Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs was nothing short of pure magic. The entire place exuded a sense of sacredness and enchantment during our two-day stay. I'm grateful that I stumbled upon this resort through Banana Republic's Instagram story because, after two demanding years of graduate school and juggling motherhood, career, marriage, and life in general, I can hardly recall a time when I've felt more serene and at peace. Ojo Caliente, one of the country's oldest health spas, boasts four healing mineral water hot springs: Arsenic, Lithia, Soda, and Iron, all naturally sulfur-free. (There are nine communal hot springs plus private pools available for reservation.) This haven lies about an hour's drive northwest of Santa Fe in Ojo Caliente, NM.
Upon our arrival at Ojo Caliente Spa Resort, I checked in for my spa treatment while Sheri took some time to explore the resort before her own session. I opted for the Ojo Balanced Body package, which included an 80-minute massage, Ojo Glow Mini facial for skin hydration, and hot oil hair therapy. The entire treatment spanned 2 hours and 10 minutes, and it was nothing short of pure ecstasy. I emerged from my massage in a state of complete relaxation.
Sheri, on the other hand, encountered a small hiccup with her treatment. Although she had initially booked the same Ojo Balanced Body treatment, there was a mix-up with the masseuse, and she ended up receiving a slightly different massage. She enjoyed the Legends of Ojo massage, which she declared the best she'd ever experienced. She particularly raved about the foot reflexology included in her treatment. In addition to the massage, she also received the Ojo Mini Glow and Hot Oil Hair Therapy that was originally included in the Ojo Balanced Body package. Despite the hiccup, the services were exceptional and more than made up for the mix-up.
After we both completed our treatments and settled into our rooms, a brief lightning storm temporarily closed the pools. What do you do when it rains on vacation? You indulge in food and drinks! We freshened up and made our way to the Artesian Restaurant on Ojo Caliente property, and on our walk to dinner, we were met with an incredible double rainbow. (The picture doesn't do it justice!)
As an appetizer, we munched on truffle French fries and shared a bottle of red wine at the bar while waiting for our dinner reservation. (Tip: Reservations are required at the restaurant, but the wine bar welcomes walk-ins.) Following our appetizers and considering our previous taco-filled lunches in Santa Fe, we opted for lighter dinners. I chose the Classic Caesar salad with shrimp, which was elevated by the delicious red chile Caesar dressing, while Sheri savored the beet salad.
Post-dinner, the pools reopened. Sheri and I changed into our swimsuits and spent the next two hours soaking. We began with the Soda spring, believed to aid digestion. The Soda pool is unique in that it's enclosed with bumpy rock walls and a tin roof, creating a serene atmosphere. This is also a completely silent pool, but our excitement got the better of us, though, as we had trouble staying quiet.
Next, we ventured to the Iron pool, soaking under the stars. On that first night, the Iron pool felt remarkably hot, almost too hot to handle. However, the Iron spring is reputed to boost the immune system. Despite the initial toasty water, this spring proved to be transformative. Surrounded by boulders and featuring a pebble floor, it allowed the natural waters to bubble between our toes. This pool felt more secluded than the others, hidden away in its own enclave, making it difficult to gauge the number of people in it from a distance.
Before the pools closed, we also indulged in the arsenic and lithia spring pools. Arsenic-rich waters are believed to relieve stomach ulcers, arthritic pain, and improve skin conditions. I can personally vouch for the skin benefits, as my chronic eczema saw a significant reduction in redness. (Update: The inflammation did return, but it remained less severe than before my trip.) We also soaked in the Lithia spring, reputed to alleviate depression. While I'm typically in high spirits, these waters seemed to leave me on an extended emotional high, fostering a profound sense of gratitude upon my return home from Ojo Caliente.
What made this experience even more special was the scarcity of visitors in the pools at this late hour. Staying at the resort had its advantages, as many day visitors come primarily for the hot springs. The early mornings (7:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.) are reserved for overnight guests, and the evenings offered a peaceful and uncrowded atmosphere. In addition to extra time in the main pools, Sheri and I had access to a private pool near our room, which remained open until midnight. We stayed in a plaza suite with two queen beds and a kitchenette.
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Sheri and I encountered various signs of wildlife, from tracks to birds and a desert rabbit. Despite being late August, the cool temperatures required light jackets for our morning hike. We marveled at the distinctive landscape, so different from what we're accustomed to in Tennessee. It was a glorious experience!
After our hike, we changed into fresh clothes and headed to the Yoga Yurt for a 75-minute 9 a.m. Mindful Morning Yoga class. This was the perfect post-hike stretch, and we welcomed the repetitive flows. Our instructor was a new mom, and we were her first yoga class postpartum. She led the class with skill and grace, and I was amazed that she seemed to have such controlled her core strength. I feel like I'm still working on regaining my core strength almost 6 years later after having my son. The yoga class was a wonderful experience, and I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for practicing.
Following yoga, Sheri and I went our separate ways to relax. She lounged in a hammock outside our suite, listening to A Court of Thorns and Roses for several hours until her 2 p.m. massage. (I have purchased the series, but I haven’t started reading it yet. She told me the audiobooks were so good that she has now finished the entire series.) As for me, I donned my swimsuit for another round in the hot springs. I dipped in and out of the mineral water pools, spending extra time in the arsenic springs while immersing myself in Kali Fajardo-Anstine's Woman of Light.
Our second spa appointment was an 80-minute "Essence of Ojo" treatment, and it felt like an out-of-body experience. I reached such a deep state of relaxation that it felt as if I'd been transported to another universe. When the massage concluded, I thought it had just begun, and I struggled to regain my bearings. I've fallen asleep during massages before, but this was next level.
Sheri's sister-in-law joined us for some daytime soaking, and we met up with her after our massages. We soaked in the pools and coated our skin with Ojo Caliente's special clay blend, meant to purify pores while basking in the sun. After getting properly "baked," we dipped ourselves in the mud pool before showering off and continuing to enjoy the other pools. Jordan and I indulged in more spring hopping while Sheri found another hammock in the common pool area to get lost in the land of the Fae in her A Court of Thorns and Roses saga.
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Realizing that we would not want to get dressed up for dinner on our second evening, I canceled our restaurant reservations the night before, and we ordered early takeout from the wine bar, as we had only snacked for lunch. This decision turned out to be one of our best. We shared poblano fries and enjoyed our respective dishes: Ojo fish tacos for me and a green chile cheeseburger for Sheri. We dined on our back patio at a small bistro table, and the food was exquisite, adding the perfect finishing touch to our day of Zen.
After dinner, we both lounged in the hammocks. Sheri continued listening to her book, while I, quite unintentionally, fell asleep. I awoke to the night sky above, creeping back to our room to change into my swimsuit for more pool time before the pools closed. We both went to sleep that night experiencing one of the most restful slumbers we'd had in a long time.
We woke up a bit later than intended on our final morning, a Sunday. Our initial plan was to rise early and enjoy one last luxurious soak before checking out. We managed to squeeze in about 45 minutes in the pools before packing up, checking out, and embarking on the 2-hour drive to Albuquerque for our flight. Soaked we did, reveling in those precious 45 minutes before bidding farewell to our magical oasis.
As we departed, we made a promise to each other that we wouldn't wait so long for another girls' trip. Our girls' trip together is one I will cherish. We're even considering making Ojo Caliente an annual destination. If you're contemplating booking services, a stay, or even just a day soak at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs, I implore you: Do it now! You won't regret it. The experience was nothing short of transformative.