Last Updated on February 6, 2025
Entering the Motto by Hilton Bentonville, a record player spins in a cozy listening room to my right, close enough to smell the rich aroma of Onyx coffee from the on-site Kohii Coffee drifting through the air. In the alcove, a man sits on a warm, caramel leather couch, its mid-century modern design inviting and relaxed. He is engrossed in a book. The alcove’s curtains, meant to create a more intimate atmosphere, remain open.
Just inside the curved seating area, the record player’s high fidelity sound system hums. Of the nearly 10,000 playable records at the hotel—which serve as both decor and entertainment—the Johnny Max Band is playing.
The inviting lobby buzzes with activity at 4 p.m., but as evening unfolds, it becomes even livelier, with sharply dressed guests gathering at the Lobby Bar and filling the listening room. Original art is scattered on the hotel walls, curated by Oz Art, an organization amplifying local art and displaying their collection around Bentonville. Near the lobby bathrooms, David Shrigley’s “Untitled (I Forgot Your Name I’m V. Sorry)” pops on the brick walls, with hand lettered text made to look like a name tag.
The rooms at Motto by Hilton Bentonville are what assistant manager Taylor Nealey called “cleverly compact.” They’re designed as a basecamp in-between activities with the assumption you’ll be spending most of your time outside the room enjoying the town.
My husband and I were placed in a king room and I especially appreciated the extra-tall bed that made room for storage underneath, getting big suitcases out of the way. A mud bench just inside the door is perfect for taking off dirty shoes. Both features are ideal in Bentonville, the mountain biking capital of the world!
Another unique feature is the hotel’s design, which thoughtfully accommodates families and group travelers. Some rooms feature bunk beds instead of the traditional queen or king, and 30% of the rooms are connected. At the Motto by Hilton in Bentonville, each guest can connect up to four rooms—a king, a queen, a bunkie and a flex — a room with a Murphy bed that can double as living space.
This flexibility allows the hotel to compete with hosting sites like Airbnb. But here, you still get all the amenities of the Hilton brand, including digital room keys and the ability to control room temperature, blinds, lighting and more from your smartphone. A nice touch for us was the ability to stream iHeartRadio in our room through the Hilton Honors app.
Motto by Hilton Bentonville is approximately a 25-minute drive from Northwest Arkansas National Airport. The hotel offers valet parking for $20, but we chose to self-park and easily found a spot in a parking garage across the street (free on weekends).
Bentonville’s Best Bike In, Bike Out Hotel
When visitors arrive with a bike at the back door—a frequent sight in Bentonville due to its 70 miles of trails—they’re welcomed by a 37 North bike valet who offers to check it in. The storage room holds up to 60 bikes at a time, and for those, like me, who are new to mountain biking or without their own gear, rentals can be easily arranged.
Inside the door, bikers can utilize mud benches to clean up, retrieve belongings from the hotel’s lockers or refill water bottles before heading up to their rooms or out for another ride.
Dining in Style at Bar Kapu and Junto Sushi
On our first evening in town, we headed to Bar Kapu, an outdoor tiki bar attached to the hotel. A bright, bold mural with geometric designs adds to the buzzy art town atmosphere, with local touches—the design mirrors bicycle wheels, while the row of “W’s” at the top of the mural are a nod to Walmart, corporate headquarters in Bentonville, and the “M’s” at the bottom remind guests that they’re at the Motto.
Due to the cold, we were seated in an igloo with a heater, providing a cozy, intimate feeling in the midst of a vibrant scene. A DJ sets up nearby and crowds started to flow into the outdoor bar, mostly gathering around the fire pits.
By now, I’m feeling summery, so I order The Flamingo, a cocktail featuring vodka, coconut water, pineapple, yuzu, and lime and pineapple robata with an aged rum sauce providing an almost dessert-like flavor. My husband opted for the wagyu smash burger and raved about it. I savored the rainbow roll—easily some of the best sushi I’ve had in ages.
The next evening, we dined at Junto Sushi, the hotel’s upscale restaurant. Nealey told me the fish was flown in daily from Japan, and the freshness was evident. Our waitress recommended the rock shrimp, and it was the standout, served tempura style with creamy aioli and chives.
For entrees, I ordered the volcano roll, while my husband had the bone-in beef short rib in sesame glaze, served with broccolini, leeks and steamed rice. It was melt-in-your-mouth divine. I paired my sushi with the Sugar and Spice cocktail, a refreshing combination of vodka, passion fruit and fresno.
What to do in Bentonville
Getting muddy is a badge of honor when mountain biking in Bentonville—at least after a recent rain. The city’s extensive network of trails, from the beginner-friendly Slaughter Pen to the more technical Coler Mountain Bike Preserve offer something for every rider.
Bentonville’s 70 miles of city trails connect seamlessly with over 400 additional miles winding through the Arkansas wilderness, perfect for serious riders. After an adrenaline-filled ride, you can clean up and refuel at one of Bentonville’s many bike-friendly cafés or breweries.
For a more relaxed adventure, walk a block to Bentonville Square to shop at art galleries, bakeries and the charming local bookstore, Once Upon a Time Books. Crystal Bridges Museum of Art and The Walmart Museum are also nearby.
