Day Trips: Crazy Water Hotel, Mineral Wells

Photos by Gerald E. McLeod

The Crazy Water Hotel is open again and it sets new standards for the more-than-a-century-old story of Mineral Wells.

Named for the mineral water that put the town on the map as a health resort in the early 1900s, the hotel's lobby shines with polished marble and hospitality, and the 62 suites are spacious and modern.

On the seventh floor, an outdoor patio offers a view of the surrounding hills, while topping the opposite tower is the ballroom where Mary Martin, the Weatherford-born Broadway legend and mother of Larry Hagman, once taught dance lessons.

The Crazy Water Hotel was first built in 1912 over well No. 3. Legend says that a woman suffering from dementia was cured after drinking two glasses a day of the water with high lithium content.

Fire consumed the hotel, but it was rebuilt and opened in 1927 as a 200-room resort and spa. By 1961 the spa business had dried up. Over the years the building served several purposes until it became a retirement home that closed in 2010.

The future didn't look good for the yellow brick building until a group of local investors decided to restore it. The grand reopening came in October 2021.

The area once occupied by doctors' offices now houses boutiques. In one corner of the lobby is Rickhouse Brewing. Opening later this month, Second Bar + Kitchen, helmed by former Austinite chef David Bull, will offer high-end dining. Spa services are in the works.

Palo Pinto County is an often-overlooked scenic playground. The surrounding area supports three state parks, and Possum Kingdom Lake is a short scenic drive from town.

The Crazy Water Hotel in Mineral Wells offers modern lodging while you're exploring this historic and beautiful part of the state. For more information, go to thecrazywaterhotel.com.

1,674th in a series. Everywhere is a day trip from somewhere: Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel.