Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa fully reopens after pandemic and fire

Nov. 1—Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa fully reopened in October, 31 months after the coronavirus shut much of the world down and 26 months after an electrical fire destroyed the resort's historic bathhouse.

Ojo Caliente has been reopening in stages since Aug. 1, 2021, as reconstruction continued on the historic bathhouse and construction proceeded on expanding and adding a second story to the main bathhouse.

"It's the same Ojo you have known and loved except it's improved and expanded," said Sarah Sims, marketing director at Ojo Spa Resorts, which owns and operates the Ojo Caliente spa and Ojo Santa Fe.

Now the spa about an hour north of Santa Fe has an expanded main bathhouse; all the pools are open again; the historic bathhouse has been complete since May; flagstones have replaced the dirt in the central courtyard area, around which all the thermal pools bubble; and far more seating is scattered about.

"The day guests knew what they wanted and we listened," said Angie Higdon, administrative and marketing coordinator at Ojo Spa Resorts. "We have more space, more lockers and better facilities. Before, we were overcrowded with dated lockers."

The main bathhouse used to be the men's locker room with six treatment rooms. Now a second story was added with six treatment rooms upstairs, eight downstairs, and the building was widened to include a new and larger dry sauna and eucalyptus steam room for day visitors.

Also, about 100 lockers were added, and now the men's and women's lockers for day visitors are in the main bathhouse.

The rebuilt historic bathhouse now is only for overnight visitors and spa treatment guests, and includes a lounge, a eucalyptus steam room and a Himalayan salt sauna. One wall of the lounge was built with stones salvaged from the Aug. 6. 2020, fire that destroyed the bathhouse, which was built in 1868. Some stones still bear black scorch marks from the fire.

"We undertook an extensive remodel that would not have been possible but for the unfortunate closure due to pandemic and fire," Andy Joseph, Ojo Spa Resorts managing partner, said in a text message. "We want to commend the hard work and perseverance of our team that helped us not only survive a very challenging two years but come out the other side with significant improvements that we are proud of."

After the governor-decreed pandemic closure on March 21, 2020, Ojo Caliente was open briefly at 25 percent capacity from June 1, 2020, until the fire.

The spa, lodging and Artesian Restaurant were shut down for 360 days, reopening in limited fashion Aug. 1, 2021, just for overnight suite guests, who had private pools in their suites.

The outdoor pools were all closed at that time because the fire also destroyed the pump room.

"All the filtrations and all the water we move goes through the pump room," Higdon said.

The Terrace Pool, which was damaged by the fire, and the main pool, which could not be adequately treated, did not reopen until August 2022.

By October 2021, day guests could be welcomed back, with the spa locker rooms doubling for day-guest men's and women's locker rooms while the main bathhouse was still under construction.

The rebuilt bathhouse reopened in May and, for a limited time, was open to the general public as the sauna and steam rooms for day guests were still under construction.

Visiting from Atlanta, Elke Davidson and Faye Dresner, who were relaxing in the spa lounge, didn't realize the reconstructed bathhouse just opened a few months ago.

"It feels like it's been here for 100 years," said Davidson, who had previously been to Ojo Caliente 18 years ago. "I'm originally from the West. It feels like coming home to the West."

Dresner had the idea for them to visit Santa Fe. Davidson added the Ojo Caliente excursion.

"Picture yourself in Atlanta," Dresner said. "It's intense, lots of people. This is such a contrast. There is something about the topography that brings a tranquility."

Ojo Caliente Resorts declined to disclose the cost of these projects or discuss a current expansion behind the historic bathhouse. This will include two new pools and a primitive grotto pool, as well as "cliff-side hangouts" with hammocks and chaise lounges incorporated among the new retention walls, as described on the Ojo Caliente website.