Few Napa Valley resorts are built around heat. Indian Springs is, because everything here begins with geothermal water, volcanic ash, and a Calistoga tradition that predates most California hotels.
That history matters, but so does the present-day stay. This resort is both a working hotel and one of the oldest spa properties in the state, with mud baths, mineral pools, cottages, bungalows, a house on the Hill, and a spa that keeps the whole place moving at a slower pace. The result is neither polished fantasy nor rustic throwback. It’s a place with age, quirks, and a strong sense of its setting.
Why We Keep Coming Back to Indian Springs
Over multiple family vacations, one accommodation explains the resort’s pull better than any brochure: the Hill House. Perched above the main grounds, it feels less like a hotel room and more like a proper vacation base because it’s a very private two-story house at the top of the hill! It has a large galley-style kitchen, a broad wraparound deck, a generous living room, and a downstairs queen bedroom with its own bath. Perfect for our family retreat.
The view is what captivates me every time I come here. From the hill, the eye settles on the mineral pool, the palms, and the beautiful grounds below. I watch all this from the house on the hill, allowing me to enjoy the activity while still feeling removed from the resort’s center. Indian Springs works best when the room is part of the vacation – a destination to come home to after outings – not just a place to drop bags between wine tastings.
Some places are fun to visit once. Indian Springs is the kind of place that keeps calling us back.
For years, we’ve made Hill House our home base in Calistoga. Sitting above the resort, it gives us plenty of room to spread out, especially since we usually come here with family. On our recent trip, we had extended family, and it worked well for them to stay in Indian Springs Resort’s cottages just a short walk to the Hill House. It has become part of our family tradition and something I look forward to each year.
Some of my favorite memories aren’t from planned activities — they’re the simple moments in between. Morning coffee on the deck while soaking in the view. Family photos with everyone gathered together before heading into town. Playing board games in the living room after a day of wine tasting. Cooking meals together in the kitchen and talking about the day’s adventures. We still laugh that after all these years, we’ve never actually used the barbecue. Maybe next time.
Even the walk up to Hill House feels like part of the experience. It’s not just getting from the pool to the house. The winding path gives you time to slow down, catch up in conversation, notice the gardens, and the peaceful beauty of the property.
Some mornings begin with a workout on the back deck before heading into Calistoga or exploring Napa Valley. Other days move at a much slower pace, with another cup of coffee, nowhere to be, and no reason to rush. Maybe it’s time for that chess match.
As the sun begins to set, the deck becomes our favorite gathering place. A glass of wine, afternoon cocktails, good conversation, and views across the property make it easy to lose track of time. Books line the living room shelves; grab one and get lost in it for a while. Here, you’ll want to schedule “nothing-to-do time.”
Sometimes we’ll head to the grounds below and sit around the fire pit. LFM Travel Tip: remember to bring ingredients to make s’mores!
Later, we’ll wander down for an evening soak in the mineral pool — a tradition that has become one of the highlights of every stay. I’ll share more about that experience later in the article.
For us, Indian Springs has never been just a place to sleep between excursions. It’s where some of our favorite family memories have been made, and one of the reasons we continue coming back year after year.
The History Behind Indian Springs
Indian Springs sits inside Calistoga’s long hot-springs culture. The Wappo people used the area’s mineral waters long before the spa era, and Sam Brannan built a resort here in the 1860s as Calistoga developed into a Northern California health destination. The property later operated as Pacheteau Baths from 1905 until 1988, when Pat and John Merchant bought it and restored the Indian Springs name.
Indian Springs is widely recognized as California’s oldest continuously operated spa and pool property, a distinction rooted in the same geothermal features that continue to feed the resort today.
Millions of years ago, the eruption of nearby Mount Konocti, about 20 miles away, blanketed the area in volcanic ash and created the geothermal system that still feeds the resort today. Groundwater travels roughly 4,000 feet below the surface, where it’s heated by hot magma before rising again as mineral-rich thermal waters that emerge from on-site geysers at temperatures reaching 230 degrees Fahrenheit.
The first time we stayed at Hill House, we found it interesting to watch and listen to the evaporative cooling tower. It’s just behind the Hill House on the hillside, and its job is to cool the scalding geyser water to a safe temperature before routing it to the mineral pools. We found it therapeutic to listen to at night as it makes a crashing sound almost like ocean waves.
Currently, the property is an expansive 17 acres but, at the time of this writing, Indian Springs is beginning a large addition. We can’t wait to see what the property will become.
The Mineral Pools
The pools are the emotional center of the resort. The large Olympic mineral pool, first built in 1910, is one of the biggest draws in Calistoga. Our whole family loves it. I think my husband, John, could stay in the water for hours. The water is usually in the mid-90s or higher, and the scale changes the experience. This is not a small soaking tub disguised as a pool. It’s huge and made for long stretches of floating rather than laps.
However, my 95-year-old mother made at least a couple of laps around the pool using a pool noodle as people cheered her on!
Just on the other side of the bar area is the adults-only pool, which runs a little cooler and feels calmer. This is the place to grab a beverage, enjoy conversation and some shade. There’s no shade at the Olympic mineral pool, so a nighttime or early morning soak is great during the hot summer months.
Guests drift between the two mineral pools depending on mood and weather. Between them, bar service keeps cocktails and light food close at hand, and in winter the fireplace is lovely. We’ve visited in the summer and winter, and one thing to note is that the mineral pool on a cold Calistoga day is incredibly seductive – the steam rising from the pool makes you feel like you’re far away from the rest of the world. It’s open until midnight, so on a clear night you can float on your raft and view the evening stars. It’s so relaxing and dreamy.
The Famous Calistoga Mud Bath at Indian Springs
The mud bath is the treatment that keeps Indian Springs in the conversation, even among travelers who know Napa Valley better for cabernet than geothermal water. The mud here is not trucked in for effect. It’s made from volcanic ash sourced on the property and mixed with mineral water heated by four on-site geysers, which reach about 230 degrees Fahrenheit underground before the water is cooled for use.
That local geology gives the treatment its authority. A mud bath at Indian Springs feels tied to Calistoga itself, not copied from a generic spa menu.
We’ve done mud baths twice in the surrounding area of Calistoga and am sorry to say we haven’t tried it at Indian Springs, yet! But there’s always next time. My spa treatments at Indian Springs have been deeply relaxing massages. More on this later. But if you haven’t done a mud bath, here’s a look at how it’s done at Indian Springs.
How The Mud Bath Ritual Actually Works
Guests sink into a warm communal mud tub, in gender-separated rooms rather than co-ed spaces, and attendants cover the body from neck to toe. After the soak, the mud is rinsed off in a shower, then comes a private mineral bath, cucumber-citrus water for hydration, an infrared sauna session, and a final rest period wrapped in warm blankets. Many guests then head to Buddha Pond before returning to the pool deck.
The standard 60-minute mud bath is currently listed at $170 per person, while a shorter express version starts at $125. It is a serious heat treatment, not a decorative add-on.
Who This Treatment Is Best For, And Who Should Think Twice
This experience suits guests who want old-school spa intensity. It is less suited to anyone treating it like a casual beauty service between lunch and a tasting room reservation. Indian Springs sets the mud-bath age minimum at 16, with younger teens allowed only in limited cases with a parent receiving the same service.
A mud bath and a wine-heavy morning don’t belong on the same schedule. Hydration matters more than indulgence beforehand.
Pregnancy, heart conditions, high blood pressure, and diabetes are all reasons to check with a physician first. Late arrivals can also lose treatment time, because the spa runs on a fixed schedule.
Spa Treatments Beyond the Mud Bath
Indian Springs is more than the signature mud room. The broader spa menu rounds out the resort and gives non-mud-bath guests like us a reason to spend a full day on property. There are mineral soaks without mud, CBD mineral baths, Swedish massage, couples massage, facials, body scrubs, and wraps.
Mineral Soaks, CBD Baths, And Massage Options
The simpler mineral bath options make sense for guests who want the water without the full heat and mess of volcanic ash. They are easier to fit into a shorter stay, and they still connect back to the same geothermal source. Meanwhile, massage and facial treatments soften the spa’s more physical side. A Napa trip built around tasting can leave the body a little overworked; the calmer spa menu fills that gap.
We enjoyed a morning of massages, followed by tea and bite-sized treats, while watching water shoot over the pond, with Buddha in the background – pure bliss.
The quieter spaces that slow the whole stay down
There’s also an infrared sauna and a Himalayan salt room.
Dining at Sam’s Social Club
Sam’s Social Club, named after Sam Brannan, is a fun night out without leaving the resort. You can get breakfast and brunch here, although we’ve mostly dined here for celebratory dinners like my mom’s or my birthday. It’s a few minutes walk down from Hill House. We love the outdoor dining on the long tables sitting on decomposed granite with cafe lights above – so charming.
The tone fits the property. It is open, social, and casual enough for families, couples, and groups moving in from the pools with damp hair and little interest in formal dining.
Things to Do Near Indian Springs in Calistoga
Indian Springs is easy to stay inside, but Calistoga is one of Napa Valley’s most walkable towns. The resort sits close enough to downtown that guests can move between spa time and small-town errands without turning the day into a driving plan.
Explore Calistoga on Foot
Lincoln Avenue has the right scale for strolling. There are tasting rooms, restaurants, wine bars, shops, and the kind of ice cream stop that still feels right after a long soak. Calistoga’s appeal has always been this mix of spa-town history and wine-country ease.
Bicycling Around Calistoga
Since we love Travel in Motion at LFM, we were thrilled to find that bicycles are a big part of the experience here and they’re free to rent all day. There are plenty of them so we’ve never experienced a shortage. However, a word of caution: if you lose the bike lock key, it’ll cost you $100. We had a close call, and luckily the key was found on the bike path. The resort’s 17-acre grounds already invite wandering, but the flatter roads around town work well for endless biking. There are parks and walking bridges to cross, as well as great views of residential neighborhoods. A casual ride past vineyards and low hills suits Calistoga better than a car ride whizzing past the gorgeous scenery.
Don’t miss this experience. It truly is one of our highlights and gives you a different perspective of the town.
Wine Tasting in Napa
Of course, Napa is known for its wine. John being a connoisseur of wine, there’s usually at least one wine tasting on our agenda. We’ve explored caves at Spring Mountain Vineyards, and this time, Sterling Vineyards was on our list for a couple of reasons. It is one of the area’s distinctive outings because the arrival itself is part of the visit. A gondola-style ride up to the hilltop winery gives sweeping views of the property.
We enjoyed a private tasting in their wine parlor, which had its own picturesque balcony. Our tasting guide shared historic stories of Napa, Sterling Vineyards, and his own journey from being a Navy veteran beer lover to a wine enthusiast Napa resident who loves talking about wine. John likes older Napa wines, so our guide generously poured vintages dating back to the 1990s. What a treat!
Rooms and Cottages at Indian Springs
The accommodations range from historic cottages to newer bungalows and more modern adults-only rooms. Some lean into old Napa character with fireplaces, porches, and a lower-slung layout. Others feel cleaner and more current, with spa-style bathrooms and stronger indoor-outdoor flow.
What the different room types feel like
The Hill House stands apart because it behaves like a full home. That is why repeat family stays often land there. Higher on the property, it has the privacy many other resort houses promise and few deliver. Meanwhile, smaller cottages and bungalow-style rooms make more sense for couples who want direct access to the pools and spa without the scale of a house, and its galley-style kitchen.
Is Indian Springs Worth the Cost?
Vacations to Napa have risen over the last several years. But from our experience, the amenities as well as the ability to cook meals in the Hill House make Indian Springs worth the cost/
If you’re looking for a complete vacation getaway, this is the spot. Mud baths, mineral pools, 17 acres of play and trails are all reasons to save for this bohemian-luxe vacay.
What to Know Before You Visit
A few practical details shape the stay more than most resort fine print.
- Reservations matter, especially on weekends and during harvest season.
- Mud baths should be booked early, because treatment slots are limited and remain the spa’s main draw.
- Spa appointments start in the morning and run into late afternoon, so timing affects the whole day.
- Parking is straightforward for overnight guests, which matters in a town where many visitors still arrive by car.
- Families fit well here, but adults who want quiet should look closely at room location and pool timing.
- Spring and fall are the easiest seasons to pair pool weather with wine-country exploring, though winter has its own appeal because steam and fireplace weather suit the property.
- Swimsuits, sandals, water, and a robe-ready mindset go farther here than a packed sightseeing schedule.
An LFM Favorite California Resort
Indian Springs is a resort close enough to town where you can park your car at the beginning of your stay, remain on the property, and leave at the end of your vacation feeling fully relaxed. The mud bath is still the signature, but the larger pleasure comes from how the pools, rooms, restaurant, and old Calistoga setting hold together.
It offers a form of rest that feels rooted in local history, not imported trend, and that distinction is harder to find than the wine-country brochure makes it seem.
