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There are 5 private pools and each one is well maintained and when there are respectful guests in the pool next to you it is a good place to relax.
When we called, an older woman answered the phone and I asked if we could stay at the hotsprings, she informed me that they were full up and I mentioned that was a shame, but wanted to know what their hours were for their hotsprings.
She informed me of the hours on a Saturday and I exclaimed that was great, and told her we would be driving about 4 hours to visit the city for the EXPLICIT purpose of visiting the hotsprings and my wife and I were going to soak all day.
She said that sounded great and I asked if we could leave, get lunch and come back. She agreed that we could and we were off!
About halfway there we thought we had lost a towel (which would be a shame since you can't borrow the towels outside of the Marriott.) I called again to see if they had towels that they could loan us, and they said they did not. I again talked to the nice woman and said we were looking forward to soaking all day in the hotsprings and how we had planned a whole weekend around it. We both worked Monday, and it was going to be a great relaxation time for us.
After staying the night at the hotel after the 4 hour drive, we got up excitedly in the morning and arrived when the pools opened. I announced we would like an all day pass and asked how much it would be to rent a private pool for the 3 hours mentioned on their website, since they had the public pool and we were going to be spending most of our time there and the rate for the private pools was unlisted on their website.
We were greeted by a very rude older woman who said, "I don't know who told you that you could get all day passes, but you can't, you can buy 3 hour passes for what I imagined the price of the whole day to cost and the private pools were open to be used if they weren't reserved. I tried to negotiate and she refused several times to budge. After a while deliberating with my wife we decided to stay in the springs for the 3 hours, as there was nowhere else we could go. There aren't many places to sit down, but if you're only going to be there for 3 hours it's not a problem. We got lunch, toured the city and resolved never to go back.
We will be looking into Kachina Hotsprings next time, as their manager, their employees, and the owner have all told us that they offer all day passes....
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The Essence of Tranquility hot mineral water resort will always be my favorite hot spring. Sure, I've been to Glenwood, Faywood, and many other famous establishments, plus I've explored quite a few natural hot springs like the Verde Hot Springs along the Mogollon Rim, Hippie HS near Glenwood, and Pagosa. All of them are unique and share the common beauty of relaxing, health-rejuvenating hot water, however I have been a regular customer of Essence since the owner, Clarisse, built the very first pool and room. That first pool was the waterfall room and it is still my favorite.
I've been going to the Essence of Tranquility for almost 3 decades now. Every time I visit I take some photos of what's changed. Over those many years it has grown from a couple of teepees and camp spaces for rent to a half-dozen small cabins, a very complete common room and kitchen, and 5 private hot pool rooms, each with its own special decor and attributes.
I prefer the fall, winter, or spring, however the few times that i have visited in the summer months I rented one of the small cabins that have air conditioning. It can get mighty busy on weekends, especially in the cool months, but if you rent a cabin, camp space, or RV space, you'll have access to the pools virtually all the time except for a small window in the evening when locals get preference. I love relaxing under a 103F waterfall, water up to my chest, in the wee hours and darkness just before sunrise. Quiet, peaceful vibes prevail then.
Call in advance to make sure you can stay over night, otherwise you might just have to settle with an hour or two in the pools.....still worth the drive. Lebanon Loop Road is about 5 miles south of downtown Safford and once you turn onto that small paved lane, continue another mile or so until you find yourself right at the front gate. You might just become a...
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This is one of the most healing places I’ve ever been. I was feeling low about being alone on Easter and so far from my family several states away.
Aside from the peacefulness/quiet of the property and the amazing waters in each tub that are super clean, there was this black and white cat wandering around the property. He was skittish at first but then warmed up to me a bit upon my arrival (I’m a big cat person). After I got done soaking, he followed me to my cabin and actually came inside. He then proceeded to jump up on the bed and curl up. I thought for sure he’d leave by the time I got back from the bathhouse, but he was still on the bed. I got into bed and as soon as I got comfortable, he actually climbed between my calves and nested in. He spent the entire night sleeping on/with me and didn’t once meow to be let out. He wouldn’t leave until I got up at 8:30 this morning and out of bed.
I cried when I woke up Easter morning and he was with me because I had been feeling really alone the night before and sad about not being able to be with my family. I believe this special cat sensed how alone I was feeling and in turn wouldn’t leave my side. He also came to my car right when I was about to leave to say goodbye and proceeded to walk to the exit and stand next to it while I pulled out.
This place is very special with an amazing aura. Highly...
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