Buckstaff Bathhouse’s New Operator in 2027: Hours and Booking
When was the last time you took a bath at the Buckstaff on a weekday? If you work regular hours, the answer may be "a vacation day." Right now the last admission for the afternoon bathing session is 2:45 p.m. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, bathing runs until 6 p.m.
On Sept. 22, 2026, Hot Springs National Park announced a new 10-year concession contract for Buckstaff Bathhouse. Historic Baths, LLC was chosen through a competitive selection process, and the contract is expected to take effect Jan. 1, 2027. The Buckstaff Bath House Company opened the bathhouse on Feb. 1, 1912, and has run it for 114 years. The Sentinel-Record reported that the company's current contract runs through Dec. 31, 2026.
For people who live a few minutes from Bathhouse Row, the part of the new contract that matters most is the schedule, because it fits a workday.
The Buckstaff's current hours split each day into two bathing sessions with a midday break. The bathhouse's appointments and hours page lists Monday through Saturday from 8:00 to 11:45 a.m. and 1:15 to 3:00 p.m. On Sunday, bathing runs from 8:00 to 11:45 a.m. only. Guests are asked to arrive by 11:30 a.m. for the morning session or by 2:45 p.m. for the afternoon.
Baths and massages are walk-in only and served first come, first served. The page says it plainly: "WALK-INS ONLY; NO RESERVATIONS." Spa services work differently. Facials, manicures and pedicures can already be booked by calling 501-623-2308 or through the bathhouse's online booking link.
Here is how the current schedule compares with what the National Park Service announced for the new contract:
Through Dec. 31, 2026 | Under the new contract, from Jan. 1, 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
Operator | Buckstaff Bath House Company | Historic Baths, LLC |
Bathing hours | Mon.–Sat. 8:00–11:45 a.m. and 1:15–3:00 p.m.; Sun. 8:00–11:45 a.m. | 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
Bathing time per day, Mon.–Sat. | 5.5 hours, split by a midday break | 10 hours |
Latest arrival | 2:45 p.m. | Not yet published |
Booking a bath | Walk-in only | Advance reservations, with walk-ins still accepted |
The NPS release says bathing will be available "from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m." It does not say which days of the week that applies to, so check how the new operator posts its weekly schedule once it takes over.
Under the current schedule, a weekday visit to the Buckstaff mostly means taking time off. If you get off work at 5, the afternoon session closed hours earlier. Saturdays have been the realistic option for a lot of working people, and walk-in only means a busy Saturday can involve a wait.
The new contract changes both problems. Ten hours of bathing a day gives a working resident a window that reaches into the early evening. Advance reservations mean you can plan a soak around dinner reservations downtown or a Thursday evening without risking a long walk-in line. The NPS says walk-in appointments "will continue to be accommodated," so the drop-in option stays.
Superintendent Laura Miller said in the park's announcement that "expanded hours and advance reservations will give visitors more opportunities to experience a tradition that has made Hot Springs a special destination for generations." The release talks about visitors, but local residents with day jobs probably gain the most from the extra hours, since they had the hardest time fitting in the old schedule. KARK and Arkansas Money & Politics also reported the longer hours and the reservation system.
The building, the bathing and service continuity are all covered in the announcement.
The NPS calls the Buckstaff "one of the best preserved of all the bathhouses in Hot Springs National Park." It is also "the only Bathhouse Row bathhouse that has continuously operated as a bathhouse since it first welcomed visitors" in 1912. The new contract keeps that record going. The park says it "does not expect any interruption in visitor services during the transition." The Sentinel-Record reported that the bathhouse is getting new operational leadership, not closing.
The federal solicitation for the concession, posted on SAM.gov on Feb. 20, 2026, describes the service as "Traditional Bathhouse Services and Massage Therapy Services." An amendment to that solicitation says the operator must complete renovations and improvements so the Buckstaff facility has no deferred maintenance. It does not give a work list or a schedule. The amendment also allows alcoholic drinks, prepackaged snacks and non-alcoholic drinks in the bathhouse, plus vending food and beverages. These items are allowed under the contract but not required, so the solicitation does not say whether any of them will actually be sold.
Building maintenance is part of the deal along with the longer hours. In the NPS release, Miller said the contract supports "the continued preservation and maintenance of this historic bathhouse for the future."
The Buckstaff Bath House Company runs the bathhouse through the end of the year. If you want a bath under the operator that has been there since 1912, the current schedule applies, along with a few holiday dates that cut into it.
According to the bathhouse's hours page, the Buckstaff is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Easter Sunday. On other federal holidays, admissions stop at 10:30 a.m. For the rest of 2026, that means:
These are the posted prices on the Buckstaff's services page. The page notes that rates may change:
The NPS announcement does not list prices for the new contract, so plan on the posted rates above only for visits before Jan. 1, and even those may change.
Services are available to anyone age 10 or older. If you're hosting family over Thanksgiving or Christmas, keep in mind that the bathhouse is closed on both holidays. A weekday morning before or after the holiday is the surest time to go.
A Buckstaff gift certificate is a common Hot Springs holiday gift, and the bathhouse makes it easy. You can buy one in person or by phone. The bathhouse's FAQ also notes that gift certificates are non-refundable.
This year the timing needs some thought. Certificates bought from the Buckstaff Bath House Company in November or December are often redeemed in the new year, after Historic Baths, LLC takes over. Neither the NPS announcement nor the bathhouse's FAQ says whether the new operator will honor certificates sold under the current contract. Since certificates are non-refundable, call the bathhouse at 501-623-2308 before you buy one and ask how it will be handled after Jan. 1. If the person getting the gift can redeem it by Dec. 31, the question doesn't come up.
The gift shop doesn't have that issue. The FAQ says it sells T-shirts, miniature bathtubs, stuffed bears, stickers and Christmas ornaments. An ornament from the shop's last season under the 1912 operator is a gift with no redemption date.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and THV11 both reported the 10-year award and the handover. A 10-year contract that starts Jan. 1, 2027, would run into 2036. So the hours, reservations and building work announced this fall will likely shape the Buckstaff for the next decade.
For downtown residents, the practical result is simple. Through the end of December, the Buckstaff runs on its morning and early-afternoon walk-in schedule, closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, and sells non-refundable gift certificates. Starting in January, you'll be able to reserve a bath and arrive as late in the day as a 6 p.m. close allows.
At 501 House to Home, we follow changes like this because they affect daily life near Bathhouse Row. Owning a home within walking distance of Central Avenue will mean easier access to the Buckstaff in 2027 than it was in 2026. If you own downtown and want to know how changes like this factor into what your property is worth, start with your free home valuation, and Jeff and Paulia will walk you through the numbers.
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