Hot Springs Resort and Spa, North Carolina


 Hot Springs, NC                 Hours: 3pm-8:30pm (longer on weekends)

   Cost: $50-$120 per hour for 2 people ($10 extra per person per hour) (as of 12/25)

Hot Springs Resort and Spa has been around since the 18th century in different forms, but was most recently damaged by flooding after Hurricane Helene. It has since been reopened with some new and some old structures, including individual open-air cabin style soaking rooms of different sizes and a historical hotel. We didn't stay in the hotel, so I can't speak to that, but our group of 3 rented one of the smaller cabins for a 2-hour soak.

Our cabin overlooked the river, and being there in November, the fresh air was absolutely perfect for taking the water. The tub is emptied, cleaned, then refilled for each group. It felt like it was maybe 101 or 102 degrees, very nice for a 2-hour winter soak! The staff was really friendly and the space felt private even thought it was open on one side. In addition to the soaking cabins, there was a changing room building and a mobile bathroom (I'm not sure if the bathroom trailer is only until they rebuild permanent bathrooms or if that's how it's always been). I do not recall seeing showers, but that could also be because of the quick rebuild after the flooding. 

There is a small gift shop in the hotel lobby where you check in that has a wall of historical photos of the facilities at different points in history. This place has looked very different, and has been destroyed by flooding before. We also learned that the hot springs was used as an internment camp during a world war. What an interesting history in a beautiful part of North Carolina!

Hot Springs NC website




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Coamo Hot Springs, Puerto Rico

Image
Coamo Hot Springs       Hours: 6am-9pm (7 days a week) Cost: $5/person (as of 7/25) As far as I know, Coamo Hot Springs, located on the southern side of the island, is the only public hot springs in Puerto Rico. We went there in January 2020, just before the Covid pandemic hit. It is a dreamy, low-key spot in the mountains, with paths through lush greenery, patio seating areas, and multiple pools at different elevations. I appreciated that this facility was very wheelchair accessible, including ramps leading down into the pools themselves and lots of handrails. There were nice bathrooms, outside cool showers, and a relaxed atmosphere. Cold drinks and other supplies were available in a little shop. There seemed to be a lot of older people who looked to be regulars, chatting away in the pools - a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. I would love to go back for another soak at Coamo!  
Read more

Bozeman Hot Springs, Montana

Image
  Bozeman Hot Springs     Hours: 5:30am-11pm (most days, weekends are different) Cost: $21/person (as of 7/25) Bozeman Hot Springs is located a bit south of the popular and fast-growing town of Bozeman, MT. Much like the town, the hot springs has undergone a lot of change in the last decade or two, and each time we go there (which is every 2-3 years), we are surprised by the new amenities. The original indoor pools are largely unchanged, with many different plunges ranging from ice cold to ungodly hot (I can't even put my hand in the hottest pool!). There is a large dry sauna, and an incredible huge steam room with a large window to the outside and a cold shower tricking inside the room - it is one of my favorite places on this earth! Outside, there are multiple large pools ranging in depth and temperature, all surrounded by natural stone hardscaping and lots of seating areas, tables and chairs, loungers, and a stage that faces the pools for live music to play. ...
Read more

Thermopolis Hot Springs, Wyoming

Image
  Hellie's Tepee Pools    Hours: 9am-9pm (365 days a year) $15/person (as of 7/25) The town of Thermopolis, Wyoming is definitely not a place you'd stumble upon - you have to make a point to get there. It's a small and remote but very charming little Wyoming town of about 2,700 people. The hot springs are extremely sulfurous and are contained inside of a state park. Access to the waters is controlled by an 1896 treaty with the Shoshone and Arapaho tribes, offering free access to the park pools for 20 minute sessions. In addition, Hellie's waterpark offers all-day swimming for a fee. The facilities are shabby, but I loved the dome, which covers multiple pools in complete shade but is breezy and well-ventilated. They also have multiple outdoor pools, a dry sauna, a cold plunge and showers, and an incredibly unique and pungent steam room (no photos of the steam room, it was too steamy!). Hellie's has one waterslide under the dome, and another outdoor one that was not r...
Read more