1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa

Housed in an elegant granite building with soaring columns, the historic 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa is imbued with a moody ambience, complete with rumors of ghosts haunting its atmospheric halls. Set on a ridge of 15 acres in the Ozarks, the hotel has a plush, tomato-red lobby with a white brick fireplace, wooden columns, and Victorian loveseats and lounge chairs, where guests might spy Casper and Jasper, the in-house cats who slink and nap around the property. The reception desk is worth more than a glance: Made of dark wood and frosted glass, it has a network of wooden cubbies and cut metal keys. The dining rooms are high ceilinged with chandeliers and lovely, bucolic views. In 1997, the hotel underwent a $10 million renovation, but it's due for some new upholstery in its lobby and fresh paint and new furniture in some of its guest rooms. Many of the guests here are Americans, drawn to the hotel's lore and the Victorian town of Eureka Springs, especially during the Ozark Mountain Music Festival and Eureka Springs Paranormal Weekend.

Set on a ridge in the Ozark Mountains, the 1886 Crescent Hotel is surrounded by 15-acres of gardens and woods. Just outside the property is a residential neighborhood. Downtown Eureka Springs, known as "the Little Switzerland of America" for its alpine terrain, is 15 minutes away on foot. Here guests will find a carefully maintained Victorian-era village of shops and restaurants, as well as a handful of attractions like the Intrigue Theater, Eureka Springs Auditorium, and St. Elizabeth Church, whose chapel is modeled on the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. For lovers of American roadside kitsch, the Frog Fantasies Museum, with a collection of 7,000 amphibians, is a nine-minute walk from the hotel. The steam engines of the Eureka Springs and North Arkansas Railway are a four-minute drive, while the soaring sculpture of Christ of the Ozarks is a nine-minute drive. Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge is a 16-minute walk or four-minute drive. The hotel can provide information on renting various watercraft for Lake Leatherwood, a 15-minute drive from the hotel. Boone County Regional Airport is a 55-minute drive from the hotel, while Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport can be reached in about an hour and 20 minutes.

There are several varieties of lodgings at the hotel, ranging from guest rooms and suites in the main building, to contemporary cottages. Guest rooms retain a Victorian feel, with plaster walls painted in jewel tones and period furnishings that include dark wood bow-fronted chests and beds with pineapple finials. Some of the rooms show signs of wear and tear, however, and are in need of an update. The bathrooms in the main hotel, although spacious with pretty tile floors and pedestal sinks, have showers within footed tubs that are often chipped and in need of reglazing. Amenities include air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, coffee- and tea-making facilities, irons and boards, and free Wi-Fi.

Cottages are more modern in style and include full kitchens as well as dining and living areas with fireplaces and reproduction Mission-style furnishings. Private decks are furnished with tables and chairs, and offer nice views of the mountains. Bathrooms in the cottages are also more modern with tub/shower combos and contemporary fittings.

Guests repeatedly cite the hotel's ghost tours as a must-do on the property, and it's one of the highlights here. There's also a full spa on-site with 12 treatment rooms, a hair salon, a sauna, and a designated room for bridal party beauty. The outdoor pool is opened seasonally and surrounded by a sundeck lined with loungers, plus there's a hot tub.

On-site dining options include the elegant Crystal Dining Room, which is open for dinner during the week (and where a free breakfast is served daily), and the casual Sky Bar Gourmet Pizza, which serves pizzas and other appetizers as well as cocktails with a view. Crescent Confections sells ice cream and other sweets. 

A small gift shop in the lobby is stocked with bohemian wares. The hotel also offers conference and meeting facilities, as well as a bright, delicate conservatory for events such as weddings. For children, the hotel offers various activities as well as a camp, depending on the time of year. The lobby is staffed 24-hours and includes a concierge. The hotel offers a free shuttle to the downtown area. Wi-Fi is free throughout.