[Please note: As of 2018, the hotel no longer offers mineral spring water Jacuzzis in rooms. It is now supplied with regular tap water. I was told that the hotel guests complained about the sulfuric smell of mineral springs. What a shame. I was disappointed to hear this.]
Over the last few years my husband and I have visited Paso Robles, California, multiple times, relaxing and exploring the region's fabulous wineries (our favorite: Cypher Winery).
Because we usually stay at our friends's beautiful countryside home, Rock'N Vine (I never forget how lucky we are!), we rarely have a need for a hotel.
This time Rock'N Vine was rented out, and since it was our anniversary weekend we decided to get a hotel room. I have heard of Paso Robles Inn before and have walked by many times while at the Paso's main square. On the last trip we ate at the Hotel's Steakhouse, and learned that the hotel was built (in 1891) near the hot springs, and that the natural hot springs water is pumped directly into your room's private Jacuzzi!
Because Nick & I actually met in a Jacuzzi (in a fitness club), I knew that for our anniversary we must stay in Paso Robles Inn!
As much as I have traveled, I am ashamed to admit that I never experienced (but really wanted to!) hot springs anywhere.
I did try a sip of the smelly mineral hot spring water in Karlovy Vary/Carlsbad's famous Colonnade in Czech Republic, but never have I bathed/soaked in hot springs.
So we booked a night in one of the Paso Robles Inn deluxe mineral spa rooms, which is one of the few rooms in the hotel that feature private outdoor Jacuzzi tubs, directly fed by the famous Paso Robles hot springs.
Since we checked in after dinner it was already dark, and I didn't get a chance to take a good photo of the room (hotel rooms always look best with daylight, IMHO!).
But here is a photo from the hotel's website that looks almost identical to our room:
And here is my photo (at night):
I couldn't wait to get into the Jacuzzi so I started filling the tub as soon as we got to our room. The unmistakable smell of the hydrogen sulfide gas escaping into the air immediately hit my nose. If you have never smelled hot mineral springs, let me tell you this: sulfur stinks!! A bit like a boiled and possibly very rotten egg. With a bit of minerally earth.
To get past the smell, just think how good the water is for you! The healing powers of natural mineral hot springs around the world have been known to humanity & praised since the beginning of times. Native Americans and Missionaries in Paso Robles used these thermal waters to heal and recharge.
According to articles I have found on natural springs, the trace minerals and the smelly sulfur in the mineral springs water "help stimulate the body’s mucus membranes, soothe the respiratory system, calm the skin and ease symptoms caused by arthritis, back, shoulder and neck pain as well as detoxify the body."
While nobody guarantees the actual benefits of soaking in these springs, I found the whole experience incredibly relaxing and wonderful. The thing is, while I love baths, I really dislike normal Jacuzzis because of chlorine and other chemicals. You just sit there and inhale the evaporating (and scary!) chemicals, and end up smelling like an overly disinfected swimming pool. Thinking how many of these chemicals my skin is absorbing simply makes me shudder!
But here it felt good, pleasant and amazing to sit in a Jacuzzi filled with the perfectly warm natural hot springs water on our private balcony on a cold & rainy January night. No man-made chemicals. No chlorine! Yay!
By the way, these tubs are roomy enough for two adults, and the balcony is equipped with thick weatherproof curtains, should you choose to relax sans clothes. Which we did :)
Here is a photo of the balcony & the Jacuzzi that I "borrowed" from the hotel's website:
In the morning, I wanted to use the Jacuzzi again before we left. As the tub started to fill with water, we both couldn't believe the color we missed in the dark the night before. Yellowish!!!
We soaked (in our bathing suits and with curtains open) for about an hour, drinking tea and looking out at the beautiful hotel courtyard. It was overcast and misting and felt like the Pacific Northwest. This made our Jacuzzi feel even more cozy and warm!
Here is my point of view from the tub. Isn't it beautiful?
As we were leaving, we picked up a complimentary copy (really, free!) of a lovely hard-bound book entitled The History of The Paso Robles Inn: More Than A Century of Pride.
While I haven't read the whole book yet, I learned a lot about the history of the area, and that some of the notable hotel guests included John Wayne, Judy Garland and Herbert Hoover. Which made me feel extra fancy :)
I highly recommend this hotel. For us, it was a perfect romantic anniversary getaway!
The staff, the service, the cleanliness, the spaciousness of the room, the comfy bed, the pillows and the bathrobes, the fireplace - everything was great!
The location is perfect as well: the hotel is in the heart of the historic Paso Robles downtown, which is full of shops and restaurants.
Have you been to Paso Robles Inn? If so, did you enjoy it as much as I did?
Have you been to hot springs (anywhere in the world)? What was your experience?
Comment in the section below.
I would love to hear your stories!
Thanks for reading! :)