I’LL ADMIT IT: I’m a reluctant outdoorswoman. While I understand the appeal of a retreat that includes basking in natural wonders and sleeping under the stars, choosing to do so in a tent in the middle of the woods is beyond my limits. Might there be a way, I pondered one especially stressful afternoon, to merge my love of nature with my desire for a spalike experience featuring indoor plumbing and fast Wi-Fi?
Enter Hot Springs Glamp Camp, located in the mineral-springs oasis of Truth or Consequences. As soon as I approached the Glamp Camp—the first upscale campground of its kind in the area—I knew I’d made the right choice. Behind a reassuringly modern metal fence were half a dozen or so “glampsites” oozing with funky charm.
Owners Andrea and Robert Ahava visited Truth or Consequences in early 2021, immediately fell in love with the town, and bought an old-timey motor court, which came with three vintage RVs. They updated the RVs to cozy stays, then built a yurt and a dome for alternative camping experiences. Guests can also set up their own tents on designated lots, and glampers have held meditation and yoga retreats at their sites.
Ava the Avion is the most luxurious lodging at Hot Springs Glamp Camp.
Photograph courtesy of Hot Springs Glamp Camp.
“We’ve created a unique space here,” says Andrea. “As soon as people set foot on the property, you can practically see them breathe a sigh of relief. Soaking can relax you into deep sleep, and there’s nothing else like it to relieve the pain of a bad sunburn.”
The camp’s star attractions are the tin “cowboy tubs,” fed by underground springs that are known to be teeming with healing minerals. The waters boast a whopping 38 different naturally occurring minerals, including relaxation-inducing magnesium and skin-smoothing silica.
The property sits in the heart of Truth or Consequences’s Hot Springs District, the half-mile grid of bathhouses and residences that lie just above the town’s strongest geothermal activity. “Because we’re so close to the springs’ source, the water we tap is naturally hotter than places farther away,” says Andrea. Temperatures range between 107 and 111 degrees, making the Glamp Camp’s soaks steamier—and arguably more relaxing—than a standard home hot tub’s 100-to-104-degree range.
Guests have 24/7 access to tin tubs fed by underground springs.
Photograph courtesy of Hot Springs Glamp Camp.
My crash pad for the night was an earthy but uber-modern white-clay dome, complete with a sumptuous king-size bed. Tasteful accent lighting warms up the space, as does an inviting tea and coffee station. A patio with potted cacti features a couch and alfresco dining table.
After dinner at the wonderfully retro Los Arcos Steakhouse, I headed back to camp, changed into my suit, and grabbed a snug waffle-knit bathrobe from the dome’s coat rack. After a moment’s hesitation, I decided to grab my phone, too. At the baths, I asked camp host Kevin Brown if I could play some music. He laughed, “Don’t ask me—ask Alexa!” As my Bluetooth-enabled playlist wafted quietly from hidden speakers, I sank into the depth of the tub. The stars above seemed to twinkle extra brightly as I sleepily felt myself transforming into an honest-to-goodness camper—or at the very least, a savvy glamper.
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