Perched atop the small Arkansas town of Eureka Springs, the Crescent Hotel is a stunningly beautiful hotel steeped in local history and filled with amenities for all, from solo travelers to families. The view of the Ozarks is not the only thing extraordinary about this spirited hotel, which anchors a former boom town turned into one of the liveliest and loveliest destinations in Arkansas. Live the legend!

Built in 1886, at the height of Eureka Springs' 19th century prosperity, the Crescent Hotel & Spa is now part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Historic Hotels of America. Saved from dilapidation by Martin and Elise Roenigk, the Crescent was once known as "the finest hotel west of the Mississippi;" it is now a crown jewel of the Ozarks and worthy as a destination in itself.

  A free, self-guided scavenger hunt is a fantastic way to get the kids interested in the hotel's history. A completed list earns kids a special hotel token. Any guest exploring the interior will come across informative plaques explaining items like the philharmonic pipe organ in the lobby and can spend hours poring over a collection of old photographs of the hotel and surrounding area.

​ The Crescent Hotel offers 72 rooms—from standard to premium king—with several upscale suites and 4 luxury cottages. Some of the finer offerings include balcony rooms with a shared, furnished veranda; Victorian appointed parlor suites, and whirlpool suites as seen in the photos above.

One standout feature of the hotel is how it operates as a resort. The New Moon Spa offers a full selection of spa services. Fun activities take place throughout the day and encourage guests to interact with each other while enjoying free beer tastings, family games on the back porch, and smores roasting. The resort's Frisco Sporting Club offers hatchet throwing, yard games, giant swings, plus libations for adults and snow cones for the kids.

The property is attached to 15 acres of manicured gardens with hiking, biking, and walking trails that loop through the city, making it a moderate but manageable trek into and out of downtown. For those who do not like the uphill trek back to the hotel a simple call to the front desk will dispatch a free shuttle.

Guests have several dining options. The more formal Crystal Dining Room becomes the Italian inspired La Cena in the evening. SkyBar Gourmet Pizza is the best place for dining with a view in Eureka Springs. Top of the Crest serves cocktails and snacks (including Colossal Cupcakes) before and after sunset views. And the Frisco Bar serves burgers and pub grub with optional poolside service.

 Apologies for burying the lede for some, but the Crescent Hotel is also known as one of the most haunted hotels in America. Many stories stem from the hotel's third incarnation as Baker Hospital (late 1930's), which promised to cure cancer "without operation, radium, or x-ray." Patients of Norman Baker, who ghost tour guides reiterate was not a licensed doctor by any means, often died on site.

Detailed ghost tours take place nightly and lead guests on a journey through the hotel's sometimes frightening past and conclude in one of the most thrilling paranormal sites in Eureka Springs, the Crescent Hotel Morgue. The hotel is especially busy in January during ESP Weekend (Eureka Springs Paranormal), which is billed as the largest ghost hunt in America.

Downtown Eureka Springs is a quick walk from the hotel and is welcoming to all. Visitors flocked to the area in the 1800s because of the believed healing powers of the spring water found throughout what is now downtown. An onslaught of visitors prompted developers to build a resort community around the springs and tourists drank the pure mountain water and soaked in spas, some of which still stand. Today, dozens of shops and art galleries, coffee shops and bars, and access to the Ozark outdoors attract visitors to this jewel of northwestern Arkansas.

Useful links

The Crescent Hotel https://crescent-hotel.com/

Historic Hotels https://www.historichotels.org/us/hotels-resorts/1886-crescent-hotel-and-spa/

Basin Park (sister hotel) https://basinpark.com/