Girls Spa Day at Glen Ivy Hot Springs

This past month has been a busy one with work, events, Coachella parties and everything else going on in life. I had been feeling like I could use a vacation but since my schedule wasn’t going to allow for that, I grabbed one of my girl friends and headed to Glen Ivy Hot Springs for a day of pampering and relaxation. It was my first time there so I just had to share our girls’ spa day with you. Keep reading to get the low-down on the spa, including our experience at the mud pool>> 

Glen Ivy is located in Corona, Calif., about 25 minutes from where I live in Southern California and is one of the best and largest outdoor spas around. It’s hard to believe that this was my first time there given the spa’s close proximity to where I live! Glen Ivy has 19 pools- including mineral baths and saltwater pools– offers spa treatments such as massages, facials, body masks & more,  and basically everything you need for a day of relaxation, pampering,  and rejuvenation. 

When my friend Jacki and I arrived, we checked in and were given a map of the resort and some tips on what pools we should visit and in what order. We were also given a full menu of treatments, which we would be able to add-on at any time. Our package included general admission, or what is referred to as, “taking the waters” and The Grotto experience (more on that later). ‘Taking the waters’ includes access to all 19 of Glen Ivy’s pools, use of the steam rooms, saunas, Club Mud, and access to the Bath House. 

Taking the Waters

Our first stop was to the Bath House to change and store our belongings in the provided complimentary lockers. The Bath House offers rentable spa robes which we took advantage of. If you don’t want to rent, they do have robes for sale or you can bring your own. Since you’ll be in your swimsuit the entire time, I recommend wearing a robe, especially on cooler days. The Bath House has separate facilities for men and women and houses bathroom, changing rooms, showers, steam rooms and  Roman baths in addition to lockers. We had realized we forgot to bring bags to put our wet swimsuits in after and happily realized that the Bath House offered plastic bags for wet suits. They also have hair dryers, a swimsuit washer, Q-tips, combs, basically everything. 

Once we were suited up and had our robes, we decided to take a lap around the resort before committing to our first pool and to get acquainted with where things were… and also to get a mimosa at  The Lounge… it is a girls day after all! There is also complimentary spa water stationed throughout the entire spa so you can stay hydrated. From there we went to the Vista Pool, which is a mineral pool that has a gorgeous view overlooking the canyon– it was the perfect spot to chill, drink our mimosas and start getting our R&R on. After that, we tried the Hot & Cold Plunge Pools– these are hydrotherapy pools designed to get your circulation going. You first sit in the hot pool for about 5 minutes, then take a dip into the cold pool (55-65 degrees Fahrenheit!). It’s recommended to repeat this process five times, however we only did the one time. That cold pool was COLD. Next time I go I think I’ll try to take on the 5x challenge! 

After the pools we visited the sauna in an attempt to sweat out some of our toxins– there are two available and we chose the sauna that had a mint scent. Although we had a slight fear of passing out from the heat (didn’t happen, not even close), it was relaxing to sit in the sauna for a bit. 

Lunch at Ivy Kitchen

By then we were starving so we ventured to the Ivy Kitchen, Glen Ivy’s cafeteria style restaurant with yummy and healthy meal options. Jacki went for the fish tacos (she said they were AMAZING) and I opted for the Mediterranean chicken salad, which was absolutely delicious. I definitely recommend having lunch here! Glen Ivy also offers GOCO Cafe, which is a quick-serve cafe with lighter bites such as sandwiches, salads and offers coffee. If you’re after something to cool you down, I recommend trying the Chill Zone where you can get a healthy & fruity smoothie, fresh juice or even fro-yo. 

Club Mud

After our delicious lunch, we wanted to try out Club Mud before our scheduled treatment at The Grotto. Before getting our mud on, we sat in the sulfuric (read: stinky) Mineral Baths for about 20 minutes. Although these pools don’t smell great, the water is really good for skin, muscles and joints. It was recommended we visit the Mineral Baths before Club Mud as these warm waters would help open pores to reap the benefits of the clay at Club Mud.

We finally made our way to Club Mud and it was so much fun smearing the soft red clay mud all over ourselves. I definitely recommend wearing an older, dark colored swimsuit– the clay will stain! After rubbing the clay all over ourselves, we let it dry and then finally brushed and rinsed it off. The clay helps to exfoliate skin and to draw out impurities. It’s on the messy side but that’s what makes it fun! 

The Grotto

After Club Mud, we headed to The Grotto for a body treatment which was an experience in and of itself. A guide takes you below ground into a cave where a body mask of coconut oil, aloe vera, eucalyptus and lavender is brushed- literally painted- onto skin from neck to feet. You are then given the excess to continue rubbing into your skin. You are then moved to a heated cavern to allow pores to open and the moisturizing treatment to soak into your skin. After about 10-15 minutes, we moved into the next room to rinse off and then into a cooling chamber where they offered hot tea and an apple. You’re welcome to stay in the cooling area to relax as long as you’d like. After the treatment my skin felt SUPER smooth and soft.

We finished off our girls day by visiting the saline pool, steam room and Roman bath. It was such a nice and relaxing day– we can’t wait to go back and try the other treatments and waters that Glen Ivy offers. 

Insider Spa Tips:

• If you are planning to visit Club Mud, wear an old, dark colored swimsuit– the red clay may stain! 
• Complimentary towels are provided throughout the spa, no need to bring your own
• Robe rentals are available for a fee, bring your own to avoid the fee
• Stay hydrated! Take advantage of the spa water throughout the resort
• Bring a pair of flip flops, sunscreen, sunglasses and hair ties
• You can leave belongings on a lounge chair to signify you are coming back; Glen Ivy also offers loungers and cabanas to rent for the day
• Be sure to arrive to spa services and treatments 15 minutes prior to service
• To make purchases easy, place a card on file. You can also request a wristband to use when purchasing alcoholic beverages.
• Relax and enjoy! 

You can book your spa day package by visiting GlenIvy.com. Pssst– with Mother’s Day coming up it’s also a great gift idea for mom. 

What’s your favorite thing to do at the spa? Tell me in the comments! 

*Thank you to Glen Ivy Hot Springs for providing a complimentary visit; no monetary compensation has been provided, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support A Good Hue.