Hobbit Caves no ordinary holes

Eureka Springs cave lodge: A haven for Tolkien fans

For years, Eureka Springs has cultivated a reputation for the unique - the state’s undisputed home of haunted hotels, old-school and modern hippies, hipsters and now - hobbits.

Or at least replicas of their abodes, although Bag End likely didn’t have a two person whirlpool spa.

Eureka Springs Treehouses, Hobbit Caves and Castles has recently opened its three Hobbit Caves, underground lodging that caters to romantics and fans of author J.R.R. Tolkien and the highly successful films his books have spawned. But why choose a hobbit-themed locale as a getaway?

The first lines of Tolkien’s The Hobbit, featuring Bilbo Baggins, is a strong clue: “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”

The Eureka Springs hobbit homes are not holes but instead are called Hobbit Caves. Dawn Harden, daughter of the operation’s owners, explained the intent is to mix the warmth and charming style associated with hobbits - circular windows and other decor and a homespun look - along with the feeling of being underground in a magical cave.

“It’s all about romance,” Harden said.

The idea of adding some underground offerings came five years ago, Harden said, when her parents visited Ireland and fell in love with caves and castles. Various ideas were tossed around before they finally settled on mixing the elements of a cave and a hobbit hole.

The caves are built into the side of a hill and are covered with dirt and sod. The floors inside gently slope in spots to make guests feel like they are underground. The walls are covered in a facade to give the appearance of cave rock. While the circle motif of hobbit doors and windows is seen throughout the rooms, the family had to scrap its initial plan for round doors.

“I can’t tell you how many meetings we had about a round door,” Harden said. “Finally, our contractor said it couldn’t be done.”

She said visitors often come to celebrate a major life event like a honeymoon, anniversary, a homecoming or an engagement. That’s where the hobbit cave and its atmosphere stand out.

“You don’t see people after they check in,” Harden said. “They feel cocooned.”

The Hobbit Caves rent for $189 a night in high season and $149 in low season with a two-night minimum stay.

Robert Harrington, the holder of the 21st Century Endowed Chair in Hospitality Management at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, said a certain segment of travelers today are searching for unique experiences, be it ice caves, sleeping in yurts or kicking back in a hobbit hole - and savvy proprietors can capitalize on that need.

“The idea is to put the visitor into a different time or place,” he said, noting that Eureka Springs has a reputation for quirkiness that makes it a good fit for atypical lodging options.

In neighboring Newton County, the concept of cave-based lodging has been tested for years. The Beckham Creek Cave Lodge in Parthenon, southwest of Jasper, was originally built as a luxury home in 2007. Under new management, Rayne Davidson, the lodge manager, said word is getting out the hotel is still open and business has been good. One or two bedrooms in the five-bedroom lodge can be rented at a time. The entire lodge rents for $2,075 for a two-night stay.

She said folks who rent the place are often seasoned travelers looking for an extreme experience.

“They’ve done everything in the world but never stayed in a cave,” she said.

In addition to the hobbit caves, the Harden family is in the process of adding three new treehouse-style cabins with castle motifs. They each have faux drawbridges, battlements, a bathroom complete with a two-person shower that’s accessed through a secret panel and a steep stairway that ends in a turret featuring a double whirlpool tub.

The castle cabins will be ready for rental in November.

Mike Maloney, director of the Eureka Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the city has done well recently, capitalizing on a trend toward more regional tourism. He noted visitors who come to the area to see attractions like the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art or spend time in nearby Branson often choose to stay in Eureka Springs.

Maloney added the city’s charm and reputation for nonconformity is helping it stand out as the region begins to attract national attention.

Making a visitor’s experience uncommon, memorable and whimsical are key motivators for the Harden family members who have run their establishments, including Oak Crest Cottages and Treehouses on the other side of town, for 11 years. Dawn Harden said the family moved from Anaheim, Calif., where she grew up in the shadow of Disneyland.

She used to spend her weekly allowance to visit the Magic Kingdom and recalls seeing the theme park’s famous fireworks nearly every night.

Harden smiled at the memory and cocked her head as she looked over at the tops of the hobbit caves, covered in grass so green that it easily could have been part of Bilbo’s Shire. Behind her, workers put the finishing touches on the castle cabins.

“We call these our E-ticket rides,” she said, referring to the best rides in Disneyland during her childhood.

Business, Pages 73 on 09/22/2013

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