While the main Castle Hot Springs building has been around for 125 years, their recent multimillion-dollar transformation makes this award-winning property “the it” place to visit that you won’t want to miss. Established initially as Arizona’s first wellness resort in 1896, the destination attracted guests from all around the Southwest to the 115 degrees, nutrient-dense hot springs. As the decades went by, the hot springs resort gained popularity with some of the most influential people of the times. Theodore Roosevelt, the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, and the Astor families have spent time at this iconic property. During World War II, the space was used as a rehab facility for soldiers and even helped with the rehabilitation of John F. Kennedy, who was a resident for five months.
Fast forward to 2014, the new ownership took on Castle Hot Springs and completely renovated this verdant desert playground to bring it into the 21st Century. The main campus is set on 210 acres and has since reopened as an all-inclusive resort with beautiful oasis-like grounds ready to welcome visitors.
I was fortunate enough to visit Castle Hot Springs earlier this year, and I was thoroughly impressed with the transformation. Best of all, the rates include three meals a day and access to fun daily activities. The restaurant offers true farm-to-table dining options using the organic produce grown on the property, irrigated with the nutrient-rich hot springs, cultivating incredibly fresh delicious veggies and herbs.
The 31 accommodations are all individual bungalows offering great privacy and social distancing for those still looking for COVID-safe travel options. The property includes its three hot springs of varying temperatures exclusively for guests to enjoy and are of a few of the sulfur-free natural hot springs in the world. The springs’ mineral-rich waters are even used to fill the bathtubs in the guest rooms.
They offer a wide range of on-property activities, from guided hiking, shooting and archery classes, mountain biking, historic tours, paddleboard yoga, tours of their local farm, and more. I participated in the Aerial Walkway and Petroglyph hike, which included traversing a narrow suspension bridge several stories over a canyon for a bit of adventure, and it was a fabulous experience. As the resort is located in North Phoenix, Lake Pleasant is just down the road should you wish to rent a boat to enjoy some time on the water during your stay.
Overall this new property is quite literally coming in hot, and I would absolutely recommend it! If this incredible getaway sounds like something you would like to get on your calendar, let me know as soon as possible as the coming months are filling up fast. I look forward to bringing you booked!