I've Traveled to More Than 50 Countries, and This Cliffside Hot Springs Resort in Mexico Is One of the Coolest Places I've Visited

One of the world's most amazing (and undiscovered) natural wonders is just four hours north of Mexico City.

Just over 24 hours after we arrived in Mexico City, my family of six — my parents, brother, husband, and toddler — piled into a rental car and headed north. Our destination: a natural hot spring that was rumored to be beautiful, but required a four-hour drive through Mexico City traffic and time spent on unpaved dirt roads.

My toddler wailed as I tried to navigate my brother, the driver, out of the city. We missed a turn, then another. The cars around us honked and weaved — was this really worth it?

Four hours later, we arrived safely at our destination: Grutas Tolantongo, a hot spring resort set on the side of a mountain in a box canyon. We paid our 180 peso per-person, per-day entry fee ($10) and started the steep, hairpin drive down the side of the mountain. Across the valley, which was cut by a milky, turquoise-blue river, was a wall of tree-covered mountains that made me think of Kauai or Thailand — not Mexico. We all held our breath on the descent, the views getting better and better. Was it possible this place was actually worth the drive?

It was. And I don’t say that lightly. As a travel writer who has been to well over 50 countries, I’m admittedly a little jaded, but after two days at Grutas Tolantongo, I consider it to be one of the coolest places I’ve ever been.

The park’s online presence does little to showcase what it offers, and while the lodging and food is lackluster, the park’s natural attractions more than make up for it. The heart of Tolantongo, and what makes it great, is the water. It’s Caribbean-blue with a milky tinge to it, and it’s heated by the volcanic mountains that surround the park.

Grutas Tolantongo

• Grutas Tolantongo is a popular destination for Mexicans, but has yet to be discovered by many international travelers, including Americans.

• The ecopark is hard to get to, which deters day-trippers and keeps it from getting too busy.

• There are four — and arguably more — standout natural attractions, including the terraced hot springs, the cave tucked under the waterfall, the tunnels, and the Carribean-blue river.

• Grutas Tolantongo is a steal, with affordable on-site lodging and food and a $10-per-day entry fee. Just remember, no restaurants, shops, or hotels inside the park accept credit cards, so come with cash.

We started our time at Grutas Tolantongo on the Paraíso (Paradise) side of the ecopark. Our first stop was the 20 or so terraced pools that cling to the side of the cliff with views over the cactus-studded valley. Each pool is coated with a buildup of white calcium carbonate, or limestone, and varies in size and temperature. Some have waterfalls or islands and others have human-sized caves that you can tuck into. At the base of the pools, there’s a tunnel through the mountain with inner, dimly lit pools. A rope bridge runs parallel.

The following day, we drove over to the Gruta (Cave) side of the park. My expectations were low. The terraced pools on the Paraíso side were what had drawn me to Tolantongo, so I didn’t expect much from the cave, waterfall, and tunnel. I was so wrong.

The cave, which was the highlight of Tolantongo for me, was tucked under the lip of a mountain behind a waterfall. Once you stepped through the curtain of cool water, a cave filled with warm hot spring water awaited. Off to the side of the large cave was a narrow passage accessed by rope leading farther into the mountain.

Outside and above the cave, a narrow tunnel, punctuated with thermal soaking pools, cut through the mountain. The water from the cave and tunnel then fed into the cyan-blue river that traversed along the base of the valley — another soaking spot.

Are you as obsessed as I am? Here’s my full review of Mexico's Grutas Tolantongo.

The Rooms

The best way to experience Grutas Tolantongo is to stay a night, if not two or three. And while there is lodging outside the park, it’s best to stay inside it, since it requires a significant drive to get to and from the Grutas Tolantongo. Your best bet is to stay on-property at one of the four hotels: Hotel Sección La Gruta, Hotel Sección La Huerta, Hotel Sección Paraíso, or Hotel Sección Molanguito (the latter is technically outside the park boundary). Just remember, you have to pay for your hotel in cash — no credit cards are accepted within the park.

We stayed at the Hotel Sección Paraíso in an admittedly basic set of rooms. Based on my research all the lodging options at Grutas Tolantongo are similar: clean and no-frills. We chose the Paraíso hotel because we were hoping to stay in a cabin, which has a private outdoor patio overlooking the mountains. Unfortunately, all the cabins were already reserved — which brings me to an important piece of information: you can’t reserve lodging in advance. In fact, on their website Grutas Tolantongo notes that “We do not have reservations of any kind (neither by phone nor by email).” So, you literally have to show up and hope there is lodging, of some kind, available. We booked our trip during the week, and arrived around noon, to avoid some sort of catastrophe.

There is also riverfront camping at Grutas Tolantongo, along with bathrooms, showers, and changing rooms. Everything from tents and blankets to lawn chairs and cooking grills are available to rent.

Food and Drink

Like the lodging, Grutas Tolantongo has a monopoly on food and drink — and they only accept cash. There are 17 eateries and bars around the property — including poolside restaurants, grab-and-go spots, and nice, sit-down restaurants. But like the lodging, the food is far from great. I noticed that several families brought their own food in coolers and barbecued. (There is wood and charcoal for sale and grills available to rent.) We ate at the Restaurante Paraíso Escondido for dinner and Cocina Paraíso for breakfast.

Activities and Amenities

This is where Grutas Tolantongo shines. There is simply so much to do and see. Activities include swimming in the warm river, soaking in the tiered soaking pools, checking out the other swimming pools (and waterslide), camping along the river, and exploring the tunnels and waterfall cave. There’s also a zip line on-site.

As far as amenities, there are bathrooms, showers, dressing rooms, and lockers available to use, along with souvenir shops and small bodegas. After two days exploring Grutas Tolantongo, the two things I wish I had were a) a pair of water shoes for walking to and from the cave and waterfall, and b) a waterproof phone pouch. (Both were staples for 99 percent of the guests.)

Family-friendly Offerings

The entire Tolantongo experience is family-friendly, and while the place isn’t overrun with kids — there are more couples and solo travelers than families — there are plenty of kids and kid-friendly things to do. Most kids stick to the larger pools (not the tiered, cliff-side tubs) and spend time on the zip line. Children 5 years of age and older are charged a full 180 peso ($10) access fee, while children under 5 are free.

Accessibility

Because the entire property is built into the side of a steep mountain, next to nothing is accessible to people in wheelchairs — and someone on crutches or a walker would have a difficult time getting up and down the myriad stairs spread throughout the property.

Location

Most people rent a car and drive to Grutas Tolantongo because the park is remote. Having a car inside the park is also helpful when it comes to getting from one side of the park to the other — the park is too large and steep to fully access on foot.

That said, you can take a bus to the park and then use the in-park motorcycle taxi service to get around.

How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay

For the best experience, arrive early and stay at least one night. If you can, secure one of the stand-alone cabins in the Hotel Sección Paraíso, so you can end your day with a cocktail and a view from your private deck.

The entire experience won’t be possible if you don’t show up with plenty of cash. Nothing inside the park — including hotels and restaurants — accept credit cards, and the nearest ATM is an one-hour drive away. Pull out plenty of Mexican pesos in Mexico City or en route, so you can pay for the Tolantongo experience.

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