As an extension of the Spa at Serenbe, the urbanist community welcomes Portal—an intimate wellness retreat designed for transformation and spiritual growth.

The living room at Portal features a wood-burning fireplace

The exterior of Portal features architectural design that draws inspiration from nature.

A portal is a gateway into another location, a threshold that holds both mystical and very literal power and meanings, but the overall feeling is one of transformation. The Spa at Serenbe’s new wellness retreat, Portal, is meant to do just that, transform. Portal welcomes six to 12 individuals to experience and participate in the restoration of self through a range of activities, both passive and active, in a gorgeous retreat environment optimized for peace of mind.

The sitting area at Portal is ideal for morning coffee, evening conversation and a place to just slow down.

When you first arrive in Serenbe’s wellness hamlet Mado, you will find Portal conveniently located adjacent to the day spa, yoga studio, gym and cycling studio. The design of Portal mimics that of Serenbe—biophilic by way of naturalistic shapes and colors—and its mission does as well: to be a portal to wellness for its guests. Just inside, the interiors, designed by Rebecca Cartwright of R. Cartwright Design, feature a gorgeous Cambria waterfall kitchen island, Moen fixtures, Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, and handcrafted tables from Deep Rooted Concepts. Portal’s signature programming, the Portal System ReSet, is designed to bring awareness back into your psyche, freeing your mind of energy and thoughts that no longer serve you, revitalizing your mindset for a more joyful approach to life. Although you can adapt the programming to your specific needs, I chose to start my day with a sunrise yoga class to ease my mind into alertness, followed by a nourishing breakfast prepared by Portal staff. Aft er fueling for the day, we headed out for a challenging hike through the natural and unspoiled trails of Serenbe. For how developed Serenbe is, it isn’t at the same time—70% of Serenbe is permanently protected green space. During this stay, I was able to truly see how humans can live largely unnoticed in a natural environment. Along the way, we stopped for a forest bathing and sound bath session. Aft er lunch, we headed to the Serenbe gym for a HIIT workout to sweat out toxins and pollutants from our previous environments, refueling afterward with Bamboo Juices’ cold-pressed organic juice, made in-house at Serenbe. Finally, it was time to restore with a daily spa service including a deep tissue massage, reflexology and infrared sauna, as well as break off into one-on-one natural health counseling sessions. Dinner was prepared, eaten and enjoyed, and then it was time to partake in deep mental and spiritual work with astrological counseling, manifesting, breathwork, bodywork and self-care. The evening ended with much-needed rest—and truly the best sleep I’ve gotten in a while.

Portal is an extension of the already amazing experience at the Spa at Serenbe, but definitely stands on its own when it comes to a full immersive and transformative experience. 1260 Mado Loop, Chattahoochee Hills, portalserenbe.com