The Story of the Symes Hot Springs Hotel & Mineral Baths
Native Peoples occupied the Little Bitterroot River Valley and enjoyed its healing hot springs long before European trappers and traders encroached upon local resources. In 1855, an 80-acre area around the hot springs was set aside as a government reserve.
In 1910, the Flathead Reservation opened to homesteading and the sale of tribal allotments, along wih the land of early settler Ed Lamereaux, became the townsite of Hot Springs. Originally platted as Pineville, the town lies astride Hot Springs Creek within the modern borders of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Indian Reservation.
Native Americans are part of the Story of the Symes Hot SpringsEuropean-American settlers from the outset enjoyed the hot springs and residents catered to visitors seeking the curative mineral waters. Businessman Fred Symes purchased the property in 1929 and built a $50,000 Mission-style hotel, completed in early 1930. Mission-style features include the curvalinear roofline, quatrefiol windows and stuccoed walls. The original hotel featured twenty baths, ivory enamel finishings, and doctor's services on the premises. The Symes proved a depression-proof business; expansion and improvements continued throughout the 1930s through the mid-1940s.
Visiting the Symes is like stepping back into the 1940's. We provide guests with an escape from telephones and televisions and other nerve jangling distractions of modern life. What you will find is old fashioned hospitality from folks who are genuinely happy to have you visit them.
Leslie and her friendly staff will welcome you to the Symes Hot Springs Hotel. The Symes Hot Springs Hotel and Mineral Baths has 31 rooms available, including a Jacuzzi Suite with jetted mineral spa, ten cabins and convenience apartments. There is a hot outdoor mineral flow thru pool in the front of the hotel, which has two temperatures: 104 degrees and 101 degrees, with a peaceful waterfall between the two pools.
The bath wing still has four of the original clawfoot tubs in private stalls for bathing. There is a new two-person jetted tub and a jacuzzi steam that you can rent by the hour. We have a day spa that features Swedish massage, hot rock therapy, theraputic jetted baths, exfoliation and wraps, and WATSU in a private mineral pool.
Additionally, we have a restaurant, espresso, live music, art gallery, antiques and gifts. The historic hotel provides a unique step back in time with family, friendly staff, entertainment, good food, massage, and a peaceful hot water getaway with one of the most revered mineral springs in the world. It is considered one of the world's best mineral waters, mentioned in such books as Nathanial Altman's Healing Springs of the World.