We’re taking you to the newest wellness escape in Central Texas. Ottine Mineral Springs is about an hour drive from Austin ultimate day and makes a great day trip destination to soak in mineral springs pools, relax in the sauna, lounge in comfy beds, and make a day of it with food and drinks.
We share a full walkthrough of the spa experience: reflexology pools, hot & cold plunges, barrel saunas, wood-fired pizzas, frozens, and tease what’s coming soon with yoga, sound baths, more pools, and a hotel!
Where to stay in Gonzales, TX: Belle Oaks Inn, a gorgeous manor property and The Alcalade, a classic stay.
If you want a quick overview of Ottine Mineral Springs, check out the Reel recap of the full day!
Do you love spas as much as we do? We have a ton of reviews of spas around the world to inspire your relaxation and your travel bug!
Find a great flight deal to a major Texas city near Ottine by signing up for Thrifty Traveler Premium and watching the daily flight deals (points & cash) that are emailed directly to you! Use our promo code TSP to get $20 off your first year subscription.
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Ottine Mineral Springs Review – Episode Transcript
0:35
Travel Squad Podcast is back with Just the tip, today you just have me Kim and I’m going to share an inside look at the recently reopened at Teen Mineral Springs in Gonzales, TX. 1st, what is at Teen Mineral Springs at Teen is a really unique spa retreat experience centered around thermal mineral springs in Texas complemented by curated amenities and treatments.
1:12
It’s ages 13 and over so there are no kids there for the most part.
And where is it?
Gonzales, TX is about an hour ish drive from Austin, TX near San Antonio.
It makes the perfect day trip for anyone visiting from Austin and I say day trip just for now because they do have more coming that could allow you to stay there.
1:35
But it’s pretty central in Texas and so if you’re coming from any of the major surrounding areas of Central Texas, this is a great spot to put on your radar.
The experience at Auten is amazing.
I’m going to take it from the very top to the bottom from parking.
1:51
Parking sometimes can be a pain.
Not here at Auten.
There is tons of parking.
They have multiple different lots, and they even have a golf cart that will drive you back to your car if you parked in one of the farther lots away.
They’re so sweet.
2:06
The experience starts after parking.
You walk in, you walk through this beautiful property, your classic Texas forested property.
You check in at the front desk that they have.
When I checked in, Ruth was there.
She was so friendly.
She gave us a little tour of the pools, where the locker rooms were, where the food area was, and she set us off into our experience.
2:29
I actually thought everyone there was so friendly and so kind.
It was just a pleasant experience that really added to it, having the people be so sweet.
So first you go into the changing rooms.
They have two, two big locker rooms for men and women and tons of lockers.
You can set your own code in the locker so you do not need to bring a lock.
2:46
They have showers and changing rooms in there.
When I went, it was on a Wednesday in August.
I went somewhat later in the day.
I went around 4:00 PM.
There was hardly anybody there.
Like I love a spa experience when you have it mostly to yourself, and that was what I had here.
3:05
Now, if you go on the weekends, you may have more people there, but the property is so big that even if there was 10 times as many people there as when I went, it still wouldn’t have felt busy.
There’s so much space for you to spread out and in the pools that you would be absolutely fine going on the weekend.
3:23
I think it would actually be a great time on the weekend to go with a little group of friends, maybe just your partner.
It’s a little bit of a romantic experience or solo.
There were a lot of people just laying on the beds, the pool beds and actually really cool the pool beds.
Some of them are in the water in the pool, so that makes for a really cool experience.
3:41
There are people reading books, just relaxing.
They were there with their partners.
Some people who were there with friends, great experience, just haven’t even gotten the pools and I’m already loving it here.
So the pools, they have a few different pools.
They have the Cypress pool, the Sage pool, the Palmetto pool, and then they have two Ivy pools.
3:59
So the biggest pool that you will see when you first arrive there is this large pool.
It has water massage blades and floaties.
So you can actually get in a floatie and just float around this big pool.
There’s loungers in the pool.
4:14
So in Texas, if you do go on a warmer day, it’s really nice to choose a bed that’s somewhat in the pool so you can dip your toes and it kind of cools it off just a little bit being over the water.
I love this pool.
You could truly just spend the entire day in this pool alone and have the best time.
4:31
Now, slightly down lower than this main pool, they have a slightly smaller pool.
It has cascading falls that fall into it.
It’s a beautiful pool, a little bit more private because you’re stepped down a bit lower and maybe about half the size of the bigger pool.
4:48
You still could go out and floaties there, but it’s not as big.
It’s beautiful.
The cascading falls are really nice and then they have two almost like small grottos built into this part of the pool.
So you can go in there under the falls, have a little massage from the water, hang out in the grotto.
5:06
It’s a private little area, relax, meditate, maybe have a a nice little conversation with whoever you came with.
So that’s really nice.
It’s fully shaded in that grotto too, so it can be a nice little escape if it’s really sunny out.
And then there are loungers and beds that surround this pool too, so you can get in and out really easily.
5:23
Actually, there are loungers and pools all over the property, so there is absolutely no shortage of places to sit, lay, lounge.
They have pool loungers, really comfy cushion loungers, they have really cool hammocks.
They have actual chairs you can sit in, and they have fire pits up by the kitchen, which I’ll get to in just a second.
5:43
So that was a second pool.
Then they have a third pool, which is more natural.
I would say this was probably my favorite pool.
It has, again, beautiful falls and it’s surrounded by more natural rock formations forming the sides of it and rocks in the middle of it.
6:01
There’s also stones on the bottom of this pool, so it’s really good for reflexology as you’re walking through this pool.
I loved this one.
It felt like more of a natural Oasis, and it’s the pool that’s farthest back to the left where the hammocks are.
I mean, they’re all amazing.
You really can’t go wrong with it.
6:17
There’s minerals in each of them and there’s varying temperatures so you will explore all of them and very much enjoy all of them.
But I like this one.
It felt like a little natural Oasis hidden out in this spa property.
Now to the right hand side of the main pool you will find 2 smaller pools.
6:38
These IV pools are hot and cold, so it’s a beautiful hot tub with the stones at the bottom, again for reflexology.
It was a very sizable hot tub.
So many people can fit in there and the temperatures were warm.
6:53
So the other pools so far haven’t been too warm and they can adjust the temperatures here and they do so for different seasons of the year.
It is open year round and so the hot tub felt great even though I was there on an August evening.
Once evening starts to hit in Texas, sometimes it does get cool enough where a hot tub is bearable and today was one of those days.
7:16
It was extremely enjoyable actually relaxed in there for a bit and then I explored the property a little bit more.
But right next to that hot Ivy pool is a cold Ivy pool.
I have a love hate relationship with cold plunges because I don’t like them.
7:32
They’re uncomfortable and they hurt, but I know that they’re really good for you and they actually can feel really good when you go back and forth between hot and cold.
So you could do hot Ivy pool, cold pool, or you can go inside the barrel sauna that they have, which is right next to the cold pool.
7:49
I am so glad they have a sauna because sauna is so absolutely good for you.
And this barrel sauna was beautiful.
It’s not too big.
I would say once you have about four to six people in there, it’s going to get a little full.
They are building more out, so I’m sure more saunas will come as they develop further.
8:09
But for now they just have the one.
But it is a beautiful barrel sauna.
They have a beautiful big wooden spoon and bucket where you can pour some water on the rocks.
That adds to the ambiance of it.
But when I was there, like I said, there was hardly anybody there.
Had the sauna all to myself.
8:24
It was amazing.
I stayed in there for about 20 minutes.
The sauna was the perfect temperature.
They had it nice and hot and then I went back and forth between sauna and cold plunge and wow, that was the best experience.
It was just invigorating, relaxing, it was all the things.
8:42
It was amazing.
So definitely reserve some time in your day to do a couple sauna cold plunge circuits.
So after really exploring the property, enjoying all of the pools for a couple of hours, I wanted to get a bite to eat and a little drink.
9:00
I love spas that understand we want good food and we want maybe a little cocktail.
They did have different beverages if you are not someone that drinks alcohol, so there’s plenty of options for you in that regard.
But if you do drink alcohol, might I encourage you to try the froze?
9:19
Oh my gosh, the froze was so good.
They also have frozen margaritas, which were very good.
Actually everything on the menu looked really, really good.
They had brick fire oven pizzas, so delicious.
We also got a watermelon salad that had feta on it and that was beautiful and so delicious.
9:39
On the menu.
They also had wraps and sandwiches.
They all sounded really, really good.
We didn’t get any of those, but the pizza, watermelon salad, frozen Marks and froze that we did get was absolutely amazing.
And again, the service here was so sweet.
Sianna was our food server.
9:55
She was so sweet, so amazing.
I didn’t catch the man’s name who cooked our pizza, but he was awesome too.
We had a really good time here.
So I actually went here with my friend Danny, who was also a fantastic videographer.
And so he was capturing some content of me while we were here and we enjoyed the pizza and the drinks and the watermelon salad in the sitting area.
10:16
So if you don’t want to take your food back to say a lounge bed, they do have chairs and tables and picnic tables where you can create a eating area for your group.
And they have different sizes.
So if it’s just you, you can get a smaller table or bigger table.
10:32
If you’re with a bigger group, they have bigger tables.
And in this area is where they have the fire pits.
They did not have them going the night that we were here.
I don’t think it was really the conditions for it.
It was still a little bit warm and the sun hadn’t even set yet in the summer.
It sets a little bit later, so no big deal.
10:49
I will be coming back and I will be enjoying that fire pit.
On the weekday that I was there, it closed at 8:00 PM and so I was there from about 4:00 to 8:00 PM four hours.
I could easily spend an entire day here and the next time I come back I will be doing that.
11:04
I like to go to spas by myself.
So being that it was my first time here, I brought someone who could help film some content.
It was an amazing experience.
And actually I might start doing spas with people more often because it was nice.
But I would love to come back and spend a day solo here, just reading a book, maybe doing some meditation or some journaling, going in and out of the pools, getting a treatment.
11:29
I haven’t even talked about the treatments.
So Squatty, as you know, when I try out a new spa, I typically don’t like to do a treatment.
I like to really fully immerse myself in the property for what it offers to any guests.
With a day pass, my second visit, I like to do a treatment.
11:45
I don’t want to rush myself through the pools and the amenities so that I can get to a treatment.
And so that is what I did here.
The next time I come back, I will be getting a treatment.
They do massages and facials right now and they’re expanding what they offer as they further build out.
12:02
My final verdict of Atene Mineral Springs is amazing.
It is an amazing escape in Central Texas.
I absolutely loved it.
I will be coming back.
I recommend all of you go as well if you’re in the area.
It’s like Autein Mineral Springs still gives this natural Oasis feel, but it’s very Texas too.
12:22
It’s very authentically Texas, and I love that about it.
It really does feel like you’re pampering yourself and relaxing and you’re hidden away from the world.
I definitely will be back, not just because I enjoyed it very much, but because they are developing.
So the owners of Autein also own Ajo Caliente.
12:41
I hadn’t even been aware of this spa resort in New Mexico, but now that I have become aware of it and done a little research into it, it is on my list of must visit places.
But a teen is still very much under construction.
When I was there, the construction wasn’t in motion, so I wasn’t disturbed by it whatsoever.
13:00
And I don’t think that you would be either if you visited, even while they do pick up their work again.
But what is coming is so, so exciting.
They’re building out a lot more pools.
They’re building out a indoor pool, private pool, gazebo areas for group, more massage rooms, and get this a hotel.
13:19
A hotel.
So I have yet to actually spend the night at a spa resort.
It is on my list to do later this year.
Once Autein gets that hotel up and running, I will be there for.
I’m going to do at least a day or two.
Just spend the night, enjoy myself, get a treatment and then do some of these other Wellness experiences that are going to be rolling out pretty soon here.
13:41
Yoga, sound bath, forest bathing, and a lot more is coming.
I have spoken about sound baths on this podcast before when I talked about the Wellness retreat that I went to in Mykonos.
Sound baths are absolutely life changing.
13:56
They will heal your inner child.
They will set you on a right path.
They will bring up and heal things that you didn’t even know needed it all through sound and guided meditation.
And I truly think that this Texas Oasis that is Autine Mineral Springs would be the perfect place for a sound bath, especially if they did it in the middle of the forest and then you could meditate in the sauna and the pools after.
14:19
I cannot wait to come back and do that.
I also love that although it is this relaxing Oasis experience, it is a place that you can come back with a group of friends.
I’m trying to think about what I should do for my birthday this year.
It’s coming up pretty soon here.
And it could be a really great place to bring a group out and celebrate a birthday, celebrate a Bachelorette party or an engagement, or just get a group of friends together and go out and enjoy it.
14:45
And it was very Co too.
I didn’t feel like it was heavily weighted towards women like a lot of spas can be.
Was very much Coed and all of the experiences men and women both can do them.
There currently are no gendered areas other than the locker room so that makes it really nice to bring a Coed group or your partner.
15:03
It didn’t feel like it was very strict on noise like some Nordic spas where they require you do not speak at all.
It was honestly the perfect balance if you wanted the quiet relaxation.
It was there if you wanted it to be more of a group and social spa experience that was there.
15:18
So Squatty’s, if you are in the Central Texas area, I highly recommend you check out Auteen Mineral Springs for a beautiful relaxing day and enjoy yourself in the pools and sauna.
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