by Robert Spuhler
What makes a place, a place? Sure, some boundaries are of the man-made variety: city limits are drawn by local governments, neighborhoods are set by blocks and individual properties can be defined by strategically placed hedges or fences. Others, however, are distinguished by nature. Here in the Sonoran Desert, what characterizes Castle Hot Springs is the water.
While deserts and water rarely go hand-in-hand, considering the resort’s name, this comes as little surprise. The water makes a difference in more than just its titular pools – from cooking to bathing to landscaping, benefit from the water from the 1100 acre property.
The water comes from deep within the earth, thus referred to as geothermal waters. Three cascading pools maintain a consistent temperature from 106 degrees to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The 300-foot-long stream that runs through the Spring Bungalows provides a soothing background sound and a visual marker that emphasizes the “desert oasis” ambiance.
One of the resort design consultants said, “Mary, we have lots of responsibilities on this project, the most important one is for the landscaping to blend seamlessly into the locale.” says Mary Hoffman, the landscape designer responsible for the resort’s look. “Before anything was there, when it was just the foundations of the building… that stream bed through the bungalows was important to preserve.”
The water is important for the onsite farm that supports and elevated culinary experience. Just as any fan of either Colorado beer or New York City bagels and pizza: when it comes to brewing, baking or cooking, the water matters, and the natural, unspoiled nature of it here makes for culinary dishes that let the ingredients shine, whether it is fresh pasta being boiled or tender green leafs being irrigated. This water has supported many of the plants, as spring water supplies Castle Hot Springs with its irrigation, too. The peppers in the ground, the citrus on the trees and the tomatoes in the greenhouse are all doused with that all-natural agua that fuels the sustainable farming initiatives on site.
If the water appeals to the sense of sight as a stream runs through the resort, and to taste by its use in the kitchen (and behind the bar), its most tangible experience for guests exists in the sense of touch. Waking up for an early-morning dip in the pool or soaking in the hot springs under a starry sky before bed feels like a bonding experience here – partially because everyone’s so friendly when they’re relaxing in the warm waters, but also because it’s a universal activity at Castle Hot Springs. No matter who you sit near at dinner, they’ll have a story about walking up the path to the springs and letting go of their tensions and day-to-day worries.
Guests can also feel the healing powers of desert spring water without leaving their own bungalow. Each unit has its own outdoor tub, surrounded by privacy fencing, in which guests can soak after a long day of hiking, traversing the Via Ferrata or going on any of the adventures available (even if those adventures looked a lot more like wine tasting rather than exerting strenuous effort).
Whether it is behind a privacy fence, sitting on the Harvest patio or walking to and from the hot springs, the water is the star of the Castle Hot Springs show. More importantly, the water links every activity, every room, and every dish or cocktail together, creating the unified sense of place that our lush desert hideaway is known for.