"We don't care." That was Harbin's answer to "Have you read Harbin's reviews on [another site]?" The gracelessness of fielding that question speaks to how poorly their front line staff handled problems. I've never seen a hotel desk clerk escalate a situation as quickly as the one I encountered as Harbin. And if Harbin doesn't care about feedback and won't... more

So the hype about Harbin centers on its hot spring pools and the nudity. My spouse and I (an open-minded, early 30s couple) took the plunge and got naked. We quickly observed that there are 3 types of people who use the nudie pools at Harbin: 1) Exhibitionists - These are the people who basically have sex in the pool.... more

My wife and I visited Harbin in 2008. We found it like other reviewers - an absolutely lovely and enchanting place. The clothing-optional (yes, really mostly nude) element around the pools was a non-issue with us, making us feel wonderfully naughty in the most positive kind of way. The rooms in the older section were great, and although the bathrooms... more

After visiting similar resorts elsewhere, we were looking forward to visiting Harbin which is only about a three hour drive from our home. Although there are some nice features and it's in a beautiful location, we won't be headed back because a bad experience is indicative of the way the place is run. In essence, the experiences of guests don't... more

My sister, who is a holistic healer, discovered this place online. She and my mom traveled to the Bay Area from Arizona just for a chance to visit Harbin Springs. The place itself was beautiful, and the massages were none like we've ever received. The only problem we had was the seeming unfriendliness/lack of knowledge of the staff and the... more

When my husband and I were suddenly given the opportunity to take a weekend ALONE with no children I frantically launched in to action and Googled "romantic weekend getaway" and stumbled upon several northern CA hot springs. I wanted to do something fun and different to spice things up a little and I ran accross Harbin and Wilbur and I... more

My husband and I went to Harbin on a long weekend as a treat and stress relief mini-vacation the week after he finished his Master's degree. We were hoping for an oasis from the urban life of the Bay Area, for a real "get-away." And it was, in some respects. But there were also multiple arenas in which Harbin was... more

So on a exhausted and desperate whim, I sought out affordable health and nature spas and found myself flying into sacramento and taking an 2 hr drive to Harbin. I was flying solo, in desperate need of some R&R and a bit intrigued by the whole concept of Harbin...I'm not a hippie nor very new-aged but I do appreciate nature,... more

The pools are great, but clothing is hardly "optional". My experience in choosing to exercise the option of a (tiny) bikini was met with unwelcome comments from other guests. I was judged and chastised by the other guests because I chose to wear my bikini. I was startled at how fat and unfit so many of the guests were. I... more