The Spa at Séc-he is where Palm Springs' oldest attraction meets its newest. For thousands of years, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians has revered Séc-he, the hot mineral spring at the heart of what is now downtown, and the tribe's spa in the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza draws directly on it. The spring rises at about 105 degrees, and its signature experience, Taking of the Waters, centers on 22 private mineral baths where you soak in the spring's water for about fifteen minutes, clothing optional, in your own room. Around that ritual is a full circuit included with a day pass: a eucalyptus steam room, a menthol inhalation sauna with cold shower, two halotherapy salt caves, the Earthing Zone with vibrational loungers and zero-gravity chairs, a coed whirlpool, a waterfall pool and a zero-edge mineral pool, plus a fitness center and lockers with aromatherapy showers. Staff guide you to the order that suits you. A standalone day pass costs $135 Monday to Thursday and $165 Friday to Sunday and holidays; from October 1, 2026, guests booking spa services of $200 or more pay a reduced $25 or $35 for the day's access. The spa is open daily from 8am to 7pm, and booking ahead online or by phone is wise, especially on weekends and in high season. Treatments such as massages and facials are booked separately. Swimsuits or robes are required in shared areas. It sits next to the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, and its MálMal Café makes the two an easy pairing.
This is the reason the city exists. Long before hotels and golf courses, the Cahuilla used the spring for healing, and the first bathhouses for visitors grew up around it in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The new spa, opened as part of the Cultural Plaza, treats the water with that history in mind: design draws on the desert and the canyons, and the experience emphasizes rest and ritual rather than pampering for its own sake. Even for travelers who rarely book spas, a soak in the actual Agua Caliente is a meaningful way to connect with the place.
To plan it well, arrive with time to spare, start with the private mineral bath while you are fresh, then move between steam, salt caves and pools at an unhurried pace. Midweek is cheaper and calmer. Rinse before the bath as the spa recommends, drink plenty of water, and keep the soak short if you are not used to heat; fifteen minutes in 105-degree water is plenty. If you plan a massage or facial, booking a treatment of $200 or more turns the day pass into a small add-on, which is the best value for couples. Check age requirements and current policies when booking, since the spa's site does not spell them all out.
Couples and wellness travelers will find it one of the best afternoons in Palm Springs, and it is ideal on the hottest days of the year or on a cool winter evening. Pair it with the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum next door and a morning at Indian Canyons or Tahquitz Canyon for a full day on Agua Caliente land. For an overnight hot-springs retreat instead, look north to Desert Hot Springs and Two Bunch Palms.
What to expect
The experience
A day-pass spa circuit built around a private soak in the Agua Caliente hot mineral spring, with steam, sauna, salt caves, pools and lounges; treatments booked separately.
Best time
Monday to Thursday for lower prices and calmer rooms; late afternoon on a hot day, or a cool winter morning.
How long
Three to four hours to enjoy the full circuit without rushing.
Tips
Book ahead. Treatments of $200 or more cut the day pass to $25 or $35. Swimsuits or robes in shared areas. Keep the hot soak to about fifteen minutes.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Wellness lovers who want to soak in the very spring that gave Palm Springs its name.
- Families
- Not designed for children; check age policies with the spa before booking.
- Couples
- Book massages, use the reduced day pass, and spend the afternoon moving between baths, salt caves and pools.
- Pair with
- The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum next door, and Tahquitz Canyon or Indian Canyons in the morning.
- Time needed
- Half a day.
Good questions
What is Taking of the Waters?+
The Spa at Séc-he's signature ritual: a private soak of about fifteen minutes in one of 22 mineral baths fed by the Séc-he hot spring, followed by the steam room, sauna, salt caves and pools.
How much is a day pass?+
A standalone day pass is $135 Monday to Thursday and $165 Friday to Sunday and holidays. From October 1, 2026, guests booking $200 or more in services pay $25 midweek or $35 on weekends.
What are the hours?+
The spa is open daily from 8am to 7pm, and day-pass amenities are available during those hours.
Do I need a swimsuit?+
Clothing is optional in your private mineral bath, but swimsuits or robes are required in shared areas.
How hot is the spring water?+
The Séc-he spring emerges at about 105 degrees Fahrenheit, which is why soaks are kept to around fifteen minutes.
