A Private, Romantic Experience

Post-soak, we take the 3-mile round-trip hike to P'osi, where iridescent green collared lizards dart over black-and-white pottery shards scattered beneath cholla. Like the springs, the shards offer a connection to the people who lived in this pueblo, turning Ojo into something more than just a spa indulgence.

Down at the baths, the quiet morning has turned to festive afternoon. With new rooms costing up to $299 a night (and a new spa building set to open at press time), Ojo has gone more upscale. But even with Canyon Ranch fans dipping their toes into these waters, Ojo is still Ojo.

Buddhist chants drift through the air as a tie-dyed Ojo veteran—bespectacled, be-Speedoed, and confused by the resort's changes—says to no one in particular, "I can't find my way out. Maybe I'm not supposed to leave."