If I could go back...
this is what I would do differently....
Related Blog: Why You Should Only Stay at The Springs Resort & Spa
Read More.....
It is Truly a Resort Experience
From the minute you walk into the resort, you feel the luxury in it. It's a beautiful resort and the staff is very professional. The building is beautiful and the hot springs are pure lux. Most people that are going to Pagosa Springs are looking for this experience. I recommend that you truly live that experience.
24-Hour Access to Hot Springs
As a hotel guest, you get 24-hour access to the hot springs. For this reason alone, it is 100% worth it to stay at the hotel. You can enjoy it late at night or early morning when there are fewer people around. If you are just going to the hot springs as a guest, you only have access from 9 am-10 pm. Take advantage of the rest of the time. Trust me, you will enjoy it!
Enjoy Relaxaction Terrace
If you are traveling without children, this is a must! You will want to stay in this area where it is an adults-only hot-springs. It is also less crowded. For these two reasons alone, it is completely worth it. I didn't stay at the resort, but I paid the extra fee to be able to enjoy this area. You will have fewer people, more hot spring pools, and a server always coming around to take your food and drink order.
Lockers Not Available
This might not seem like a very big deal...until you have to carry everything around with you. If you stay at the resort, you can keep everything in your room and only take what you will need.
This is a must if you truly want to enjoy your time in Pagosa Springs. After all, we go to Pagosa to enjoy the hot springs. As soon as you drive into Pagosa Springs, you will see this resort. Let me tell you, it is exactly like the photos. It is an absolute beauty. Don't miss out! Read the rest of the reasons....
Bath Robes & Towels
As a resort guest, you will have access to bath towels and bathrobes. This makes it a lot easier for your stay. As a hot springs day pass, you will only have access to towels. You can upgrade to the relaxation pass to get the robe.
Do the Math
The Springs Resort & Spa is a beautiful and luxurious resort. That being said, the price tag reflects it. However, let me tell you. It will be completely worth it. You will enjoy the true luxury of a resort and we all deserve that feeling. Now, let's get to the math, because if the feeling of true luxury doesn't excite you, then maybe the logical math explanation will. The last time I checked rates, it was an average of $279 for 2 queen-sized beds. Now, the relaxation package is $59 per person which includes adult-only hot springs and bathrobes. So if it's two people then that is $118 for two people. That leaves $161 for a hotel room. Let me tell you, if you want a nice room in town, it will be very difficult to find a room at this rate! Most Airbnb and cabins are slightly cheaper, but then there is a cleaning fee. I stayed in a nice hotel that was a little west of the main part of town and I paid $137. I would have 100% paid the additional $24 to stay at the resort and enjoy the resort for what it is...a luxury. Now, depending on when you go to Pagosa, the rates will vary. You can see that if two people are traveling, then paying to stay at the resort is completely worth it. If you want to stay on a budget you can pay for the springs only and stay at a different place, the day rate for the springs is $35.
Full disclaimer, I did eat here. However, I only have an appetizer and a drink. We made a quick stop here. Let me tell you, have dinner here. It is the only restaurant by the river and directly across The Springs Resort & Spa. You can sit on the patio and enjoy the view. The drinks and the food we had was very good.
Stay at Least 2 Nights
I was on a two-week road trip and I didn't think it would be necessary to stay in Pagosa for two nights. I was wrong. It is so nice to stay in the town for two days. You can enjoy both days in hot springs, or you can enjoy on a hot spring day and then go for a hike, enjoy all the boutiques and restaurants in town. There is so much more to do and I wish I would have taken advantage of this!
Eat Paletas at Antojitos
I 100% missed this place while I was there and I am so bummed. I love ice cream and I love myself some Mexican paletas. It's enough to make me want to go here just to eat some paletas. I've you've had Mexican paletas then you know how delicious they are, and if you haven't...try them here.
Here is the address: 448 Pagosa St, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
Hike Treasure Falls
It's a beautiful and easy hike. From my research, it looks like it would only take about 45 minutes round trip. I will hike any hike I can that will lead me to a beautiful view...and a waterfall qualifies. So, if I could go back, I would love to hike Treasure Falls.
Have Coffee at Root House Coffee
This place looks so so cute. Seriously. I was so bummed I didn't make it to this coffee shop. I love coffee and I love to find coffee shops when I travel. This coffee shop is also on the river and can be seen from Pagosa Hot Springs. Do yourself a favor and swing by!
Have a Beer at Riff Raff Brewing
Ok. I love beer! I will have micro beers in every town. At least, I will try to have it. So why I missed this...I don't know. Well, I do know. It's because I didn't stay in Pagosa Springs long enough. If you have the time and you like beer. Swing by here. I checked out their website and they seem to have a great selection of beer and some fun names to go along with them. When you go, let me know what you think!
There you have it. It's my list of what I wish I would have done. These are mistakes that could be avoided and could help you enjoy your time in Pagosa Springs. Overall, the biggest lessons I learned about Pagosa Springs are; stay at Springs Resort & Spa, spend at least 2 nights and explore all of what Pagosa has to offer, restaurants, hikes, breweries and coffee shops. It is such a cute town where you can walk around and enjoy it.
Here is a list of websites that will help you with your travels.
Pagosa Springs is the official visitor information page. This is an extremely helpful site. I went to this site several times before I arrived in Pagosa. I highly recommend visiting this site first.
The Springs Resort & Spa has a beautiful site with all the information you will need for the resort.
Tequila’s Mexican Restaurant doesn’t have a website, but you can find reviews on Yelp.
Here is Root House Coffee’s website. You can even buy coffee here. If you scroll all the way down, they have a nice map of local attractions.
Be ready for the Riff Raff Brewing. They have a super cool website with all of their drinks on there.
Ok....what else did I miss? Let me kow below!
