Colorado hot springs resort plans new hotel in 136-year-old building

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — A 136-year-old Colorado hot springs resort is planning its next era.

Glenwood Hot Springs Resort announced it will add a new boutique hotel as well as begin a renovation of its existing hotel.

The resort’s existing 107-room hotel, the Lodge, will remain open for business during renovations, as work on the guest rooms will happen strategically in stages, the resort said.

At the same time, the resort’s historic sandstone bathhouse building, located poolside and previously known as Spa of the Rockies, will be transformed into Hotel 1888. The resort said the new hotel will have 16 luxury guest rooms.

The new hotel’s name honors Glenwood Hot Springs Resort opening on July 4, 1888.

Both the Lodge guest room and Hotel 1888 renovations will be completed by the spring of 2025.

The hotel renovations are part of the Glenwood Hot Springs Resort’s multi-year improvement plan.

The plan began with the 2019 introduction of Sopris Splash Zone on the resort’s west end with the Shoshone Chutes whitewater river tube ride and a splash pad.

The next phase was the renovation of its Therapy Pool and poolside changing rooms in 2022. Visitors to the resort know the Therapy Pool for its scalding 104-degree water, in which soaking is recommended for only 10-minute intervals.

Glenwood Hot Springs Resort reopened its renovated its bathhouse in 2022 with new flooring, wall treatments, fixtures, sound system, LED lighting and free lockers.

In May, the resort opened its new Yampah Mineral Baths area with five new swimming pools, shade pergola and outdoor lounging area with a hearth. The expansion project also saw the return of the resort’s drinking spring.

The new swimming area added a hot plunge and a cold plunge pool, an infinity edge pool, a grotto-like pool with a waterfall, and another pool with a waterfall. Like the resort’s existing pools, the new swimming areas vary in temperature and are sourced from its Yampa Source Spring, which provides the resort with a continuous flow of 122°F mineral-laden water.

• Existing Grand Pool – 90° to 93°F for playing, swimming laps, diving, floating and communing with friends.
• Existing Therapy Pool – 104°F for soaking.
• New Yampah Mineral Baths pools:
  • Cascade Waters – Soothes the senses and mind with the sounds of a waterfall. 100° to 104°F.
  • Sacred Waters – Iinfinity-edge pool with an expansive view to encourage feelings of harmony and well-being. 97° to 102°F.
  • Falling Waters – Stand beneath the waterfalls in the grotto for a natural massage on shoulders, neck and back. 95° to 100°F.
  • Inhale – Cold-water therapy to help with inflammation, stress, mind clarity, muscle recovery, circulation and nervous system regulation. 52° to °60F.
  • Exhale – Less extreme cold-contrast bath to help speed recovery after an injury, ease joint and muscle pain, and increase focus and energy levels. 75° to °80F.