The Artesian Hotel, Casino, & Spa in Sulphur. Photo courtesy Chickasaw Nation

Sulphur long has been a Mecca for those in search of rejuvenation. Native tribes sought the mineral-rich springs located in what is now the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, as did the settlers who followed and built the town of Sulphur Springs around the medicinal waters.

Travelers still make pilgrimages to the area. And while the springs gurgle on, the luxurious amenities of The Artesian Hotel, Casino, & Spa lure today’s visitors. The hotel’s first incarnation opened in 1906 and operated for more than fifty years before it burned to the ground in 1962. A modest motel took its place until the Chickasaw Nation demolished it in 2006 to resurrect The Artesian. Towering alongside State Highway 177, the turreted brick complex looks like a tiny kingdom sprung up in a rural downtown.

With an eighty-one-room Art Deco-inspired hotel, casino, spa, retail shops, and restaurants, The Artesian feels like a town unto itself, but as Area General Manager Justin Williams emphasizes, the resort—and the Chickasaw Nation that operates it—are committed to promoting the city and all its attractions.

“We want to drive folks to this community,” says Williams, who’s lived most of his life in Sulphur. “We want them to see it. I love it here, with the small-town feel.”

If you want to really indulge yourself, The Artesian is the place to do it. The Sole’renity Spa should be the first stop for anyone looking to shed tension. Warm, dim lighting; soft, ethereal music; and crisp notes of mint and eucalyptus set the scene for a voyage into the arms of relaxation. The spa provides an extensive menu of services from hot stone, deep tissue, and Swedish massages to a raindrop massage that uses essential oils and a combination of techniques to help realign the body. Mud wraps, salt scrubs, facials, manis and pedis, hair removal, and spray tanning will leave you feeling like a posh goddess of the whirlpool, which, along with dry and wet saunas, is another feature worth soaking in.

Luxury rooms are the norm at The Artesian. Photo courtesy Chickasaw Nation

Beyond the spa, the bathhouse features a waterfall and a whirlpool of its own, while the indoor-outdoor pool provides a place to swim whatever the season. Also on the ground level, guests can grab a cocktail and a snack at The Fountain Club, try their luck at the casino, or feast on culinary decadence at The Springs at the Artesian, where home-style favorites like catfish, chicken-fried steak, and chicken pot pie share the menu with a well-curated selection of steaks.

Upstairs, elegant guest rooms—many overlooking the Chickasaw National Recreation Area across the street—are a final flourish of lavish comfort. Every room includes a television, Bedré chocolates, a well-appointed bathroom, and a large and comfortable bed. Amenities like these—and the opportunities they provide to be refreshed and renewed—make The Artesian and its hometown destinations worth the trek.

Written By

Megan Rossman

Megan Rossman is Oklahoma Today's photography editor.