Everything You Need to Know to Get the Most Out of Your Visit to Sensei Porcupine Creek
Pool at Sensei Porcupine Creek [Image courtesy of Chris Simpson]
Sensei Porcupine Creek, which debuted in November 2022, is a luxurious 230-acre private estate, nestled against the Santa Rosa mountains in Rancho Mirage, California. This ultra-luxury wellness destination offers a tranquil and intimate setting.
The resort features a small number of hotel rooms in the former estate house, as well as private villas clustered throughout the stunning property. It’s perfect for a girlfriend’s getaway or guy’s trip. Renowned for its private golf course and world-class tennis facilities, this property creates a great opportunity for groups to play a doubles match or hit the greens in four-some with the help of world-class tennis and golf professional. Guests can also enjoy private sessions with Sensei Guides to create a customized wellbeing journey.
Sensei by Nobu, Image courtesy of Noah Webb
In addition to the wellness programming, guests enjoy dining by Sensei by Nobu, an exclusive collaboration between Nobu and Sensei’s co-founder Dr. David Agus.
We chatted with Andrea Wieland, Retreat Director at Sensei Porcupine Creek to find out how to get the most out of a visit to the incredible Rancho Mirage retreat.
Yoga Pavilion at Sensei Porcupine Creek, Image courtesy of Noah Webb
What to expect: An escape from the world! Sensei Porcupine Creek, opened in November of 2022. The property started as a private residence. The vision was to convert a 230-acre private estate into an ultra-luxury wellbeing experience.
We are nestled up against the Santa Rosa mountains in Rancho Mirage, California. This desert region is already well known for its wellness offerings. We offer a tranquil and intimate setting. We have balanced a small number of hotel rooms located in the former estate house up to large private villas clustered throughout our luxurious property.
Golf Course at Sensei Porcupine Creek, image courtesy of Tanveer Badal
Our golf course and tennis facilities are completely private, and have hosted many notable guests. We offer similar programs and services such as spa, enriching wellness consultations with highly trained practitioners, movement, fitness and meditation classes, just as we do at our sister facility, Sensei Lāna’i.
Some of our other notable facilities are the yoga and fitness pavilions, a relaxing swimming pool and the extraordinary Sensei by Nobu restaurant and Sushi Bar.
The property offers a variety of packages that cater to a guest’s wellness intentions and goals. Our packages start with the Discover Sensei Package which offers a sampling of Sensei’s wellness offerings; next level is the Guided Wellness Experience, where Sensei Guides curate personalized itineraries with a variety of one-on-one sessions; and our crème de la crème is the Optimal Wellbeing Program (OWP), a highly innovative, curated and evidence based wellness program that utilizes wearable technology and insightful health assessments to more accurately address and support a guest’s wellness intention. This program also offers two specialized offshoots that focus on optimal golf and optimal tennis.
Curated Experiences: Sensei Porcupine Creek offers an abundance of guest experiences, including private wellbeing consultations with a Sensei Guide. Spa services include massage, facials, bodywork, and salon services. Guests can select from a rotating collection of group classes focused on yoga, meditation, fitness, and more.
Of course, there are also the renowned and exceptionally private fitness experiences including curated programs at our 18-hole golf course and three tennis courts.
Villa at Sensei Porcupine Creek, image courtesy of Noah Webb
Accommodations: Sensei Porcupine Creek is a very intimate retreat, featuring just 22 keys, as it was previously a private estate. Guests can choose from varying accommodation styles including ten estate rooms, four casitas and eight standalone villas.
Cuisine: Similar to the brand’s sister property, Sensei Lāna’i, A Four Seasons Resort, Sensei Porcupine Creek provides dining options to guests through Sensei by Nobu, an exclusive collaboration between Sensei co-founder Dr. David Agus and Nobu Matsuhisa.
Open exclusively to retreat guests, diners can choose to be seated in the outdoor gardens, casual but elegant sushi bar, or the exquisite dining room. Guests may also choose in-room dining, poolside bites, or partake in a specialty menu specifically for golf and tennis patrons.
One of the highlights on the menu is the Jidori Hot Pot, available on the breakfast menu - which is a specialty by Chef Wezy, the executive head chef. A childhood favorite of hers, she brought the recipe to the property. It is a fluffy cloud of an egg, topped with crème fraiche, scallions and caviar.
Insider’s Tip: Sensei Porcupine Creek was formerly invite-only, and is now open to guests of the retreat. For anyone who’s a golf and tennis fanatic, the 18-hole course and three tennis courts (hard and clay) are a must-play during a visit.
For sports enthusiasts, unlimited classes are included with all of Sensei’s overnight packages. Within the class offerings there are numerous tennis sessions led by Caroline Vis, who was formerly ranked #8 in the world. Her keen insight can help the guest who has never picked up a racket to the most advanced tennis enthusiasts take their game to the next level! Private lessons with our exceptional golf and tennis professionals are a must.
Villa at Sensei Porcupine Creek, image courtesy of Noah Webb
Spa experiences: Our 7 treatment room spa offers a variety of services including facials, body wraps, scrubs, and various forms of massages (such as couples’ massages, Thai, and shiatsu). Featured experiences include 4-Handed massage with Shirodara and Sports Recovery.
These are the 3 private estate treatment rooms and 4 garden treatment rooms that include outdoor showers, soaking tubs, and space to unwind. Guests comment on the attention to detail and every synergistic step.
Our guests can truly relax while enjoying the exceptional skills of each one of our expert practitioners. Our spa practitioners have many years of experience. Their passion for supporting the health and healing of our patrons is often experienced in a heartfelt way by our guests.
Signature spa treatments: As you now know, we have incredible golf and tennis programs and facilities. Our featured experience called Move – Sports Recovery Experience is extremely popular and unique to Sensei Porcupine Creek.
This full-body massage works to reduce soreness, increase circulation, and improve range of motion more quickly by restoring blood flow and fascial pliability. Using a combination of myofascial release, neuromuscular therapy, stretching, percussive device and other related techniques, this massage assists in the body's soft tissue recovery. Guests will even learn methods for self-massage to continue an active recovery journey long after they return home.
Most unique treatment: Thermal Body Mapping is a special treatment, exclusive to Sensei. In this treatment, massage practitioners use exclusive Sensei-developed thermographic technology to create a visual map of the body, revealing asymmetries, muscle tightness and areas that may be in pain.
Using these key data points, in conjunction with a discussion with the guest, our practitioners provide a custom massage with targeted bodywork, helping the guest gain greater flexibility and alignment while discovering a new appreciation for the body and the way it carries one through the world. This treatment can be curated at both Sensei Porcupine Creek and Lanai.
Insider’s Favorite: I really enjoy the Desert Herb Poultice and Oil Massage, which is exclusive to this location and incorporates local ingredients. This full-body massage applies a steam-heated therapeutic poultice of herbs, seeds and leaves, followed by warm oils infused with local desert herbs to provide moist and nutrient-rich relaxation to the skin and muscles. The experience begins with yoga nidra, incorporating meditation and breathwork. Then it slowly transitions into stretching and a nourishing massage to guide guests into a state of deep relaxation. A balancing ritual closes the treatment to restore energy in the mind and body.
Featured brands: Both Sensei properties use Seed To Skin, a natural skincare line from Tuscany, Italy.
For more information visit https://sensei.com and follow @senseiporcupinecreek.
Sensei Porcupine Creek
42765 Dunes View Rd
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
760.297.4254
A University of Michigan graduate, Lizzy Sherman is an award-winning digital content writer/editor. Her work has appeared in publications including Beauty Launchpad, Nailpro, DAYSPA, CNET, Entertainment Tonight, and more. She has been a featured guest speaker at Cal State University Northridge, Digital LA, and The National Association of Audience Marketing Professionals. When she's not writing, Lizzy enjoys yoga and playing guitar. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter: @zillizy, @zillizy16