Guest Reviews

Review by coug, senior contributor | Four Stars on Yelp! | April 4, 2013

A great place for taking the waters and interacting with happy people.
We finally were able to stay at Wilbur on our way home from Southern California. It is only about 30 minutes off of Interstate 5, but decades away from the modern pace of life. We enjoyed the single bed room with bathroom and sink, a converted sun porch area that was quiet and comfortable.

The hot tubs and pool are comfortable with a variety of temperatures, so it is easy to find the spot for your preference. Clothing is optional only in the co-ed water areas - warm pool, hot flumes, and private shower area.

This resort is very relaxing, with pleasant people working the lodge. The guests all seemed very upbeat and relaxed.

I truly enjoyed the employees great spirit and the refreshing attitude of the other guests. This is absolutely a wonderful place to enjoy old lodge charm and hot springs.

Read more here:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g33272-d74291-r156641687-Wilbur_Hot_Springs-Williams_California.html#REVIEWS

Review by Steve C. Antioch, CA | Five Stars on Yelp!

Ahhh Wilbur, for me it is heaven on earth.
I have nothing but good to say about Wilbur, the place, the water, the quiet serenity are what makes this place so very special to me.

I have never had a bad moment at Wilbur in all my visits (ok, leaving always sucks but, what can you do about that). It is not, nor pretends to be, the Fancy 5 Star Spa some apparently expected but it is a most peaceful and welcoming place for those who care to look farther than their laptops and smart (?) phones for life's great experiences. It seems to me that you get back what you put into life and this wonderful place is no exception... I came and found peace, serenity, and acceptance here. Your experience may vary.

Give Wilbur a chance to charm you and you will forever be repaid with peaceful happiness and memories of times well spent.

I would happily recommend the bunk room for folks who feel that the rooms are not affordable, and do remember that the price of staying overnight includes the day use fee until 5 pm the next day. Also, remember to bring ear plugs, some of us snore.

I cannot wait to return.

Review by "415conni", San Francisco, CA | Tripadvisor - January 21, 2013

Wilbur is a Magical Place

...Wilbur is furnished with comfortable craftsmen style furnishings, the staff is gentle and helpful, the rooms--even the dorms--are absolutely clean and spotless.

They have a large lovely kitchen to make your meals in, fireplaces, a library with books to read, grounds full of history and natural beauty to walk or hike if you choose.

The mineral tubs are open 24 hours, and they also have a sauna and warm pool and a yoga loft. Bring your favorite cook book, plan some magic meals, stop texting and wify-ing. Just let it go. Maybe get a massage. Or not--do want you want with no schedule.

Enjoy your respite in one of the most beautiful places in the state, possibly in the world. Oh-- and wear a bathing suit if it makes you feel more at ease. At ease is what matters here.

Holiday Getaways - by Robert Gammon | Eastbayexpress.com - Nov. 21/12

It's cliché, we know, but the holidays really can be a stressful time of year. So why not get away from it all this season — or next, if you've already made plans for 2012? From our perspective, spending some quality time in nature is always the best way to relieve stress. And so all the getaway spots on our list include plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation...

Wilbur Hot Springs: The last on our list is not a town; it's a spa retreat. And it may be the most relaxing place we've ever been to. Located near the town of Williams, east of Clear Lake, the mineral springs here are divided into three long outdoor flumes that range from 95 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Sitting in a naturally heated flume at Wilbur Hot Springs and gazing at the pretty surrounding hills will make you forget almost everything. There are also free yoga classes on the weekends. It's clothing-optional in the springs, and most people wear a bathrobe and then take it off just before they immerse. Clothing is required indoors, however. Wilbur Hot Springs, in short, is super laid-back, and not at all cultish like other hot springs we've been to around the state. Also, there is no restaurant on site, so bring your own organic groceries and cook your meals in the professionally equipped onsite kitchen.

Full Relaxation in Concentrated Form - Yelp Review by Scott P. | Chico, California

My wife and I had never been to a hot spring and we both grew up in Northern California and lived here all our lives. Our visit to Wilbur Springs was our first - and not our last!

We went for a day visit to see what the hotel and springs were like and I have to say, it was better than we expected!! I travel past the road to Wilbur Springs about once per month, and never knew what was down that dirt road - and now I know. The grounds are quiet and serene. The thing that I noticed most was the deafness of the quiet. The charming hotel, the staff, the Onsen, the pool,...just respectful quiet.

I had never experienced a clothing-optional anything before, and had some reservation about that. We are not "hippies", but rather pretty conservative - some might even say the word, "ultra". Both my wife and I packed swim suits, but once I got there and was put at ease by the surroundings.....well, "when in Rome".... My wife stayed in her swim suit, and had just as a relaxing day as I. She was never made to feel uncomfortable by anyone, and she was one of two people clothed. After 5 minutes or so, you don't even notice the lack of clothing, and just see people. As others have said in their reviews, the nudity is not gratuitous, but rather in my opinion, necessary to reach full relaxation mode.

In the three hours we spent in the waters at Wilbur Hot Springs, I really felt like I had just come off a weekend away. I absolutely felt my stress wash away.

The water is green and goes from just below body temperature to 109 degrees. Because of the minerals in the water, I think it makes it feel warmer than it reads. I couldn't even sit down in the 109 flume. The water has a silky smoothness to it. It almost feels like you're sitting in a pool of mineral oil. It is really, truly amazing.

I know this won't be my only visit to Wilbur, in fact, I'm pretty sure it is the first of many trips to the "magical waters". Shed your fears, your stress, your cares, and if you want full relaxation, your clothes and get into the waters at Wilbur Hot Springs.

Weekend Retreat - Blog by Julia, San Francisco - June 4, 2012

“I have returned from my retreat into the wilderness at Wilbur Hot Springs refreshed and probably more relaxed than I ever have been in my life. Our stay was a brief weekend getaway (without the wee one- something we hardly ever do!) that I have to honestly say, had me a little skeptical at first.

I had never been to a hot spring resort, although there are tons of them throughout California, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. After my experience I can safely say all skepticism aside, I am definitely going back the first chance I get. Wilbur Hot Springs is near Clear Lake in Colousa County, California. It's off a non-paved 4-mile road that makes you feel like you are "in the know" as you drive out into (literally) the middle of nowhere.

I spent my 48 hours at Wilbur sleeping, cooking in the Victorian Hotel's gourmet kitchen, basking in the warm June sun, soaking in a variety of the mineral flumes (yes, flumes people. I know, like the stuff of lava beds and Magma!) and taking long walks in the beautiful nature preserve. I probably have already said this, but I can't wait to go back. There are very few places on Earth that can rejuvenate one's soul instantly. I think Wilbur Hot Springs might just be one of those places for me.

So, as I sit here still smelling faintly of sulfur with a bit of sleep behind my eyes, even though it's 4:30 PM, I am looking forward to jumping back into the flow of the stresses of a "regular" week's offerings. This time with a little more ease, and perhaps, just a bit more grace and patience than I had before.

www.goat-notes.blogspot.ca/2012/06/weekend-retreat.html