The Natural State’s ‘Spahhhhs’
Quapaw Bathhouse in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
photography by Janet Warlick, Candy Washburne and courtesy of Bathhouse and spas
Take a stroll up Hot Springs National Park’s famed Bathhouse Row. Of the eight historic bathhouses, several are still in use today; two offer hot springs mineral baths while the others are enriching the lives of thousands of visitors in exciting ways.
Buckstaff Bathhouse, a cream-colored brick Neoclassical revival building with blue striped awnings, first opened in 1912. It’s the only bathhouse in the park that has been in continuous use. Step back in time for a traditional thermal mineral bath, “sauna” in a steam cabinet, needle shower, sitz bath and massage. Services for women and men are separate. Log onto buckstaffbaths.com or call (501) 623-2308 for more information.
Ozark Bathhouse, a stately Spanish colonial revival structure with twin towers; this bathhouse has a distinctive sloped, red clay tile roof. Ozark Bathhouse opened in 1922, but since 2009, the white concrete and stucco building has been home to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). Lori Arnold said within 24 hours of becoming the executive director she realized MOCA was more than a museum. She enjoys watching “the transformation of people when they walk through the door” and view paintings, sculpture and photography from around the world. MOCA’s permanent collection includes silkscreen work of Steve Kaufman, Andy Warhol’s assistant, and sculpture by Tuan, who learned to mold clay from the floor of his cell in a Communist concentration camp in Vietnam.
Arnold’s energy and passion inspire goosebumps when she talks about MOCA’s focus on education outreach. There are plans to build a classroom. “You can tell with the children, that it reveals a part of them that they normally don’t open.” Be sure to visit MOCA’s gift shop and pick up items like music by local artists, pottery or jewelry. For more information, log onto museumofcontemporaryart.com or call (501) 609-9966.
Quapaw Bathhouse first opened in 1922 and is now a contemporary day spa, aptly named Quapaw Baths & Spa; the staff offers a full menu of spa services and four co-ed soaking pools, filled with the park’s thermal waters. Robin Rodriguez, a Hot Springs native and the spa’s bath and pool manager, explained the temperatures in the upper, center, left and right pools vary daily as the flow from the hot and cold springs are manually adjusted to reach between 90 and 104 degrees.
Quapaw, a Spanish colonial revival with a large mosaic tile dome, is the only bathhouse on Bathhouse Row to offer couples services. Available until Jan. 31: The Sugar Plums & Spice & Everything Nice private mineral bath with wild plum aromatherapy, 40-minute Swedish massage, 25-minute facial and 10-minute cranberry foot scrub. You can also add to any package a short stay in the Steam Cave, built where the springs enter the Quapaw. If that doesn’t suit you, relax in the Quapaw Café with a strawberry banana smoothie. Quapaw features Eminence organic skin care from Hungary in its retail shop. Log onto quapawbaths.com or call (501) 609-9822 for more information.
After museum and spa hopping, be sure to stop in the Fordyce Bathhouse, which serves as the Visitor’s Center for the Hot Springs National Park. The Renaissance revival-style bathhouse, with both Spanish and Italian elements, opened in 1915 and offers a vision of the golden age of bathing. Of particular note: the elaborate stained glass windows, a tiled room in the basement where the hot springs bubble up and the gymnasium where Jack Dempsey worked out.
Walk past the Maurice Bathhouse, the largest of the bathhouses, to Hale Bathhouse where you’ll find the 3 Arts Café and Bookstore in the lobby. Hale first opened in 1892 and was renovated in 1939 with its current Mission revival-style. On one of the wicker chair seats is the only place on Bathhouse Row where you can have wi-fi access and enjoy a bottomless cup of coffee. Deleen Davidson, a performing artist and founder of the Muses Creative Artistry Project, is spearheading a capital campaign to restore the rest of the building for performance space and artist-in-residence lodging. The project’s mission is dedicated to preserving classical art and music through education.
Davidson welcomed AY into the café with a frittata with gorgeous mixed berries and pasta salad and a muffin laden with blueberries. The café is also known for its New Orleans-style iced mocha and fine selection of Fox Pass pottery. For more on information, log onto themusesproject.org or call (501) 463-4514.
To the north of Bathhouse Row, be sure not to miss the historic Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa. The majestic hotel offers a full range of spa amenities. On the third floor, guests can bathe in hot springs water pumped directly into the hotel at the Thermal Water Spa. The full-service spa offers hair services; facial and body masques; manicures/pedicures; aromatherapy; half- and full-days of beauty; makeup application; customized massages — such as hot stone and synchronized four-handed — waxing; men’s services; and more. For more information log onto arlingtonhotel.com or (501) 609-2514.
