Price: Expensive
Number of Rooms: 284
Location: Downtown Spokane, near Riverfront Park, and the Fox Theatre.
Amenities: Down-filled comforters and pillows, swimming pool, fitness center. Hand-carved mahogany furniture, walk-in Travertine marble showers and most rooms have jetted bathtubs. Spa Paradiso health and beauty spa.
Parking: Valet parking, or self-park across the street.
Notes: The Davenport Hotel first opened in 1914, and quickly became the toast of Spokane, hosting actresses Sarah Bernhardt and Mary Pickford, aviator Charles Lindbergh and Queen Marie of Romania. After World War II, the elegant old hotel fell on hard times, and it barely escaped demolition before becoming "grand again" after extensive renovation completed in 2002.
When it opened in 1914, The Davenport was the first hotel to have air conditioning and a central house vacuum cleaning system. It offered the highest level of service available at the time, including telephones, gooseneck bed lights and cold water fountains pumped directly from Spokane's aquifer into every room.
Today, the new Davenport is a modern hotel in a 100-year-old shell, and it's still a trend-setter, with high-speed data ports every room and wireless internet in public areas. You won't find those tacky "do not disturb" signs here, either. Each room has a computerized display by the door, allowing guests to request privacy, turndown service or housekeeping at the touch of a button.
Spokane architect Kirkland Cutter modeled The Davenport's exterior after Florence's Renaissance architecture, and brought the world inside, creating a French-inspired ballroom, Old English meeting room, and a gooey piece of eye candy called the Doge's Palace. The Spanish-style lobby no longer resounds with tropical bird song, and the original hollow glass pillars filled with swimming trout are gone, but it still abounds with fresh-picked flowers, and families pose for photographs in front of the lobby fireplace, where the fire burns day and night.
In nice weather (Spokane has 260 days of sunshine a year), the fourth floor terrace is perfect for a breath of fresh air, or you can have a room service meal delivered here.
A tip for romantics: If you're contemplating "popping the question" at The Davenport: Walk through the mezzanine level toward the steps leading to the Hall of the Doges. Bring a small flashlight to show your sweetheart something special. Disguised in the faux wood grain below the faces on the wall to your left, you will find the words "will… you… marry… me." A workman discovered this message during the renovation, and no one knows when it was written, or what the answer was. Hopefully, the answer you get will be "yes."
Getting to The Davenport Hotel
The Davenport Hotel10 South Post Street
Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 455-8888
(800) 899-1482
www.thedavenporthotel.com/
