Getting Away From It All in Ojo Caliente

Some resorts come and go within a year, while others stay around for several decades. But rarely does any traveler get the chance to visit a resort that's been around for 140 years.

I left Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and headed north to a historic, even iconic resort. Ojo Caliente Resort & Spa is what you might call "in the middle of nowhere," roughly between Taos and Santa Fe on the other side of the Rio Grande. There are a number of benefits to venturing out into the middle of nowhere on your vacation. First, there is no cell phone service, and no telephones in the room, giving you the perfect excuse to chuck the phone and Blackberry for a few days. (If you can't go that long, the lobby has wireless Internet, but let's keep that our little secret.)

What will you be doing out there? Guests come to Ojo Caliente for one thing: the hot springs. In fact, owner Andy, who came down from Alaska with his wife, Jen, to restore this resort he remembered from childhood, told me that evidence in the area shows people have been coming to this spot to enjoy the healing waters for over 8,000 years.

In fact, Ojo Caliente has the distinction of not one but four types of hot springs - lithium, iron, soda and arsenic, each of which is reputed to be beneficial for different ailments, from arthritis to digestion. One hundred thousand gallons a day flow up and through the pools here, all at temperatures hovering around 100 degrees.

There is one other reason people flock to Ojo Caliente, particularly in the summer -- the mud baths. There's something truly decadent about slathering yourself in the mineral-rich mud pool and laying out in the sun to bake. It's all the benefits of a spa body wrap without any rush to leave. Speaking of spas, the new spa at Ojo Caliente was finishing construction during my visit and should be complete this summer. The 140th anniversary of the resort will be celebrated this fall.

Rooms in the historic main hotel at Ojo Caliente start at under $100 a night. Note there are no private showers or bathtubs in those rooms, although the rate does include soaks in the hot springs every day (and use of the showers there), even the day you check out.

North and Plaza cottages have private baths and kitchenettes and are decorated in a homelike style. North cottages have two double beds, making the rooms perfect for sharing with friends or a family. (There is one soaking tub that allows kids, and you can rent a private outdoor pool for your family.)

For a splurge, the Cliffside Suites (from $250 per night) have adobe-style fireplaces and private outdoor soaking pools. They are decorated in a charmingly rustic style and could be very romantic (although they all have two double beds as well).

Previously:

• Part 1: Left Turn at Albuquerque
• Part 2: Angels, Saints, Ghosts and Billy the Kid (Las Cruces)
• Part 3: An Affordable Spa Town with One Odd Name (Truth or Consequences)

^{Images courtesy Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa}