Imbri S.
Yelp
Fair warning to any judgy-mcjudgypants anti-nudist, Orvis is not for you. This is because the entirety of the outdoor hot spring area is clothing optional. Personally, I detest the cloying feel of a swimsuit when I'm taking the waters, and thus I get joyful over any hot spring that doesn't make me suffer under someone else's socially repressed dress-code when what I need is to relax in a hot mineral pool, heal, and unwind. Orvis allows that unencumbered relaxation in truly breathtaking surroundings.
Though, I guess they actually cater to the judgy types too, since there is an indoor public pool that's clothing required, and two private indoor pools that don't have rigid time limitations, so you can take the waters without actually having to see other bathers if you want.
Unpolished native rock was used in the construction of the walls and benches of the main outdoor pools, and they have rounded pebbles for floors. Thus, a walk across the pool is a built-in foot massage, and somewhere along the submerged seats is a spot ideally comfortable for just about every form or figure. Plus, the organic lines and curves of native rocks, pools, and greenscaping promote that release from urban rigidity, and the not-all-that-distant mountains on nearly every horizon are an anchoring connection with the natural world. Were it not the middle of winter, I'd no doubt have plopped myself in one of the many wooden chairs or swings to relax in the clean mountain air while taking in the view and quietly contemplating the lovely sound of the carefully constructed waterfalls which were likely meant for just that purpose.
We stayed the night in the Uncompahgre room, which I definitely recommend to anyone who can save up the very significant cost of even a single night. The ability to skinny-dip silently in hot mineral baths well after the bulk of visitors have left for the night and long before they arrive for the day is a healing and relaxation experience nearly impossible to put a price tag on.
Back to our room, though, it was generously sized and the bed was so perfectly cloudlike, that it was like I floated weightless all night. We had a personal fridge that ran in complete silence, and an individual water dispenser so we wouldn't dehydrate in the hot, high-altitude pools. The resort also provided us luxurious hooded robes for wandering the clothing-required halls and the chilly paths between outdoor pools, as well as ample fluffy towels to get thoroughly dry before falling into our personal cloud for the night.
The only other warning I would have is for those that can't share. All the rooms in the guest house share communal bathrooms/showers, but since there aren't many rooms, the line was pretty non-existent each time we needed to avail ourselves of the facilities. There's a big communal kitchen below stairs as well, though we didn't avail ourselves since incredible food is a 2 minute drive away in Ridgway. We also missed out on using the public saunas due to being just so enthused about the pools. We're going to explore those, and possibly the massage treatments (available for an extra charge), at our next visit.