It’s the stuff of myth, an abandoned resort in the woods that had its heyday in a tranquil part of northern California...and now it’s being brought back to life, as reported by MSN. Six Senses resorts announced that they will revive the historic Aetna Springs Resort in Pope Valley, the one-time destination for Hollywood vacationers trying to get away from the spotlight. This was home to one of the nation’s first golf courses west of the Mississippi in 1891, and Ronald Reagan announced his gubernatorial candidacy in the resort’s dining hall in 1966.
The resort will incorporate careful preservation of 28 existing structures on the property. Six Senses reports there will be 95 rooms and suites, including 10 tent-like spaces, along with 16 branded residences.
Since the resort grew up around mineral springs that still exist, the resort will focus on wellness and nature across its 3,000 acres. There will be yoga, meditation, mindfulness and various nature-based treatments and programs focusing on the mind-gut-skin connection.
You’ll be able to access the mineral springs with indoor and outdoor thermal bathing. According to the hotel group’s statement, “For anyone new to natural swimming, this is the place to experience the joy of pond floating, belly and spirit buoyant as the sun cuts through the morning mist.”
Staff at the indoor bathing facilities will use local herbs and essential oils to craft private or communal hot and cold therapies. Guests will be able to blend their own scrubs and soaps at the sensory Alchemy Bar, using ingredients harvested from the resort’s organic gardens.
As part of embracing community, there will be an open-plan dining hall with long tables for strangers to come together to feast (as well as private areas for marriage proposals or other intimate moments).
You can’t have wellness without a well, so at the resort’s well, guest can celebrate the historical Aetna Springs where mineral water is distilled and bottled. And you can chase down that healthy water with another offering from the land: Napa’s amazing wines.
Six Senses Napa Valley is slated to open in 2026.