Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel Youtube Video
Did you know that there’s a little desert town just over an hour east of San Diego that’s known for its healing hot springs? It’s called Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel, a secret desert oasis right in the middle of nowhere.
For a couple of years, I had been getting Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel posts popping up on my Instagram feed and finally decided to check it out. We invited our friends Melissa and Anthony to join and hit the road to see if their natural hot springs truly had magical healing powers.
But before I tell you about the hotel, here’s a little backstory:
The History of Jacumba Springs Hotel
The land surrounding Jacumba (pronounced huh-KOOM-buh) has always been special. It was originally home to the Kumeyaay people, who were likely drawn in by the natural hot springs. In the 20th Century, the area turned into a glamorous spot for Hollywood stars looking for a quiet escape. However, when Interstate 8 got built just a couple miles north, people stopped passing through. The town went quiet for decades, almost frozen in time.
Fast forward to 2020 where three friends, under the name of We Are Human Kind, decided to buy a large percentage of the town with the intention to bring it back to life. Since then, they’ve been slowly rebuilding it. Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel is one of their first big projects.
About Our Stay at Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel
Dates
August 25 – August 27
Type
Tyler’s Birthday with some of our favorite people
Room
Siren Suite 11
Checking Into Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel
After about an hour of driving through the beautiful rolling hills and open stretches of the Southern California desert, we finally pulled into a dusty parking lot. Honestly, we almost missed our turn, ogling at the scenery around us. In front of the hotel is an airstream marked “Check-In”, hand-painted with funky fonts and steps leading you up towards the front door.
Walking through the door felt like stepping through a portal. One minute you’re surrounded by hot desert heat, and the next you’re in this cozy, yet air-conditioned van that’s both bohemian and retro. Behind the counter, Julie greeted us with a warm smile to check us in. I immediately felt right at home here. She handed each of us a wristband: a silky red cord with a leather tag stamped Jacumba. This will be our room key for the next two days and is our little ticket throughout their resort.
As we slipped our wristbands on, Julie grabbed a cocktail shaker from the counter. “This is our welcome drink! Would you like it with or without tequila?”, she asked with a grin. Naturally, we all say, “With” to get the party started!
With drinks in hand and bags slung over our shoulders, Julie gave us a quick tour of the property before dropping us off at our room: The Siren Suite 11. The second we open the door, we all just stop to absorb it all in. One glance around and the excitement of our trip starts to actually hit. This is not your average hotel room.
The Siren Suite 11 at Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel
Funny little story before we get started… I accidentally booked the reservation for two people instead of four. But as soon as I realized, I sent them an email to explain the mix-up. Within the next day, three different people responded, each checking in to make sure the reservation was updated. The last email even mentioned they would have the sofa bed made up for us before our arrival. I was blown away; we hadn’t even set foot on the property yet, and I already felt like I was genuinely taken care of.
When we stepped into the Siren Suite… just wow. Stunning doesn’t even begin to cover it. To the right sat our king-sized bed, tucked into a stucco alcove that made it feel cozy. To the left, a sectional sofa had been transformed into a queen bed. Across from us, a little mini bar with the cutest “pinch-pot” ceramic cups. Our room also had an open closet room with slots to fit all your luggage in.
The suite also came with a bluetooth record player and a small collection of vinyl. One of the records, Mahal by Glass Beams, quickly became the soundtrack of our trip. Anthony loved it so much he ended up buying a copy for himself. (Fun fact: we later learned that they switch up the record selection every now and then so each stay can feel unique.)
The bathroom design is the reason why I booked this particular room and it did not disappoint. The double vanity gleamed with teal tiles that reminded me of mermaid scales, paired with ornate golden hardware. A double-headed walk-in shower that ended up being one of the most luxurious showers I’ve ever had. No joke. And a jetted bathtub that lets you control the temperature, pressure, and even the lights.
If the room and welcome drinks wasn’t enough, they also left us homemade cookies and a handwritten note.
The Mineral Pools at Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel
And of course… what we really came here for: The natural mineral pools.
The hotel has three mineral pools: The Ritual Pool, the Solstice Pool, and for hotel guests, the exclusive Echo Room. Each one is packed with minerals like hydrogen sulfide, bicarbonate, silica, sodium, lithium, manganese, and chloride. It’s like a natural remedy for your muscles, joints, skin, and general sense of well-being. Fair warning: the natural sulfur gives the pools a bit of an “egg” smell at first, but you get used to it, I promise.
Before hopping in, everyone has to lather up in the hotel’s natural sunscreen because store-bought sunscreen doesn’t mix well with the pool’s water. Once you’re all coated up, you can choose your pool:
We found the Ritual Pool to be the lively one: perfect for lounging by the pool with your friends and sipping drinks. The Solstice Pool is quieter: more relaxing and unwinding on their giant chaise loungers. The Echo Room is open 24 hours for hotel guests. Late at night, we’d sneak in and just let the water work its magic.
No matter which pool you picked or hopped around to,by the end of the day, we felt lighter and completely relaxed.
Food at Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel
Jacumba has a couple of food spots, but we spent most of our meals at Long Shadow and snuck into the Hideaway Bar for drinks.
For breakfast, Tyler and I went half-and-half on sweet and savory: Chilaquilles and French Toast. The morning beverages are worth a glance too. I highly recommend the Morning Ritual Juice, a bright and vibrant blend of beet, carrot, pineapple, lemon, and apple juice. We also tried the Golden Tonic: oat milk, turmeric, honey, cinnamon, and thyme. We had it served on iced but, I keep thinking about how frothy and amazing it would taste when heated up on a cool morning.
If you only order one thing from the menu, make it the Mezze Trio. It’s a fun platter to share featuring warm naan bread to dip in either babaganoush, hummus, or goat cheese. We loved it so much that we ordered it twice during our trip.
And can we talk about our server, Justin? He was phenomenal and made us feel like a VIP every time we saw him!
The Hideaway Bar at Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel
After a day in the desert heat, stepping into the Hideaway Bar feels like escaping into a secret, moody oasis. I went for the Fresca-Rita: your choice of tequila or mezcal with fresh watermelon, lime, and vanilla agave. We also did a round of Far East Bazaar, Jacumba’s take on an espresso martini. Let’s just say… every espresso martini we’ve had since is now being compared to this one, and nothing else is coming close.
Happy Hour at Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel
They have a happy hour Monday through Friday from 3-5 pm, and all day on Tuesday. It includes $6 draft beers, $8 house wine, $10 wells, mules, and margaritas, plus $5 off bar food. We grabbed a round during happy hour and Justin even brought our drinks to the Ritual Pool so we could sip while floating in the warm water. Later in the afternoon, we nestled into the cozy booths at the bar with a few snacks including the delicious, charred Shishito Peppers.
Things to Do at Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel
The hotel is made to slow down and enjoy a few very special experiences like:
Jacumba Lake
Just a quick walk from the hotel, the team at We Are Human Kind is bringing this public natural hot springs lake back to life. There are little chairs set along the shore if you want to relax or you can take a kayak or canoe onto the water.
Morning Yoga
Not during our stay, but we learned that weekend yoga classes are sometimes offered in one of their desert tents as the perfect way to start your day.
Spa Services
This wasn’t around when we stayed, but the hotel now offers 60, 90, or 120 minute massages in their spa tents or even in the privacy of your room.
Community Events
Every month, Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel hosts events like a monthly Bazaar and DJ Sets at the Bathhouse. You really get the sense that Jacumba is slowly being brought back to life, with locals involved alongside the hotel.
One thing that really stood out to us was that We Are Human Kind are working with the Jacumba community like prioritizing Jacumba business owners over outside businesses. We were a little worried about gentrification, but it genuinely feels like they’re building something sustainable for the entire community.
Some Things To Note About Our Stay
Wristbands
The red cord wristbands are cute but they tend to slip off since the material is a little silky. Nothing major, we just had to keep an eye on them throughout our stay. But since they let us into our rooms and open access into most areas of the hotel, it would be nice if they reliably stayed on our wrists.
Sulfur Smell
Unlike some other hot springs resorts, there’s a sulfur smell. It may linger a bit after you leave but honest, you get used to it during your stay. And the way the mineral water makes your skin and body feel is totally worth it.
Natural Sunscreen
You can’t use regular store-bought sunscreen in the pools. They provide a natural sunscreen that takes a little getting used to. It’s not a big deal once you know it’s helping protect the pool’s natural waters.
Exploring Outside the Resort
There isn’t much outside the hotel to explore at the moment. But we can see this is only just the beginning of the town’s redevelopment. But right now, the focus is really on relaxing, soaking, and unwinding. That said, between the pools, the delicious foods, and all the property’s hidden details, we never felt bored for a second. Just come in with the mindset of slowing down to enjoy the desert oasis escape.
Overall Thoughts About Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel
I almost didn’t want to share my experience at Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel because it felt so magical. And a part of me wanted to keep it our little secret forever.
Between the mineral pools, the bar, the restaurant, and the beautifully curated rooms, there was never a dull moment. Even though there isn’t a ton to do outside the property yet, we found ourselves content staying put. Honestly, we could have added another night just to really soak it all in.
What really made the stay special though, were the people. Julie, who welcomed us at check-in, Justin, our amazing server, and Jacob from the bar- they all went out of their way to make us feel at home. Staying at Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel felt like being part of an amazing comeback story and also being welcomed into a growing community.
So… did the Jacumba Hot Springs heal my ‘ol worn-down bartender body? Maybe not in the “miraculous, magical healing water” kind of way. But more in the sense that you leave feeling lighter, more relaxed, and genuinely happy. The magic comes from the experience itself: the water, the environment, the food, and the people. We can’t wait to visit again!