TripAdvisor Traveler Rating based on
106 reviews
Home of many hot natural artesian mineral springs, Summer Lake Hot Springs is a place for serenity, healing, and renewal in Oregon’s high desert.
TripAdvisor
This "resort" is a dump. It is a filthy, dirty pig sty and the owners are rude. Dead bugs of every category inside the cabins- on the floor, bed, shower walls etc. No hot water in the kitchen or shower which was so filthy we were afraid to use it. The windows and screens were duct taped in place but did not stop the infiltration of bugs. We were so glad we had our own bedding as the thoughts of bed bugs and head lice were hard to escape! The walls of the cabin were painted drywall streaked with dead fly slpatter and stains of who knows what. Also, the stale, funky, dirty smell of the cabin left us wondering if we also smelled that way as we left each time we walked out the door. The range hood over the stove was coated in a layer of grease encrusted in bugs and moths: it was sketchy trying to cook under the cemetary of filth. The dish soap provided by the owner was so watered down it was useless. I washed all the dishes before we used them as it was obvious they had been put away dirty. It was truely "hippie central". I guess if your stoned enough this type of thing doesn't bother you. We were in Paisley on business and had already paid our $ otherwise we would have left. No refunds. My husband left his pistol on the nightstand during the night while we slept. Shady place, door locks? What's that?
We enjoyed our rustic stay at Summer Lake Hot Springs. Our cabin (Manzanita) was cozy and slightly buggy due to screens that had some gaps. Both the bathhouse and the outdoor pools were wonderful, and a very short walk away. Soaking early in the morning was particularly nice (and deserted.) Next time we will try one of the duplex cabins. They are only slightly more expensive than our cabin and look like they might have better fitting screens.
Ok we were expecting rustic- but really this place was so run down it was awful- especially considering the price and "bring your own sheet and towels" policy. It was extremely hot when we were there- 105 + and while we knew that it was going to be hot but the staff assured us that the cabin got a nice cross breeze and would stay cool. Well that might have worked if the windows all had screens and curtains on them but unfortunately only 50% did. Screens on window were a must because the biting deer flies were aggressive. On top of that the passing dust storm made opening the windows impossible. Ended up sitting in the car with the A/C on midday to stay cool. Yes, it was a memorable stay (the dead bat on the kitchen floor) but not for any good reasons. Could not recommend.
My mother and partner booked as a wedding gift from us (her three sons). Oregon was experiencing heavy snow storms and roads were closed, people couldn't travel. They called to see if they could re-book and we're told that they could not. For an expensive, exclusive place, I find this lack of flexibility and understanding very dissapointing, especially from a small business in a remote area, in extenuating circumstances.
Unfortunately, over the past few years, the ownership has built several new cabins that utilize the geothermal heat of the hot springs to heat them; as a result, the temperature of the waters has dipped to the point you can't even call them "hot" springs anymore. During out last visit, the waters were so cold that the best heat we got in the private pools was maybe equivalent with lukewarm bathwater. They can only fill the communal pool -- which is one of the selling points of the resort -- for only a few months a year now because they've siphoned off so much of the hot water to heat the new expansions. Why they didn't go with passive solar or some other heating method, that's a major blunder in my eyes. And to top it off, we still needed to bring our own bedding and towels -- I understand that staffing is still an issue in these post-Covid times and especially in a place as isolated as Summer Lake -- but continuing to charge more than they did prior to the pandemic; that's a tough pill to swallow. Summer Lake Hot Springs used to be one of our favorite places to visit, and the views are still amazing, but if you are coming to soak in actual "hot" springs; well, that's just not Summer Lake any more and you'd be better off visiting another of Eastern Oregon's many other hot springs.
