Carson Hotspring Golf and Spa Resort

Soaking at the Carson hotsprings is definitely not for the faint of heart. I truly enjoy my monthly soaks in this rustic environment. It is a great place to unwind and just let everything go. I highly recommend that everyone experience Carson hotsprings at least once in their lifetime. I would say it is accessible to all levels of mobility with some ruggedness. All of the bath attendants, in the female bathhouse, are amazingly kind with a loving nature. I will continue to go back once a month. Step out of your comfort zone and join us!

Warning: At check in, I was told that I would have to pay $ 100.00 deposit that will not be credited until AFTER check-​out AND ONLY AFTER they inspect the room !
Be sure you understand the pet policy. I was assessed a $ 35.00 per night for dog.
Spa is old & funky. After the front desk check in hurdles we elected not to use.
Noisy: night of listening to plumbing and neighbors. Upgraded room = 1 lamp, 1 picture, 1 sink —- décor kind of cheap & Spartan. Did get a TV & fridge, though. Hot tub on 2^nd floor leaked onto our 1^st floor patio.
Oh, bring your own Kleenex.

A very rustic place. I paid for the mineral bath and wrap. Yes this place is it a five star resort, but I wasn’t wanting that are paying for it. It was simple and peaceful. I would like to go again, but since they don’t take kids, it may be a while. It was a great thing to do after a hard hike in the gorge!

Extremely disappointing and unprofessional.
The biggest problem is that they do not have employees on-​site ²⁴⁄₇ like most lodging. I arrived late on my check-​in date to find that the check-​in office closes at 8pm. I was never informed of this when I reserved the room over the phone. They leave an «emergency contact number» on the office door, but I tried calling that number repeatedly over the course of 30 minutes, not a single person answered the phone.
I was forced to drive twenty minutes to their «sister» resort, the much nicer Bonneville Hot Spring Resort. The employee at Bonneville spent close to an hour trying to locate someone to go open the door for us at Carson. By this point I already lost any interest in staying at Carson, but of course our reservation is «non-​refundable.»
When we finally got back to Carson, we found that our room was not serviced (used beddings, no fresh towels, trash can not emptied out, tabletop still had trash left by the previous resident. The Carson employee whom they sent to come open the door for us replaced the bedding and towels hurriedly and left (we could tell, and by her own admittance, servicing the room is not usually part of her job).
After she left, however, we noticed she forgot to replace the used soap bars and shampoo with new ones and did not empty out the trash. (As a side note, the amenities in the room are very minimal — no TV and no Wi-​Fi, but we knew that already prior to reserving).
The next morning, as I was checking out, I told the Carson employee at the counter about our experience and the problems with the room, and asked them to at least refund the pet deposit fee (since the room was not even ready for our arrival and had not been cleaned at all). The employee said she will not refund anything, but, adding insult to injury, said that we can take a new bar of soap and bottle of shampoo if we really want to. Wow.
DO NOT come stay here. This is a hotel that is past its prime and clearly does not treat its customers like customers. I’ve lived abroad and traveled to developing countries, yet this is by far the worst lodging (in terms of room cleanliness and staff professionalism) I’ve ever stayed at. That’s saying a lot.

Stopped by on our way home after a weekend in Hood River and a hike nearby. Definitely historical and rustic feeling but well worth the price.
Loved the deep claw foot bath and appreciated that the attendant let me keep my feet and arms outside of the wrap.
Only issue… I would have liked to be able to shower in regular water after to wash the mineral smell off of my body.
All in all, a great experience, I’ll definitely be back!

Positives:
— very clean and new King size bed/​room $ 75 a night
— An decent location, about 30 min to the major hiking areas and a quick 10 minutes to the downtown area
— Soaking tubs with hot spring water and hot wrap ($ 20) and massages ($ 70)
Negatives…
— Bathhouses need an upgrade or at least a good scrub.
— The shower had 0 pressure so forget trying to wash shampoo out. When we brought this up they already knew about it so it’s ridiculous that they didn’t mention it prior to us booking it or gave us another room.
— The bed although large wasn’t the most comfortable.
Would I stay again? No. I feel like they spent all this money on the look and didn’t have enough $ to renovate the things that matter most for a comfortable stay; beds & showers.

Like other posters, expect rustic! The bath n wrap is great. I followed it with a massage, that was also very good. I remember this place from 20 years ago, as quaint and charming. But some of that charm has rusted. $ 5,000 well spent would breathe some life into this place and make it look as good as the water and treatment are.

I wrote a pretty thorough photo review of Carson Hot Springs here:
Carson is it’s own unique experience and I love it.

We spent the night here last week and, although I had a generally good experience, there’s a bit of work that needs to be done here.
First off, the website is simply not up to date. Although their new rooms were completed this past spring, there are no photos or room rates posted on the web. Also, the adjacent golf course restaurant, listed as being open until 8:00 PM, actually closes at 4:00.
We booked massages, which are listed as being 50 minutes. For me, 50 minutes is not enough time for a decent massage, and I felt somewhat rushed. And, after looking at the clock, I realized that mine was at best 45 minutes. Although the therapist did nice work, $ 70 is too much for too little. A longer massage should at least be an option.
Our room in the new wing was very nice & clean, but not well-​appointed at all. A little bit of décor here would go a long way. The private outdoor tub was really 1^st class, the best part of our stay & the feature that will bring us back in the future.
One oddity I have to comment on — This isn’t a hotel with a ²⁴⁄₇ attended front desk. And they are quite clear that there is no cell service or wifi available. So it seems kind of strange that they post a telephone number to call in case of emergencies, when there’s no way to make that phone call without getting into your car and taking a drive. At 9:00, when I realized there was no remote control for the TV in our room, I wasn’t in the mood for doing that.

(Note: I abandoned this review and finally finsished it 5 months after the fact)
Stellar deal!
I got the valentines special for me and my friend as a little girls getaway, it included:
king room
2 baths and wraps
a box of Seattle chocolates
a rose (oooh la la)
a $ 20 breakfast voucher at the golf club house restaurant
all for just $ 149 tax included!
Here’s how it went –I left from Seattle to Portland the night before and PARTIED DOWN with a buddy of mine. I ate southern food at The Delta Café and then let the river of booze flow into me (booze is WAY less expensive in Oregon now). We started with Kentucky Bourbon and kept going from there.
Fast forward to the next day. I stock up on Bahn Mi for myself and my two buddies at The Baguette Box before taking a breathtakingly beautiful drive on Highway 84 till the turn off to the Bridge of the Gods ($ 1 toll –which I didn’t have as all my $ 1 bills went to kindly strippers and mean slot machines *DOH!* cost an extra dollar for the debit charge).
My friend from Portland followed me up in his car and I met my girlfriend at the resort. All three of us went in for a soak and wrap. All three of us were completely relaxed and cleansed by the experience. I love how I felt like I had just walked into the past. I’m thinking the cast iron, clawfoot tubs are original. Also the 20 min soak I think is only the rule if the bath house is full –we stayed in for quite a while, which was great since I like taking long hot baths.
This is not your full service hotel. You need to be able to unplug. There are no TVs. There are no radios. You will not get cell service in your room. There is no wi-​fi. There is no 24 hour front desk person to go to, which makes for a rather creepy feeling as the resort is quiet and hidden… with no phone calls for help (this is just my teenage horror/​spooky movie imagination coming out).
My friend and I grabbed some games from the lobby and actually played chess in our room for entertainment and it was great. We both couldnt’ remember the last time we’d played chess.
I think this place was bought and the hotel rooms have been renovated. I saw some reviews that don’t match the quality of the room we were in. Even the soap amenities were a notch above.
We went and had a decent breakfast at the golf club house. Then had another soak before heading back on our long (4hrs with no traffic) drive to Seattle.
If I lived in Portland I would head to this place every month or two. Being so far away in Seattle is just a shame. It’s not a 5 star hotel but I’m giving it 5 stars because it’s something that relaxed me and was comfortable with no complications.

Soak and a wrap

It’s a great place to soak after a hike nearby (look up Falls Creek Falls hike). A 25 mins soak on a classic tub followed by 25 mins wrapped in sheets and blankets costs $ 20. The amenities are a little primitive, don’t expect a spa and you’ll be ok. There’s a small sauna you can go to after your wrap and shower after. They really need to update the showers. There were only 2 — compared to the 8 – 10 tubs, there will often be a line during the weekend just for a shower. Water pressure is not good and they only have liquid soap, no shampoo or conditioner.
If you’re looking for a rustic experience though, it’s a-​ok.

Fun hippy dippy Experience that brings you closer to nature and serenity. The place needs a bit of a face lift, yet the ladies in the tub room are priceless.

We came here before the place was really open for business. The rooms are well furnished and the amenities are lovely. Can’t wait till its all at full speed.

I recommend researching this place before going just so you don’t get your expectations too high as to the level of luxury. Think 1910… OK, now go there.
You soak for 25 min, then get wrapped in sheets and a wool blanket and left to rest for 25 minutes then you have the option to go in the little sauna afterward. I fell asleep during my wrap and woke up feeling like I’d just received an hour massage. I can’t wait to go back and the drive is so beautiful from Portland that you don’t even notice it takes about an hour.

This is a place of healing. This is not a luxury spa and nor would I ever want it to be. But I promise relaxation like no other.
A soak in a vintage bath tub and minerals put my friend and I to sleep, stress of the week vanquished. Wrapped tightly afterward to remove the toxins in cocoon left to doze for 25 min… heaven. Sweat dripping, a mineral shower and my massage therapist was amazing. Oncay! Tightly wound, I found release and someone who was able to massage my feet which have been ticklish since childhood torture of my dad.
This is not a fancy pants place, this is not advertised as one — this is a place of healing, this is a place of experience, this is a place of letting go. This is rustic, minimalism at its finest. Don’t ever change that charm!
PS 2:1 Soak Tuesdays.
PPS Men and women are separate bath houses

If you want to experience the mineral bath/​wrap/​massage in a no-​frills, old-​fashioned way, this is your place. If you are expecting «spa treatment» and being pampered and spoiled, this is not the place for you.
We booked our trip, knowing to not have any expectations, that it was «nothing fancy» and «no frills». So true! Take your own cooler full of snacks and alcohol… there is no restaurant or bar or anything. The golf course is closed. It’s just the old bathhouse and some basic hotel rooms to stay in. No TV, no phones in the rooms; no art on the walls. Just clean beds, clean bathrooms, a dresser, table and chairs. We stayed 2 nights: No maid service. But take your sweetie or some good friends and have a blast. It’s kind of like camping; the scenery is great and you can hear frogs all night long. But the staff vacate at closing time and it feels a bit spooky at night :)

Its exactly what you would expect for the price you pay!
We went on a Monday when it is buy one get one free for the bath/​wrap package priced at $ 20. You also have access to the sauna. The bath tubs are cleaned with peroxide after each person. My tub was clean, the water was perfect, and I did have some privacy (minus the strange woman next to me peeking in. AWKWARD! Glad I opted to wear a swimsuit.) with the sheer white curtain surrounding each tub. From the tubs the attendant leads you to a cot and wraps you in a sheet to roast… I mean rest and relax. It was a great time to stare at the crack in the ceiling being held together by duct tape. (Might I suggest you dim the lighting in the room if you are not going to fix it up. And add some mood music instead of the receptionist kids arguing over who gets to play with the toy. Just sayin…)
All in all the place was clean and the water was wonderful and I would do it again.

Absolutely amazing, I have never been so relaxed in my life. You have to understand though, it is meant to be old and rustic, so for those seeking modern luxuries, this place might not be a great fit.
My hubby and I had their summer special: a night stay, two baths/​wraps and two 1 hr long massages-​all for $ 180!!! I must say, I have problem skin and the mineral water did wonders to it.
We were accommodated by an attentive and pleasant staff. The hotel room was spacious and quiet-​just what you need for a complete relaxation.
One word of advice: bring lots of water, you’ll need to drink a lot after massages.

At first, this place was very misleading and disappointing. I booked it upon reading that they were ‘rustic cabins’ by the river, spa treatment, etc.
Not the ‘log cabins’ I was picturing– it felt dirty, old, and unkept. Smelled like my grandma’s house– no, my grandma’s ‘root house’- smelled like yard tools and dirt. I just posted an old photo of the place from their site… it looks EXACTLY the same still– expect more ‘cabins’ (bunkers is more like it) and they are covered with porches now.
And the ‘bathhouse’…cold…dirty…well, not dirty dirty but it felt dirty. Maybe I’m just not used to a real rustic feel.
Just didn’t seem like a relaxing getaway to me. But hey, it was cheap.
2 tips:
1. it is weird to get to– you have to loop through OR to get here.
2. There are actual Hot Springs owned by some old lady and it’s about a 15 min. walk, and they are clothing-​optional.