Ojo Santa Fe Spa Resort

What to expect

Ojo Santa Fe is a spa resort on 77 acres of cottonwoods, ponds and high desert in the La Cienega Valley, about 20 minutes south of downtown Santa Fe. For years it was Sunrise Springs Resort. The operator of Ojo Caliente took it over and reopened it under the Ojo name, tying it to its older sister resort in the north.

The site has a long history as a stopping place. It was once a paraje called El Alamo on the trade route into Santa Fe, where travelers watered their horses, ate a hot meal and slept before the last leg into town. People from nearby pueblos bathed in the water here.

Be clear about what you are getting. The resort describes its pools as spring-fed from a natural aquifer under the property, and they are kept at roughly 98-105°F37-41°C. It does not say the water comes out of the ground hot. This is a quiet, well-run spa with warm mineral-water pools around a pond, not a natural hot spring. If you want pools fed by thermal springs, Ojo Caliente is the place, about an hour north of Santa Fe.

The mood is hushed. Voices stay at a whisper on the grounds and in the pools, phones are silenced, and you may not photograph other guests.

The pools

The resort lists seven pools in three soaking zones:

• Pondside Repose pools, a set of three small pools at the edge of the main pond.
• Sages pool, a communal soaking pool.
• Hot Tub, the warmest option.
• Saltwater pool, a heated outdoor pool sanitized with salt rather than strong chemicals. It is open April to October and is included with a day pass (it is not sold separately).

The communal and private pools usually run about 98-105°F37-41°C. Individual pool temperatures are not published.

Private options (reservations required):

• Ojito private pool for two to four people: $75 for two guests for 50 minutes, plus $25 for each extra guest.
• Private soaking tub for one: $30 for 25 minutes or $55 for 50 minutes. Private soakers can use their own steam showers.
• Float tank: $75 for 50 minutes, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Infrared sauna: $30 for 25 minutes, $45 for 40 minutes, $55 for 50 minutes.

Prices and booking

Day soaking (2026):

• $45 per person, Monday to Thursday
• $65 per person, Friday to Sunday
• Includes the communal thermal pools, the seasonal saltwater pool, a locker and a towel
• Robe rental $20
• Arrive any time from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Sold at entry, first come, first served, with no reservations

Packages: Ojo Bliss is an all-inclusive spa day at $225 per person. The Dos Ojos Soaking Package ($175) covers soaking at both Ojo Santa Fe and Ojo Caliente.

Staying overnight includes unlimited use of the communal pools from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Rooms are listed from $312 for Garden View King and Double rooms, $425 for a one-bedroom casita and $475 for a two-bedroom casita. Rates change by date. Each room comes with two robes.

Book private soaks, spa treatments and rooms at 877-977-8212.

Rules and etiquette

• Age limits. No children under 13 in the soaking areas. Ages 13 to 17 must be with an adult (18 or older). Spa treatments are 18 and up.
• Swimsuits are required in communal areas. They are optional in private sessions.
• Shower first with the resort’s body wash until you are free of lotions and oils. Oil-free mineral sunscreen is allowed in the pools.
• Quiet. Whisper-level voices, phones on silent, no calls in the soaking areas, no photos of other guests.
• No smoking anywhere on the property.
• No alcohol, glass or outside food in the soaking areas. The gift shop sells snacks and drinks.
• No pets. Unattended pets can lead to a fine and a call to animal control.
• Lightning. Pools are cleared when lightning is within 10 miles.
• Bring your own sandals and a water bottle.

Getting there

The address is 242 Los Pinos Road, Santa Fe, NM 87507.

• From downtown Santa Fe (about 20 minutes): take St. Francis Drive (US 285) to the NM 599 interchange and go south on NM 599 for 12.5 miles. Turn right at the light onto the I-25 frontage road, then right onto Los Pinos Road, following signs for El Rancho de las Golondrinas. The resort is 2.6 miles along on the left.
• From Albuquerque airport (about 45 miles, 50 minutes): take I-25 north to exit 276 for NM 599, keep right for NM 599 north, then turn left at the light onto the I-25 South frontage road and right onto Los Pinos Road. Drive 2.6 miles.
• From Santa Fe airport (about 10 minutes): the resort runs a shuttle for $30 per person each way, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., booked 48 hours ahead.

The entrance is gated. Use the call box at the Guest Entrance to be let in. Roads are paved all the way.

When to go

The resort is open year-round. Weekdays are cheaper and calmer. Weekends, especially during Santa Fe’s busy summer and holiday seasons, are when the pools fill. The saltwater pool only runs from April to October, so a summer visit gets you the full set of pools. Winter evenings are cold at this elevation, which makes the warm pools more pleasant once you are in.

Where to stay nearby

• On site: garden rooms, courtyard suites and one and two-bedroom casitas. All include pool access. The Blue Heron restaurant serves breakfast through dinner with produce from the resort’s own farm, and there is free daily yoga.
• Santa Fe, about 20 minutes north, has every kind of hotel and inn, plus the city’s own spa, Ten Thousand Waves, in the foothills above town.

Safety notes

• Warm water and altitude. The resort is in the high desert, and the altitude adds to the effect of warm water. Drink water, keep soaks short at first, and get out if you feel lightheaded.
• Wet paths. Decks and paths around the pond can be slippery at night. Bring sandals with grip.
• Sun. The high-desert sun is strong. Use the oil-free mineral sunscreen the resort allows.

Nearby stops worth adding

El Rancho de las Golondrinas, the living history museum on the old Camino Real, is just down Los Pinos Road. The resort also runs a Puppy Patch with Española Humane, where guests can spend time with shelter dogs and even adopt one. Santa Fe’s Plaza and Canyon Road galleries are about 20 minutes north.