17 Nov, 2009
California Doesn’t Have the Peabody, Arkansas’ First 4 Star Hotel with Ducks
View of the Arkansas River from Peabody Hotel guest room in Little Rock
When you see all the fabulous, upscale hotels in San Francisco and San Diego, why would you ever leave California to visit Little Rock? That’s a question I put to passengers surrounding me on my flight to that Midwest U.S. city. Most came to visit relatives, return from trips in California, or check out jobs and buying property.
California housing has become so out-of-reach for many who like the beach, and Little Rock had some newer condominiums and homes downtown within walking distance to shops and businesses, with prices less than $100,000.
A visit to Little Rock offers incredible beauty. We Californians forget there are places where 100 shades of green grow on bushes and trees in the summer. If you go, be sure to stay at the Peabody Hotel with four diamond rooms under $130 currently. It’s a really great price and the finest hotel in the entire state of Arkansas! Californians typically fly into Las Vegas and transfer to Little Rock from there.
Ideally located within walking distance to brew pubs, public trolleys, and not far from the Clinton Library, one of the most popular attractions that draws presidential library buffs from around the globe. Believe it or not, some people go from one city to the next in the U.S. to visit presidential libraries, and Little Rock happens to be on that list with a beautiful library and museum.
As for the Peabody. First, there’s the ducks. A duckmaster leads them in a daily red carpet march to the lobby water fountain where they like to hang out till it’s time for bed.
The guest rooms include views of the Arkansas River or Arkansas State Capitol, private TVs in bathrooms, and other amenities. But what impressed me most was the staff. I asked for help and got amazing assistance like I have never seen. People didn’t just answer a question, they actually stepped out the door of the hotel and pointed you in the right direction.
I prefer visits to Arkansas during the spring, summertime and fall, as I am not a big fan of the winter weather after one local told me she and her husband had to chainsaw their way out of their country home after fallen trees blocked the road during an ice storm, I decided that didn’t sound like fun to me. I guess I’ve been at the beach too long.
