Everyone else has put forth apt descriptions of what awaits visitors to Harbin, so I thought I'd share 21 things I've learned after five or so visits: 1. Sleeping on the deck under the stars is fab as long as you can deal with a few inconveniences: be prepared for the dew, a lot of people snoring, and the shakiness of the platform that happens every time someone walks around. I loved staying on the deck, but I can see how people would hate it. 2. Do not put anything loose in the guest fridge. People will put their shit on top of it and it will become impossible to find. 3. Fat guys in Hawaiian print muumuus make the fluffiest pancakes in the world. 4. One of the best spots at Harbin is the lush lawn in front of the guestrooms. Nice diffused sunlight, chill people, and occasionally a really talented ukulele player will serenade fellow lawn sitters. 5. The storefront room off the library above the restaurant is absolutely wonderful. On a chilly night (which is almost every night), grab a book from the library, or bring your own, and find a cozy chair. You are not supposed to sleep in there, but I've done it on several occasions and no one has ever said anything. The second best public bathrooms in the whole place are right outside this room. 6. La Sirena Cafe outside the large swimming pool is very solid. The fig & brie sandwich and the smoothies are always delish, and the people that work there are total sweethearts. The best and most private public bathroom at Harbin is right behind it. 7. A large majority of the "residents" are weirdos. 8. I have not had a good massage at Harbin, and I've spoken to a lot of other people who feel the same. 9. If you have a sunburn DO NOT go in the super hot pool. 10. The movies Harbin shows never float my boat, but the theater is a nice cuddle room filled with pillows. 11. Fur pie doesn't sell. Trim your shit!! 12. You can't judge a guy's book by its cover. 13. There is no such thing as a good boob job. 14. Turns out hot Germans exist after all! 15. White people who parade around in turbans and yogi garb make me want to barf. 16. Heather Salmon is quite possibly the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in person. I went through a new age woo woo bullshit New Moon ceremony she led just to watch her play the prayer bowls. 17. Too much sun and bad posture do not an attractive older person make. 18. Dr. Bronner's soap is great. 19. The hidden cafe behind the library is the cheapest place to get food. They have decent breakfast burritos that are less than $5. 20. The minerals in the water make my hair stiff and ugly...I've heard other people complain about this as well. 21. There is a faucet/water fountain next to the warm pool that taps directly from a clean, running stream. The water from it is delicious. read more

Before coming here, I was on the fence: was it a peaceful Zen retreat, or a hotbed of drugged-out hippie sex? I'd heard both, and reading these Yelp reviews didn't really help. I went midweek, and found it to be the former: a lush, beautiful, peaceful nudist retreat tucked in the hills high above Calistoga, slightly pretentious and overly New Agey, but overall very quaint and relaxing. My sister went on a weekend, and said it was much more crowded and the vibe was more sexual. Either way,the clientele is mostly hippies and New Agers from the Bay Area...so you may wanna bring earplugs, to block out all the asinine conversations about Eckhart Tolle and assorted other hippie dippie bullshit. I camped, at a cost of $30/night, plus a $10 membership fee. For that price, you get a nice shady campsite, very clean restrooms, all the showers you could ever hope for and 24 hours' access to the soaking pools and sauna/steam room. TOTALLY worth it! Just be advised, there is all kinds of wildlife roaming around -- deer, coyotes, turkeys, foxes...and rattlesnakes. Deal with it! The pools are beautifully maintained and very quaint, with gorgeous landscaping and lush topiary all around. Little Buddha statues and shit in every nook, etc. Silence is mandated in most of the pools, but there are a couple "conversation" pools where chatting is allowed. My only beef with the pools is, there isn't a Jacuzzi-temperature one -- they're either super hot, super cold, or lukewarm....nothing where you'd want to hang out and talk at night, really. Maybe they do that on purpose. Aside from soaking in the pools, you can also hike the trails (one goes up to a fabulous little mediation teahouse on a mountaintop overlooking the entire valley), go to yoga classes in the fabulously Tolkienesque temple, or attend dances and classes/workshops at the conference center. There's also a full-service spa with massages available for you 1%ers (standard spa pricing, about $100/hour). A note on the no drugs/alcohol policy: it's in place for a good reason; there are a lot of recovering addicts who live onsite, so the last thing they need is temptation. If you're gonna indulge, do it discreetly at your camp...but be careful, other pious campers will rat you out in a hot minute!! My advice: If you're looking for a hippie orgy....go on a weekend; you never know what will transpire! But if you're looking for a quiet retreat, go midweek, camp out, and bring some books to read. Also, if you want to eat meat, bring an RV -- not only are camp fires/stoves not allowed, but you can't even cook meat in the communal kitchen. You'd need a propane stove in your RV. P.S. nearly everyone is naked, so if that freaks you out, be advised! P.P.S. gate staff (and all staff) were super nice and friendly. read more

Do you like seeing naked people walking, showering, or doing yoga in a warm pool? Sure, I guess. Does the idea of a place free from meat, processed food, drugs, alcohol, any electric devices and loud talking sound good to you? Um, maybe. What about people that don't acknowledge you as you pass by? No, I like that. Well my stay at Harbin provided some good, some bad and many scratch-yo-head Huh? experiences to make me wanna come back again to see what this place is all about. It's safe to say that I didn't get the full Harbin experience. I didn't get to see the domes. I didn't get to hike. I didn't get to sunbathe nude. I didn't get to see inside the temple. I didn't get to yoga or do any of their other classes. And I didn't check out their cold plunge. So what did I do? I ate. I kinda slept. I took in as much fresh air as possible. I soaked in their warm pool. I got one of the best massages I've ever had with Nirakar. I saw a community that reminded me of the hippie town of Pahoa back on the Big Island of Hawai'i. I ate some really amazing Mayan dark chocolate truffles from their market and a large blueberry walnut pancake from their restaurant. I watched a movie in their very comfy theater. I strolled through the garden path, imagining up all sorts of stories around every corner. And almost immediately, I fell in love with all the scenery and beauty that surrounds this pocket of land. Harbin is a quiet and spiritual (I guess) retreat for the body and mind to unwind and relax from the daily grind of your everyday life. It's not for everybody, as my companion, did not care for this place one bit, except for an unintentionally funny conversation we overheard during breakfast. That part he enjoyed way more than I did. We did leave relaxed and full, but that's about the end of the same experiences we shared. I will be back when the weather is a little warmer and when I can stand to drive an hour through a very winding mountain road again. And next time, I'm bringing more vegetarian friendly food to whip up in their meat free kitchen. read more

Ever been to one of those Asian Restaurants that serve Sushi, Dim Sum and Thai specialities? They rarely succeed at doing any of these dishes well because they lack focus. Instead of doing one thing well, they wind up being mediocre. For me, this is the problem at Harbin. With so many options ranging from basic camping to luxury Cabins with gardens and fountains, it felt like the folks in the cabins (me and my partner) were being underserved for the amount we were spending. I wasn't expecting luxury, but little things like not being able to take a room towel to the pools, needing to bring our own flip flops and towels and flashlights and having to bus our own tables after spending about $40 on a decent, but not incredible dinner for two made me pine for Calistoga. It seemed like we were being asked for a credit card at every turn. If Harbin folks are reading this, I would suggest a system where folks can pay once, either at check in or check out for room, meals and massage services. In a place where nudity is encouraged, having to take your wallet out all the time dampens the enthusiasm. I would agree with the other commenters about the general friendliness of the other guests. People seemed way more uptight than necessary. Perhaps this was because of all the signage to be quiet, not drink, not smoke, no cameras, no cellphones, etc... I am by no means a party animal and I do appreciate quiet meditative time and spaces, but all the rules give the place a somewhat dour tone. As a gay man, I found the hetero couple groping in the pools more than a bit off putting, especially in light of the NO sex signs. I'm not sure how you guys would deal with this. The groping was constant and kind of creepy and zombie-like as people just stared in the silence. I had a much better experience at Breitenbush in Oregon. Maybe Harbin is just too close to SF? On a positive note, the landscape is beautiful and the Watsu Massage I had by Betsy was transformative. I would return for another Watsu but would probably get a smaller room with shared bath and bring my own food. The communal kitchen was awesome. How about having a spot with free tea or something? Little extras like that would make guests feel more welcome than Parking Permits, Check out times posted in large signs, and so many rules. Let the guests who are spending $180 a night have a towel we can take to the pools and maybe even a robe too? How about a $20 all you can eat vegetarian dinner buffet? $10 for breakfast buffet... you get the idea.. How about a plan that includes room and meals? Make it easy, make it nice. Hot springs alone are not enough. Thanks read more

I've been sitting on this review for a lil' while now. Maybe it's because most people won't "get it"? Maybe it's because everyone I know would be shocked to know a "normal" person like me would frequent such a place? Whatever the reason, it's time to get the word out. Harbin rocks! I'm not a nudist by any means. It's a personal discovery that I'm strangely comfortable here. Maybe it's because while it's a bit strange at first, most people are pretty cool here. Sure there are your typical uppity Hippies but for the most part, it's a relaxing experience. A case of "you get out of it, what you put into it" if you will. I was a bit shy about getting nekkid my first time here but after I dropped trou the first time, I realized it's nothing to be ashamed of. Yes, lil' J holds his own here... It's a disappointing fact that after too many years & too many beers, my formerly "svelte" bod ain't what it used to be. Thankfully this place isn't a beauty contest like you'll see at the local beach. There's rarely any supermodels in sight. Just your average folks looking to detox 'n relax in the various pools. Sure you can sport your bathing suit instead of your birthday suit, but I'm certain that attracts more attention than just letting go and jumping in. I usually opt for the camping or tent cabin option. Mostly based on cost since the cabins are $$$! Plus it's more "pamping" than camping with it's bathrooms and relaxing outdoor showers. As for the main attractions themselves... The cold, Olympic size pool is the crowd favorite in the summer. Fresh spring water that is sanitized using peroxide instead of chlorine so it doesn't hurt your eyes or skin. It goes up to 10ft deep so there's plenty of room to dive or push off the side to the bottom The bathwater temp warm pool should be labeled "couples only" since you'll look like a total creeper if you're hanging out there as a single dude. Hello Poindexter! There's a small cold plunge that takes your breathe away which is followed immediately by the hot pool. The hot pool is almost unbearable at first until you get your full body in. I'm not sure on the actual Fahrenheit but "Damned Hot!" should suffice... There's also a wet steamroom to go along with the dry sauna. The warm heart-shaped pool is pretty cool. Although it's the only warm pool that children are allowed in. Germaphobes beware of these piss filled lil' bastards! If you get hungry there's a restaurant on the grounds serving at least one Vegan option along with something for the fish/chicken crowd. The poolside cafe, which is open in the summer serves up delicious drinks, smoothies, and sandwiches. If you grow tired of all the tantalizing nekkidness, there's a few entertainment options in the local town. Hardester's is available for all your grocery needs. Twin Pine Casino is in town with some gambling action. The Mount St. Helena brewery is close by as well. This is especially welcome since Harbin is a "non-alcohol" retreat. To sum it up, if you're still reading, you're curious. If you're curious, you may as well check it out. My thought process is "nobody I know is gonna be here. If they are, they're here for the same reasons I am"... I'm looking forward to updating this review one day to a full five star experience! Pro Tip: You or at least one person in your party must be a member to gain entrance to the retreat. Go for the monthly membership unless you live nearby. It's $30 for a year but you'd need to come here several times within the year in order to reap the benefits. read more

I love Harbin and go frequently. I go for the social aspect of being at a hot springs resort with the freedom to be without clothing (except in kitchen & restaurants). I go for the beauty of the land, the great pools, the amazing hiking, the workshops, the evening dancing, the calm and relaxation (even on crowded summer weekend days), lovely massages and Watsu. There are many Nor CA hot springs to go for completely different experiences. I go to those places too. But this one I go to mostly for the social aspect, since on any given day I will run into a plethora of people I know- from the greater SF Bay Area. If you wish a completely quiet, meditative experience, go somewhere else, like Orr, Wilbur, or Esalen. If you want social & counter-culture, go to Harbin. I don't understand how people can be on silent retreat here- some do- it's too active for me to do that. The woods camping experience is lovely in warm seasons. I've heard camping on the deck is noisy and challenging. I've stayed in a variety of rooms & cabins, and think the weekend rates are a bit pricey, but accommodations are nice & quiet (way better than other places). My preference is camping in summer and a basic room with a shared bath in winter. I am not a fan of the domes rooms because they're far from everything. The best about the domes is getting nearly private pools at night and lots of quiet. You can do food two ways: 1. Bring your own and cook in the kitchen (super fun to share with others & get to know people). This is a great option if alone & want company. 2. Use the restaurants, where I think restaurant breakfast & deli lunches by the pool are great. (Portions are massive & pricey, so I split them with a friend). I find a combo of the options keeps my cost down. Some reviewers on Yelp mentioned dirty water. This is not my experience, even on holidays. People shower. The mineral pools have a funny look- white floaty stuff. That's the minerals, not scum. The pools are continuously fed and cleaned. Some reviews of Harbin on Yelp tell about difficulties with clothing optional, strange guests, rude staff. In my experience, there are some rude staff and many, many very nice & welcoming ones. Yes, many guests would seem strange to people not used to this culture, it has its own, like being at the Harmony Festival for the weekend. I repeat- it's also very social, so can be a bit of a pick-up place, if that's the vibe you put out. Guests are typically very friendly and there are a lot of them. There are security people around the pools and very explicit rules about touching & such in the pools. Weekdays are less "social" than summer weekends. I feel comfortable with my boundaries, so comfortable going alone, with my BF or with friends. Get used to a lot of ages, a lot of body types, a lot of different types of people. If you are not comfortable with your own body, with other people's bodies or with people admiring your body, it's not your place. Harbin regulars tend to be very respectful, but an occasional newbie may not. Note that several organizations have been running weekend workshops here for many years that focus on sexuality (e.g. Carters' tantra & Human Awareness Institute). The people who go to these frequent Harbin as guests. This creates a certain communication openness & body awareness (yet in my opinion safe boundaries) that some people may not 'get' just walking in. read more

I've never written a Yelp review before, but after my experience at Harbin I needed to warn other solo female travelers from coming here. Note: nudity is fine by me. Except here. I camped to save some money. The campsites are OK, but only 10-15 feet apart. Bring earplugs. My first experience with Creepy Guys began as I hiked from the campsites to the pools. A pot-bellied man dressed only in Tevas was smoking, yes SMOKING, on the high-fire-season trail. When he heard me coming, he stopped, continued smoking, and stared as I passed by. The decks were full of Creepy Guys watching naked women sunbathe. Creepy Guys in the pools would stare at each woman coming and going. When I was in the soaking pool, I was unable to relax because the Creepy Guys would stare intensely at me, trying to make eye contact so they could hit on me. Keeping my eyes closed did not help. And I swear all hetero couples straddled each other in the pools practically having sex. That pissed me off as I'm recently single. But I digress... Be careful at night--The Really Creepy Guys hang around in the dark waiting for you to walk by, then follow you. On the upside: -- yoga classes were nice, except for The Old Creepy Guy who changed out of his pants into shorts in the middle of the temple -- food and coffee were decent -- Danny the Garden Cat was sweet I left after only 1 day. Having Creepy Guys stare at me as I try to relax was not my idea of vacation. read more

One morning after brushing my teeth, I was walking back to my tent and wondering how to find the best hiking trails when this extremely well-endowed nudist is walks toward me. So I ask him and he says he will take me. As we ascend a very rocky area talking about what we do and where we live, he says that he is a pianist in San Francisco. A pianist! Well, I just could barely get over that. "What is it like being a nudist and a pianist?" One of the most interesting conversations on a hike at a nudist-clothing-optional-spring-fed-water place ever. Pronunciation and semantics. Fun. We walked along the ridge until we came to a newly cleared area and he became very excited. He has been coming to (at) Harbin for 30 years and he said that he had no idea why they were clearing the top of the hill like this and then, he got out his binoculars. We are standing on this ridge, I am wearing hiking boots, a mini-skirt, t-shirt, and he is wearing hiking boots and binoculars. He gets excited, grabs the binoculars and, as he puts them up to his eyes, his excitement becomes VERY apparent. The binoculars are pointing straight out to the horizon, not unlike a prominent appendage that is enormously pointing in the same direction. He kept the binoculars up to his eyes for a REALLY long time, and was talking about the area of the Anderson Valley that he could see, and he had no idea that this big building was being erected. A pianist who gets erect about architecture. Well, I just could barely get over that. OK, IF YOU WANT REAL LOGISTICS AND NOT AN EXPERIENTIAL STORY... At $25/day to camp and use the pools, it was a very inexpensive, spa-like trip. The community kitchen invites people to meet people. The cafe and restaurant are reasonable and have decent offerings. The trout was excellent. No alcohol and no internet, so if you suspect that you are addicted to either, this will be freeing. It is totally refreshing to connect with people who are not using their phone or wine as a way to disconnect from real, live people. The body work massage people are awesome... I had 4 very deep and connected massages from the woman who was the head of the massage group. If she is still there, ask for her. Very intuitive, helps you work through the emotional stuff with the body work and I would highly suggest working with her. I had Watsu work done in a private pool up in one of those domes, and you can request that dude wear a bathing suit, which may seem prude-ey but really, the idea of having an hour of intimate water massage with an older nude dude seemed like something that I should not have to pay for, if you know what i mean. ;) Ask when they empty and refill the silent, warm pool because this was a very amazing experience. You lie down and the water from the hot pool shoots out of the wall, a big powerful hot continuous tube of water shoots out and you can get the best free massage... read more

When I was little, all I wanted to do was run around naked and goof off in the bathtub all day. But our strict Amish household would not allow it. When, as a teen, I commandeered the family buggy and made a (slow and bumpy) beeline for California, I swore I'd one day relive the pleasures of my lost youth. And at Harbin I can do just that. For a very reasonable fee, I can commune with nature, birthday suited, in one of its rejuvenating pools or just on the sun deck. The food's great and reasonably priced, and you can even bring your own vegetarian ingredients and cook. And you can't beat the people watching. I mean, even with clothes on these hippie folk would be fun to gawk at. Bring a friend without telling him/her it's a nudist kinda place, and watch how long they last before the swimsuit comes off. By the way, don't know why you people are paying $350 for rooms here. The whole point of this place is nature. You don't need a sofa, promise. Bring a tent and camp. Please. It's cheap, they have raised platforms that make it super comfortable, and there's plenty of secluded space. Papa Abraham, Mama Ruth, if you're reading this, which you probably aren't because you REFUSE TO GET ELECTRICITY, your boy is safe and happy in San Francisco. He's still wearing all black, but it's mostly studded leather now. Butt-less chaps, that sort of thing. read more

This place is beautiful. The mountains, the trees, the magically decorated buildings and spaces around Harbin Hotsprings.. I went here with a group of childhood girlfriends, some of whom I hadn't seen for over 10 years. So whether the place was totally awesome or not, it was fantastic because of the company. That said, if you are a female planning on heading to Harbin Hot Springs, I'd recommend going with your girlfriends, and sticking together. Here's some of my favorite things about Harbin: * The hot pool. The really, really hot one. It's amazing. You step into it and you can hardly move it's so hot, but in an instant your muscles have melted to something softer than jello. It feels SO GOOD. Heading from there to the ice cold pool for a quick dip is AMAZING. *The kitchen. It's great to be able to cook your own food at this place, and I appreciated the cleanly teamwork that kitchen-goers had. *The cute little natural foods market. Need a nifty vegan treat between soaks? Craving some chocolate? Ready to chug a kombucha? These are just a few of the amazing foods offered at the market. The staff is very friendly, and their homemade meals served every day are fantabulous. Yum, yum, yum. Just make sure you bring $$$, because ladies and gentleman, these are not Safeway or Costco prices. *The domes. I had the pleasure of being able to stay in a dome with my friends. It was like living on the moon. Driving up to them was super exciting. They're just so...weird looking! See the comments below on some of the things I didn't like about them... *The yoga class. I only went to one, but it was great. The teacher was very good, and I really enjoyed it. Could have done without the one or two men who insisted on taking their shirts off and groaning really loudly, but besides that it was an enlightening experience. *The environment. Northern California HEAVEN. Beautiful. Some things I wasn't so fond of at Harbin: -The weird guys. Yes, as the other reviewers have mentioned, there were some creepy guys there. I never felt intruded on by them, and part of it may be that I was with my group of lady friends. But they were there. And there was one moment in that heart-shaped pool when I swear there was a creeper who was just staring at all the women with a boner. It was NASTY. I did not stay in that pool long. -The obnoxious couples who fondle each other in the pools. There are plenty of signs up at Harbin Hot Springs asking people to not be intimate in the pools because it makes others feel uncomfortable. But, for some reason... some couples just can't read or something. Watching naked people with weird bodies pressed against each other in water whose cleanliness is already questionable is not my idea of a 'spiritual experience'. Someone needs to walk around with a whip and get people to keep their hands off each other, at least until they make it back to their own private honeymoon domes. -The domes: While our dome was beautiful and amazing, I could not comprehend why it was carpeted. It felt.. gross. Dirty. Not something you'd want to lay on in the morning and do yoga. Hardwood floors would have been amazing. Nitpicky, perhaps, but... what new-agey person likes carpet? It gives you allergies. read more

i'm conflicted about how i feel about this place. OH let me count the ways. 1. the vibe here is ultra hippie. like, in a weird creepy kinda way. 2. it was incredibly awkward walking into the bigger silent pool as all of the nude couples were hugging up on each other and "talking" with their eyes. i was super creeped out. 3. if you didn't notice i said NUDE. the pool area is clothing optional. that means hanging sacks and boobs waaay bigger than mine would ever wish to be. 4. referring back to #1 and #3, there was a guy hanging around the silent hot pool doing yoga nude. i'm not even kidding with this next piece!! picture this: a guy in his mid 30's, really in shape. he was in full handstand with his legs SPREAD APART!!! that's not it, he had his frank and beans just leaning on a pull up bar (to pull out of that insanely hot pool)!!!! i mean, i didn't want to look but this dude's penis and balls were just chillin on a pull up bar. and no, it wasn't arousing, it made me uncomfortable. 5. i went to the open mic just to check it out and some guy said that the first time he ever joined a "rainbow circle of spiritual singing," he wished he could have his own song that everybody would sing along to. then he proceeded to sing a song that included every possible way to say "God." i'm not against God by any means, but the overly spiritual thing is a tad too much for me. 6. i found out through a coworker that this place is known for a lot of swinging. okay. so you've got nude pools and then couples or people having casual sex with other couples or random people? it makes the nude pools seem more like a scoping mechanism than a liberating relaxing thing. again, CREEPY!!!!! 7. jumping back and forth from the freezing cold pool to the extremely hot pool felt good. it's supposed to be good for circulation and definitely made me feel alive. 8. the facilities are clean and accessible. 9. the staff seems to be very nice. i'm hoping that they aren't involved in the swing sessions. so i'm sure i won't be returning to this place any time soon. the good stuff doesn't make up for #1-6. read more

Wow, reading some of the other reviews kind of shocked me -- very much NOT the experience I had at Harbin, and I feel the need to get a couple things out there: YES, PEOPLE ARE NAKED I was told twice when making reservations that Harbin is "clothing optional," so there was no surprise for me when we showed up to the pools and found a sea of naked people of all shapes, ages, sizes, colors, etc. I'm unsure why so many of the reviewers here seem so shocked by this. Where there is warm water and hippies, there is nakedness. Lots of nakedness. YES, IT IS NEW AGEY Again, I came fully prepared for this and was greatly amused by it. Undoubtedly, you'll talk to people who name-drop Yucatan tribal elders and the latest medicinal herbs. Like any religion, the practitioners of new age spirituality can get pretentious, dogmatic, and totally laughable -- but when you strip it down, the moral of the story is "be quiet and take some time for yourself," and I'm good with that. If you can't laugh a little at the newage (rhymes with sewage), then Harbin might feel silly. NO, PEOPLE AREN'T FUCKING EVERYWHERE Or rather, they probably are, but not out in public. Yes, the pools are full of naked bodies, and yes some people are touching. But while I saw folks massaging each other's shoulders, chastely hugging, and touching foreheads in that "we're spiritually bonded" way, I saw absolutely no groping, making out, humping (dry or wet), rubbing, etc etc. I'm trying to figure out if all the reviewers indicating otherwise just managed to catch a lecherous incident, or whether folks are projecting? No clue. Now, on to my actual review: This was my first trip to Harbin, after having heard several hippie/burner friends from the Bay Area talk about it for years. The location is a bit of a pain for out of towners -- we flew into Oakland, rented a car, and drove 2 hours north to get to Harbin. The location is beautiful and worth it, though. Nestled in a valley between two steep oak forest-covered hillsides, with a creek running through the middle. We stayed in Azalea in a basic room -- we had a nice double bed, but shared a bathroom with other visitors. This arrangement worked just fine for us, but if you're a germaphobe it might not be to your liking. Actually, if you're a germaphobe Harbin might not be to your liking. I really appreciated the aesthetics of the grounds -- there was art and metal work and masonry everywhere, and parts felt distinctly Gaudi influenced. I loved all the hidden little corners you could find -- there's an amazing root-draped waterfall surrounded by fig trees a stones throw from the guest rooms, but every time I went back to enjoy it, there was no one else there! Wonderful. If you want hippie food, the market is great with a stock of raw foodist stuff, produce, etc. If you want richer food, the restaurant works. The value isn't great but they serve lots of meat, so the carnivores are happy. If you'd rather fix your own food, there's a huge communal kitchen you can use. The pools come in cold, warm, and VERY HOT. It's true that there's no "Hot but not scalding" pool -- we did fine alternating between the warm and VERY HOT pools. Oh, and watsu, while unfortunately named, is pretty much awesome. Definitely recommended just as a pleasant experience. Who knows if it will heal what ails you, but it feels really nice. While I didn't see overt fucking anywhere, Harbin is definitely a nice place for couples -- I saw a "JUST MARRIED!" sign on a car and have to say that this would be a great place for a hippie honeymoon. I enjoyed the quietude of the grounds a lot -- they're very clear about no cell phones and a sense of retreat. As someone who's normally plugged into the web 24/7, it was delicious to have such a sweet, quiet place to hang out for a few days. I would recommend Harbin to: all ages of hippies, burners, soakers, honeymooners, romantics, body workers, therapists, woo-woo types, and meditation practitioners. I do NOT recommend Harbin to: germ-phobes, people with low hippie/new age bullshit tolerance, naked-haters, or the sexually repressed. read more

A very quick review followed by a more elaborate review: Lots of nudity, healthy food, nice / peaceful during the day, TOTALLY WEIRD AND SEXUAL AT NIGHT. Also, this place literally gave me scabies. I'm not even joking, see below. HOT SPRINGS: I am new-ish to naked spa time (I go to Kabuki in SF regularly but that's about the extent of my naked spa experience), and was really looking forward to an authentic northern California hippie naked spa experience. The hot springs themselves were nice, and I loved being able to just lay in the sun after going through the hydrotherapy cycle. The hot tub was WAY too hot for me (I think it was something around 116 or 120°+), and all the other tubs were more "warm" than "hot"--really wished there was something in between "warm bath" temp and "holy shit my skin is going to fall off of my body" temp. During the day it was really nice, especially loved seeing little kids and their parents around and made the whole thing feel very family friendly. At night it's another story. There was definitely some serious heavy petting happening in all of the hot tubs. My husband swears someone was having sex right in front of us. I thought it was going to be all quiet hot tubs under the stars but the vibe was heavily sexual. There were of course people quietly appreciating the hot tubs, but it only takes one couple erotically caressing each other to spoil the pot. GROVE COTTAGES: We stayed at the grove cottages, which were really nice, clean, and had a nice bathroom with a huge shower. They're a little walk away from the hot springs, which was nice and felt private. FOOD: Breakfast was great at the main restaurant (had a big egg dish one day and chia pudding the second), dinners were pretty good, nothing to knock your socks off, but all the choices definitely felt wholesome and good for you. I think the best review I can give it is that it "tastes healthy". I'm not a vegan / veg, but have had plenty of mind blowing vegan / veg / raw food and this was more on par with something I could probably cook up myself on any old Tuesday. SCABIES: About 5 days after we got back, I broke out in a crazy rash on my leg. It wasn't dissimilar to a reaction that I had in the past to bed bugs (frequent traveler and x-NY-er) so I started freaking out thinking that we had picked up bed bugs from Harbin. I called them to ask if they had any recent reports of bed bugs to which they replied "Not in the Grove Cottages, but in other rooms on the grounds and we deal with them swiftly". A dermatologist and allergist could tell me nothing other than I was reacting heavily, and it was probably some sort of bug reaction, with bed bugs being a likely culprit. I had my apartment checked for bed bugs--clear. I continued to have a CRAZY weepy allergic reaction. I called Harbin to tell them to make sure they cleared the room as I hadn't traveled anywhere else around the time of our trip and that whatever it was I was reacting to was definitely due to my time there. Epson salt baths, prednisone, anti-inflammatory diet, and 2 weeks later, the main breakout had cleared but I still was getting tiny / small bites on my hands. A second visit to the dermatologist confirmed that it is indeed scabies, that my initial reaction was likely scabies, and that I most likely picked them up that weekend in Harbin because of the timeline of reaction. While I know this isn't Harbin's fault--it's the fault of their overly earthy patrons--I will still never be back and definitely would steer any of my friends away from visiting. There are plenty of other hot springs to be visited. read more

Not my cup of tea..... I've been to much nicer hot springs. First of all, just seemed unnatural. All the "hot springs" are swimming pools in the woods that I really didn't think were very warm. Then, there is pool in the building that stinks like sulfur and is so hot that it burns your skin off. I could only get one foot in. Really needs a better happy medium on temperatures. I knew most people would be naked (think bad naked...people you would never want to see naked) but I really hated the coed dressing rooms. Just made me feel uncomfortable. Finally, even though there are "no sex" signs. People were having sex in the pool (think bad sex....people you would never want to see having sex). All in all, this place made me feel icky and wasn't relaxing or enjoyable. read more

This is my happy place. After the devastating fires years ago Harbin Hot Springs is reborn. The beautiful healing pools are the best treatments for your body and soul. I recommend staying in the cottages during the winter months and camping in the summer. read more

WHHHHHYYYY didn't I listen to you Erik S.? My friend was visiting from out of town and I wanted to take her for a unique Northern California hot tub experience. It was unique alright. When we walked up to the pool area it felt like everyone was gawking. So we pretended like we didn't notice, stripped down and got into the not so hot tub. When I looked at the water it was filled with mystery floaters and our skin start immediately itching. We got out with a quickness. Although we were rash free our skin itched for two hours. As a nurse, I should have known better. It was disgusting to say the least! Then there was the Watzu "massage". Let's just say my friend and I were floated while our naked practitioners manipulated our bodies into various positions. Although I could see how this could be relaxing I found myself cringing at that the thought of my massage therapists 70 year old package rubbing against me. Again, I was trying to be open minded but we left Harbin Hot Springs mentally traumatized. Will I ever be going back? HELL NO! read more

I can totally see how this place would have once become awesome, before it became absurdly crowded. It's a pretty spot and a cool theme. Unfortunately, it didn't feel like there was much space for self exploring, as there were just WAY too many people! I am totally comfortable with the naked human form; hence my seeking nuddy swimming establishments. However, I saw more naked people than water, trees or stars. It's more affordable than Wilbur, and more social, which can be nice if you're in the mood for it. I was there with four friends for the first half of the weekend and we had a good time laughing and trying to find a spot in the sun where there weren't tons of other bodies. The pools were fine-- unfortunately the only hot pool was ABSURDLY HOT, and there was barely enough room to stand. The swimming pool was a really nice temperature, though, and I enjoyed stroking my way through at night when it was less crowded. I got some looks from men, it's a way more sexual environment than some hot springs, but it didn't feel super creepy or uncomfortable. . . I guess most guys are bound to check out naked women. What did feel a little more on the uncomfortable side were the couples having quazi-sex next to me when I was soaking n the heart shaped pool after dark. I am totally fine with sex and I wouldn't really mind if it had been in a place that didn't make me concerned for the sanitation of the pools. Our room was very beautiful. That was less important to me since I didn't plan to be spending much time there, but nice all the same. On our last day, we packed up the car by noon and then we had about five hours left that we could stay if we wanted to. We were trying to think of a place to hang out, but every spot that we could think of at Harbin was just too crowded or noisy to feel relaxing to us. We left early and enjoyed the nature on the way back to SF. I might go back with a bunch of friends next time, but I'd probably only stay one night instead of two, and if possible I would get a Dome room so that I could have as much privacy from the crowd as possible. My recommendation to Harbin would be: either put a cap on the number of people (they shouldn't be like sardines in the Crazy Hot Pool, what if one of them falls and gets stuck between the other people?) or increase the number of pools, so that everyone can spread out. Probably cap is the most reasonable option. Other than the crowdedness, people were pretty friendly and kind. read more

Dear straight guy that makes the creepy "MMmmmmmmmm" sound every time I join you in a pool,* Will you PLEASE F***ING STOP IT?! Ok, I get it. You're relaxed...and you feel good...and the site of a naked woman joining you in a hot steamy pool makes you go "Mmmmmm!" but I hate it...and you...You make me feel dirty...and not in a good way... I love Harbin, and I want to continue enjoying it without your soundtrack so PAH-LEASE, for the love of (your own personal) God, STOP IT! *Multiple men *Multiple visits read more

CONS: Women be careful just in general but please read on - Someone/some people parked about 30 yards from our dome tent with their headlights shining straight into our tent in the middle of the night!!! This wasn't an area where there'd by any need for that. My girlfriend and I were freaked out and after turning our light on and after 30 min they left. We told the guy at the front desk the next morn and he was clearly stoned. He just acted surprised we were freaked out. Wow. Very crowded - and not like "oh it's crowded at the Safeway today", crowded like "that guy's penis might caress my backside. Absolute sausage fest. As a queer woman I can't handle it. Especially since many were borderline leering at me and my girlfriend. Also we got preached at/chastised by a guy who thought he'd tell a couple of women how they had to enjoy the hot springs. That was in a "silent" pool. Nasty nasty hair globs and mysterious floaters in the small pools. Ego based spirituality abounds. We just wanted to relax in peace, not be preached at, subjected to make outs (yep happened during the day), hippie children touching and splashing us in the small pools (there was a giant regular pool much more suited for children), and overhear multiple loud LOOK AT ME i KNOW NEW AGEY TERMS conversations and EVERYTHING IS LOVE conversations. PROS: The dome tent was cool (minus the serial killer/rapey vibe). And the grounds probably were peaceful to explore in temperatures under 97 degrees. read more

It's a clothing-optional community, which means you'd better be ready to see a lot of different kinds of naked. A LOT. Don't take your prudish friends. I think your experience depends greatly on three variables: 1 - Who you go with. This could be a romantic camping getaway with your lover or a creepy weekend spent fending off weird men with your best girlfriends (never give your phone number to someone you met naked, Hennessy C.). 2 - Time of the year. Go when its warm, and it's pretty idyllic. You can lay out on the sun deck until the stars come out. Of course, you'll have to share it with a lot of other sun/star worshipers. Go when its cold and you'll have a much more private, if chilly, experience. But you know, weather doesn't matter when you're in boiling water. I think the best time would probably be during Burning Man because it would still be warm and the whole place would be completely desolate. 3 - What you look like. I hear this place has a reputation for being a hippie-hookup place. I believe it, there's a lot of naked yoga-types prancing about. And though no one will judge you if you're fat or have floppy boobies or copious hair in unconventional areas, they will likely give you some attention if you lack these traits and are left alone for more than 10 minutes. read more

okay, so yes . .. it's hippy. But . . . it's LOVELY! (I recommend the dorms) First time I went, it was for the 4 year anniversary of my mom's passing. It was a great way to get away, appreciate life, and to detox (my husband hates that word, so don't be offended quite yet). I did yoga, swimming, massage, hikes, healthy food, sleep. Life was great. My second time . . . decompressing from my dad's death (3 months ago). I just turned 28 and found myself asking "why me, it's not fair." For answers? i went to harbin. Upon leaving, I'm asking myself, "how am I so lucky"? I love my husband, love my job, love my apartment, love my cat, and of course, I LOVE MY LIFE! How could I be so lucky??? That's what Harbin did/does for me. If you need that, get over the nakedness now and live/love life. It's well worth the windy road. ps. love you mom and dad! read more

Unhygienic pools, sanctimonious staff, overpriced everything and conversations and wacky hippies that have to be encountered to be believed--but all in a lovely setting! Thank god my partner and I booked one of the Grove Cottages. After one visit to the pool area, I was glad to have my own private space to retreat to and read in as that was all I wanted from the rest of my time there once I'd encountered the pools. There was no comfortably warm pool. Two are tepid, one is crazy hot (110-115F), there are two cold plunges and one out of place-feeling lap pool. The only common denominator between them is that the water is so dirty and full of skin and pubes that the pool floors/walls are slimy and you can practically chew the sludge that's left over. The food was admittedly very tasty, but dinner for 2 always exceeded $40 for home cooked food and the stuff in the store was fine for the very very basics but not a great store to supply yourself with groceries with which to cook a proper meal. I also expected the new age crowd and the nudity which I can always just roll my eyes at (vaguely pan-Native American chanting and opening your hearts to Mother Goddess in the sauna anyone?), but in the context of the holier-than-thou staff and the disgusting water in the pools it was just annoying. In summation, unless you are the bleeding heartiest of hippies (with the degree from UC Berkeley and matching salary) you'd have to try pretty hard to find a more mediocre hot springs experience. Neither myself nor the newly acquired rash on my foot will be back. read more

We had such a wonderful time in the pools over a long weekend trip. In addition, we had a delicious picnic in the magical garden on our first day and were able to enjoy a nice hike on the property the next day. There are many activities, in addition to the pools. We could have spent several more days here. read more

For the price, one shouldn't expect much... Most spa's charge twice the price. And this is why... The good points... The hot spring pools are AWESOME... I was told to do the Cold Plunge first, then HOT plunge. If you do this a few times in a row, it's delightful. I could have lived in the hot plunge if I could. Delightful. The Massage Therapists... KUDOS! I got a Lome Lome massage from Sylvie who was incredible. The kinks in my back are almost extinct. The nice girl in the coffee shop who does the doggie paintings... A TOTAL DOLL... I can't remember her name, but she was the one of the most genuine folks that we met. Just a total sweetheart. And one of the therapists who had lunch with my mom and I was also a great lady. Totally genuine and pretty normal. I also can't remember her name, but we had a good laugh about shopping too much and living in the clutter that we purchase. She also eats meat! Hurrah!! The grounds are beautiful, the air is fresh.... and it is a great place to paint or sketch. The temple is also beautiful, and I got the pleasure of listening to a cellist play before the yoga class. So amazing. The LAUGHING GODDESS vendor... super cute clothes... not all tie-dye and 60's throw backs. Really hip dresses & cute yoga clothes. Definitely overpriced, but I love to support sole proprietors, especially if they're female. The reasons why it's only TWO STARS.... The other pools? Lame. The tepid pool was always packed, with many leering eyes. Stay away. Unless it's really early in the morning (that's when my mom went... and she said it was fine) And what's up with the poolside cafe? I really don't want to look at your saggy balls or shaved snatch while I try to have lunch. Cover it up to dine, it's just courtesy. The grounds... though beautiful, if you are a bit out of shape, have bad knees or ankles, or anything else that makes trekking up stairs and hills difficult... BE WARNED. I should have had the massage therapist work on my knees, because they were wrecked after my mere 2 night, 3 day retreat. And I hike the Oakland hills of the time, but this was over the top. I was warned about the nudity... but I had NO IDEA that it was almost required! To feel like an oddball because you have boundaries and regard your body as private... I find hypocritical. I did go topless in the plunge... but nobody's gonna leer at my bush except my boyfriend or my gynecologist. WATSU massage... this is what this place is known for... and it was LAME. It started out kind of cool, until my naked massage therapist (who "forgot" her bathing suit!!) brushed her nipple against me a few times... She lost me... and the rest just felt creepy and invasive. Longest half hour of my life. Never again. The part that really bugged me... the thing that still gives me a raw feeling in my stomach... was the rudeness of many of the "residents" or as I like to call them- THE STAFF! My mother went to this so-called "resort" because she is injured and has been suffering from many health issues. She NEEDS help with her luggage, she NEEDS help up the hill. Did anyone offer? Did anyone help? Not so much.... Other guests extended themselves to us, one woman working as a gardener offered us a ride with my mom's bags up to her second floor room... NOT HER JOB... but she was very sweet. But the attitude-full hippies in the office would rather sit on their asses counting the minutes until they can be naked- CAN YOU LIFT A FINGER TO HELP? and what about SECURITY???? Supposedly there is security around monitoring the grounds... I never saw a single person. Awesome. The communication is miserable. I understand the "no cell phone" rule. But would it be so hard to install phones in the rooms? What if there was an emergency? The office closes at 5pm!! I have been trying to help my mom arrange a ride to the airport (she choose to stay longer) and it's been a total nightmare because of the lack of communication. The lazy staff can't even walk their asses up the hill to leave a note for the guests... Whatev... I guess you get what you pay for! And the immense attitude of the woman working in the restaurant... GET OVER YOURSELF! I don't know the rules... I JUST GOT HERE... Don't treat me like an idiot... Would I go back to Harbin? Not by choice. I would probably only go with my boyfriend (so I'd feel more secure when dudes & chicks stare at my 36 C's ) but I would opt to pay more and get treated a bit more like a human at many of the higher end hot springs. On the plus side, my mom seems to really like it. She is so nice & sweet, she barely notices the attitude... or she just chooses to ignore it. All well... perhaps she's a better person for it! read more

First time to this Hot Springs. My experience was mediocre (especially for the cost). The Hot Springs: I have been to much better hot springs and I would not return for these pools. These pools are kept at different temperatures, from cool to very hot (115 degrees). The warm pool, at 98, was comfortable. The "talking" pools were dirty. I saw mucus floating on top. The serenity/quiet pools were cleaner, but too much sexual activity, especially at night, made "relaxing" in these pools very uncomfortable. Also, many people would pair up - one would do a full length body float while the other spun them around. Talk about violating everyone else's space! The Hiking Trails: The area is peaceful and beautiful. I enjoyed the hiking trails, except for the "waterfall" trail. There wasn't a waterfall, just equipment left laying around. Yoga: Awesome! Overall I had a peaceful night's stay. The location is convenient to Middletown so you could easily go to town for dinner or supplies. I was disappointed in the hot springs, which were dirty and uncomfortable. I do not find it relaxing to watch others engage in sexual intercourse and I find it annoying to have body parts spinning and nearly missing me while I try to close my eyes and relax or gaze at the stars. read more

I give the facility, itself, 4 stars. However, I highly suggest that you do your research before coming here. The general mood is that you are hear to RETREAT and relax. This is not a place to go with all your friends to be hyper and loud. This is a place you go to relax in quiet pools, lounge around in the theater, do some yoga, maybe hike and enjoy massages and healthy food. There are 5 or 6 Pools. One body temp (no talking), heart shaped one where you may speak, cold plunge, HOT, and a regular pool. Sauna and steam room are also very enjoyable. I personally enjoy this place much more at night when there are no children and you can float and watch the stars. SO! The reason for the 2 stars. On different occasions you come across nice staff. And rude staff. Usually you see them when you check in and it's done so it doesn't matter. On our last trip however, a curly haired girl who works at the springs came to soak after her shift. She came in the heart shaped pool where you can talk and single handedly and loudly offended almost every type of person who comes to harbin in the span of about 10 minutes. The people who want to become residents, the hippies, anyone who wears a bathing suit, anyone who's lost something (the department where she works), anyone who brings their whole family.. oh my gosh. I was a little amused I won't lie. I was there with my parents. I don't get naked when I come with them. So I was consequently in a suit. After Xmas we come for my dad's birthday. The whole family. Needless to say, girl, whoever you are. Think before you talk and stop offending your own intelligence by making these sweeping generalizations of everyone you come into contact with. If you are going to continue to operate with that attitude may I suggest you don't tell everyone you work here. I doubt the community of harbin hot springs appreciates it. read more

I came here on a Tuesday with a friend of mine, so I think I avoided the huge crowds that some people have experienced. In a nutshell: 1. Guys are creepy. It's actually only the older men, I found the younger dudes to be much more respectful. But the older ones stare at every nude woman who gets in and out of the pool and at times got a little too close for comfort. They also seem to deliberately position themselves next to nude women when lounging on the deck. 2. Some couples get too hot and heavy in the pools. I asked for a hot spring, not a semen bath, k thx. 3. I'm not interested in seeing people do naked yoga. I'm a polyamorous, liberal Californian and I still don't like seeing va-jay-jay splayed out in front of me. 4. Property is gorgeous. I saw a deer munching on a bush right next to the road leading to the pools! Also there is an awesome, friendly cat that roams around. 5. Of the pools, only the hot, hot pool and the outdoor cold pool seemed sanitary. Fortunately, those were the two kinds I wanted to experience most. In sum: 50% relaxing, 50% meat market. read more

So relaxing! I had avoided going for years after being told by both women and men about the Creepy White Dudes staring and hitting on them. Not to mention when people ask me what my sign is I tell them it's "STOP" so I was wary of going to a place that promotes itself as a new age church and spiritual center. However I have never had anything but positive experiences at Harbin. That may be in part for a number of things 1. I'm a guy and therefore there are less guys there likely to hit on me (although I have been chatted up there but gay boys there are way more direct and are totally fine with a thanks but no thanks). 2. While I do go with women especially with the spouse, many of our female friends are muscular, have tats, mohawks and would have no problem putting the smack down on any guy who thinks about perving out on them and probably intimidates the CWDs. I think regardless of your gender if you don't want random strangers talking to you it's best to go to Harbin with a group of friends. 3. we usually go on Sunday late afternoons or during the week and we usually only hang out in the silent pool. We also like to go when it's dark and that certainly solves the staring at naked bits part. 4.Both of us have no problem being naked or seeing naked people. My spouse is European and grew up on nude beaches and I've gotten so use to people staring at me my whole life that being naked and getting stared out doesn't bother me not to mention I can stare down anyone. We also have no problem calling people on creepy behavior. So now that we've gone over why you might not want to go to Harbin here are the things I like about Harbin: 1. the European style outdoor hot tub that is 5 feet deep and placed under trees with a hot house attached to it and where you are no allowed to speak above a whisper. 2. the wet and dry sauna. 3. the way the mountains enclose the space and make it seem like there is no other civilization and there is no cell phone reception. 4.the free yoga classes, performance and interesting cheap lectures and events they have. there are also super expensive woo-woo workshop but all my chakra are just fine. 5. the communal kitchen and sleeping decks. If you are on a budget both of these make a trip up there reasonable. There is no cooking meat in the kitchen but you can eat meat although I always bring my own utensils and containers for the meat. There are also sleeping decks where you sleep out under the stars in just your sleeping bag and a mat. 6. there are hiking trails and lots of different options of accommodations if you want to stay overnight from camping spaces to multi-room domes. So in short if you can ignore the few creepy dudes, you'll enjoy hot tubbing in a quiet calm setting in nature. read more

My visit here last weekend was summed up in two words: blissful happiness. I have not been to Harbin in over 10 years and a lot has changed but basically it's still the same lovely hot springs. Cris L's review inspired me to spend the night and to book an hour massage the next day. Good choices. Next time it might be TWO nights! as mentioned earlier -- the hot pool is VERY hot, the cold pool is VERY cold (and you can swim laps in it), and the warm pool is just warm and often very full. I preferred playing in the small heart-shaped pool simply because no one was in it. I bet in the summer, that's not the case though, and it's probably full of kids then (this is the pool that we used when a friend and I both brought our then young daughters). I love doing the very HOT pool until I can't stand it and then swimming laps in the very COLD pool. I was the only person I saw swimming in that cold pool the whole 24 hours I was there...and I swam in it alot. My favorite thing about Harbin is how lovely the water quality is...mineral rich and best of all for a public space--NO chlorine. They use an oxygenating filtration system that is much preferable. My least favorite thing is the staring guys (as in full-on STARE as a pick-up method I think). This is why there are 4 stars above and not 5. Otherwise it would be 5 stars all the way. this is a beautiful place. You can camp and use the facilities for such a good deal--go hiking, cook for yourself or eat at the restaurant, warm up in the pools and stand out on the deck under a full fledged starry sky in your birthday suit. I do love it here. I'll be back for the mid-week package. 2/2/07 update: went back 2 weeks later for a two night stay this time ~ I'm starting to build up ~ I've taken out some of that extraneous STARE-ing info from my review so I can add other, better things. More time allowed me to check out (or repeat) the following: a 5 mile hike, free Yoga classes in a lovely temple, awesome food at the newish Restaurant (5 stars it is, too), a really cool and cozy free theater for movies, an aromatherapy scrub this time -- midweek rates are great! Lovely visit. Extended my one month membership to the year membership. Ok...if you ignore the few strange (read "sharks in the water") guys then it's 5 stars! read more

Wow! Never in my life would I have imagined I would end up at a nudist hot springs and totally loving it, but that's what happened this past holiday weekend. The boy and I wanted to peace out of town for a relaxing weekend. We looked for nearby hot springs and started doing our research on Harbin. I was soooo nervous about what to expect.....I was thinking more along the lines of older, creepy guys but this was not the case at all. There were a wide range of ages....even kids were present and a wide range of body types. At first I was nervous as all get out to bare it all, but we both just embraced it and actually ended up loving it! Hey - no tan lines is awesome!!! ;) We stayed in one of the grove cottages looking over the nearby mountains. Our room was beautiful and cozy and I can't think of a more romantic way to spend the weekend! The cottages have a nice patio where you can watch the sunrise while drinking some nice hot tea! I really can't wait to go back! Would love to try the camping and do some more hiking/biking in the area. The whole area is sooo beautiful and serene. I could not have felt more relaxed on the way home! read more

It feels very unfortunate that this place that I love suffers from so much anti-mask/anti-vax sentiment. Be prepared to have to ask people in the same tub as you to put on a mask. Management seems to be reluctantly "enforcing" mask-wearing. Still, enforcement is lax, and several employees set a bad example by wear masks below their nose or wearing poorly fitted masks. Cloth masks are now "required" (as opposed to ineffective face shields) but some clients still skirt this rule by wearing cloth masks that are so thin they are transparent. That said, the pools are all in well-ventilated spaces. If you are willing to assertively advocate for your safety you can have an enjoyable visit and avoid spreading COVID in our communities. read more

All-time clothing optional place, beware! There's no information about it on their website or even no mention in office where you arrive and pay for entrance. We took our kids and gramma, spent an hour in traffic to get there, paid the member ship and day tickets in office, just to witness bunch of nude people after.. Embarrassing. Have respect to other people's time. Is it a problem to put this information on website? read more

I have been going to Harbin for almost 20 years now and although it has changed over the years, you can't complain because it has just gotten nicer and nicer. The property itself is full of works of art, both decorative and functional. The spring water is some of the cleanest in America. Most hot springs smell a little weird (imagine the rotten egg smell of sulpher) but not Harbin. You can drink the cold water feeding the cold pool, the warm pool is exactly 98.6, our body temperature, and the hot pool does have a slight odor but its minimal. (AND ITS VERY HOT!) This place if for people who want to relax and just be. Although they do have fantastic massage and healing services, its not really about a typical Calistoga or Monterey spa experience. It's not about being pampered although you certainly feel that you were when you leave. Its more of a grounding, centered, healing experience....think Yoga, Organic Food, and stress management. The people there are very respectful of one another and almost everyone is full of joy and happiness. Who wouldn't be in this little heaven on Earth. If you have hangups about nudity, just don't go. If you don't, then you will love this place...especially if you love hot springs. read more

Great massage and location! Too crowded though-I bumped butt cheeks with one too many people moving in and out of the pools. Also, I wish there was at least one area with a women's only pool. It's hard to relax with old dudes burning holes in your tits with their eyeballs. I'm voting for a women's area. Never been to a place with co-ed dressing rooms. It seemed unnecessary. Other oddness...goggle guy, why do you need goggles? We see you, and we hate you. read more

I am a big fan of the Harbin Hot Springs! It's all beautiful and serene and everything. Six pools of varying temperature and lots of other stuff... I could itemize the non-pool stuff, but that's already well documented. I'd bump this place up to a perfect five plus stars except for one thing: There's a strict silence policy in three of the six pools. Now, I approve of Harbin's policy of no sex stuff, yelling or swearing in the pools. However, I find the absolute silence rule to be restrictive and unnecessary. I like to be able to have a respectful, whispered conversation in the pools should I desire it, and I don't think that this is in any way disrespectful. Absolute silence encourages a "shush nazi" culture that is antithetical to acceptance and true relaxation. Might Harbin consider having different rules for the pools at different times? How about silence in the mornings and the evenings, with quiet, respectful conversations allowed during daytime hours? I find the absolute silence deal to be more stressful than the lightening of the rigidity... my companion and I got shushed by at least two different people when I asked him (in a whisper) if he was ready to leave the tub. Dude. Harbin, dooooo itttttt.... :) read more

It is clothes optional, co-ed (but try not to stare). I loved the place, it almost seemed like it was made for people love to meditate. I loved the cold plunge in the morning (I would stay in for 10-15 minutes). Hot pool was too hot for me, but I do get it if you like it to be super hot. Love how there was a heart shaped pool and that there was pools with no conversations. You can bring your children. read more

I have mixed feelings about Harbin. I came here with three girlfriends and overall, we had a very nice time together eliminating our tan lines. The concept is absolutely unbeatable and the facility is situated in a beautiful spot. The pricing is very reasonable and I like how it's a place I could spontaneously arrive at from the city with very little planning...everything you need is there...food, kitchen, showers, bathrooms, rooms, sleeping decks...just grab a sleeping bag, hop in the car and drive two hours north! All that being said, I couldn't help but to notice that this place is full of hippies who take themselves WAY TOO seriously. I love clothing-optional environments and have tons of hippie tendencies myself, and am not the type to go around ragging on hippies. But this wasn't really my crowd. I was expecting people to be very friendly and welcoming here, but instead encountered somewhat of a stand off-ish vibe that often bordered on hostile, from both the staff and from other guests. I also can't get on board with the whole no alcohol policy. I get that they don't want it to be a party environment, okay...but c'mon, really??! we camped overnight sunday to monday. I would also never go here again on a weekend day... the sheer amount of people crowding the decks and the pools completely defeated the "zen" quality of the environment for me. We did meet one or two cool people in the kitchen while we were making dinner, including a guy who had a really cute son and could walk on his hands and who - i kid you not - had about 15 penis/balls piercings. He had piercings in places that I never knew one could pierce! That guy was practically the highlight of the trip! All in all, I will definitely come here again. I will come on a monday or a tuesday, most likely. Maybe with a guy...if I can manage to find one who doesn't have any hang-ups about nudity! I will just approach the experience with a different energy next time around, now knowing what it's all about. And despite my criticisms, in the end I am infinitely thankful that I live in a place where I can easily access places like Harbin Hot Springs. It's pretty cool! read more

I went here last week, after some recommendations from various friends. I have to admit, I had never been to a spa before. I also had never been massaged professionally. So this 5 star review is not comparing to any other spa. It's just about how I felt after spending the day here. I had never been that relaxed in my life. Really. The first impression is "quirky". Then comes "new-age-y". Then I got to he changing room, I get undressed and went outside. Now the impression is just "fucking cold". Remember, this is a few days after Christmas, we're in the mountains. It's supposed to be cold outside. So you I to the pool. Ahhhhh. Niiiice. And that's just the warm pool. The hot pool is freakishly hot. Don't stay in there too long. The cold pool is just suicide. But you have to do that too! Before coming here someone told me they didn't like it because there's a sexual vibe going. I did not feel that at all. Maybe it has to do with how people feel when they're naked. There are some couples holding each other, but you find those everywhere. So I sat in the pool for about 2 hours, put on pants and ran to the office to extend my stay. There's two types of passes. The 6 hour one, and the 24 hour one. After being in the pool for 2 hours I knew I wanted to be there more than just the 6 hours. I also made an appointment for a massage. There is a restaurant on the premises. It's all organic, of course, but not vegetarian. Unless you're one of those vegetarians that eats fish and chicken. The food is pretty good, but expensive. Dinner time is also the time to interact with people, since the warm pools is a "quiet" area, and the hot and cold ones require complete silence. It's difficult not to strike up a conversation, though, so I ended up talking to various people in the pool anyway. If people were bothered they didn't tell. Then the time for my massage finally came, a few hours later. I'm sitting in the office waiting for the guy to show up. He walks in, sits down, and complains to the woman taking appointments: "if I knew I had a half hour appointment I wouldn't have come today." But he was incredibly nice to me anyway. I guessed it's just an act they do to get people to take 1 hour massages. But after the half hour I understood what he meant. I felt awesome, relaxed as a son of a gun, and would have so much enjoyed another 4 hours of that. So yeah, next time it will be a full hour massage. After that I went back into the pool, and stayed there until about 10pm, totally unwilling to make the 2 hour trip back to Berkeley. Next time I'll stay the night. Hell, I'm gonna move here! read more

Nice place with several options like Hiking, excellent massage facilities, organic food ,sauna and pools. 2 stars because the pools are not hygienic; specially the meditation hot pool. Pools should be cleaned more often. read more

I came here on a really nice Saturday with a few friends. I've only ever walked around naked in front of guys I was sleeping with before so this was an interesting experience. I had fun and got a really good massage by a guy named Sunheart who I wholeheartedly recommend. Overall, the crowd was really cool. I came in the morning/early afternoon and stayed until evening. There was a noticeable difference between the morning and the evening crowd. The morning was super quiet, serious, very "zen" or whatever. As the day wore on, families started coming in with their little kids decked out in water wings and sunblock. I personally much preferred the latter crowd; the silence of the morning made me feel uncomfortably naked, if that even makes sense. A note: some people get really offended if they hear you call this place a "nudist colony." I know it's not really, but come on. Who knew people could get so self-righteous with their tits hanging out. read more