Lovells’ labor of love reborn as romantic retreat
The Queen Anne mansion will soon begin a new chapter in its storied life, once again inspiring visitors with its remarkable craftmanship and opulent period beauty. On April 4, the Eureka Springs landmark will open as an all-inclusive wedding destination, event space, health and wellness center, and luxury accommodation.
The estate has recently expanded to include One Planer Point, the 5,000 sq. ft home on three acres sitting directly behind the Queen Anne. Use for that property is currently in the planning and development stage.
The Queen Anne is perfect for weddings, given that romance has been carved into her elegant bones from day one. Constructed in Carthage, Mo., in 1891 by Civil War veteran and industrialist, Curtis Wright, it was said that the mansion was created to help woo Wright’s wife into moving from their home in Indiana to Carthage. It worked.
It’s been reported the 21-room mansion was built at a cost of $22,000 and soon became the hub of Carthage’s social scene. “Buffalo Bill” Cody and author Harold Bell Wright were among numerous famous guests said to have stayed there.
Nearly 100 years later the home, then in disrepair, was put up for sale and bought by a Eureka Springs engineer and draftsman Russell Clay who disassembled it, numbered each piece, and shipped it in 40 semi-truck loads to be reassembled by number at its current location.
In 2005, Steve and Lata Lovell, real estate investors currently living in Virginia, purchased the property and spent eight years and millions of dollars lovingly restoring it. They opened the mansion in 2010 as a tour museum and event space, and once again the Queen Anne welcomed visitors into its opulent environs.
However, the venture wasn’t enough to ensure the property’s preservation into the next 100 years and the museum closed. Other income ventures were investigated and eventually discarded as the couple sought just the right fit for the property’s potential.
The answer came in November 2019 when Ann Gray, founder and CEO of Royale Hospitality Int’l, LLC, presented her vision for a hospitality, healing and romance destination to the Lovells. Gray sees her multifaced plan for the Queen Anne fitting perfectly with the culture and history of Eureka Springs.
“I’ve been working on this concept for the past five years,” Gray said. “When I explored my vision for an all-inclusive wedding, events and wellness destination with the Lovells, we found our missions aligned perfectly.”
“We want to see this national historic treasure come alive again and become a greater asset to the community,” Steve Lovell affirmed. “Ann’s vision is an absolute parallel to our goals – what we see as the ‘forever future’ for the Queen Anne, things that can sustain the property for the next 100 years.”
Gray, who has deep roots in travel and tourism as well as Northwest Arkansas business, owns and manages the state’s most comprehensive integrative wellness clinic, Innovative Wellness NWA in Rogers. She served as the group travel director for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, traveling throughout North America promoting the state to group tour operators.
Now, she’s putting together a dedicated team to help bring plans for the property to their full potential. The 12,000-sq.-ft. Queen Anne rules over seven acres of exquisitely landscaped grounds that also house the 2,500-sq.-ft. spa and wellness center, resort-style swimming pool, putting green, bocce court and more. The mansion is outfitted with a commercial kitchen, linens and service ware, tents and everything necessary to accommodate seated service for up to 200 guests. It all requires a human touch, meaning year-round jobs will add to the local economy.
The wellness spa features a Board-Certified M.D. who is also an integrative functional medicine doctor, and an on-site acupuncturist, chiropractor, nutritionist and massage therapist are being sought. A juice and smoothie bar will offer healthful light lunches or snacks under the direction of a dietician. All services offered at the Rogers Innovative Wellness location will be duplicated at the Queen Anne and are listed at innovativewellnessnwa.com and on Facebook at Innovative Health NWA.
The wellness spa will be open to the general public on an appointment basis. “We have people who drive all the way from Little Rock and Harrison just for thermography sessions at our Rogers location,” Gray commented, “now they’ll be coming to Eureka Springs since it’s an hour closer.”
Also offered to the public is membership in the Royale Dinner Club, including dinners each month at the property, one luxury suite overnight stay per year, and a spa experience. A variety of chefs will be brought in for each themed dinner, and Gray is open to hearing from or about chefs interested in participating.
In addition to searching for a spa concierge and onsite wedding/event planner and team, Gray is hoping to attract dependable applicants in many service areas for the year-round facility.
“We’re looking for people who enjoy their work and are committed to making this a wonderful experience for guests,” Gray said. “Applications can be submitted via the contact form our website, qamansionandresort.com, attention to Hanamel Kayser.”
For questions about booking an event or overnight stays, phone 1-800-MANSION (626-7466) or use the contact form on the website.