What Is the Arlington Hotel?
This luxurious hotel at the end of Bathhouse Row is the largest in all of Arkansas!
What Makes It Historical?
The Arlington has been Arkansas’ grandest since inception and through all three incarnations! The first rendition, funded by Samuel Fordyce and opening in 1875, was three stories tall with 120 rooms, lit by gas lamps with a grand courtyard between wings. But in less than twenty years, that grandeur stopped being grand enough! The original Arlington was razed and replaced in 1893 by a five-level, 300-room, Spanish Renaissance complex with a glass dome, ornamental oak staircase, and a pink parlor. Hotel #2 got on smashingly for thirty years until a fire broke out and brought this treasure to the ground!
The third Arlington, still standing today, was the work of the firm of Mann & Stern, who had a hand in many bathhouses along Bathhouse Row, emphasizing fireproof materials! Opening on December 31, 1924, it was even grander than the first two, with 560 rooms, like the Crystal Ballroom, Venetian Room, and the Music Room, specially set aside for performances by the Arlington’s own orchestra! 50 private rooms had mineral water piped in from the springs, but there was also a classic bathhouse set up inside the hotel! This was a favorite stopping spot for notables like Babe Ruth and Tony Bennett, FDR and Bill Clinton! Al Capone famously preferred Room 443, but rented out the entire fourth floor for his staff and guards! Today, folks can stay in the rooms that now bear the names of their famous guests!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Spend the night at the Arlington Hotel!
- Donate to Preserve Arkansas!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
239 Central Avenue
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
Whenever the mood strikes you!