Lithia Springs Resort

What to expect

Lithia Springs Resort is a hotel with a hot spring in the plumbing rather than a hot spring with a hotel attached. Warm mineral water rises beneath the lawns and gardens on the north edge of Ashland, and the resort pipes it to its rooms. Most units have a private soaking tub, a mineral water shower or both. You fill your own tub and soak in private.

There is no big communal hot pool fed by the spring. If you want to sit in steaming water under the open sky with strangers, this is the wrong place. If you want a quiet room, a deep tub of mineral water and a short drive to the theatres and restaurants in Ashland, it fits well.

The grounds cover about four acres, with a koi pond and fountain, a gazebo, an aspen grove, a fire pit and a wine garden. There is also an outdoor saline swimming pool and a jacuzzi behind a wrought iron fence, plus a small fitness cottage, a tea room and a library.

The water

The resort says its spring water reaches the surface at about 90°F32°C. Sulfur is the main mineral, along with a range of others. To keep the sulfur smell down, staff bubble air through holding tanks before the water goes to the rooms, which drives off most of the gas. Filtered mineral water runs to the tub, the shower and the tap in many rooms.

Ashland has a long history with mineral water. The resort’s own history notes that the area’s lithium, sulfur and soda springs drew people for centuries and that Native people treated the springs as common ground for local tribes. In the early 1900s promoters called Ashland the “Carlsbad or Baden-Baden of America”. The resort markets the water for wellness. Treat the health claims as marketing.

A few sources give the outdoor pool and hot tub at roughly 100-104°F38-40°C. The resort does not publish a figure, so we have left that out of the summary data.

Rooms

The resort has 46 accommodations: studios, rooms, suites and bungalows. Some have two-person soaking tubs beside a gas fireplace. A Family Suite sleeps up to seven. Several room types are pet friendly, including the Patio Bungalows, Patio Bungalow Plus, Family Suite and Little Gem.

The resort is run by the Neuman Hotel Group, and the owner and creative director, Becky Neuman, designed the interiors. Older reviews mention 38 rooms; the count went up after an expansion.

Getting there

The resort is at 2165 West Jackson Road, Ashland, about 3 miles from downtown in the Rogue Valley.

• From the north (Portland, Eugene, Medford): Take Interstate 5 south to exit 19. Follow South Valley View Road toward Ashland, then turn onto West Jackson Road to the resort.
• From California: Take I-5 north over the Siskiyou Pass, continue past the southern Ashland exits to exit 19, and follow the same route.

Parking on site is included in the $20 nightly resort fee. Downtown Ashland and Lithia Park are a short drive or bike ride away; the resort lends cruiser bikes.

When to go

The resort is open year-round. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons in the Rogue Valley, and the in-room tubs are most appealing on cool evenings. Summer is hot and busy, and the outdoor saline pool is heated during the warmer months. Rooms book up on weekends and around big events in Ashland, so reserve early.

Prices and booking

• Who can soak: Overnight guests only. The resort does not sell day passes or day-use rooms, and the private tubs and showers are part of the room.
• Room rates: Rates change with the season and events. Check the resort website for current prices. A $20 nightly resort fee per room covers parking.
• Age rule: The person reserving and checking in must be 21 or older.
• Check-in and check-out: Check-in from 4 p.m., check-out by 11 a.m. Early check-in and late check-out are sometimes possible for a fee.
• Cancellation: Standard bookings can be cancelled up to 72 hours ahead. Promotional and non-refundable rates have their own terms.
• Breakfast: A buffet runs daily from 7:30 to 10 a.m. for $5 per person.
• Pets: $35 per pet per day in pet-friendly rooms. Service animals are exempt.
• Spa: The on-site Waterstone Spa has a couples massage room, a facial room and a private soaking tub room. Appointments are required; call 541-488-0325.

Rules and etiquette

The tubs are in your own room, so the usual hot spring etiquette mostly comes down to common sense. Soak as you like in private. Wear a swimsuit in the outdoor pool and jacuzzi. The Wine Garden is open to the general public as well as guests, so expect some non-guests on the grounds in the evening.

Where to stay nearby

You stay here. If the resort is full, downtown Ashland has many inns and bed and breakfasts within a few miles, and Medford, about 15 minutes north on I-5, has the region’s chain hotels.

Safety notes

• Hot tubs and alcohol: The wine garden is right there. Do not soak long after drinking, and keep tub temperatures moderate.
• Water temperature: You control the tub temperature in your room. Test it before you get in, especially with children.
• Sulfur: Mineral water can tarnish silver jewelry. Take rings and chains off before soaking.

Nearby stops worth adding

Lithia Park in downtown Ashland runs up Ashland Creek from the plaza and makes an easy walk. The Rogue Valley’s wineries are a short drive away, and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s theatres are in the middle of town.