Bubbling Wells Oasis in Desert Hot Springs.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRANDON HARMAN
Bubbling Wells Oasis
14250 Yerxa Road, Desert Hot Springs
760-289-5128
bubblingwellsoasis.com
This 107-acre historic ranch boasts natural hot spring grottos and a thermal lake for the ultimate healing high. (Note to soakers: Rent a unit here, and you’ll have an expansive area to yourself; clothing is optional.) The remote preserve overlooking the valley is pet-friendly and offers guests three luxury rental units to choose from, all featuring pueblo-style design and private soaking areas. There’s even a Western-themed section. Elevate your experience with add-on spa treatments that come to you.BYOC(annabis).
ask a local
kaz murphy
Property manager, Bubbling Wells Oasis
Why Desert Hot Springs is so great:
“Many dedicated citizens have worked hard throughout the city’s history to advance it into the healing, magical, and visually stunning town that it is. With all the elements converging, I’m inspired every day.”
Most unique amenity at Bubbling Wells:
“We offer two lakes that are home to fish, turtles, and frogs and often visited by a huge variety of birds passing by.”
Best spot to visit:
“I recommend a visit to Whitewater Preserve. A short drive west, it’s a great spot to escape the heat, and you can actually swim in the Whitewater River. Plus, they’re dog friendly!”
Azure Palm Hot Springs Resort & Day Spa Oasis
67589 Hacienda Ave., Desert Hot Springs
760-251-2000
azurepalmhotsprings.com
Majestic mountain vistas. Desert-blue skies. Healing waters. Check, check, check. Miracle Hill is the backdrop for a few posh spa retreats, including Azure Palm, where a 100-foot-long pool filled with mineral water beckons lap-swimmers and hillside hot springs abound.
The Spring Resort & Spa
12699 Reposo
Way
Desert Hot
Springs
760-251-6700
the-spring.com
Built in 1957, this modest Miracle Hill hangout got its start as a rustic escape with a hand-painted sign and a rectangular pool. It saw a few celebrity regulars who sought a private getaway, but their names were kept under wraps, as they are today. Purchased in 2003 and renamed The Spring, the resort and spa now flaunts its main attraction: natural hot springs that flow into three pools and private outdoor bathtubs in select suites, as well as a host of spa services.
El Morocco Inn & Spa
66810 Fourth St., Desert Hot Springs
760-288-2527
elmoroccoinn.com
This 12-room inn and spa is adorned with a curated collection of artwork and architectural elements found on the owner’s treks to Morocco and around the globe, including handmade canopy fabrics that cascade from the rafters. Spa facilities are open to the public with the purchase of a day pass or a treatment — many of which include the application of Moroccan clay.
The Lautner Compound
67710 San
Antonio St.
Desert Hot
Springs
760-832-5288
thelautner.com
A favorite choice for weddings and events, this upscale property features four ultra-chic rental units that were designed and built in 1947 by modernist architect John Lautner. Like many midcentury buildings in the area, Lautner’s prototype pad was ultimately left to crumble. That changed 2008, when interior designer Tracy Beckmann and furniture designer Ryan Trowbridge purchased the building.
The Lautner, as it came to be called, re- opened as it stands today in 2011. Beckmann and Trowbridge expanded with the renovation of a neighboring 1957 ranch-house bungalow and a conjoining 10,000-square-foot open-air event space that has become quite the commodity. Couples looking to tie the knot often book a year in advance.
The draw is quiet luxury and sharp attention to decorative detail, conveying the desert’s coveted midcentury aesthetic in a decidedly contemporary California way.
Not staying here? The property offers tours for small groups and, from September 2022 to May 2023, a ticketed monthly happy hour at sunset.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY TWO BUNCH PALMS
Two Bunch Palms
67425 Two Bunch Palms Trail, Desert Hot Springs
800-472-4334
twobunchpalms.com
Since its founding in the 1930s, this adults-only retreat changed hands seven times over seven decades and was at one point said to be the secret refuge of gangster Al Capone.
In the ’70s, part of the property was designated clothing-optional, luring hippies and a handful of Hollywood’s elite (who still visit for the privacy). That au naturel soaking spot has become the stone grotto — swimwear required — where today’s bathers bask beneath the palm fronds between luxurious spa treatments, yoga sessions, and spiritual and meditative workshops.
Focused on sustainability, Two Bunch is a carbon-neutral resort with an on-site 3.5-acre solar farm that powers the entire property. The restaurant serves local farm-to-fork produce and whole foods free of hormones and synthetic additives.
We Care Spa
18000 Long Canyon Road
Desert Hot Springs
800-888-2523
wecarespa.com
Come for an intensive personal transformation. Leave with a new lifestyle. For nearly 40 years, practitioners at We Care Spa have facilitated guided fasting, educational workshops, and alternative healing modalities to help visitors achieve a healthier mindset and physical well-being.
Detox through diet and breathwork, then revitalize through treatments ranging from reiki and sound baths to clay wraps and mineral soaks. No wonder this 20-acre haven has been a go-to for the stars (Liv Tyler, Matt Bomer, and Stockard Channing are regulars). Twenty suites offer private terraces and tranquil desert views. A juice bar services the pool and adjacent cabanas, complete with circadian light fixtures to reset your internal clock.
healing installations
We Care Spa features healing installations including an Ancient Labyrinth, a walkable spiral of rocks in the sand, touted since ancient times as a powerful tool for reflection, invocation, and meditation.
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