Girls getaway: spa retreat at Indian Springs in Calistoga

Last weekend I joined some longtime friends from my writers group in the Bay Area. We were looking for a spa retreat but my idea of three nights away from the grind quickly dwindled down to two days and one night away from the duties of work and family. One woman suggested Calistoga, California for the hot springs, spa treatments, good eats and local hikes, and it was a welcomed destination for our quick escape. I wanted to share with you some resources from my trip planning experience, as well as to heartily endorse Indian Springs, where we ended up.

Planning: Nothing beats word of mouth. One in our group had been to Calistoga Spa several years ago and enjoyed that. The property looked dated to me so I searched online and found a girls getaway at Golden Haven Hot Springs. Finally, another friend recommended Indian Hot Springs, and we were sold.

Rooms: Since we gals were traveling single, we opted for the rooms at the Lodge. They normally go for $225 a night, but we were able to nab them for $175 because we were staying during the Sunday-Thursday period. Note: This deal isn’t advertised and the remaining two of us had to ask for it after our first friend got the rate. They also have cottages that look terrific if traveling as a couple or family. I’ll talk about the Lodge since that’s where I stayed and would happily return. The 24 rooms at the Lodge used to be Nance’s hotel back in the day. They’ve been fully renovated since becoming a part of Indian Springs and are quite comfortable with a modern decor. Each room has its own balcony, or enclosed patio if you are staying on the lower level. I loved that they offered L’Occitane bath products, and free water bottles, peanuts and cookies as snacks. Each room also had a flat-screen TV and guests were invited down for coffee and tea in the morning.

The Pool: The mineral pool at Indian Springs embodies a historic legacy while providing modern touches. The temperature was just cooler than bath water and there were floating pads and tubes to recline or rest on. Surrounding the pool were covered lounge chairs, sun chairs and even more lounges and sofas in an open-air patio picnic area. Behind the pool was a lawn for sun bathing. Chilled water with lemon and cucumber was available poolside and bottled water, sodas and light sandwiches were available for purchase at the desk. Lounging by the pool felt like having a cabana — only there were no high prices. You could experience the pool by either staying at the resort, or getting a spa treatment. And guests were allowed to bring an additional guest to the pool for $20. Who was in the pool? A mix of all ages and a few young families, but the vibe and temperament of the guests were quiet and relaxed.

The Spa: If you’re looking for a four- or five-star luxe spa, with service attendants at your beck and call, go somewhere else. If you’d like a quality massage or bath while you are staying at this resort, then you won’t be disappointed. Robes, sandals, chilled flavored water and oranges were provided and there was a waiting area outside. But there weren’t service attendants to wait on you or private showers with all the luxe bath and body products to soften up with. All three of the women I was with enjoyed their treatments including full massages and mineral baths. I had a soft half-hour massage because that’s all that was open, and when I looked at the elderly woman I was worried why she was still working. Then, the minute I was on the massage bed I realized she probably had some of the best massage hands I’ve ever experienced. Her name is Rose and do ask for her. In fact, beg her to keep working. Here is a link to the Indian Springs spa packages.

Dining: There is no formal dining on the property but you are mere walking distance from the rest of the town’s eateries. We had a lovely dinner at Brannan’s Grill where the food was fabulous but the service was spotty. Indian Springs offers a list of recommendations and Calistoga Inn seemed to be on everyone’s lips. We had saved it for breakfast or lunch, but ended up leaving before it opened on a Monday.

Overall, I can’t wait to go back. Maybe for a girls getaway, maybe with my husband, and I would also feel comfortable bringing small children like the ones I saw in the pool who were toddler-age. I was relaxed from one night and two days at the pool, but next time I’ll stay two nights. Have you been here? Share your experience in the comments.

Contact: Indian Springs Calistoga, (707) 942-4913

— Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel Deal blogger

[Photos: indianspringscalistoga.com]

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This entry was posted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 5:45 pm by Jen Leo and is filed under California, Deals, Honeymoon & Romance, Napa Valley, News, Tips & Advice, Northern California, Sonoma Wine Country, Spa, Travel Insider, Weekend Getaways. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.