I went to the races in Hot Springs last week. I went up Friday night for a Valentine’s dinner with three beautiful women and then spent Saturday at the races. I stayed at the Arlington Hotel Friday night and went home Saturday after the races. I bet on one race and lost miserably, and could not bring myself to make another bet all day. I enjoy the track, the races, and the people watching, but I’m not much of a better, and I definitely don’t like to lose. The only reason this introduction is important is to explain how I ended up at the Arlington Hotel last Friday night.
I love the Arlington Hotel; I truly do. I love the history connected to the hotel and the ambience that exists in the lobby area. I like the fact that the shower heads are only about five feet high, and in the summer, it smells a little musty. What I really love about the Arlington is the hot tub, a huge whirlpool heated by the springs that run under Hot Springs National Park. It’s perched on the side of the mountain that the hotel backs up to and overlooks the hotel from the back.
I have been in the tub late at night and early in the morning. Historically, the late night visits have been much more rambunctious than the early morning visits. At night, there was always a lot of coolers, people, and noise. I have been present on more than one occasion when the hot tub was closed down due to noise late at night. In the early morning, it’s usually empty, and there’s nothing more than the mist coming off the mountain and the sun rising above Hot Springs. As I have grown older, the morning is my preferred visiting time.
Anyway, I got up early Sunday morning and headed for the tub. My first hint that something was wrong was when I stopped by the room with the vending machines and the ice. What do I see but a brand new Pepsi machine - and if you have read this column before, you probably know I really don’t like Pepsi. Resigning to enjoy myself even if I had to buy Pepsi, I bought a couple of cans and headed for the side of the mountain.
As I climbed the stairs towards the tub, I could hear the gurgle of the water being circulated. I could see a light steam coming off the water. My heart quickened as I hit the “on” button and the spa started up. I quickly took off my shoes and stuck my leg into the water.
The chill I felt when I stuck my leg in the water was not due to the temperature. To say the water was cold would be an understatement. While the water was warmer than the 32 degree air above it, it was still pretty cold. The cold did not bother me near as much as what it represented. The cold water meant my dreams of a morning in the hot tub were dashed. I could not believe it.
I called the front desk to try to get someone to warm it up. I was on hold for five minutes. As I sat there in the cool morning air, I began to look around and take stock of the area around the hot tub. I noticed that several of the planks were very soft and overall the deck was in serious need of a coat of paint. The AstroTurf in the surrounding area seemed a little worn and frayed. In many ways, the Arlington was in no better shape than many of the old motor inns in surrounding area. The hot tub may have been the last straw for me.
I have always defended the Arlington hotel. I have always encouraged people to stay there for the ambience and the history. However, in the end, that only goes so far. Maybe, the owners are treating the hotel as a cash cow and are sacrificing the future for profits now. Maybe there’s not enough money coming into the hotel for proper up-keep. Whatever it is, I’ll think twice before reserving a room there in the future. Maybe it’s time to move on and let my tradition of staying there die in the same way that either the owners or fate is killing the Arlington.
There are other places to stay and other hot tubs to lounge in while visiting Hot Springs. It is time to move on to bigger and better things. That’s just the way life is. They say that the only difference between a rut and a grave is two ends. Recognizing that fact is an important step to improving one’s life. That’s true for everybody, especially those of us way up in the CHEAP SEATS!
Bill James is a co-founder of the James Law Firm with offices in Little Rock, Conway and Fayetteville, Arkansas. His primary area of practice is criminal defense. He can be contacted at Bill@JamesFirm.com