Sagewater Springs

What to expect

Sagewater Springs is a seven-room motel on Miracle Hill, the slope on the east side of Desert Hot Springs where many of the town’s small spa hotels sit. It was built in 1954 and has the low, flat-roofed shape of the era: rooms around a central courtyard, a pool in the middle, desert and mountain views beyond. The current owners, Dana and Joel Solomon, run it as a quiet, adults-only mid-century hotel, and older guidebooks and review sites list it under its earlier name, Sagewater Spa.

There is no big resort here and no restaurant. What you get is the water, a lot of sky and very few other people. With only seven rooms, even a full house means a handful of soakers. A 2024 Oyster review notes that many guests are writers and other creative types who come for the quiet.

The pools

Desert Hot Springs sits over hot and cold aquifers, and Miracle Hill is one of the spots where the hot water lies close enough to tap with a well. Sagewater’s water comes up from a well on the property at about 150°F66°C, according to the owners (one page of their site says 160°F71°C). The owners describe it as clear thermal mineral water.

The hotel uses the water in sequence:

• Soaking spa: about 102-104°F39-40°C. This is the first stop for the hot water.
• Swimming pool: about 90-92°F32-33°C. Water from the spa flows on into the pool.

From the pool, the water drains out onto the desert to soak back into the ground. Booking sites describe the setup as two outdoor hot spring pools. Loungers line the deck in the central courtyard.

Getting there

Desert Hot Springs is on the north side of the Coachella Valley, across Interstate 10 from Palm Springs. The hotel is at 12689 Eliseo, on Miracle Hill (the hotel writes Eliseo Drive, while county and booking listings use Eliseo Road).

• From Palm Springs and the airport: Allow about 15 minutes. Take Gene Autry Trail north across I-10, where it becomes Palm Drive, into Desert Hot Springs, then head east toward Miracle Hill.
• From Los Angeles: Take I-10 east past Cabazon and Whitewater, exit at Palm Drive and drive north into town.
• From Joshua Tree National Park: About 30 minutes. Come south on Highway 62 toward I-10 and follow the signs east into Desert Hot Springs.

Parking is free on site. The streets on Miracle Hill are paved, so any car works. Cabot’s Pueblo Museum and the small downtown along Palm Drive are a few minutes away.

Prices and booking

Rooms: The hotel has seven rooms, including the Premium Mountain View King, the Poolside King and a Two Queens room with a larger retro kitchen. Most rooms have a kitchenette, streaming TV and free Wi-Fi. The hotel does not publish room rates on its site; book through the Book Now link or call 760-220-1554. Weekend stays and book-outs usually need two nights, though one-night gaps sometimes open up.

Day use: $50 per person, from 11 AM to 5 PM. It covers the hot tub, the swimming pool, the wash room and pool towels. Space is limited and you book by phone at 760-220-1554.

Spa: The on-site Samata Spa offers Ayurvedic massage, energy work, reflexology and facials by appointment, booked through Kelli at 760-333-3313. 2026 prices start at $140 for a 60-minute relaxing massage or reflexology session and run to $250 for a 90-minute therapeutic massage. A session of at least an hour includes an hour of soaking before or after; to stay the rest of the day (11 AM to 5 PM) add $45. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead or pay a $50 fee per service. No-shows pay in full.

Age: Adults 18 and over only. Families with children can rent the whole property, which covers all seven rooms and exclusive use of the pools.

Pets: The hotel occasionally allows one well-behaved pet per room for a fee. Ask when you book. Some booking sites list the hotel as service animals only, so get the answer in writing.

Clothing: The hotel does not publish a clothing policy. Bring a swimsuit and ask at check-in.

The spa is a quiet place, and the hotel asks guests to keep voices down indoors and in shared areas.

When to go

October to May is the comfortable season in Desert Hot Springs. Days are mild to warm, nights are cool and clear, and the 102-104°F39-40°C spa feels right after sunset. Winter weekends are the busiest time across town, so book early for Saturday nights in January to April.

Summer is very hot in the Coachella Valley, and a 90°F32°C pool is not much relief at midday. If you go between June and September, soak early and late, stay in the shade in between, and expect lower rates.

Where to stay nearby

Staying at Sagewater is the point, since day use is limited to six hours. If it is full, Miracle Hill and the rest of Desert Hot Springs have several other small mineral-water hotels within a few minutes’ drive, including Miracle Manor and the Lido Palms. Palm Springs, about 15 minutes away, has far more hotels and restaurants.

For camping, Joshua Tree National Park is about 30 minutes away. Its campgrounds fill on spring and fall weekends, so reserve ahead where you can.

Safety notes

• Heat: The spa runs up to about 104°F40°C and the desert air can be well over that in summer. Drink plenty of water, limit soaks to short sessions, and get out if you feel dizzy.
• Sun: There is little natural shade in the high desert. Wear sunscreen and a hat on the pool deck, and keep sunscreen off your skin right before you soak if you can, since it leaves a film on small pools.
• Footing: Wet pool decks are slippery. Use the steps and rails.
• Wildlife: Rattlesnakes and scorpions live on the desert edges of town. Check shoes left outside and use a flashlight on paths at night.

Nearby stops worth adding

Cabot’s Pueblo Museum, the hand-built home of homesteader Cabot Yerxa, is a few minutes from the hotel and is the best place to learn how Desert Hot Springs grew up around its wells. Joshua Tree National Park is about half an hour away, which makes a morning hike and an afternoon soak an easy pairing.