Spa Goals is my new ongoing series where I will review one of my favorite things, spas!
Last summer I had the opportunity to make my first visit to Calistoga’s Indian Springs resort. For the uninitiated, Indian Springs Calistoga is in the north part of Napa Valley, built on natural hot springs that fill two large pools with warm mineral water. I had heard about it for many years, and when a friend wanted to visit over the July 4th weekend, it was the perfect excuse to book a room for two nights and head up to experience it firsthand.
Blissing out at Indian Springs Calistoga
The locale
When you stay as a guest at the hotel, your entrance to the mineral pools is included (yay!). Otherwise, if you book a treatment at the spa, you may use the pools as well (you can also buy a day pass to the pools, but these may not be available depending on how many guests are staying at the property, especially in the summer).
While guests of the spa may use the pools, only spa guests can use the spa facilities, which includes the beautiful “Buddha pool,” where I lounged for a bit after my treatments and enjoyed the peace and quiet.
Spa Treatments
I did a mud bath followed by a 60 minute massage.
Indian Springs: the good
Having done another mud bath at Dr. Wilkinson’s Hot Springs Resort across the street a few years earlier, I found the mud bath experience at Indian Springs a more elevated experience. (Nothing wrong with Dr. Wilkson’s, it’s just a much more clinical experience, whereas Indian Springs felt much more luxurious.) After soaking in the mud and washing off in the shower, I then headed for my massage.
The serene Buddha Pool at Indian Springs Calistoga, accessible only to spa guests. (Photo from the Indian Springs website.)
Indian Springs: the not-so-good
I did not enjoy my masseuse at Indian Springs and felt that for the price, it was subpar. I have had many massages in my life, and my simple request to move the leg bolster to a comfortable place on my ankles was met with a bizarre reaction by the masseuse who acted as if it was a hassle to move it?! It was very strange. Maybe she was just having a bad day, but if I was to return to Indian Springs, I’d go for a mud bath and skip the massage.
Also, while it is certainly not bad by any means, it’s worth noting that the mineral pools are kid-friendly and pretty busy on the weekends and in the summer. If you’re looking for a super peaceful environment, you might skip Indian Springs or try to be there at a time when school’s in session.
The beautiful and relaxing warm mineral waters of the Indian Springs resort
The final word
Indian Springs Calistoga is a gorgeous resort with beautiful mineral hot spring pools that are open til quite late at night. My friend and I enjoyed soaking after dinner our first night, floating around and looking up at the stars. We stayed in a great room with a little patio looking out at a lawn and spent the late afternoon on our second day enjoying a glass of wine and snack before dinner.
One thing that makes Indian Springs a great place to stay is its convenience to the actual town of Calistoga, meaning you don’t have to drive to dinner. We drove to our reservation at Bottega in Yountville on our first night, but on our second simply walked across the street and down the road and checked out restaurants, settling on Veraison, where we had a fantastic meal.
Wine in a castle at Chateau Montelena
Since Calistoga is at the northern end of the Napa Valley, it’s easy to make an enjoyable day leisurely making your way up there. We met a friend of mine in Napa for lunch at Kitchen Door at Oxbow Market, then wandered around sampling cheese and charcuterie from Fatted Calf.
After lunch, we headed to Outland in downtown Napa, a wine tasting room featuring the wines of four different small winemakers, and sampled wines from Farella, Poe, and Forlorn Hope (this place is a must if you’re interested in trying boutique wines from up-and-coming makers). We then hopped in the car and headed up the Napa Valley, heading up the Silverado Trail ridge to Robert Sinskey Vineyards for a tasting looking out at the gorgeous view.
Our charming little deck at Indian Springs, where we enjoyed a late afternoon snack
On our second day at Indian Springs, following my spa treatments and lunch at Sam’s Social Club, we headed to Chateau Montelena for a wine tasting. Chateau Montelena looks like a beautiful old French castle, and we enjoyed strolling the grounds and soaking in the warm Calistoga sunshine maybe even more than the delicious wine.
Indian Springs Calistoga spa
Ambiance 5/5
Treatments 4/5 (the mudbath was 5/5 but the massage I thought was subpar)
Value 4/5 (if the massage had been better, this would be higher)
Indian Springs Calistoga is located at 1712 Lincoln Avenue, Calistoga, CA 94515, phone 707-709-8139, www.indianspringscalistoga.com
Why did I pick a spa getaway at The Silverado? Perhaps I’d seen photos of its charming, ornate original building, a grand white mansion from the late 1880s flanked by elegant palm trees. Perhaps I’d heard others casually mention they’d dashed off there to retreat for a weekend, or a wedding. Or perhaps I just saw it listed on a hotel website and it piqued my curiosity and desire.