Keep Warm This Winter At The Best Budget Hot Springs Resorts, According To Research
As people worldwide used to year-round or seasonal chilly temperatures know, there's nothing like a dip into a hot tub on a cold day. But what if, besides that water being comfortably warm, it also naturally flowed from the earth — as it has for centuries — and had healthy minerals that could help cure common ailments? At these hot spring resorts around the world, that's precisely what you'll find, whether you want to visit in June or January.
You don't need to start saving your paycheck to visit these healing hot waters, either. Unlike some other luxurious hot spring resorts, these are budget-friendly options, from camping under the stars to sleeping in tipis or even covered wagons. At these sites, you can spend as little as $20 to embrace hot springs in the dead of winter — or opt to splurge on a hotel room or cabin with all the modern comforts. To create this list, we used tourism websites, travel guides, and hotel listings to discover which hot springs resorts offered the cheapest prices without sacrificing quality and experience. To learn more about our methodology, visit the slide at the end of this article.
Chena Hot Springs, Fairbanks, Alaska
It's pretty much always a cold day in Fairbanks, Alaska, one of the chilliest cities in the country and a must-see place in Alaska for first-timers or frequent visitors. All the more reason to visit Chena Hot Springs, which was discovered over a century ago and soon established itself as one of the best resorts in the Last Frontier. Despite its popularity, you can enjoy a budget-friendly trip to Chena Hot Springs due to its onsite cabins, yurts, and spots for camping and RVs. Staying here gives you quick and easy access to the natural water of the hot springs, which some people believe can help heal ailments like psoriasis, arthritis, circulatory disorders, and bronchial conditions.
Grab a first-come, first-serve campsite or RV site for just $20, or for $65, a group of two people can book a Mongolian-style yurt, a glamped-up, oversized tent with three cots, and a table with chairs. You can also step it up with one of the seven cabins, which cost $300 per six-person cabin. These cabins each have its own one-of-a-kind rustic style, like the Dog Musher's cabin adorned with deer antlers or the Forget-Me-Not Cabin featuring distressed wood logs lining the walls.
Benton Hot Springs, Benton, California
You've chosen from plenty of one-of-a-kind boutique hotel rooms — but what about a one-of-a-kind hot tub? That's what Benton Hot Springs in Benton, California, serves up. Its 12 private hot tubs all have a unique style, and visitors can rent and set up a campsite or park the RV nearby. Each site costs $95 to $105 to rent, can accommodate up to 10 people, and includes a natural spring-fed hot tub with an adjustable temperature as well as a picnic table and fire pit. And feel free to let it all hang loose at these sites, which feature everything from colored tiles to raised tubs to sunken pools. Clothing is optional here, and sites are separated by thick foliage for privacy.
If camping isn't your style, Benton Hot Springs also has seven rooms for rent inside an inn from the '40s that cost $169 per night and include access to three natural spring-fed hot tubs, as well as modern amenities like fridges, fans, televisions, heat, and internet access. To raise the bar even more, book one of the property's four private homes for $250 per night, all with private tubs. Those range from the Conway House, which dates back more than 150 years and is one of the most historic buildings in Benton, to the Bungalow, a '60s-style spot decorated with every color of the rainbow with a front-row view of the surrounding White Mountains.
Miracle Springs Resort & Spa, Desert Hot Springs, California
If camping isn't your jam, you can find a modern hotel room without the hefty price tag at Miracle Springs Resort & Spa — complete with a natural hot spring. The resort's eight pools are fed by natural hot springs, and visitors can stay in guest rooms from $99 per night. These rooms have the comforts of a typical hotel room, like televisions, bathrooms, balconies, and mini-fridges, so no need to unroll your sleeping bag. For a more luxe getaway, rent one of the onsite villas, each with a hot tub. Plus, the natural hot spring waters are no ordinary hot springs. As the only spot on the planet with both warm and cold mineral aquifers, the waters have been named the best-tasting waters in the world at the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition.
It's all thanks to the Cahuilla, who discovered the waters and their healing properties centuries ago. In 1914, Cabot Yerxa found them once more on his property, and soon after, Mineral Springs Resort & Spa was born. Today, those waters rise from the earth at 140 degrees Fahrenheit before they cooled to about 97 degrees Fahrenheit. However, bathing in hot springs isn't the only relaxing activity you can do at this spot. Spa services like massages, facials, and body wraps are also available here, so you can create a full-circle wellness experience on your visit.
Riverbend Hot Springs, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
It doesn't get more serene than Riverbend Hot Springs, which sits at the foot of the Rio Grande in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. For a start, it doesn't allow kids under 12 years old or speaking over the level of a whisper in its private pools. It's all designed to help guests relax in an artsy environment with natural hot spring waters full of therapeutic minerals. Better yet, it's not expensive. For the most budget-friendly experience, visitors can book an RV space across the street from the hot springs for as low as $75. If you want a more traditional hotel experience at a friendly price, reserve an artist room for as low as $114 per night. Perfect for those with a flair for creativity, each room features a different artist and their works (which are also available for sale), so you can learn about a new artist every time you visit. Each room rate includes access to the resort's eight hot spring pools with varying temperatures, all overlooking the beautiful Rio Grande.
Want your own pool and a lodging that's distinctly New Mexican? Then rent one of Riverbend Hot Spring's suites, each with its own style. The favorite is the Desert Flower Casita, which ranges from $275 to $379 per night for four people inside a mobile home that's been given new life as a rainbow paradise.
Breitenbush Hot Springs, Detroit, Oregon
Breitenbush Hot Springs in Detroit, Oregon, purposely keeps itself off the grid and as sustainable as possible. Here, the power and heat from the hot springs power and heat the entire facility, most of which was built using recycled resources; even the lumber is used from fallen branches rather than purposely cutting trees. Since many people clamor for a stay at this respite from the modern world, overnight facilities often book up in advance. If you want to snag a budget-friendly spot, book a campsite, which is just $112. For some of the best facilities that Breitenbush Hot Springs offers, rent one of its Mushroom Yurts, each named after a mushroom variety, and feature wood flooring and overhead cloth protection for up to $563 per night. With two queen beds each, they're right beside the river for optimum views.
At the hot springs, clothing is optional, but cell phones, alcohol, and even scented soaps and perfumes are not, as the resort does its best to help people detox from everyday life. It's been that way since its philosophy was established in the late 1970s. However, it's been a place for serenity long before that. For thousands of years, Breitenbush has been a place for people to gather due to the water's healing powers, making it an ideal spot for trade and special events.
Strawberry Hot Springs, Steamboat Springs, Colorado
It's all about being au natural at Strawberry Hot Springs in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, one of the nation's most magnificent winter sports destinations. At Strawberry Hot Springs, visitors aren't allowed to bring snacks, glasses, or alcohol. Credit cards and checks aren't accepted, and there's no electricity, running water, or internet access. Here, people can get in touch with the outdoors by enjoying the hot springs with or without clothes. That visit can start with lodging as budget-friendly as a campsite for $55 per night, just a short stroll from the hot springs with grills and tables so visitors can prepare their own meals during their rustic stay.
For a truly one-of-a-kind — and more luxurious — experience, book the onsite train caboose that has been transformed into a cabin. Since it is the most upscale lodging at Strawberry Hot Springs, the caboose can book up quickly, so don't wait to snag this hangout that includes a kitchenette, bathroom, fold-out couch, and gas fireplace for $115 per night. For another unique option at this hot spring resort, stay at one of the property's covered wagons, which have also been converted into cabin-like quarters with mattresses for $60 per night. To bring your trip to Strawberry Hot Springs to the next level, book a massage, such as the Watsu aquatic massage or varied modality massage.
Burgdorf Hot Springs, McCall, Idaho
It gets so chilly in McCall, Idaho, that temperatures can drop to 13 degrees Fahrenheit in the wintertime, and visitors can only get to Burgdorf Hot Springs by snowmobile during some months. However, it's worth it to soak in the three hot spring pools at around 111 degrees Fahrenheit. To access these gravel-floored pools lined with logs, visitors need to reserve their stay up to three months in advance. Want to turn your trip to Burgdorf Hot Springs into a long weekend? Get rustic by booking one of the resort's 15 cabins starting at $75 per night, which may not have electricity or running water, but they do have beds and wood stoves — as well as distinctive styles and stories, so choose the one that speaks loudest to you.
If you're a lover of history, then reserve The Long Tom, which dates back more than two centuries. Thought to be named after a trapper who was alive in the early 19th century, The Long Tom has amazing views and a comfortable ambiance, as well as one queen bed. For a completely different feel, reserve The Little White Cabin, which was a watchmaking store before it joined the Burgdorf Hot Springs family. With a white façade and a 1940s style, it also has one queen bed and a wood stove.
Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa, Moffat, Colorado
Indigenous people call the west side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, which includes Moffat, Colorado, one of the most spiritually energetically places on the continent. Visitors to Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa can feel that energy for themselves thanks to the mineral-rich water of the springs, which naturally heat to between 120 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit before cooling slightly to between 98 and 108 degrees Fahrenheit. Within those waters, which are cleaned regularly, visitors with problems such as insomnia, arthritis, poor blood circulation, and muscle aches can find healing thanks to natural minerals like boron, calcium, fluoride, iron, and magnesium.
To extend your stay at Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa, book one of the many onsite lodging options, ranging from $102 campsites to a two-bedroom, fully-furnished home with wood floors, a full kitchen, one bathroom, and sleeping quarters that accommodate up to four people. Or, sleep in a real once-in-a-lifetime lodging — a tipi, which starts at $129 per night and includes cots and mats for sleeping. Whether you choose to go rustic or luxury for your stay here, you'll receive unlimited access to the natural hot spring pools as well as two home-cooked meals featuring different types of cuisine like Caribbean, Asian, and Latin. Restful adults are the focus here, and kids and pets need supervision at all times.
Doe Bay Resort & Retreat, Olga, Washington
If you're looking to escape the hustle and bustle of real life for your stay at a hot spring resort, then it doesn't get much more remote than a soak at Doe Bay Resort & Retreat, which is located on Orcas Island, a San Juan Island off the coast of Washington. Visitors can choose everything from a budget-friendly campsite with the best views of the island — starting at just $54 per night during the wintertime — to cabins that accommodate up to 20 people for a maximum of $1,053 per night.
Even better, only those who have booked an overnight stay at Doe Bay Resort & Retreat can use its hot springs, unlike many other resorts that are open to people visiting for just an hour. This makes an exclusive experience where only guests can visit the soaking tubs, facilities, and Serenity Garden. But that's not the only garden at Doe Bay Resort & Retreat — it also has its own organic garden which is where many of the ingredients used in Doe Bay Café dishes are sourced from. The menus at the café are ever-changing with the seasons. It all follows the original philosophy of the resort, which was home to several small farms for decades. Even in the past, it was a paradise for natural healing when it was known as the Polarity Institute.
Uzdrowisko Cieplice, Jelenia Góra, Poland
A soak at Uzdrowisko Cieplice is also one with a storied history. Cieplice, a village in Poland that the spa calls home, has been known for its therapeutic waters, which have touched temperatures of nearly 200 degrees Fahrenheit for centuries. Unlike the other spas that also utilize the waters of Cieplice, Uzdrowisko Cieplice is the sole spa in the village with a license to extract these waters with healing properties. That means you can receive medical care and associated hydrotherapy treatments for as low as $80 per night, which includes three meals per day.
People with conditions like urinary tract diseases, eye diseases, post-traumatic problems, and musculoskeletal problems have all found relief at Uzdrowisko Cieplice due to its fluoride-silicon, mineral-rich waters. Even prominent historical figures like U.S. President John Quincy Adams and the Queen of Poland have visited the spa. Even if you don't have a condition you're looking to improve, you can still enjoy the spa's waters, which stem from the Karkonosze Mountains. It costs as low as $50 per person to stay overnight at Uzdrowisko Cieplice, including three meals and access to the hot springs. Tourists will find serenity right outside the spa, as the area is considered one of the most beautiful in the region and often has sunny days and crisp winds.
Grand Hotel Minerva, Baile Herculane, Romania
As the oldest hot spring on this list, the waters now used at the Grand Hotel Minerva in Băile Herculane, Romania, date back — at least — to a whopping A.D. 153. Some people even speculate that the resort was founded by Traian, the Roman emperor who ruled from A.D. 98 to 117. An ancient legend says that the Romans found the healing waters when their wounded horses soaked in the springs and soon recovered from their battle-related ailments. Today, the more than a dozen mineral pools at the Grand Hotel Minerva are used for much of the same, as only people looking to heal from their rheumatic, nervous system, or other conditions can bathe here.
Despite the historical and medicinal nature of the healing-rich waters of the Grand Hotel Minerva, it isn't expensive to stay here. People can stay overnight at the Grand Hotel Minerva for as low as $125 per day, which also includes breakfast and access to the onsite Armonia Spa. Romania is home to many magnificent protected natural treasures, and a stay at the Grand Hotel Minerva is a necessary part of any itinerary.
Las Hornillas Volcanic Hot Springs, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Want to walk inside an active volcanic crater before bathing in hot springs and healing mud baths? Then Las Hornillas Volcanic Hot Springs is the only spot in Costa Rica for you. For just $40 per person, visitors can have access to these one-of-a-kind deep-green waters within three thermal pools that are naturally heated to 212 degrees Fahrenheit and contain iron and sulfur. There are also hot mud baths which range from 176 to 392 degrees Fahrenheit, great for helping to calm and nourish skin. Visitors can also check out the bubbling water pools, which are created by hot volcanic gas escaping from the earth.
You can also make a night out of your visit to Las Hornillas thanks to the onsite cabins that are available for booking for $55 per person, which includes entrance to the hot springs and mud baths. Nearby is also a restaurant as well as a sauna for a true spa experience.
Methodology
From Iceland to Costa Rica, hot springs — which consist of waters naturally warmed by the earth that, luckily for us, have flowed to the surface — are everywhere, but budget-friendly options aren't. That's why we dug through hotel websites and roundups, travel guides, and tourism websites to discover hot springs resorts all over the world that not only offer overnight options but also offer reasonable prices as low as $20 per night. Before including these hot springs resorts, we also ensured that they offered a quality, clean experience, so no matter how much you spend, it's always worthwhile.