The Healing Waters of Central Texas Hot Springs

In 1892, less than a decade before the Spindletop strike ushered in the oil boom that would change Texas forever, San Antonians struck gold on the Southwestern Lunatic Asylum’s grounds. But it wasn’t “black gold” that shot out of the earth. Instead, the facility’s developers had stumbled onto an artesian well of mineral-rich water flowing out at a piping-hot 104 degrees. 

The discovery led to the establishment of the Hot Wells Hotel and Resort — a state-of-the-art getaway modeled after the luxurious “Bathhouse Row” in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Nestled on ten acres of pecan-tree dappled grounds right along the San Antonio River, the three-story resort featured three separate swimming pools and 45 private bathrooms. At the time, health tourism was booming, and doctors believed that a relaxing soak in hot water could cure anything from tuberculosis to diabetes. And while a hot soak might not be a cure-all for every ailment, experts do agree that mineral-rich waters can improve circulation, relieve stress, and help soothe and heal the skin.

Electric streetcars ferried visitors to the grounds, where they could see exotic animals, delight in equestrian activities, bet on ostrich races, or walk across a swinging bridge to visit the neighboring ruins of Mission San José. In its heyday, the hotel welcomed the likes of Theodore Roosevelt, Charlie Chaplin, J.P. Morgan and Douglas Fairbanks, but following the first World War and the dawn of the Prohibition Era, the facility’s popularity declined. After undergoing several conversions, Hot Wells Hotel and Resort shuttered its doors in 1977. 

Today, the ruins have become Hot Wells Park, where the empty pools and faded hand-painted signs are among the only remaining vestiges of the property’s history. Next door, though, is Camp Hot Wells — the icehouse and bathhouse drawing from the same waters as the historic spa. 

Transfixed by his father’s memories of the hotel as a child, James Lifshutz — the developer behind San Antonio’s Blue Star Arts Complex — had his heart set on restoring its magic for a new generation. Off the city’s Mission Reach hike-bike-and paddle trail, travelers can kick off their shoes and plop down at the “bar,” which features foot-soaking baths free to the public. 

Behind the bar lies a private oasis where patrons can lounge and enjoy drinks and snacks before indulging in an hour-long soak in one of two secluded suites. Each shaded by a dense expanse of trees, there’s the option to relax in the Cedar Suite with a cedar barreled tub or the Clawfoot Suite, which features two antique tubs. Each suite is also equipped with showers to rinse off and cool down when it’s time to head out. They’re booked year-round, but especially popular during the chilly winter months and mild spring nights. 

Since the pandemic, “hydrotherapy” has seen a return in popularity. Hot soaks, mineral baths and cold plunges are just a few of the ways people look to recharge. In the Texas Hill Country, hot springs are difficult to come by — but an hour east of Camp Hot Wells, down a scenic country road less than half a mile from Palmetto State Park a new option is springing up. Built on a well that once provided water to the renowned Warm Springs pediatric polio rehab hospital, Ottine Mineral Springs is preparing to open later this year. Decades after their doors closed, DeDe Gibson DeStefano has been working to redevelop the property with those same therapeutic goals in mind for today’s wellness enthusiasts. 

Their mineral pools, complete with smooth pebble bottoms and water features, are bordered by vine-covered walls and situated on a private courtyard with hammocks. Just a few steps away is a locker room with showers and a sauna, as well as a wood-fired pizza oven and fire pits. Previously open by invitation only, the relaxing retreat has played host to special moonlit yoga events and hopes to provide its upcoming visitors with an expanded range of treatments, including sound baths and meditation sessions. 

In Ottine and San Antonio, these soaks offer something that’s often hard to find: an opportunity to unplug, unwind, and get in touch with nature, if just for an hour. Whether it’s after a long paddle down the Mission Reach trail, a strenuous hike at Palmetto State Park or just an excuse for a well-deserved day trip, a hot soak might be just what the doctor ordered.