Spending time in the desert vortex of Greater Palm Springs is especially healing, due to the area’s ancient, mineral-rich hot springs – packed with silica, magnesium, and calcium – that promote relaxation and skin health. The region’s wellness mecca inspires, with year-round 70+ sunny days, geothermal natural hot mineral waters, world class indigenous-inspired spas, and serene desert landscapes (with hundreds of hiking trails). The peaceful environment encourages deep restoration.

The area, particularly Desert Hot Springs and the heart of Palm Springs, rests atop a deep aquifer that provides both hot and cold, natural, mineral-rich waters with benefits that include reducing stress, improving blood circulation, and easing joint pain. 

Recently, the Miracle Hill Spas Association partnered with Desert Hot Springs to celebrate and educate about the 10+ spa wellness hotels in this special part of the desert, boasting waters that spurt from the ground at temperatures of 170 degrees. 

At Cabot’s 35-room Pueblo home, now museum, where Cabot Yerxa discovered the area’s geothermal benefits in 1941, we learned Desert Hot Springs is also renowned for its drinking water, as it has won numerous awards for the best drinking water in the world, fortified with 8 minerals, even once beating out Baden Baden, Germany in a blind taste test. The area sits on a hot aquifer near the San Andrea fault line. It takes 8-10 years for the snow melt to percolate into the aquifer from 11,580 feet above sea level.

It is no surprise that Desert Hot Springs is the fastest growing city in the Coachella Valley.

While most people know beloved Two Bunch Palms (Al Capone’s presumed desert hideaway), where spending a weekend in your bathrobe is a normal affair – complete with mineral springs soaking tubs, pool, and grotto, mud masks, tennis, juice making classes, healthy eats, yoga, wine and painting, massages in poolside cabanas – many don’t realize there are a whole slew of boutique hot springs hotels just up the road worthy of your time, some that have operated for 70 years. Many of the mini hotels are located in walking distance of each other. 

Find your Zen at one of these amazing boutique spa hotels in Desert Hot Springs

The Spring Resorts and Spa

Soak in a private mineral springs tub under the stars when you book the Mountain Suite or one of their five rooms with private outdoor mineral soaking tubs. Find the ultimate desert calm with no phones and no TVs. Savor the resort’s three mineral pools, jacuzzi, cold plunge, and glass infrared sauna with chroma therapy lighting – with views of the outdoor gardens while you warm. The ultimate sauna bliss!

The Springs first opened in 1956 and sits atop the aquifer, the hottest part of the mineral springs. The hotel offers complimentary breakfast, weekend yoga, sound baths, juice cleanses, colon hydrotherapy, and face and body treatments.

The Good House

Feel one with nature in the lush hot spring oasis with poolside Palm Springs yellow umbrella vibes. The Desert Hot Springs hideaway was voted by Travel and Leisure as one of the most beautiful places to visit in California. It’s easy to find a deep inner reset here with a healthy breakfast buffet, poolside lunch, sound bath, hot springs pool soak, and nighttime fire with open skies.

Miracle Manor Boutique Hotel and Spa

Book the sun-soaked King Suite or Manor Suite with large yard and two soaking tubs right outside, where you can control the temperature. Guests also love the Deluxe Queen Suite with Kitchenette. This adorable 70-year-old modernized retreat, with open air desert design, is intended to connect guests with the healing landscape.

Pink room doors open to the outside, with palm trees swaying in the warm winds and a grand pink quartz rock beckons guests to find inner peace. Yoga, sound bath, comped breakfast Thursday through Sunday, and more are just some of the perks of staying here.

Azure Palm Hot Springs

This lush desert oasis has the feel of a larger resort, with Azure Palm Café, 35 treatment rooms, gift store, and largest mineral springs swimming pool in Southern California. A Day Pass allows guests to enjoy mineral waters without an overnight. The Good Vibes sound bath experience is a must where those who book in advance can float in the pool under the stars (at select times of year). 

Book the Santa Rosa suite with deep soaking tub and incredible views of the surrounding mountainscape, perfect for a romantic getaway. A bevy of treatments can be found here, from Azure Superfruit Facial and Colon-Hydrotherapy to Lymphatic Flow. The property plans to expand with a mineral spring lazy river and the opening of the Bar Luna Kitchen and Wine Bar for summer.

Acres Landing

This one-year-old hip vintage Airstream resort, with large pool and fire pits, comes with bougie glamping and a private soaking hot springs tub outside each camper. Book the joyful 70s vibe camper with cheery yellow orange prints. 

El Morocco Inn and Spa

This 1950s Morocco-inspired rustic love den is probably one of the more affordably priced places – donned in arched doorways, patterned tiles, lanterns, and rich colors evoking the feel of a Moroccon riad, set against the desert landscape. Guests can soak in the naturally heated mineral water in pools and hot tubs and rejuvenate in poolside or garden lounging. 

Other mineral springs hotels you may wish to seek out include The Getaway, Agua Soleil, Sagewater Springs, Desert Hot Springs Inn, and Hope Springs Resort.

Learn more at Miracle Hill Spas or @miraclehillspas

Looking for a local desert discovery eco tour? Kerry Berman (kerryberman.com) offers educational and on-the-go tours covering everything from geology, energy sources, water, and natural and historical walks.