I Was the First Spa Guest in the U.S. to Experience the Gharieni Augmented Massage With Live-Generated Immersive Music at Yaamava' Resort & Casino's Serrano Spa
Yaamava' Resort & Casino is a 432-room casino resort with an award-winning casino in San Manuel, CA.
When you’ve been writing about the wellness industry for as long as I have, you eventually start to think that you’ve seen it all when it comes to industry treatments and trends—but then something completely new and unexpected appears out of left field, serving as a reminder that there is always room for innovation.
I was recently invited to Serrano Spa at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino in San Manuel, California to experience a brand-new wellness treatment that was making its United States debut: the Gharieni Augmented Massage.
Spa Profile: Serrano Spa at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel
I also had the honor of being the first spa guest in the U.S. to try the new-to-market spa service (feel free to holler at me, Guinness World Records!) because at present, Yaamava’ Resort & Casino is the only property in the country that currently offers the Gharieni Augmented Massage.
Gharieni Group is a leading international brand founded by visionary leader Sammy Gharieni that has been designing and engineering innovative wellness technologies for many years and they can be found at top luxury spas around the world. The Augmented Massage is describe as “a groundbreaking wellness experience that synchronizes the human touch with real-time sound therapy.”
I was instantly intrigued and couldn’t wait to finally experience it for myself.
Serrano Spa is the casino resort’s full-service luxury spa that spans more than 22,000 square feet.
Here’s what you’ll love about Serrano Spa at Yaamava' Resort & Casino:
The award-winning spa is located at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel, the only AAA Five-Diamond rated casino resort in the West featuring a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel.
The resort, which includes a 17-floor hotel tower with 432 guest rooms and spacious suites, offers plenty for guests to enjoy including retail shops, multiple bars and lounges, five high-limit gaming rooms, and more than 7,000 slots.
Spanning over 22,000 square feet, the spa is a tranquil haven that offers resort guests and day visitors the opportunity to relax and recharge in a luxurious setting with extensive amenities in addition to a full-service salon.
Taking its name from the indigenous Serrano people in California, Serrano Spa is Inspired by the unique spirit of the Serrano landscape and ancestral lands in the San Bernardino Mountains.
The spa’s treatment menu features a wide range of luxurious treatments, curated journeys, and advanced wellness experiences that are designed to awaken the senses and restore balance while connecting guests to nature and the Serrano tribe.
Only available at Serrano Spa, the Gharieni Augmented Massage transforms each session into a live, multi-sensory experience by blending traditional massage techniques with immersive sounds for a deeply personalized healing experience.
Spa guests can also relax at the resort’s elevated pool deck, which includes two heated whirlpools, poolside loungers, cabanas (available for rent) with personalized concierge service, a cafe and bar, and various live music performances and events throughout the year.
Guests are greeted by a tranquil water feature wall that leads to the spa’s amenities.
Upon arriving at Yaamava' Resort & Casino and valeting my car at the entrance, I took the elevator up to the third floor where Serrano Spa is located, featuring more than 22,000 square feet of prime relaxation space.
The spa’s name comes from the indigenous Serrano tribe and means “spring” to represent rebirth, similar to how guests will feel after their visit—reborn and renewed.
The spa’s reception area includes a retail area with premier beauty, skincare, and wellness brands such as Valmont, KNESKO, and Farmhouse Fresh, among others. A full-service hair and nail salon are located to one side of the reception area.
Serrano Spa also has a full-service hair and nail salon that offers views of the exterior landscape.
After checking in at the front desk, I headed down a long hallway that led to the rest of the spa. At the end of the hallway was a tranquil water wall feature with two planters that had the signature Yaamava’ logo on them.
For those curious about the significance of the Yaamava’ logo, it’s in the shape of yucca plant fronds in a woven basket pattern that symbolize an important aspect of the Tribe’s history in the region, also paying homage to the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians’ culture and heritage. Truly a nice touch!
The women’s locker room features a stunning modern and simplistic design with plenty of space.
The women’s facilities were impressive with a spacious locker room that featured a sleek, minimalistic design that felt very elevated yet relaxed.
In addition to a vanity area stocked with hair tools and other essential toiletries, amenities include a dry sauna, eucalyptus steam room, and oversized experiential showers that come with refreshing lavender shower mist by European Spa Source.
Locker room amenities include a eucalyptus steam room, dry sauna, and private showers.
The oversized experiential showers offer plenty of room and include lavender shower mists.
Once I had changed into the provided robe and slippers, I made my way over to the co-ed water sanctuary, which is a great place for relaxing with friends or a significant other if you’re going to the spa with others.
The water sanctuary features a soothing waterfall that trickles into the dipping pool that has a lukewarm temperature, which I loved because it felt warm enough to relax my muscles but I could stay in longer without getting too hot.
A row of heated tepidarium loungers are against one wall—they feel so warm and relaxing once you’re out of the water (they’re also a great way to help your swimsuit dry faster!) There is also a water station in a corner of the room to help guests stay hydrated.
The spa’s co-ed water sanctuary has a cascading waterfall and heated tepidarium loungers.
The water sanctuary opens to an outdoor patio with additional seating and umbrellas for shade. Tall palm trees serve as a picturesque backdrop while the resort’s pool deck is located just on the other side of the wall, hidden beyond tall hedges.
It’s easily accessible by walking to the end of the patio, where there is an opening that leads to the expansive pool area.
The water sanctuary is connected to an outdoor relaxation area with direct access to the resort’s pool.
When I walked around the corner to take a look at the pool, it felt as if I’d been transported to Las Vegas. The huge deck has everything you need to enjoy the perfect pool day from poolside loungers and private cabanas outfitted with TVs to two hot tubs and a cafe and bar.
The luxurious daybeds and cabanas can be rented and include personalized concierge service and a dedicated server—especially great for bachelorettes, birthday parties and other fun celebrations.
Yaamava’ frequently hosts events including live music performances on the pool deck and on Fridays, they host Summer Sessions for the ultimate Happy Hour experience. To see what’s coming up at the Yaamava’ pool deck, click here.
The pool deck at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino is surrounded by native trees and offers guests a place to relax with comfortable poolside loungers.
For a more elevated experience, guests can also reserve a cabana that includes poolside service.
In addition to the co-ed water sanctuary and outdoor patio, Serrano Spa also has a large co-ed relaxation lounge inside with snacks and beverages.
There is plenty of comfortable seating and the main lounge connects to separate men’s and women’s relaxation rooms as well.
The women’s lounge also has zero-gravity chairs with cozy blankets, Himalayan salt lamps, and privacy curtains on either side.
The co-ed relaxation lounge features a snack table and connects to the mountainside terrace.
The spa serves freshly made chive and lavender cookies which are not to be missed.
I was a big fan of the savory lavender and chive cookies, which were prepared by the resort’s executive chef, along with house made granola bars.
Guests can also snack on herbed marcona almonds, a selection of seasonal fresh fruit, various teas, and water—crystal charged and fruit-infused water are also available if regular water just won’t do.
The spa also has separate mini-relaxation lounges for men and women.
Guests can lounge in zero-gravity chairs with cozy blankets, pillows, and Himalayan salt lamps.
Another great feature is the outdoor mountainside terrace, which connects to the relaxation lounge and offers beautiful views of the nearby hills and trees. It’s a peaceful spot for fresh air, some sun, and quiet contemplation.
The spa also informed me that they occasionally host private events out there for guests including brand pop-ups and more. I could imagine sipping on a cocktail while catching the sunset and mingling out on that huge terrace!
The indoor co-ed relaxation lounge also leads to a spacious mountainside terrace that offers stunning views.
After I had explored the spa amenities and lounged around for a bit, it was finally time for my treatment. My therapist met me in the relaxation lounge and took me to one of the treatment rooms, where the Gharieni Augmented Massage bed awaited.
It reminded me of a Vichy shower, except that instead of individual shower heads it was outfitted with Bose speakers. The massage bed had a total of nine speakers located throughout for a truly immersive experience.
I started out lying face down on the treatment bed and once the massage started, I was immediately transported into another realm.
Advanced motion sensors captured every movement that my massage therapist made, as well as the amount of speed and flow with each gesture, while an AI program translated them into different relaxing sounds including wind, ocean waves, rain, birds, grasshoppers, drums, and a gong, among others.
Serrano Spa is the only spa in the United States that currently offers the Gharieni Augmented Massage, a groundbreaking wellness experience that synchronizes human touch with real-time sound therapy.
The sounds are not pre-recorded and are created in real-time, so no two massages will ever be the same. Every treatment is completely unique, one-of-a-kind, and can’t be replicated. No spa music is played during the treatment because the soundtrack created by the massage therapist is the music!
As I listened to the sounds and could feel their vibrations all around me, it felt as if I was on a traveling massage bed that—similar to a magic carpet—was instantly transporting me to various destinations throughout the course of my service.
We traveled from the middle of the lush rainforest where the leaves were still wet from last night’s rain as grasshoppers chirped in the distance all the way to the coast, where waves crashed along the shore as the gentle breeze blew and birds soared overhead.
The Augmented Massage blends traditional massage techniques with immersive sounds, transforming each session into a live, multi-sensory performance.
As the massage therapist works, advanced motion sensors and a guided display capture the speed and flow of each gesture, translating them into harmonious soundscapes.
By the time my journey had come to an end, I was completely relaxed from head to toe. The past 90 minutes felt like an out-of-body experience or a wonderful dream.
To conclude my service, my therapist held out a small bowl with a moon on it containing various colorful crystals. She said that I could choose as many as I wanted—I was drawn to a Blue Spot Jasper and a Dalmatian stone, which I had never seen before.
She explained that the Blue Spot Jasper brings calmness and helps one stay present while the Dalmatian stone promotes harmony, offers a sense of grounding, and strengthens one’s bond with the natural world. Both felt like exactly what I needed at that moment in time.
While Serrano Spa is little over an hour’s drive from where I live, I would absolutely come back again to experience the Gharieni Augmented Massage and I would also recommend it to others.
Whether you’re looking to relax and recharge or if you’re in search of a completely unique wellness experience, I highly recommend checking it out—you’ll feel a greater connection to the world and to yourself afterwards.
I was also offered a selection of colorful stones to choose from and set the intention for my day.
Cost: Gharieni Augmented Massage ($375/90 min)
Insider Tips: The resort offers valet parking. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early to give yourself time to enjoy the spa amenities. Bring swimwear for the pool and hydrotherapy facilities.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Daily)
Address: 777 San Manuel Blvd., Highland, CA 92346
Phone: 858-756-1123
For more information about Serrano Spa at Yaamava' Resort & Casino, visit their website. Follow on Instagram: @yaamava
[Photos by Kamala Kirk]