Why you should book a stay at Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage ASAP
The casino hotel is not for everyone, but just 15 minutes from Palm Springs it’s a welcome alternative to the hip (and often pricy) inns that line Downtown PS
I’m not really a casino girl, and listen, the casino hotel is not for everyone, but if you want to try something different/new in the desert, book a weekend at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage. You can thank me later.
Just 15 minutes by car from Palm Springs, it’s a welcome alternative to the hip (and often pricey) inns that line the downtown PS area. Not only that, Agua Caliente is also a AAA Four Diamond property, its Steakhouse is a consecutive winner of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence AND the Resort boasts the only Forbes Five-Star Spa in California, as well.
Agua Caliente has casinos in both Palm Springs and Cathedral City, but if you want to enjoy the whole package, Rancho Mirage is the way to go. Being a tribally-owned resort and entertainment destination, the Tribe’s culture can be found within the architecture, the spa, amenities, and even a mural created last year by Native American artist in residence and member of the Cahuilla Band of Indians, Gerald Clarke. Clarke’s piece depicts Cahuilla heritage through indigenous plants, native landscapes, ceremonies and more.
My friend Karina joined me for a weekend here last April—we had dinner at the Steakhouse the night we arrived (everything was amazing and we got a kick out of the light-up menus) and laid out by the pool the next day while I waited for my spa appointment. At Sunstone Spa, I got to experience the 90-minute Sunstone Signature Massage which used heated gemstones plus essential oils of rose, sandalwood and vetiver. The head-to-toe massage put me to sleep and included a delicious scalp repair massage (FYI this will leave your hair oily for at least two washes, but I didn’t care) and an energizing foot scrub.
If you want to leave the property and explore your surroundings (you should), head to Indian Canyons in Palm Springs. On the National Register of Historic Places and also on Agua Caliente Indian Reservation land, this oasis is hidden in plain sight. Visit early in the AM so you can hike, explore and take in the stunning beauty of this SoCal ecosystem. Don’t forget to pack lots of cold water as summer temps in the desert can quickly soar into the 100s.
An Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians-owned spa is coming to Palm Springs
It took me almost a year to share the Rancho Mirage story, but perfect timing because I just got an email that The Spa at Séc-he is set to open April 4. This is exciting for many reasons, but especially because the much anticipated hot mineral spring spa has been in the works for nearly five years now. Owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and operated by Agua Caliente Casinos, the 40,000 square foot The Spa at Séc-he will be one of the most luxurious hot mineral spring spa destinations in the country. Its downtown Palm Springs location is across the street from the Tribe’s original entertainment property–Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs (which makes it just a 15-minute drive from Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage).
The Spa features 22 private mineral baths, 15 treatment rooms, a cryotherapy chamber, two float pod suites, a boutique fitness area, a grounding room, an acoustic wellness lounge, tranquility garden, menthol dry sauna, eucalyptus steam room, two halotherapy salt caves, a resort-style mineral pool with four Jacuzzis, luxury cabanas, full-service salon with scalp treatment beds, a cafe and a poolside bar with food service. Information on how to book services at The Spa at Séc-he will be available soon.
Design inspiration for the Spa and Cultural Plaza is rooted in Agua Caliente traditions such as basket weaving, pottery (ollas) and botanical elements native to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indian Reservation. “The opening of The Spa at Séc-he is a defining moment for the Tribe,” Chairman Reid D. Milanovich said. “The hot spring water means everything to us. It’s at the heart of tribal life and has been a cultural resource for us and our ancestors for thousands of years. It’s not a myth; these waters are truly healing waters.”
Séc-he means boiling water in the Cahuilla language.