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September is Greater Palm Springs Spa Month, and visitors can enjoy a bevy of spa specials at standout boutique hotels and other venues. That might mean a massage or luxury facial, soaking in natural mineral waters, experiencing a sound bath or yoga class, or simply spending a quiet afternoon by the pool. The mission: leave feeling restored and plot your return for another round.
“Greater Palm Springs has such a natural connection to wellness, and Spa Month gives visitors a chance to experience the incredible variety we have across our nine cities,” said Visit Greater Palm Springs Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Colleen Pace. “It’s also a great opportunity to try someplace new or turn a favorite spa experience into a full getaway.”
A history of wellness in Palm Springs
Incorporate a facial into your next spa day in Palm Springs. Photo by Engin Akyurt on Unsplash
Wellness has been part of the story of Palm Springs as a destination for generations. Long before Greater Palm Springs became known for its resorts and spas, people — especially Hollywood celebrities — were drawn to the natural hot mineral waters, sunshine, open spaces, and desert landscape.
“Spa Month celebrates that heritage while showcasing the many ways wellness has evolved across our nine cities,” Pace said. “And it fits the Palm Springs lifestyle beautifully. There’s a certain permission here to slow down, spend the afternoon by the pool, book the massage, enjoy a leisurely lunch, and simply take some time for yourself.”
Spa Month is a destination-wide program that brings together boutique hotels, resort spas, day spas, wellness centers, and natural hot springs across the region’s nine cities, meaning visitors can experience wellness at very different scales.
So, is there a right way to “spa,” especially at a boutique hotel? “Don’t rush it,” Pace said. “Choose the experience that appeals to you and then give yourself time to enjoy it. Take advantage of what makes that property special. Have the treatment, but also enjoy the pool, the garden, the sauna, or cold plunge. There’s something wonderful about being able to walk back to your room afterward and not immediately jump back into your day.”
Variety abounds here. From the truly relaxing, clothing-optional gay men’s haven of Desert Paradise Resort to the luxurious L’Horizon Resort & Spa to the downtown classic Andreas Hotel & Spa, there are countless opportunities to unwind and reset. Be sure to explore special offers before booking. In the meantime, take note of our other boutique hotel spa highlights.
Pura Vida Spa at El Noa Noa
After a treatment, relax some more in the pool and outdoor spa. Photo courtesy of El Noa Noa
El Noa Noa’s Pura Vida Spa is now Ayurvedic focused. That’s good news for guests who appreciate treatments like Ayurvedic consultations, Vata Pacifying Abhyanga (a warm oil massage designed to calm and balance the Vata dosha), and reflexology. Derived from The Vedas, the sacred scriptures of Hinduism and the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature from ancient India, Ayurveda (meaning science of life) is a science-based philosophy and lifestyle spanning back more than 5,000 years.
Pura Vida Spa’s Kelli Lewis is an expert Ayurvedic practitioner, massage therapist, and holistic wellness specialist. “Most of what we consider holistic or preventative wellness has its origins in Ayurveda,” she said. “Ayurveda teaches that ‘the mind’ is in the body, in each cell, and cannot be separated from it. Therefore, we are as we think. Peace in the mind is a core objective.”
With its oversized rooms, private soaking tubs, and king-sized beds, El Noa Noa was created with couples in mind, and is the perfect setting for these unique spa services. During September, enjoy $20 off all spa treatments. To receive the discount, mention “September Spa Discount” when booking.
Terra Palm Springs
A look inside the Himalayan salt sauna at Terra Palm Springs. Photo courtesy of Terra Palm Springs
Ayurveda also plays a big part at Terra Palm Springs, a tranquil 13-room boutique and wellness-focused hotel with a focus on relaxation and rejuvenation. “The environment here is calm and relaxing,” said General Manager Kurt Englund. “People are in sync — they’re here to relax, unwind, and just enjoy the experience.”
The venue has one single treatment room and several dedicated spa therapists trained in Ayurvedic experiences. Take note of the popular Swedish massage, an all-body focused treatment. An herbal massage also stands out here.
“We have guests fill out a Dosha questionnaire before the treatment — a questionnaire that tells us where they’re at,” Englund said of the experience. “Everything from whether they’ve been feeling scattered or overwhelmed by thoughts to other emotional and physical conditions.”
Once in treatment, custom essential oils can be used; the spa offers the Surya product line with diagnostic oils. Other treatments may focus on energy points on the body or are more herbal focused, perhaps targeting the lymph system. There’s a Himalayan salt sauna, which helps clear your respiratory system, a cold plunge set at 50 degrees, and a rain room with massive rain shower head.
“It’s basically the entire room,” Englund said. “You turn on the shower, and you just enjoy the experience. We do have some sound effects in there, like a thunderstorm, for example. I’ve seen people just go in there and sit for 20 minutes.”
For Spa Month, Terra Palm Springs is offering 10% off room rates, plus $75 off one treatment during your stay.
Spa Serena at La Serena Villas
Spa Serena’s treatment room is steps away from the pool. Photo courtesy of La Serena Villas
This fabulous property, with its glorious pool setting and relaxing environment, recently received a Michelin Key for the second year in a row. The award signifies recognition among the most exceptional hotels worldwide. Think of each room here as being its own kind of “villa.”
For Spa Month fun, Spa Serena is promoting a 90-minute Happy Couples Massage. Book this and you’ll also receive a complimentary Scalp Warm Oil Treatment. Collectively, the relaxing massage and scalp treatment is designed to ease tension, improve circulation, and create the ultimate relaxation experience.
Another special piqued our interest too: the 90-minute La Serena Agua Facial. It features Epicutis clinical-grade skincare, a cooling bio-cellulose mask, cryo facial globes, and LED light therapy for radiant, hydrated skin. You’re also sent home with a complimentary Epicutis Luxury Discovery Kit, featuring some of key products used during the treatment.
Dive Palm Springs
The cold plunge is one wellness offering at Dive Palm Springs. Photo courtesy of Dive Palm Springs
Dive is intentionally cozy. This 13-room, Michelin Key preferred hotel is inspired by the French Riviera of the 1960s, and that intimacy shapes everything about the experience. Its wellness amenities — infrared sauna, cold plunge, jacuzzi, and heated pool — are part of a larger idea of what Dive wants to be: a place where you can genuinely disappear for a little while.
For Spa Month, the hotel wants to give people an “opportunity to experience Dive even if they’re not staying overnight,” said Chris Caparro, branding and marketing executive of Dive. “Through ResortPass, guests can spend the day with us and enjoy the pool, jacuzzi, infrared sauna, and cold plunge, all within this intimate, adults-only setting. You’re experiencing the same atmosphere and amenities our hotel guests enjoy. Dive only has 13 rooms, so it still feels private, relaxed, and very personal.”
Caparro added that the spa doesn’t think of wellness as a “traditional” hotel spa experience. “It’s much more integrated into the way you spend your day here,” he said. “You can start with the cold plunge, warm up in the infrared sauna, relax in the jacuzzi, swim, and then spend a few hours doing absolutely nothing by the pool. That freedom is really the focus.”
