Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa

A great find for us as we were looking for a place to park our travel trailer. Really had no idea what the place was all about until we pulled in. We were given the codes for the RV area out back. Informal, funky layout but everything was in good working order. Spaces under the huge cottonwood trees. Clean and well equipped bath house. And speedy wifi!
The spa, baths, sauna were fabulous.(see the other reviews) Had a great dinner in the restaurant. What a surprising find for us simply looking to plug our trailer in and spend the night!

As a local I have been coming here For many years… The place has very nice hot pools to soak your bones. But I am not so sure about the staff. somewhat friend ly or not really… even when I asked for a new towel they referred me to go to the front desk .
Tip 1. The best time to come is during the weekdays because it cheaper than the weekends
Tip 2. Best time of during the day is early morning (they clean out the pools everyday) or in the evening… why? Less people around.
Tip 3. Bring your food and water… not sure if you can bring them in the hot springs.
Tip 4. If you are a local in the Mesa Vista area… you can get a local’s discount.
Tip 5. It is best to bring your own towel then to use their towels.
Tip 6. Winter is a slow season, that is the best time to come around here. Avoid summer… Tourist Season!
3 of 5 stars
Because staff needs to be more friendly and smile. People are putting their shitty crap in the hammocks and not using them which really takes away from enjoying a tranquil experience. And lastly, too many people during the day!!! Go in the morning or evening!

Ojo Caliente Spa gets five stars from me, both times I have visited. We stayed in the hotel section and yes, it is older (but we find it charming) and there are no showers in the room (but they do tell you that on the website.) The bathhouse showers are just fine.
The staff all over the spa are very friendly and helpful. Even those who pass by you on the grounds smile and greet you. It creates. a warm welcoming atmosphere.
There is nothing like sitting in the cliffside pools at night when they light up the cliffs behind you. Truly lovely. We wish we could have stayed longer.

Everything we ordered was delicious. .soup du jour, Sweet Potato Ginger.scrumptious. .little blue corn muffins, and salmon arugula salad with Caliente ranch dressing. .also very delicious! Nice atmosphere. .great service. .can’t ask for more! This is after soaking in hot non sulfur pools. Another great day!

Let me offer a couple of suggestions for your consideration.
Check the weather, especially if you’re doing a day visit to the pools, because you really will have a more enjoyable experience if it’s a warm sunny day as you walk from pool to pool (they are outside and mostly open to the sky) or if you hope lounge in the sun between dips. This is especially true if you want to take advantage of the mud pool, which is best if you slather on the warm mud and then lie in the sun having the mud dry and treat your skin before soaking in the mud pool.
Also, if the weather is forecast to be windy know that the feeling of having the water evaporate quickly off your skin will be chilly, and you’ll be trying to sink down in water to stay warm.
If your schedule allows it make reservations and treat yourself to a private pool session. While sampling several pools, and alternating the temperatures and longing in the sunshine is great, being able to have a pool all to yourself (with your special bathing partner (s) obviously) is great, and you can always join the more public pools if that suits you too.
Also if you’re coming for a day visit to the pools bring your robe, sandals. towel, and lock for the locker. Or don’t as they rent all those things for a small (reasonable) fee, which saves you the hassle. Do bring your bathing suit though!

My wife and I have been to Ojo several times, all during the week. So, we were surprised that it is almost twice the price on weekends! Our bad for not checking before we drove there. Because it is so expensive, we considered buying a pass. However, their ’ system’ was down and this wasn’t an option. We asked if, because the system is their issue, could we buy passes for day at the punch pass rate? The answer was no!

FIRST impression upon arrival was «eh». HOWEVER, once looking past the main building that was the last of the resort to need a new coat of paint, and becoming comfortable with the stone/​dirt parking lot, this place IS AMAZING. Ojo is truly one of the gems of a business in NM. GREAT, GREAT, GREAT customer service. The pools were clean and super relaxing. The maintenance/​security staff were even attentive and friendly. Go with Anai for massage. DEF go for a hike atop the hill behind the resort and check out 500 yr old pottery fragments from Native Amer. Restaurant was very good with solid, friendly customer service. Breakfast and lunch offerings were better than dinner. WILL BE RETURNING.

Absolutely wonderful spa experience! Forgot to bring a swimsuit and they had loaners (mismatched and ugly, but hey, they worked!)
If you are chatty, avoid this place. I came here with two friends and we were shushed repeatedly (our bad).
This is a place to come for quiet.
There are no healthy food options. The restaurant serves Southwestern faire which is not that easy on the stomach. Rooms do not have fridges either.

Facts: Stayed here with my husband 3 nights total. 2 nights (Monday and Tuesday) in the Pueblo Suite, the last night in a Cliffside Suite, left on Thursday. Booked spa packages for two separate days. Ate dinner one night with a reservation in the restaurant, one night in open seating at the bar. Ate breakfast in the restaurant once. Attended two yoga classes, booked two hours in a private outdoor pool, and spent one afternoon soaking in all the public pools.
When booking our stay, I wanted all 3 nights in the Cliffside suite because it has its own private outdoor mineral tub; however, the availability wasn’t there, so we decided we’d save some money and stay in the «Historic» hotel for 2 nights with the last night in the suites. So we checked in, got our keys, and went to the room. One foot in the door and I was completely unimpressed. The entire building smelled like sewage. Walked into the tiny room, that we were paying $ 150 a night for, and realized there was no shower or tub. (This is stated on the website, I guess I just overlooked it.) Instantly walked out, went to the fron desk and upgraded to a Pueblo Suite for the first two nights instead. I breathed a sigh of relief when I walked in the new room! It was so much better! I think historic is just a nice way to say «really old». There were some things that had a bit of «Historic charm», but Ojo, I think with a little effort you could find a way to maintain that charm but still update the lodging a bit. If not, lower the price. $ 150 is excessive for what you’re offering. The Cliffside Suite was just as nice as the Pueblo Suite, but with an outdoor private tub. It was a nice way to spend the last night at the resort.
My husband and I each booked spa packages for two separate days of our stay. Between the two of us I think we pretty much experienced everything they have to offer at the spa. Facials, massages, mud wraps, salt scrubs, hot oil hair treatment, foot reflexology… no complaints at all! (Great Job Jack, Patrick, Paul, and Chris!)
We also booked one night in the private outdoor mineral pool with Kiva fireplace. We got lucky to have booked it on such a clear night; every star in the sky was visible. However, looking back I wouldn’t have booked this at all because having the outdoor tub with the Cliffside Suite was kind of similar. But it was still a nice experience.
Ojo offers yoga classes every morning in the «Yoga yurt». While staying I attended two. I’ve recently discovered that I absolutely love yoga, so I was pretty excited about these classes. They were great! Small, intimate groups. Knowledgeable instructors. A good pace for yogi’s of all experience levels. The only thing I didn’t like? The price. I’m already dishing out the dough to stay at the resort, eat at the restaurant, and go to the spa. it makes sense to have the day trippers pay the $ 14 class fee, but I feel as if the classes should be free to lodgers.
I actually only spent one day enjoying all the public pools at the resort. With everything else I had going on, and booking the private pool and whatnot, I just didn’t spend too much time soaking publicly. The one day I did was completely enjoyable though. Soda pool, arsenic pool, iron pool, mud bath. Very relaxing, and not overcrowded.
I’ll save my opinions on the restaurant for its own review later.
Overall, 4 stars. Loved the spa and all it had to offer. Extremely helpful front desk workers. Did NOT like the hotel at all. Feel as if a lot of things are simply overpriced. Loved the location, the natural beauty, the history, and the proximity to other stuff I had planned (45 – 50 min drive to Taos for white water rafting)
Given the chance, I could maybe see myself making another trip. I’m leaving relaxed and rejuvenated.

Hard to rate and here’s why:
The pools and facility are gorgeous. Staff is super friendly. We are totally relaxed after days and days of driving in the RV.
We were very surprised to learn that we have to pay an additional $ 20 on top of our RV rental space fee to dump. We were not told about this fee when we booked over the phone and I didn’t see it on the website. We were informed that the ower charges to dump because he installed 2 port-​a-​potties on the campsite. It feels like a sneaky way to make a few extra dollars. Last thing, there are 4 dump stations about 3′ apart so only 2 can dump at a time. I’m not sure the person who set up the RV park did their homework because this set up is not functional as intended.

So relaxing soaking in their natural hot springs. Their natural hot springs relaxes your body and mind.
This past week’s visit here was my second time and I was so much looking forward to relaxation.
When you purchase a day pass, they will give you a towel. I highly recommend purchasing a locker as it provides the second towel and a robe. Their locker has nice shower facility, feel good to use a fresh towel after the shower. Robe comes in handy to walk one spa to another.
My favorite is still arsenic bath, hottest bath there, located next to the heated pool. When I get too hot, I jump in the pool to cool off then come back to the hot bath.
Mud bath is good too. I put mud all over my body, let it dry then rinse off. Last year, my white bathing suits got dirty from the mud, so I packed my spare bathing suits this time. After I rinse off the mud, I felt my skin became so smooth.
They have private bath here, I would like to use them if I want to enjoy conversation as the public area is a quiet zone, no loud talking.
Feeling tired and/​or stressed? I highly recommend coming here to soak your tired body. In two hours, your body and mind will be so relaxed as I did last week. Ojo will treat you well.

This place is amazing! Spent an entire Saturday here with my boyfriend and did not want to leave. Enjoyed their private pools and the massages. Also had a reflexology session that was priceless. This place is natural and very comfortable. My masseuse was Ben and I highly recommend him. Everybody was very respectful and the staff was very helpful. I left feeling like a king.

This hot springs earned a 5 stars for the opportunity to just sit in some amazing hot mineral springs in NM. My family enjoyed it. this was a treat… indeed. All the different types of pools made it that much better. I think we hit up this place on this last winter, so pretty cold, but still sunny and warm. It’s not pricy if you buy a day pass. The saunas wet n dry are Wow!

Made a pit stop in Santa Fe and was recommended we come and enjoy the natural springs. Having an amazing and relaxing time! This place is a must! It really makes you slow down appreciate your surroundings and unwind. Would love to bring my mom here!

This place is very quaint and rustic. The pools are great with various temperatures. Restaurant is a good mix of casual and upscale. Something for everyone. You can even go for some easily accessible hikes just behind the resort. We were going to originally stay for 3 days but could only get a single night. Am glad because one night was enough. Bring a lover or a good book.

Oh man. 5 stars for the opportunity to just sit in some amazing hot mineral springs for several hours after hiking around on the grounds. My friends told me this was a treat and they were indeed right. All the different types of pools made it that much better. I think I hit up this place on an ideal day: winter, so pretty cold, but still sunny and relatively warm – so the crowds weren’t too bad, even on a Saturday.

A visit to Ojos Caliente led my husband and I to have a discussion on why New Mexico is called The Land of Enchantment.
We found so much about Ojo Caliente to be enchanting, from the drive from Taos (The hour long journey was filled with beautiful shades of purples, blues, oranges, yellows and greens along with varied rock formations and beautiful light), to the property itself, to the reasonably priced services (2 massages and a soak in a private pool (2 hour treatment overall) for $ 219 felt like a steal). For these reasons, and especially for the value, I’m going with a 5.
The Ojos Caliente property is beautiful, with tranquil rows of rocking chairs, carefully maintained rock gardens and beautiful statues. The buildings are all adobe with various roofing styles and materials that lend a sense of flow to the chains of pools of various temperatures nestled into the mountains and rock formations. We were blessed to have been finishing our treatment around sunset and were treated to a dazzling high desert sunset.
I would highly recommend the High Desert Getaway for Two if you’re with a romantic partner. While the massages are separate (which we were a bit surprised and disappointed by), the private soak for 2 is a slice of heaven as the water is a perfect temperature, the aroma of the fire from the kiva adds a rustic and cozy feel, and the ability to enjoy such a gorgeous place without 15 of your favorite strangers is an experience to savor. If you’re treating a special someone and you have the opportunity, try to book a private soak during the sunset hours.
As other reviewers mentioned, the gift shop is also filled with thoughtfully curated items (I loved the jewelry and fragrance selection) and healthy-​ish snacks. We stocked up on some Rocky Mountain Popcorn and OLOMOMO Almonds (It’s the brand, not me yelling!) for the drive back home.
Can’t wait to visit again soon!

Heavenly.
LODGING: I stayed here for a total of three nights in three different suites (Cliffside, Pueblo, and Plaza). What can I say? I like variety. The Cliffside is the most expensive, with a private outdoor bath and a fireplace. The Pueblo was identical to the Cliffside without the private bath. My favorite was actually the Plaza which didn’t have a fireplace, but was the nonetheless cozy and actually closer to the main building which saved me about 45 seconds of walking through the November cold. I also think the layout was nicer, and there wasn’t an uncovered window that would somehow let sunlight stream right into my face at dawn like it did in the Pueblo Suite. The upside of staying in any of the suites is that you get access to the Kiva Pool which is very convenient, nice and hot, and not as crowded as the main facilities.
MINERAL POOLS: Such a fantastic selection. Pools of all different temperatures, sizes, and minerals. FYI, the mud totally destroyed parts of my swimsuit, but they do warn you, so make sure you aren’t bringing your fav suit. Ojo Caliente tries to maintain a quiet, tech-​disconnected atmosphere, but it’s only reinforced sporadically. Occasionally you’ll see someone walk around with a sign to be quiet, but I’d say probably at least 50% of the time there were people chatting loudly about how one day they’re going to have their bachelorette party here, or asking if we had a camera so we could take their picture in their mud masks, or someone is clicking away on their phone. There was one point in time when I was surrounded by 5 couples in the Iron pool attached to each other like koalas and giggling, totally drunk off oxytocin. Gross. Just as a side note, it would be nice if we had access to additional towels without having to go back to the lobby. During the winter the towels get super cold and wet and it’s very unpleasant when transitioning to another pool. Or maybe they need some kind of awesome towel dryer available for guests like they do for the swimsuits. Until then, drying myself off in the sauna will have to suffice.
SPA TREATMENTS: I highly recommend the Ojo Dreamin’. It includes an 80 minute custom massage, hot oil hair treatment, and reflexology. This treatment clocks in a little over 2 hours, and it didn’t even feel like it. I’m generally fidgety at spas, and I was as relaxed as a cat stretched out in the sun. My hair was incredible for a few days after the treatment. LOVE! I also got a custom facial on another day but it wasn’t really my cup of tea. I did like all the hot towels, but the treatment itself was really different than your typical facial and my skin was not digging the products. However, I do have very sensitive skin.
GIFT SHOP: So many adorable, sweet things here! Swing by to get your S’mores Kit for two or four. They also have healthy snacks and yogurt parfaits, swimsuits and hats and entirely new outfits in case you lost your luggage, artisan chocolate bars, lotions and bath salts, jewelry, sweet little sheep ornaments, and a ton of other items that you’ll surely want to purchase. Don’t forget to pack your own Advil though, because if you wake up with a splitting headache they don’t open until 9 am, and I’m not even sure if they carry any medicine.
RESTAURANT: What they say is true; you have no choice but to dine here unless you want to travel several miles away from the spa campus. The breakfast is my absolute favorite, and it’s actually a really good deal. The breakfast tacos, huevos rancheros, chile relleno… it’s all really delicious. Also, it’s worth paying attention to the chalk board that lists all the seasonal dishes that they prepare from ingredients on the farm. Some of the best stuff is on there, it’s just not very accessible and only got brought up once in the seven or eight times I dined in the restaurant and at the bar.
I have to say, by the third day I was a bit tired of soaking in water. So, I think 2 nights will do it for me next time. I’d love to come back during warmer weather since attempting to dry the mud on your body in 30-​something degree weather is a bit torturous, especially when the sun conveniently disappeared behind a cloud every time. Oi!

My husband and I went here for a day without the kids, a day where we could relax and reconnect and we were able to do that however I would say Ojo could take a few pointers…
The negatives:
1. The «whisper only» rule was not enforced much at all. Ironically, even the people that were carrying the «please whisper» signs were talking to each other… if management can’t even adhere to the rules, how do they expect the customers to?
2. I have kids and I love kids… but I really wish children were not allowed here. It’s hard to relax when a child is splashing and screaming. If you’re coming here for a day/​night away from children it might not be your best option since children are allowed. Maybe they can have certain «children free» days or hours
The good:
1. The mineral pools are awesome, super relaxing, and a real treat, especially for the price. It was $ 20 for each of us and we got to use all the pools and for however long we wanted. Can’t beat that deal.
2. Bathrooms were clean and came with soap, shampoo and conditioner to use which made for cleaning afterwards super easy. They even had fancy lotion to put on and a hair dryer (though one of the hair dryers wasn’t working, luckily I was the only one at the time attempting to use it).
We would absolutely go back, I am just crossing my fingers that we can enjoy the place EVEN MORE if they enforce the whisper rule… and no kids, dear god it would be amazing if people didn’t bring their kids here… I know I won’t bring mine until they are way older, wish other people would do the same :/

Arrived on a Monday thinking the place would be quite and lounge chairs would be available for my out of town guest and I. I should of know the filled parking lot was my first clue.
Beautiful day, not to hot. Obviously what everyone else was also thinking a tranquil day outside.
Every lounge chair was covered with a towel and every hammock as well. Seriously I thought the occupant was in another pool and would shortly return. But they never did. The noise level was way above a whisper as the grand parent cliques all brought the grandkids to learn to swim. Whoever bought the gift card for new mothers that probably wasn’t the best idea for those of us wanting a baby free day…
Time to scratch Ojo off the «must see list» and head to the less discovered hot springs of Truth or Consequences.
Ojo management –please enforce the whisper rules and cell phone usage or issue ear plugs.