By Kira Zalan, JAWS member
The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, which will be home to Conference and Mentoring Project (CAMP) next month, was built in the 1920s in the center of charming Hot Springs, Ark. The hotel is surrounded by forested hiking trails, natural hot springs, shops, restaurants and quirky museums and theaters.
There are plenty of cozy settings for JAWS-style bonding, including an on-site, vintage thermal bath spa; an enormous, southern-style wraparound porch; live entertainment on Friday and Saturday (locals come with their own dance shoes); pools and jacuzzis (carved into the side of a mountain); and a bartender who knows how to make a mean mint julep.
If you’re coming CAMP this year, look forward to the following attractions and activities:
- A mountain directly outside the hotel has paved and unpaved trails that lead to the lookout tower on top, with a museum inside. Group hikes will be organized for Sunday.
- Very hot springs run off the mountain toward the promenade just below. The promenade is a great option for a scenic stroll.
- Hotel guests can access the Hot Springs Country Club for 18-hole golf courses and indoor and outdoor tennis courts.
- A vintage thermal/mineral baths experience in the hotel with optional massage. Book your spot early!
- Bathhouse row, a collection of bathhouses with a big range of costs and options within blocks of the hotel
- Dinner theater, magic show and a gangster museum nearby
- Morning yoga sessions inside the hotel
- Wine and microbrewery tasting rooms within blocks of the hotel
- Happy hour receptions Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings
- House band in the hotel lobby Friday and Saturday night: dancing recommended.
- The Starbucks inside the hotel is open until 1 p.m. daily
- Pancake houses within blocks of the hotel
Our Friday night party theme is The Roaring Twenties, in honor of the hotel’s history filled with mobster-era tales both true and legendary. Come dressed in your best gangster/flapper costume. Since we’re not celebrating during the Prohibition era, you’ll be able to buy your favorite booze from the bar.
More details on rates and reservation information can be found at the CAMP 2017 hotel page. If you’re curious about further exploring our CAMP locale, read our list of 10 Things to See in Hot Springs, Ark.