Arkansas, The Luggage Tag

The downtown square in Bentonville, Arkansas is hopping with an array of things to do. On the northeast corner sits a chic museum that doubles as a hotel. Award-winning 21C Museum Hotel displays contemporary art from living artists both local and international. The “21” stands for 21st century. Its founders Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson had the desire to share their passion for the latest forms of art. The Museum is free to enter and open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

A flock of green penguin sculptures stand tall throughout the museum. They can be found moved in different locations giving their viewers something to chuckle about. The green penguins can be seen viewing other art, surprising its overnight guests in the elevator, or simply staring out the window. There have also been sightings of the flightless birds in the guest rooms playing dress up and getting read bedtime stories. According to the 21C Museum Hotels’ website, “21c fans and residents of Northwest Arkansas selected green as the color to best represent the region. The mission of Cracking Art Group is to raise awareness of environmental issues and the use and misuse of natural resources by creating artworks with materials derived from petroleum products. The name Cracking Art refers to the chemical reaction that occurs when converting raw crude oil into plastic, or the moment when natural becomes artificial. Founded in 1993, Cracking Art Group has created over 600 exhibitions worldwide.” These cute creatures also love to join guests during meals at The Hive.

The Hive restaurant adjoins the hotel serving up sophisticated, home-style country cooking. Contemporary art doesn’t stop in the museum lobby. A gallery of pictures charm patrons as they dine. From the dining room, the open kitchen design allows glimpses of the food preparations. The Hive offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as a full bar to entertain the tastebuds. Quality freshness is important to The Hive. Head chef, Matthew McClure purchases ingredients from local farmers and producers. The restaurant provides grits as one of their delicious offerings sourced from War Eagle Mill located in Rogers, Arkansas, built in 1832. The mill still uses a waterwheel to power the turbine grinding grain into flour.

If adventurous guests enjoy the outdoors, 21C Museum Hotel offers free cruiser bicycles. The beautiful biking trails allow room for everyone to relish in their own style, from walking trails to the all-terrain mountain bike trails. The paved trails allow guests of all ages to walk or ride in comfort through the lush grounds. Visitors can savor more attractive art at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, one of Bentonvilles popular museums, is less than a mile away from 21C.

It’s usually a challenge for most to sleep in an unfamiliar place, but guest rooms are clean and comfortable at 21C. Everyone can have a good night’s rest; sleeping in the smooth luxurious linens. The memory foam mattress allows for partners not to be disturbed. The bathroom lighting has three illuminations to choose. Great for those who like to leave a small glow just in case of nighttime bathroom visits. The Malin+Goetz toiletries are infused with an exclusive variety of herbs such as cilantro, peppermint, and bergamot. Perched behind the shower curtain sits a rubber duckie smiling back at happy tenants.

Arkansas is known for being the Natural State. Hot Springs, Arkansas is chock-full of natural spring water steaming up from the earth. Used for medicinal purposes, the springs have been popular for centuries. Downtown Bathhouse Row is lined with eight historic bathhouses where affluent goers once stayed during the 19th and 20th century. Now a visitors center, the Fordyce bathhouse was the most popular and expensive. The spa included separate bathing quarters for men and women, locker rooms, roof garden, gymnasium and several public rooms for gathering with friends. High-society patrons were treated with the mind, body and spirit considered. The center allows visitors to walk through the variety of wellness rooms of the once operational bathhouse. In the men’s bath hall, elegance and luxury dominates with marble benches and a stained glass ceiling. The community believed that the mineral water was the elixir to better health. The spring water lost some of its popularity in the mid-20th century, which closed the bathhouses doors. The remaining bathhouses are now museums, restaurants or gift shops in the historic national park.

Hot Springs National Park offers its guests and residents free spring water from a few spigots in the downtown area. Whether it’s a tiny paper cup or a five gallon jug, the public still line up to indulge in the geothermally heated spring water. During a cold evening, the downtown is filled with steam rolling out from the spring water pools.

Hot Springs is piled with steamy history. The Gangster Museum of America takes its visitors to the early 1900’s where big time gamblers could soak up the miner water and satisfy their mischievous pleasures. Dueling gangsters fought for the control of the town during the 1880’s, which led to gunfights. Hot Springs became the top destination for gambling. Big time gamblers like Al Capone stayed in Hot Springs for awhile, owning a suite in the Arlington hotel. Although Capone was considered a crime boss his days in Hot Springs were peaceful. The locals also claimed he was a good tipper.
Walking trails surround the

Experience Art and Hospitality of 21C Museum Hotels

Steamy History in Hot Springs, Arkansas