Frequently asked questions
Wear something comfortable. The caves are maintained at pleasant 70 to 72 degrees. If you chill easily, please feel free to bring a sweater or hoodie. To keep the salt clean, shoes are not permitted - so please bring socks. If you arrive without socks, ask the attendant for assistance.
Once inside, you'll stretch out on an oversized zero-gravity recliner and listen to the mellow sounds of soothing meditation music and gentle waves for 50 minutes.
If you have skin issues like eczema or psoriasis, we suggest you allow your arms to remain exposed so the salt can work its magic.
Most people fall asleep in the caves. When this happens, it is normal for body temperature to drop a bit, and you may get chilly, so feel free to grab a cozy blanket as you enter the cave.
Please note - clothing is mandatory in the facility (including the sauna)!
Video Recording in Progress - for everyone's safety, multiple video cameras are located throughout the building. Please remain respectful of others at all times.
For your convenience, we have a coat closet and keyed lockers to store your personal items.
If you have any questions about the clothing policy or video recording practices, please talk with a staff member.
Shoes are typically not permitted in the caves. Most people wear socks into the caves. If you arrive without socks, we are happy to provide you with a free pair.
The shoe exception is for those with poor balance, who feel they need their shoes for stability. In that case, we have shoe covers available.
Free keyed lockers are provided, so you can safely lock up your shoes and other valuables while in the caves or the foot detox rooms.
When you book a cave for a private party, you are welcomed to talk with others during your session.
However, if you are sharing a session with others NOT in your party, we strongly discourage any conversation. Please be considerate - many people visit the caves to manage conditions like stress and high blood pressure. It is difficult to relax and meditate while others are talking.
Proper etiquette is to remain silent when you share a cave with others not in your party. Thank you for your cooperation. 🌷
When you arrive, it takes time to sign-in, use the restroom, remove your shoes, and place your belongings into the lockers. If you arrive late, and we allowed you to enter the cave late, all groups following you that day would then be late!
For that reason - THERE IS NO LATE ADMITTANCE INTO THE CAVES.
If your session is scheduled for 1:00 - an on-time arrival is 12:50. Please note:
If you arrive late (1:00 in this example) you may be required to reschedule.
Harmony - our large cave opens at the top of every hour (example: 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, etc.) while Tranquility opens on the half hour (1:30, 2:30, 3:30, etc).
You will be asked to sign a waiver and take a photo which ensures YOU are, in fact, the person signing the waiver. You can read more about this and see the waiver at the end of this FAQ.
If your doctor would approve of you visiting the ocean, then you'll do fine in our Caves. That's because the Caves create a microclimate that mimics ocean air.
Our salt will not "dump" on you, rather, teeny tiny microparticles of salt infuse the air. As you gently breathe in, the salt helps to thin out mucus and calm inflammation.
Since you are not ingesting the salt, it will not raise your blood pressure. In fact, the calming environment and soothing sounds of ocean waves typically helps to lower blood pressure! Get ready to become the definition of calm 💤
Note: We require all clients to sign a release prior to using any service. You can download and read the release below.
Salt is not great for electronics, so if you bring them into the caves, you do so at your own risk. If you cannot part with your device, or wish to listen to your own playlist, please be sure to silence your phone (and keep it hidden under the provided blanket.)
For those of you who wear watches and hearing aids the same rule applies. The air is filled with tiny microparticles of salt - great for your lungs, but terrible for electronics!
We no longer allow guests to take water bottles into the caves. It is harmful to our floor heating system (built to keep humidity out of the room), and spilled water melts the salt. This policy includes all water bottles, including those with lids.
A special note to those with beautiful handbags. Salt draws water to it. For this reason, placing a leather handbag on salt can damage your bag. Please keep it beautiful by locking it up.
Keyed lockers are provided at no charge. Please consider locking up your valuable items, including your water bottles.
Our two caves are not only beautiful, but also quite large! They are true "caves" and not "salt rooms." Every salty bolder, some weighing as much as 80 pounds, was applied to the walls by hand. The floors are covered with 6 inches of beautiful organic pink salt. (You'll love listening and feeling the "crunch" as you walk on it!)
Dr. Margaret Smiechowski introduced salt caves to the U.S. about 20 years ago. Due to their amazing health benefits, plus being FSA and HSA eligible, they have grown in popularity.
We are very fortunate that Dr. Margaret not only designed, but personally handcrafted our two beautiful caves. For this reason, we are 100% confident in our caves' ability to offer effective halotherapy.
Unfortunately, not all caves are constructed with the infrastructure necessary for therapeutic results. We have spent the extra time and money to ensure our caves' effectiveness.
The 22 tons of organic pink Himalayan salt that adorns the cave's walls and floors was sustainably sourced from Pakistan. We have verified that the workers were treated fairly, and were well-compensated via their union.
We believe Dr. Margaret outdid herself and crafted two of the most beautiful caves in the country. We'd love to hear your thoughts!
The Caves are open seating on a first-come, first-served basis. Unless you book as a private group, you may be in a cave with people you may not know.
That said, you won't feel crowded because our caves are quite large and we've chosen to utilize oversized zero-gravity chairs, thereby limiting the number of participants. This decision gives you a great deal more room.
Of course, safety is always a top priority, so our caves are monitored via multiple video cameras to ensure your safety.
Our facility is available for private party rental. Our largest of the two caves is "Harmony," and is always set up for 10 people and can accommodate up to 12 with advanced notice. "Tranquility" is located on the second floor and will accommodate up to six. (Please do not book Tranquility if you are unable to climb stairs.)
The minimum for a private party is six (6) in Harmony and four (4) in Tranquility. The cost is $45 per person, and others will not be booked into your private session. (Please talk with our staff after booking multiple seats to ensure we know you are hosting a party.)
Cave and Foot Spa Detox Combo
Many choose to book a cave AND a foot detox in order to enjoy a two-hour experience. Our upstairs foot spa detox room (Daisy) accommodates up to 6, while our main floor foot spa room (Rose) accommodates up to 4.
Food in the Detox Room
Persons booking a private party are allowed to bring a small charcuterie board or cupcakes to celebrate an event. However, be aware that one of your wrists will be tethered to the detox machine and your feet will be in ceramic bowls of water for 30 minutes. For this reason, you should not bring a full meal - you will not have the time or ability to consume it. Small treats are acceptable.
The cost of a detox or mineral foot soak is $45 per person.
Note: We are always happy to do the bookings for you. Call: 317-533-1485 or
Email: info@CarmelSalt.com
Many groups celebrate at the Caves. Most groups request the option to have every individual pay for their own experience. For this reason, it is necessary to make multiple entries to secure multiple seats.
THAT SAID - if you want to book multiple people, there's no need to type your info multiple times. Simply call 317-533-1485 and we'll create your reservations in minutes! You can text your request to that number or email us at info@CarmelSalt.com. Once we book your seat(s) or event, we'll send a confirmation notice to the phone number or email address you provide.
IMPORTANT - EVERY PERSON ATTENDING NEEDS A SEAT. Please do not secure one seat and put "I'm bringing 3 people with me." The software counts seats reserved and cannot read notes. Every person should have a seat listed - even if it means using your name multiple times. Please call if you need further clarification or assistance.
If you need ANY help or would like us to book a service for you - please do not hesitate to call or email. It takes us just minutes to book a large party.
PAYMENT - YOU ARE CHARGED AT THE TIME OF SERVICE.
YOUR CREDIT CARD WILL NOT BE CHARGED WHEN YOU BOOK ONLINE UNLESS YOU FAIL TO CANCEL WITH 24 HOUR NOTICE. WE DO NOT SAVE THE CREDIT CARD INFO USED TO HOLD YOUR SEAT. YOU CAN USE ANY FORM OF PAYMENT AT THE TIME OF SERVICE.
Info we need to book via email or text:
Your Name
Date you would like to visit
Time of day you would like to visit
How many people in your party
What service or services you'd like to do (example: cave and detox)
A phone number, so we can text you a confirmation notice
An email if you want us to email the confirmation to you
If you are booking several people via our office, it is common for us to use just your name to hold the reservation and to book your guest under an employee name to keep you from receiving multiple text messages confirming
everyone in your party. (Otherwise, you'd feel like you're being spammed to death! 😱) After we book your service(s) our initial confirmation notice back to you will summarize your booking. This is how you'll know we reserved all the seats you requested.
Most FSA and HSA providers view "Halotherapy" and "Far Infrared Sauna" treatments as "alternative" therapies.
To ensure your company allows this type of "alternative therapy," please contact your provider prior to visiting the Carmel Salt Caves & Spa. Halotherapy is also known as "Dry Salt Therapy."
Please be aware that many FSA and HSA cards do not have "chips," so credit card readers may have a difficult time processing them. If you have confirmed that your plan allows for Halotherapy (Dry Salt Therapy) and/or Far Infrared Saunas, and our reader does not accept your card, simply use a different payment method, and email/text the receipt to yourself and submit it for reimbursement.
Carmel Salt Caves & Spa is not a licensed healthcare provider, however, we offer these two alternative services which are typically a "covered expense" by most HSA and FSA providers.
Note: The foot detox is definitely NOT eligible via any provider.
We honor and thank the men and women who bravely serve our Community, and understand that everyday you put yourself in harm's way to protect us. In doing so, you may suffer physical and emotional harm.
The Carmel Salt Caves offers well-vetted respiratory therapy known as "halotherapy" which has been shown to help calm inflammation and thin mucus as it works to heal delicate lung tissue. Additionally, Caves provide a calming serene environment that can help relieve stress and anxiety.
As long as a private group hasn't secured the caves, we will always have a chair available for EMS workers at the reduced rate of $25. Carmel EMS enter at no charge. Simply call 317-533-1485 to secure a seat. Please bring your credentials until we are familiar with you.
EMS include: Active Firefighters, Police officers, 911 Operators, EMT's and Paramedics.
Thank you for your service!
Yes! We LOVE our community! In 2025 we donated over $20,000 to local charities. In 2026, our focus will be large organizations like libraries, parks, and school corporations.
If you manage a non-profit, email your donation request to:
Dr. Skye Winslow
Our insurance provider requires all clients to sign a Release and Waiver of Liability prior to using any service within our facility.
A Picture and Your Signature Are Required
At check-in you will be asked to sign the attached waiver via our iPads. During the process you will be asked to take a photo prior to signing the release. This helps to ensure YOU are the person signing the waiver. If you decline to sign the waiver and/or take a photo to complete the waiver, we will be unable to provide service.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the owner, Skye Winslow, at 317-533-1485 or info@CarmelSalt.com.