“Taking of the Waters” is a sacred healing experience practiced for centuries by the  Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of Palm Springs, California.

Today, visitors can soak in the steaming water of the tribal hot springs at The Spa at Séc-he, the tribe’s new luxury spa in downtown Palm Springs.

The tribe began sharing Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring with settlers in the 1800s, making it Palm Springs’s first tourist attraction–and namesake. The first bathhouse was a rough-hewn wooden cabin. 

Séc-he brings world-class spa to Palm Springs

Séc-he, which opened in April 2023, offers a new level of health and wellness services to devotees of hot springs and upscale spa experiences. The 73,000-square-foot spa boasts 22 private mineral baths, a fitness center, resort-style pools, and whirlpool tubs.

On a visit to Palm Springs in October 2023, I spent a day at Séc-he, which is pronounced “Seh-hee” and means “the sound of boiling water.” You can read about my experience at the spa in Food Wine Travel Magazine.

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