Carson Hot Springs Golf & Spa Resort — Hotel in Hood River

Full disclosure, we were a little confused about where we were staying. Years ago we stayed at Bonneville Hot Springs and heard they sold and we thought this was the new name. It is not. I will say that Carson Hot Springs has a fabulous photographer who makes the place look amazing.

When you drive up, it looks very dated and a bit rickety. We went to check in and they were dealing with an ant problem. I was a little concerned about what we would find in our room. The gal checking us in was a bit curt, not very friendly for someone checking people in for a massage and hotel stay. Our massages were at 11am and she said check in was not until 4pm and then she said she might be able to get us in at 3 we could check back in.

The place for the massage is definitely rustic, the floor is uneven, and they do not provide lockers, just baskets and then a large sign that they are not responsible if anything is stolen. The dressing area has three changing rooms but the area is very small. They do not provide flip flops, but they do provide robes. I am bigger and was concerned the robe would not fit me but was pleasantly surprised to find it did and when I voiced my concern that gal in the bath house said she had sheets too if I needed one. I thought that was nice.

The massage rooms are not rooms, they are well let and they have curtains separating them. I was offered ear plugs to drown out the noise, I declined. The massage therapist did a great job. We both had hot stone massages and thought they were good.

We got back to the hotel at 3pm and went to see if we could check in early. We were curtly told that check in was at 4pm. When we explained they said we may be able to check in early she said, again with some attitude that check was 4. I ask what building we would be in and she did confirm that, when I asked what floor, she sounded irritated and said that she couldn't let us know until we checked in. I am recovering from a foot injury and we were trying to strategize where to park.

We had discussed if the room was too sketchy we would just cancel our reservation and eat the cost if we had to. The site says the cost starts at $168 with fees. My sister made the reservation and I am not sure if she made it online or called, I do remember she was trying to sign up for their rewards program so we could get the best price. Turns out the room cost $300 a night. Harder to let $300 go than $168. Not sure why there is such a discrepancy between the site and what we were actually charged. We initially said, well it is a good deal you get what you pay for but $300 is a nice chunk of change.

The room was out dated like the rest of the hotel but it was lovely to have a hot tub in your room. They do use mineral water and I would like to know, or maybe I really do not want to know, if they clean those tubs out after each use. There is no chlorine to kill whatever might be in there. The beds were comfortable and they gave you each an extra towel for the hot tub. They say it is private but there is a trail down to the river and a green grassy area which both saw quite a bit of traffic. , I would not call it a river view room but you do get to see the woods. They have baby fir trees along the grassy area that would be lovely at night if they put white lights in them.

The next morning we went to check out the restaurant, which said it stopped serving breakfast at 11am. It was 11:10 and my sister went in to see if they would serve breakfast, the gal was busy on her phone but when she did finally decide to acknowledge my sister she very curtly said breakfast stops at 11am. There was one other couple in the restaurant. Clearly they do not want the business.

I think if you are not a germaphobe and you are good with rustic, then you will enjoy this location. If you are looking for a resort with everything in the same building, and a spa like atmosphere with good customer service where they seem happy you are there then maybe you want to go...

8/18/23 Update: I was able to connect with Lana, who reached out via this review. She was lovely and engaged in a conversation about what the hotel is doing to make their facility a welcoming and comfortable place to stay. She welcomed comments about our experience and made an adjustment to our bill. I appreciated her candor and willingness to listen. She also shared that they had work orders in for AC units, carpet cleaning and addressing the dampness in the room.

I look forward to visiting the hotel in the future and updating this review further with new information about the rooms and second experience on the property.

Updated rating: 3 general stars (up from 2) and 4 service stars (up from 2). Please note: I will update this review if the hotel contacts us regarding our concerns.

Original review for 7/14-16/23

Pros: When we arrived the staff was cheerful and helpful. The hot and cold pools are enjoyable. The robes are a nice touch, the beds were comfortable and clean, and having an in room refrigerator was helpful.

Reflections: Upon entering our room we were immediately dismayed by the appearance of the carpet and the noise of the AC unit. As you can see from the photo, the carpet appeared to be wet. It was slightly sticky and damp but not outright soaked, as it looked to be. We went back and inquired at the front desk and the person explained that the management/owners had full knowledge of the rundown shape of the facilities, stated the age of the side we were in as older than the other, and that the new owners would renovate "eventually".

Our room had a large dehumidifier freestanding unit and we noticed late the first night that it was flashing "full". The next morning we asked to have it emptied. We happened to be on the pool patio when the custodian came and observed several gallons of water being poured out from the reservoir.

We noticed on our first morning that all of our clothes and items were slightly damp. Just out of curiosity, the following morning I opened the dehumidifier and found that in 24 hours it was approximately 30-40% full. No wonder our bags and clothing felt damp!

At our checkout we expressed our disappointment about the room (damp, excessively noisy AC) and also found out it was a "pet friendly" room. We were told they notify people without pets when they are booked into the room, and we definitely were not told. Thankfully my friend's allergies are confined to cats but not dogs because otherwise it would have been even more miserable.

We were told the front desk clerk did not have the authority to make any adjustments to our bill but that they would let management know and that person would follow up. It has been 5 days with no contact from anyone and the full amount of the bill was paid upon checkout.

Other cons: lack of space in the bathroom for toiletries (we used the ironing board as a shelf), outlets are few and inaccessible (behind the beds), and the curtains don't close completely allowing for people outside to see into the room/no privacy.

I would recommend staying elsewhere and visiting the pools via a day pass rather than as an on site guest. We did not use the mineral baths or "spa" treatments, a choice we made after viewing...

Enjoyed an amazing weekend at Carson Hot Springs Resort. Quiet, peaceful, romantic and relaxing. Will be returning for sure. Time moves slowly here, and the entire resort feels like it is wrapped in a beautiful nostalgia. Staff was helpful and responsive.

Lodging: Rustic but very comfortable. The bathroom in our room was recently remodeled, everything was very clean. We had a king room with hot tub, and it was very comfortable. Our room was on the first floor, but I think I would ask for an upper floor next time to have a bit more privacy (however the bottom floor was still very private). The hot tub was filled with the mineral springs water, and felt so good. We spent a lot of time just relaxing in the water on the patio. Nice toiletries, comfortable bed and sheets. Birds flying over the river below, sounds of the river, peaceful views of trees. Perfect.

Spa: The bathhouse is a charming, almost time travelling experience. Like visiting a luxurious 1920s spa that has been kept updated and beautiful. The attendant was kind and helpful. I did a bath and wrap, which was a very rejuvenating experience, highly recommend. The hot mineral water is pumped directly into a huge clawfoot tub and is incredibly relaxing. For the wrap you lay on a cot and the sheets are wrapped over you, and a cool cloth is placed on your head. Really helps to get the benefit from the bath. Both of us had massages, the therapists were highly skilled and the massage area was very nice. I visited the pool but didn't spend much time there because we had our own hot tub, but the pool was also very nice and has a cold plunge option (which is 89 degrees, not really cold except compared to the hot mineral water in the main pool).

Things to know: -Food: The golf course restaurant wasn't open when we were there, and there isn't food on site (no breakfast, coffee in room). Bring your own food is my recommendation, so you can soak in the resort and relax without having to leave. Our room had a nice sized mini fridge. The staff made a great recommendation for a brewery restaurant in town, and the food there was great (and had leftover pizza!). There's many restaurants in Stevenson too, 10 minutes down the road. I had cell service, texting but no internet which was actually really nice. There is satellite wifi but it's not fast, recommend just disconnecting from the internet and relaxing. Not the place to work from. -I wouldn't recommend this for kids. You have to be 18+ to use the pool and bathhouse. Nothing for kids to really do. Better for a romantic couples weekend or a friends retreat. Location: About an hour from Portland, really convenient. Easy driving, not hard to find. Rustic: This resort was built in the 1920s and had been kept updated, but not replaced. Lights take a second to come on at times, and some signs of wear on the patio but nothing broken, no bugs inside (some mosquitoes outside but it is that time of year, not excessive). Don't expect modern luxury, but do expect charm and comfort.

Overall, highly recommend. Can't wait to go back! The mineral water is truly a...