Paraiso Hot Springs

Question

Does anyone know the status of Paraiso Hot Springs? I heard it was closed, and there were issues with the county planning department when the owners demolished some of the historic cottages.

I also heard a "rumor" that it might become a private resort, not open to the public.

I never stayed there, but saw it once in my travels. It looked like a quiet, out-of-the-way place to relax....if the rates for the tiny , bare-bones cabins were a little more reasonable.

Anyone have more current infor?

Answer

Good question. Here’s the current status (as best as publicly documented) for Paraiso Hot Springs / Paraiso Springs Resort in Soledad, Monterey County, CA, plus the history and what might happen next.

Status & Background

- The original Paraiso Hot Springs resort was closed to the public around 2003.

- In November 2003, nine of the historic cottages were demolished. According to county documents, that demolition was not fully permitted at the time (“after-the-fact” review).

- The property is quite large — about 235 acres.

- A major redevelopment proposal (“Paraiso Springs Resort” project) has been in the works for many years. The plan includes: hotel units, timeshares, retail, spa, wine pavilion, conference center, and more.

- According to LandWatch (a land-use advocacy group), the Planning Commission approved the project in October 2019.

- There was an appeal to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, but according to reporting, the appeal was withdrawn in January 2020, which allowed the project to move forward.

- According to the county’s environmental review (EIR), the project would require reconstruction / mitigation for the illegally demolished cottages, plus other development on the site.

- According to a local news article, even after controversy (traffic, environmental concerns, the demolition), the developers intend to build a “world-class resort” / wellness center.

- A settlement was reached with at least one neighbor who had appealed; that appears to have cleared a major hurdle.

So, is it becoming a private resort?

Yes — that seems to be the direction. The redevelopment plan is not simply to reopen the old public hot springs in the same form. Instead, the project envisions a commercial resort, including hotel rooms, timeshares, conference space, spa facilities, wine pavilion, and more. That suggests it likely will not operate exactly as the old basic “use-it-as-you-go” hot springs resort, but rather something more upscale and possibly restricted in access (e.g., for paying guests).

Major Issues / Controversies

Demolition of historic cottages without proper permits.
Environmental concerns, including oak tree removal, traffic on narrow rural roads, septic / water impacts.
Historic resource mitigation: there is pressure / requirement to reconstruct or commemorate the historic cottages.
Fire risk: in earlier letters, concerns were raised about fire history at the site and the narrow access road.

What Might Happen Next / Possible Outcomes

The resort could be redeveloped fully, as proposed, into a commercial, possibly semi-private resort, not necessarily open to casual public drop-ins.
Some of the historic cottages may be rebuilt or replicated as part of mitigation / design, per county / historical-resource agreements.
There could be day-use components (spa, wellness center) — in some planning documents, day-use activity was mentioned.
The project could be scaled back or altered if further appeals or environmental constraints arise (though major appeals seem to have been resolved as of 2020).

Conclusion

So yes, your “rumor” is quite accurate: Paraiso Hot Springs is not currently operating as a public hot springs resort in its old form. It’s been closed since ~2003, and the historic cottages were demolished in a controversial move. What is planned now is a large-scale resort redevelopment, likely with more exclusive access, more amenities, and a more commercial, upscale business model than the tiny bare-bones cabins of the past.

Paraiso Hot Springs

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