Here are
a few answers to frequently asked questions about Harbin...
Does the
room/visit charge include use of the facilities?
Yes. All Harbin guests have full access to the pools, trails,
guest kitchen, dressing facilities, sundecks, etc.
Why must
I pay for a membership to visit Harbin?
Harbin is operated as a nonprofit retreat facility, and as
such, at least one member in a visiting party must carry an HCC
membership.
What is
Harbin's policy towards families with children?
Families are welcome to visit Harbin as day visitors or overnight
campers. Please see the Before You
Visit section for complete details.
Is Harbin
a nudist colony?
Clothing is optional and nudity is common in the Harbin pools
and pool area. Although clothing is not required anywhere on our
property (other than in food service areas and on public roads),
nudity is less common away from the pools, especially during cooler
months. Harbin is not a nudist organization, and guests are encouraged
to choose whatever clothing option is most comfortable for themselves.
Click here for discussion about nudity by Harbin's founder.
Does Harbin
offer mud baths or massage services?
Harbin does not offer mud baths. However, we do offer many
other forms of massage and pampering treatments. Visit our Massage
& Watsu section for more details.
I notice that your retreat center does not have TVs or phones in the rooms, forbids the use of cell phones, and has limited Internet options. Is your organization against modern technology?
Not at all. Whether it is this web site, or our reservation, check-in, phone and pager systems, Harbin values the many benefits afforded us through technology. However, we are primarily a retreat center, so one of our missions is to create a place where guests can “unplug” from technology. We do provide pay-per-minute phones and Internet terminals for those who must stay in touch, but these offerings are intentionally modest. Our hope is that you will see your visit as an opportunity to retreat from electronic connectivity, and use that time to connect with silence, nature and the beautiful fellow beings that surround you.
How old
is Harbin Hot Springs?
The
springs here have been used for centuries by native populations.
Harbin Hot Springs and Harbin Mountain got their names from James
M. Harbin, believed to have settled on this land around 1856. By 1870, Richard
Williams had built the Harbin Springs Health and Pleasure Resort
on this location, featuring a hotel building built in the hillside
below the springs. This hotel would burn to the ground and be
replaced by two new hotels (both also burned) as the land changed
hands and changed character over the next 100 years. Whether operated
as a Victorian resort, hunting lodge, boxing camp or free-form
university, the hot springs have always remained at Harbin’s
heart. Most of the buildings now standing were built in the early
1900s, including the remains of the Stuparich Resort that now
serves as residential housing and maintenance areas. In 1972, Harbin
Hot Springs was acquired by Robert Hartley (AKA Ishvara), and
was in turn sold to Heart Consciousness Church, which now operates
Harbin as a nonprofit retreat and workshop center. The property
lines encompass nearly 1700 acres of land, and are surrounded
by undeveloped private and government land. For a detailed
and fascinating look into the history of Harbin, we highly recommend “Harbin Hot Springs -- Healing Waters, Sacred Land” by Ellen Klages. Or check out the other books written by area
authors.
What area
sights are worth visiting?
Harbin is located in the wine growing
region north of San Francisco, approximately 2 hours from San
Francisco or Sacramento, and about 25 miles north of Calistoga.
This southern tip of Lake County is rather rural, with wine tasting
to the south, or boating and fishing on Clear Lake to the north.
Due to its quiet roads and clean air, Lake County is growing in
popularity with cross-country and amateur cyclists. Middletown
features a surprisingly wide selection of restaurants, as well
as hometown stores and antique shops. For more information on
Lake County, contact the Visitors Information Center at 1-800-525-3743.
http://www.lakecounty.com
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