The stress of the holiday season can often feel overwhelming, whether caused by shopping malls decking the halls with the year’s must-have gifts and airports bursting at the seams, or not being able to gather together with family and friends as usual.
This year, take a break from it all and gift yourself a peaceful holiday getaway at Castle Hot Springs. The wide-open spaces, quiet of the desert and luxe accommodations provide a truly idyllic setting for a seasonal retreat, complete with farm-to-table dining, countless hiking trails (and the perfect weather to explore them), lux spa services and, of course, the mineral-rich hot springs.
Located just north of the Phoenix and Scottsdale metro area, Castle Hot Springs specializes in blending relaxation with adventure. The lush oasis of palm trees and private bungalows isn’t just a wellness resort, either (although it is that, too, and very much so). One of the many beauties of the resort is that each guest’s experience can be tailored exactly to their individual desires. Want to practice your putting, play bocce ball, and sample your way through specialty craft cocktails at Bar 1896 every day? Deal. Want to have every bit of muscle tension melted out of your body at the spa and float the days away in the hot springs? Done. Want to do a little bit of everything — hiking, yoga, luxuriously long meals at Harvest, farm tours, pool time, exploring the Via Ferrata? You got it.
For the holidays this year, let the resort be exactly what you need to round out the end of 2020 and welcome in 2021.
For the explorer
Adventure takes many forms at Castle Hot Springs, and late autumn into the winter months is the quintessential time to experience all of them.
On and near the resort grounds are numerous hiking and horseback riding trails, offering paths into the craggy canyons of the Sonoran Desert and rugged beauty of the Bradshaw Mountains. Nearby, Lake Pleasant awaits. One of the largest lakes in Arizona, its calm waters are ideal for paddleboarding, kayaking, and fishing.
For something more adrenaline-inducing, book a guided ATV tour or tackle the resort’s famed Via Ferrata adventure course. The only one of its kind in Arizona — and one of just a handful in the United States — the Via Ferrata combines the excitement of rock climbing with the thrill of a high-ropes course, all to the backdrop of the beautiful desert landscape. Test your courage and scale a 400-foot-tall peak using state-of-the-art equipment, or build your rock-climbing skills on the climbing wall.
For the foodie
The terms “farm to table” and “locavore dining” can easily be twisted into little more than clichés nowadays. Not so at Castle Hot Springs. Here, the produce you see on your plate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Harvest and Bar 1896 is literally plucked from the on-site farm, just steps away from your table. See the variety of vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers first-hand with the daily farm tour, and keep the chefs company as they prepare that day’s pizzas, meat, roasted veggies and more in the outdoor wood-fired oven.
Every dish served at Castle Hot Springs is designed with intention, and reflects the passion of the chefs and agronomists as well as the bounty of that particular season. Harvesting happens year-round (don’t forget to check out the greenhouse!) and the flavor combinations — crafted both for meals as well as for Bar 1896’s wonderfully creative cocktails — are endless.
That depth of flavor will be on display during the holidays in the form of a traditional Thanksgiving day feast and a modern interpretation of holiday classics on Christmas Day.
For the wellness aficionado
Floating in the hot springs, greeting the day with yoga, meditating to the quiet of the desert, soothing your muscles with a customized massage: for all its offerings, at its core, Castle Hot Springs is a haven of wellness and relaxation. Away from the confines of city life and sharing the natural gifts that are the mineral-saturated hot springs, the resort offers an open invitation to center oneself and just breathe.
The four pillars at Castle Hot Springs are emergence in nature, hot springs, yoga and spa services, and farm-to-table culinary experiences. Each can be embraced to whatever degree feels best and are available only to overnight guests, guaranteeing an exclusive experience.
Adding to the sense of escape is the fact that there are just 30 rooms on the property, each luxuriously outfitted and situated with private decks and porches. Additionally, the deep tub in every room is connected directly to the hot springs, bringing the soothing waters directly to you — an opportunity to unwind in total solitude and reflect on the past year while looking forward to the next.