Roman Spa Hot Springs Resort

What to expect

Roman Spa Hot Springs Resort is a mid-sized hotel at 1300 Washington Street in Calistoga, at the north end of the Napa Valley. It is not a wild spring. It is a family-run property, founded by the grandparents of the current generation and still run by the same family, with about 60 rooms and suites arranged around landscaped courtyards, fountains and a shared barbecue area. The Palisades, the steep ridge on the northeast side of town, fill the view behind it.

The draw is the water. Calistoga sits on a geothermal field, and Roman Spa pumps hot mineral water from wells on its own grounds into three pools. Those pools are not huge or dramatic. They are ordinary hotel pools in shape, filled with naturally hot water instead of heated tap water, and that is exactly why people come back: you can soak at night under the stars, then walk to dinner on Lincoln Avenue.

The second reason to come is the spa. The Baths at Roman Spa does the mud bath Calistoga is known for, a tub of local volcanic ash, peat and geothermal water that you sink into, followed by a mineral soak and a cool-down.

The pools

The resort lists three pools, all filled with geothermal water from its wells:

• Large outdoor pool: 92-96°F33-36°C, depending on the season. Warm enough for a long, slow swim in winter.
• Indoor jetted pool: 100°F38°C. The one to use when it is raining or cold out.
• Outdoor jetted hot tub: 103°F39°C. The hottest water on site.

The pools are open from 8 AM to 10 PM every day, and until midnight on New Year’s Eve. House rules keep them quiet: no jumping, splashing, diving, Marco Polo or noodle fights, though foam noodles are provided for floating. Restrooms by the pool area have changing space, a single shower and a dry sauna. There are no locker rooms, so if you are a spa guest, plan to change in the restrooms or your room.

Getting there

Calistoga is the last town at the top of the Napa Valley, where Highway 29 swings onto Lincoln Avenue, the main street.

• From San Francisco and the East Bay: Head north to Napa, then follow Highway 29 up the valley through Yountville and St. Helena to Calistoga. In town, Highway 29 becomes Lincoln Avenue. Turn onto Washington Street; the resort is a block north of Lincoln.
• From Santa Rosa and Sonoma County: Take Calistoga Road or Petrified Forest Road east over the hills. Both are winding two-lane roads that drop you into the north side of town.
• From the north (Lake County): Highway 29 comes down from Middletown over Mount St. Helena and enters town from the north.

Self-parking is free for hotel and day spa guests. If the lot is full, there is a public lot across the street. Weekend traffic on Highway 29 through St. Helena can be slow, so leave time if you have a spa appointment, because late arrivals get a shorter treatment.

Prices and booking

Roman Spa is mainly a hotel, and the pools are a guest amenity. Day visitors get in through the spa. Prices below are from the resort’s 2026 spa menu and specials pages.

• Mud bath (55 minutes): $145 Monday to Friday, $150 Saturday and Sunday. Includes a clay mask and cool-down.
• Private mineral bath: $110.
• Mud, mineral soak and massage package: $269 to $329, depending on massage length and day.
• Massages: from $149 (45 minutes, weekdays).
• Pool access for spa guests: available Sunday to Friday with a treatment of 45 minutes or longer, for an extra charge. Ask the price when you book.
• Wellness Wednesdays: 10% off treatments plus day-use pool access for $15, 10 AM to 4:30 PM.
• Two for Tuesdays: two mud baths for $245.

A 20% gratuity is added automatically to spa bills. You can ask reception to adjust it. The spa is open from 9 AM to 5 PM, every treatment needs a reservation, and cancelling or rescheduling within 72 hours of your appointment costs the full price. The resort is cashless and takes all major cards.

Age limits: Everyone receiving a spa service must be 18 or older. Children under 4 cannot use the pools or enter the gated pool area. Kids over 4 can use the large outdoor pool and the indoor pool with an adult.

What to wear: A swimsuit in the pools. For the mud bath you can wear your own suit, but the resort warns that mud and sulfur can stain or ruin fabric, so bring an old one you do not mind losing.

For overnight guests, check-in is at 3 PM and check-out at 11 AM. Deposits are non-refundable unless you cancel at least 72 hours ahead (5 days for holidays). Rooms run from standard Classico rooms up to Splendido suites with jetted tubs.

When to go

The pools work year-round, and the Napa Valley’s cool, wet winters are arguably the best time for them. A 100°F38°C indoor pool feels very different on a cold January night than on an August afternoon. Winter and early spring are also the quiet season for wine country, and the spa’s midweek specials (Tuesday to Friday) make weekdays the better deal.

Summer and harvest season, roughly August to October, bring higher room rates and busier weekends. Late summer and fall are also wildfire season in Napa County. During a PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff, the resort says the pools and spa keep power but room lights, heating and air conditioning do not. Guests who cancel because of a shutoff keep their deposit for a later stay; guests who stay get no refund or discount.

Where to stay nearby

The simplest choice is to stay at Roman Spa itself, since overnight guests get pool access from 8 AM to 10 PM. Other options in Calistoga:

• Other hot spring hotels: Calistoga has several spa hotels with their own geothermal pools, including Calistoga Spa Hot Springs a few blocks south on Washington Street, Indian Springs, Golden Haven and Calistoga Motor Lodge. Each has its own pool and day-use rules.
• Camping: Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, on Highway 29 between St. Helena and Calistoga, has a campground under redwoods and oaks.
• More hotels: St. Helena, a short drive south, and Santa Rosa, over the hills to the west, have a wider range of lodging.

Safety notes

• Heat: The 103°F39°C hot tub is hot enough to make you lightheaded if you combine it with wine tasting. Drink water, keep soaks short and skip the hot tub after a day of tastings.
• Mud baths: The spa asks you to mention allergies when you book, since many treatments use essential oils. If you are pregnant or have heart or blood pressure issues, check with your doctor before a hot mud bath.
• Kids: The gated pool area is off limits to children under 4, and older children need an adult with them.
• Footing: Pool decks get slippery. Walk, do not run.

Nearby stops worth adding

Downtown Calistoga is walkable from the resort, with restaurants, tasting rooms and the Sharpsteen Museum, also on Washington Street, which covers the town’s history as a hot springs resort. North of town on Tubbs Lane, Old Faithful Geyser of California erupts geothermal water from the same field that feeds the spas. Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, up Highway 29 toward Mount St. Helena, has a long climb to the summit for a clear-day view over the valley.