Amenities & Our Team
Our Resort
Learn what you can expect while you’re our guest Movara.
Wind: 8mph N
Humidity: 15%
Pressure: 29.9"Hg
UV index: 0
90/57°F
93/64°F
About our resort
Resort Amenities
- Friendly and knowledgeable staff available 24/7
- Pro Shop stocked with sundries, outdoor gear, and cool Movara apparel
- Mail and package delivery
- Weekly Target trip (for any forgotten items)
- Gym and Fitness Center open 24/7
- Basketball, volleyball, badminton, and pickleball courts
- Proximity to baseball fields, tennis courts, skateboard park and more
- Guest lounge with pool table, games, fireplace, and TV
- 75 foot, 110,000 gallon pool with lane markers (newly renovated in 2020!)
- Hot tub, sauna, and steam room
- Full-service spa offering over 50 treatments
- Bicycles and Electric bikes available for check-out
- Complimentary in-room wireless high-speed internet access
- On-site business center
- On-site 24-hour security
- Free laundry facilities
- Friendly and knowledgeable staff available 24/7
- Pro Shop stocked with sundries, outdoor gear, and cool Movara apparel
- Mail and package delivery
- Weekly Target trip (for any forgotten items)
- Gym and Fitness Center open 24/7
- Basketball, volleyball, badminton, and pickleball courts
- Proximity to baseball fields, tennis courts, skateboard park and more
- Guest lounge with pool table, games, fireplace, and TV
- 75 foot, 110,000 gallon pool with lane markers (newly renovated in 2020!)
- Hot tub, sauna, and steam room
- Full-service spa offering over 50 treatments
- Bicycles and Electric bikes available for check-out
- Complimentary in-room wireless high-speed internet access
- On-site business center
- On-site 24-hour security
- Free laundry facilities

See Our Rooms
Single (King Room)
Double (Queen Room)
・Soft, microfiber sheets and hypoallergenic, down-like New Generation blankets and pillows
・Large dresser, two closets, and work desk with telephone
・Full bathroom with tub, shower and extra sink, with hairdryer and BeeKind all-natural bath products
・Smart Television with various ports for HDMI, gaming devices, etc
・Free Wireless Internet Access
・USB charging ports
・Small refrigerator
・Heating and Air Conditioning
・Alarm clock
・2 queen size beds
・Soft, microfiber sheets and hypoallergenic, down-like New Generation blankets and pillows
・Smart Television with various ports for HDMI, gaming devices, etc.
・Free Wireless Internet Access
・Full bathroom with tub, shower and extra sink, with hairdryer and BeeKind all-natural bath products
・USB charging ports
・Small refrigerator
・Large dresser, two closets, and work desk with telephone
・Heating and Air Conditioning
・Alarm clock








See Our Facilities
See Our Rooms
Single (King Room)
Double (Queen Room)
・Soft, microfiber sheets and hypoallergenic, down-like New Generation blankets and pillows
・Large dresser, two closets, and work desk with telephone
・Full bathroom with tub, shower and extra sink, with hairdryer and BeeKind all-natural bath products
・Smart Television with various ports for HDMI, gaming devices, etc
・Free Wireless Internet Access
・USB charging ports
・Small refrigerator
・Heating and Air Conditioning
・Alarm clock
・2 queen size beds
・Soft, microfiber sheets and hypoallergenic, down-like New Generation blankets and pillows
・Smart Television with various ports for HDMI, gaming devices, etc.
・Free Wireless Internet Access
・Full bathroom with tub, shower and extra sink, with hairdryer and BeeKind all-natural bath products
・USB charging ports
・Small refrigerator
・Large dresser, two closets, and work desk with telephone
・Heating and Air Conditioning
・Alarm clock








See Our Facilities
Square Feet
Staff
Days of Sunshine

Call Now to Discover Availability
★★★★★
10/19/2019
Anne P.
I love this place!
I love this place and all the people who work there. The food is really good and the trainers are very knowledgeable and fun. The hiking guides get you out there to see the beautiful scenery.
I come back a couple times a year. This is definitely my go to spot for a vacation, a get away and some ME time.

★★★★★
01/11/2018
Norma S.
An Incredible Experience.
I got in great shape, lost 6 pounds, ate great gourmet meals and made wonderful friends. I will be back next year. I achieved my goal of losing the excess weight and firming up.

★★★★★
02/21/2019
LadyDiver
I absolutely love Movara!

★★★★★
10/03/2019
David Kidger
A safe and caring environment with the best accommodations.

Our Recommendations
Packing For Your Stay at Movara
Below is a list of suggested items you might like to have with you at the fitness resort. You might need to adjust the following list depending on the number of weeks you are staying, the time of year, and the expected weather.
We provide housing, meals/snacks, towels, robes, and laundry facilities. You should bring plenty of active, season-appropriate clothing, some comfort attire, and a few casual changes of clothes. Many guests wear their activewear to meals and outings. There is no need to dress up at Movara!
Also, pack preferred personal toiletries, and travel essentials like sunblock, phone/computer/camera, and corresponding chargers.
Bring layers, especially in the fall, winter, and spring so you can adjust as needed. Even in the summer, the weather can vary 20-40 degrees throughout the day; we experience cool nights and mornings year-round that call for an extra layer.
Above all, you will need good, supportive aerobic and hiking shoes.
Packing Clothes
- Exercise clothes/activewear
- Athleisure clothing (casual, comfortable items for stretch classes, meals, evenings)
- Hiking socks
- Workout socks
- Pajamas
- 2 swimsuits *Pack more than one swimsuit/trunks due to multiple aquatic classes
- Jacket and/or sweatshirt
- Hat or visor
- Seasonal winter weather apparel (gloves, long pants, winter headband or hat )
Packing Shoes
- Athletic exercise shoes
- Flip-flops
- Light hiking or walking shoes(trail runners)
Other
- Hydration backpacks (ex. Camelbak 2.0 liters. *This is a must-have!)
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Rain Gear (depending on the season)
- Personal Toiletries
- Medications/Supplements/Probiotics
- Bug Spray
Southern Utah Resort Weather
Southern Utah enjoys over 300 days of beautiful sunshine each year. Below is seasonal weather information to help you pack for your stay at Movara in Ivins.
Year-Round Typical Temperatures (Low – High):
Winter (Dec-Feb): 35 – 60 degrees
Spring (Mar-May): 60 – 90 degrees
Summer (Jun-Aug): 70 – 100 degrees
Fall (Sept – Nov): 60 – 90 degrees
We are Open
7 Days a Week
We’d love to hear from you.
Movara Fitness Resort
290 Fitness Way Ivins, UT, 84738

Travel Information
Directions to Our Resort



Taxis
Airline Information

St. George Municipal(SGU)
22 miles from resort
34 minutes travel time

Las Vegas, McCarren International (LAS)
135 miles from resort
2 hours and 20 minute travel time
Shuttles
*Shuttles may have additional stops which could increase travel time up to 3 hours.

OWLS – Original Western Legacy Shuttle
Service to and from Las Vegas and St. George airport, direct to the resort. OWLS also offers a 10% discount for seniors, students and military.
435-319-9929 www.rideowls.com

St. George Shuttle / St. George Executive Shuttle
Service to and from Las Vegas airport, direct to the resort.
800-933-8320
About Movara
Michelle and Cameron Kelsch, Founders
About Movara
Meet Our Team

Elaine Hartrick
General Manager

Cody Pickett
Assistant General Manager

Khalob Freeborn
Business Development Partner

Sharon ReAd
Program Manager

Jared Jones
Fitness Manager
You’ll see Jared during the testing-in and testing-out protocols at either end of your stay, at orientation and graduation, teaching exercise classes, and leading lectures during the week. He’s also in charge of guest accountability, checking in with guests daily to go over goals and progress. He and Sharon are the heart and soul of the fitness program at Movara! Jared’s background is in education and exercise science, with a Master’s degree in Human Movement, with an emphasis in movement quality, correcting muscle imbalances, and personal and group exercise training; a background tailor-made for our program! He’s designed fitness programs for schools, corporations, universities, and country clubs. The thing Jared looks forward to at Movara is getting to know the guests as individuals, learning about their stories and struggles, and being part of their journey to be the best version of themselves. When he’s not at Movara, Jared is with his kids, and outdoors somewhere paddle-boarding, hiking, rock-climbing, or doing something else active and fun.

Doug Gerpheide
Executive Chef
If you’ve been to Movara before, we don’t need to tell you how good the food is. We pride ourselves on proving every day how delicious healthy eating can be with our nutrient-dense and mouthwatering meals. Our Executive Chef Doug Gerpheide is the person behind the food. He’s a graduate of the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, and loves what he does! He has run four kitchens as an Executive Sous-Chef at the prestigious Colonial Country Club in Ft. Worth, Texas. He has also been the Executive Chef at Portneuf Valley Brewing in Pocatello, Idaho, the Room Chef at Mesquite Gaming, the Executive Chef at Chartwells at SUU in Cedar City, Utah, the Executive Chef/GM at the Rim in Burleson, Texas, and the Executive Kitchen Manager at George’s Corner here in St. George. Now, after embarking on his own health journey, Doug is ready to help our guests along their own journeys. Chef Doug believes “everything happens for a reason”, and when you’re happy and satisfied after a filling meal at Movara, know that Doug himself is the reason that happened. Our compliments to the chef, indeed! (If you want a real treat, book a 50-minute one-on-one session with Doug to learn everything you wanted to know about cooking but were afraid to ask!)

TJ Jerome
Hiking Manager

Sylvan Pickett
Controller

Rhiannon Ruesch
Spa Manager
Our Spa at Movara is not just a luxury, it’s a necessity! Rhiannon just wants to take care of you and help you feel your best, so why not let her? Feeling amazing is what the Spa at Movara is all about, and no stay at Movara is complete without booking a rejuvenating massage, acupuncture, chiropractic services, body sculpting, beautiful facials, or wonderful hand and foot care… or all of the above! Rhiannon wants guests to truly understand the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and aesthetic benefits of a really, really good spa treatment. Don’t miss your chance to add some world-class pampering to your Movara visit! After a day of challenging yourself, our therapists are able to help you release tension, relax, and recover preparing you to take on the next day.
As the Spa Manager, Rhiannon loves to get in there and connect with spa guests, helping them complete their holistic experience at Movara by healing, beautifying, and pampering their skin. Outside of Movara, you’ll find her hiking, reading, or splashing around in the water somewhere. Get on Rhiannon’s wavelength with “The Untethered Soul” or “The Surrender Experiment” by Michael A. Singer. (And when you see her in the spa, ask her about Hawaii!)

Damien McIntyre
Maintenance Manager
Damien is a ray of Irish sunshine at Movara, putting smiles on people’s faces as he makes sure the facility is running in tip-top shape. As Maintenance Manager for over a decade, Damien knows Movara from the inside out, the better to know how to make it run as smoothly as possible. Anything that needs to be taken care of, it’s Damien they call. From painting and decorating to taking care of the swimming pool, hot tub, plumbing electrical, and even landscaping, Damien is Movara’s one-stop-fix-it-shop. Is there a light out in your room? A problem with the air conditioning? You guessed it, Damien will make it right. Outside of Movara, Damien is an avid golfer, though he claims his love for the sport doesn’t mean he’s actually any good at it. He and his wife have made the area their home, and after all these years, the staff and guests at Movara are like family.

Erica Boone
Housekeeping Manager
Erica Boone is our housekeeping manager. When you get back from your morning hike to find your bed crisply made and your bathroom sparkling clean, it wasn’t magical elves—it was Erica and her dedicated team of expert Movara housekeepers! In addition to guests’ rooms, Erica and her team clean the entire property and also take care of all the laundry.
With six kids, Erica comes by her skills naturally, but beyond that she’s been in the housekeeping business for over a decade, working at some of the biggest properties on the Las Vegas Strip, including the MGM Grand, the Aria, the Cosmopolitan, and Harrah’s. Every time you walk across the sparkling tile in the main entrance or slip in between cozy clean bedsheets, take a moment to think of Erica and her hard-working team, doing their best to make Movara shine.

River Harrison
Marketing Manager
River is the Marketing Manager at Movara, so if you’re reading this, in a way, River has won. But seriously, all River wants to do is accurately convey how incredible and transformative Movara can be in the lives of our guests. As much as we tell him “Movara sells itself!” River insists he be allowed to still do his job. River actually grew up exploring the red rocks of southern Utah so he knows his way around better than most. In his free time, River enjoys hiking, kayaking, spending time with his wife and daughter, watching movies, and playing video games. He has worked in a variety of roles, from web development to retail management, but has found that marketing is his true passion. When you choose “Strategic Message Design and Human Interaction” as a post-secondary specialization, you know marketing is in your blood. He loves talking to guests at the resort, so feel free to poke your head in and say “Hi, River!” when you walk by the marketing office.

Jenny Shurtz
Front Desk Manager
After a long day of traveling, isn’t it nice to be greeted with a friendly smile and prompt, courteous service? Jenny and her team make sure this is what happens for each guest that arrives at Movara. You’ll pass by the front desk often during your stay, and whether you’re just coming back from a hike or looking to book a spa appointment, Jenny’s kindness and legendary sense of humor will make for a great interaction!

Cody Pickett
Assistant General Manager

Sharon Read
Program Manager

Jared Jones
Fitness Manager

Jenny Shurtz
Front Desk Manager

Doug Gerpheide
Executive Chef

TJ Jerome
Hiking Manager

Erica Boone
Housekeeping Manager

Sylvan Pickett
Controller

Rhiannon Ruesch
Spa Manager

Damien McIntyre
Maintenance Manager