedona and talking to the locals they didn’t even know this lovely beautiful spiritual retreat exists, and it’s only 15-20 minutes from the center of Sedona. They offer a super large area to explore, with tons of sights, labeled, also light up in the dark, with charged crystals, super spiritual creek running right alongside the premise, we chose the cabin with a mini fridge, king size bed, though you can choose a big; cool heated native looking tent. The front desk was super professional and kind, we had to come in late when it’s already dark yet they were very accommodating with how to get here, and checking us down. I call this a 10/10 experience, we will DEFINITELY be back here again! Feeling charged with tons of energy being right in the vortex and being one with nature!

Edit : this is now our 3rd visit and oh my goodness every aspect about each experience has been PERFECT! If anyone leaves a 1 star review I assure you it’s not genuine. I’ve worked bedside care in an oncology unit for 11 years I know what customer service, a clean environment and healing atmosphere is because I live and breathe it, this place is a perfect representation to what a spiritual retreat / peaceful environment is suppose to be. It’s a genuine cabin experience with stunning views, amenities, customer service that replies to you VERY fast, professionally and kind. I am shocked how affordable, and enlightening our experience is each and every time. I’ve written a lot of reviews in my life time and this is by far the best place. They have cabins with bathrooms attached and cabins with bathrooms separate but the walk to them is very short and I actually really enjoy being in nature for 30 seconds. The beds are beyond comfortable my girlfriend fell in love with these beds! Family cabins are very cost efficient as well. If you have a problem they go above and beyond to ensure it gets fixed even though it may seem like the staff is limited I assure you they know what they are doing and will resolve your problem in a positive matter. If you are a fan of nature, spirituality, healing vortex’s, creeks, the most stunning sky, beautiful smell of wood in your cabin with tons of goodies, and super cute and fun natural activities in a giant private property with only 15 minutes away from the main city then this is your...

My boyfriend and I had an amazing stay at the Earth lotus belle. Even just driving the road onto the property was a profound experience… you can truly feel the difference in energy as you approach the land.

The view just from our Belle was gorgeous, with the red rocks right behind us. The grounds themselves are absolutely stunning with something new around every corner… a rainbow bridge, gorgeous and pristine labyrinths, meditation spots… crystals and statues, hidden coves by the creek with a hammock for decompressing, plus all these magical trails that you could hike right alongside the red rocks/creek flow. We got to feel really secluded like we were in our own nature sanctuary, birds singing, trees swinging in the wind… it was truly enchanting.

The belle itself was equally as impressive. The organic bedding was so dreamy and the boho-style decor was super cute and tastefully done. There was a whole selection of great snacks and some organic tea & coffee… plus a heater for the night time and an AC for the daytime sun… it was like having the most lush comforts in the most natural habitat. It was super cool to be able to view the night sky when we went to sleep inside the Belle. It was also spotless and so were the bathrooms… everything was super clean and high end from the towels and bedding to the soap and lotion. Glamping at its finest!

I needed to get some laptop work done, so it was great to have Wi-Fi availability while at the same time being able to totally detach from everyday reality by being out in the peace and quiet of nature. We were close enough to Cottonwood to head out and get a nice dinner before coming back to the coziness of the belle and enjoying some tea and (all high-quality/ organic etc) snacks that were provided. Was nice to have a full water jug provided too, we really didn’t have to bring much but ourselves.

We left feeling really rejuvenated and grateful… and with a determination to buy organic bedding! That was a real game changer.

All in all it was a rare opportunity to truly be out in nature all throughout the night and day but still feel like we were staying at a...