With a 100-plus-year history of horse racing, Oaklawn Hot Springs, Arkansas, is no stranger to excitement. What started as a 1,500-seat grandstand in Hot Springs, Arkansas, that hosted high-stakes thoroughbred racing has evolved to include a casino resort, an upscale destination worthy of a trip in its own right. Think Vegas meets the Kentucky Derby.
The resort seamlessly blends high-end finishes with historic touches that pay homage to its illustrious past. The state’s only casino resort opened in 2021 with gray and navy accommodations that pay homage to the track outside (racing art on the walls of the rooms and bed frames subtly mimic horse stalls). An elegant two-story lobby anchored by a dangling gold chandelier features a mural of silhouetted racehorses behind the reception desk. Imagery throughout the marble-clad corridors showcases the area’s more notorious visitors, like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano.
While the more nefarious activities have long since ended, above-board betting is still a mainstay at the Hot Springs hotel, as is sensational steakhouse fare, pampering at the vintage-inspired spa and, of course, horse racing, best viewed from one of the property’s elegant lounges.
With a 100-plus-year history of horse racing, Oaklawn Hot Springs, Arkansas, is no stranger to excitement. What started as a 1,500-seat grandstand in Hot Springs, Arkansas, that hosted high-stakes thoroughbred racing has evolved to include a casino ...