My wife was particularly excited about moving to Austin because she would no longer have to travel for work, although I’m not sure driving round-trip to Killeen is much better than flying to Portland. This took her all over Eastern Washington even though I had never been to the other side of the Cascades. I was determined that before we left the state I should get a chance to see Spokane. I also got to see the famous Gorge Amphitheater along the way.
Spokane’s hotel scene is dominated by The Davenport Collection. Together these four large hotels feel like they are grossly overestimating the demand for lodging in a city center that otherwise seemed very quiet, but with a local university and as one of the also one of the largest cities east of the Cascades, the city is likely a regional center for commerce.
We chose to stay at the original Historic Davenport. The Davenport Tower is across the street and feels a little more trendy. The Davenport Lusso is also across the street and seems more like a small boutique hotel. Finally, the Davenport Grand is a few blocks away across from Riverfront Park. All four are part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection.
After pulling into the Historic Davenport’s driveway to check-in, we were provided directions to the parking garage. It’s also across the street, but one-way traffic makes it more difficult to reach. Reception was pretty quick, and we were on our way up to the room with a nice view of the terrace and the train tracks that run through downtown.
Our room was relatively large for a historic hotel, and I didn’t feel that they skimped on the service, except maybe with the bulk soap dispensers and the outdated TV armoire. It was certainly more than I expected to spend at $189 plus a $10 daily amenity fee. They seemed to be making an effort to earn it.
You might be questioning that assessment since the photos reveal this is not a modern hotel. It didn’t feel old or worn down, either. This Victorian style is just the aesthetic they were going for. Either way it was nice to have a comfortable bed after a night on an air mattress. In fact, it was probably the softest bed that I have ever slept in, almost like floating on a marshmallow. That is the one fact that sticks with me the most as I look back on our road trip.
Unfortunately we didn’t have much time to explore the city on this stop. We walked down to the Spokane Falls, admired the rapids, and ate dinner at a local pizzeria in a converted steam plant.
In the morning the complimentary K-cups in the room were a nice substitute for the Starbucks in the lobby. We walked across the street for some breakfast burritos and finished with a walk through Riverfront Park. The hotel does serve breakfast in its grand lobby, but I knew we were short on time and didn’t want to waste it on a full-service meal.
I’d consider staying at the Historic Davenport again, but given the number of options available in Spokane I thought it worth considering the alternatives. I’m a light sleeper, so I wish I had known about the train in advance. In the future I would book the Davenport Grand to be further away. The Davenport Lusso also looks very pleasant, which is not surprising as I’ve noticed myself gravitating more toward smaller hotels in recent years.
