I'm not sure if this place should be on the website or not - although it's a beautiful old hotel, and a resort that's well worth a visit, for the life of me I can't find out if it's haunted or not. When my wife was making reservations there, the lady on the phone asked if there was any special reason for our visit (an anniversary, to visit the spa, etc). My wife told her that I was researching a book on ghosts, and that we were passing through Hot Springs. The lady said, "Oh, if you're looking for ghosts, I'll give you a room on the eleventh floor!" When we arrived and were checking in, I asked the desk clerk about the ghost stories. Without missing a beat, she flatly said, "There aren't any ghosts here." I explained that the person doing the booking indicated that there were some stories, but she just said, "I've never heard any."

The accomodations were first-rate, the view was incredible, and we settled into room 1104 expecting nothing more than a relaxing stay... which is exactly what we had. They have a first-rate spa, with everything ranging from mineral baths to saunas to massages that will pamper and relax you like you wouldn't believe. In the afternoons, we'd sit out on their massive porch and watch the world go by. While sitting on the porch one day, we asked our waiter about any ghosts in the hotel. He smiled and said, "Oh yes, I've heard that there are definitely ghosts here! I just started work here a week or so ago, but I'll ask the bartender for the details and fill you in when I bring your drinks." When he came back, he acted very aloof, as if he didn't want to have anything to do with us, and said, "Uh, there aren't any ghosts here." He sat our drinks down, then scuttled away. While we can't be sure, it certainly seemed like he'd been told not to talk to the guests about ghosts.

That evening we went down to the lobby where a full-scale party was in full swing. A band was playing, everyone was dancing, and we had a wonderful time. It was almost like stepping back into the 1930's for a party at the grand old hotel. The two paintings on either side of the lobby/lounge/ballroom are jungle scenes, and there's a wonderful story about the artist who painted them, so when you visit there be sure to get one of the staff to tell you about them.

The cuisene at the hotel is also first-class. One of our favorite meals was the breakfast buffet - although it wasn't the cheapest meal on the trip, it was probably the best. Work it into your budget, because it is a feast fit for royalty. We heard other stories about the hotel, including one about the famous mobster Al Capone staying there. One legend states that the gangster had a particular room that he frequented, and he had a few modifications made to it - including a trap door in the closet so that he could escape if some was at his door that he wanted to avoid. Supposedly the trap door led to a small exit by the elevator. We left the hotel mesmerized by the stories of Al Capone, and still wondering about the ghost stories... but loving the old place. We knew that it was only a matter of a short time until we returned for another visit.

I started making inquires once I got back home, and I talked to several people who had stories on the subject. One of the most interesting that I heard was from a person who said: "I was sitting at the bar talking to the bartender, and I asked the hotel's ghost stories. She said that she'd heard of a few things like that, and began to relate a few stories - what I noticed, though, was that her voice was very low, as if she was afraid that someone would hear. Whenever someone came by, she stopped talking and waited for them to leave. She told me that when she first started working there, a particular bottle of wine would continually jump off the bar, as if some unseen hand was knocking it off on purpose. She went on to say that many customers had seen this occur."

"Customers had also come up to the bar and told her stories of people in old fashioned clothes walking down the hall, or strolling through the lobby, and simply disappearing. The strangest thing, though, is that she said there were several rooms in the hotel that have been permanently locked, and neither visitors or staff are allowed to enter. Some have been permanently walled up."

I understand a business shying away from ghost stories, and for that reason I'll say that I have no evidence that there is any ghostly activity at the Arlington... just the things that you read above. When we return - and we definitely will - it won't be to find any spirits. It will be to enjoy the spa, the luxury, the food, and maybe another frosty beverage or two out on that huge porch that wraps around the building.