For bespoke meetings and worldly adventures
Tucked away in the northeastern corner of Washington state is a green, welcoming city called Spokane. Everywhere you turn, you’ll find history, green spaces, stellar shopping and smiling faces. With so much to do, see, eat—I can’t wait to tell you. Let’s dive in.
Stay
The Davenport Hotel, formerly known as The Historic Davenport Hotel, is a Spokane landmark and the crown jewel of The Davenport Hotel Collection. Never mind its grand ballrooms that transport you—to Spain, if you meet in the 3,139-square-foot Isabella Ballroom; to France, if you opt for the 4,380-square-foot Marie Antoinette Ballroom; to England if you select the 2,200-square-foot Elizabethan Room; the list goes on—I was wowed right upon entering the lobby by the Italian Renaissance Revival roof, with stained glass that brings in ample natural light to shine down upon the brand new lobby bar.
Wandering around the first and second floor hallways, I found myself in even more awe, gazing upon exhibits from the hotel’s history, including a coat worn by Louis Davenport, the man who founded the hotel in 1914.
Just across the street, you’ll find The Davenport Tower, which adds 328 elegant, contemporary rooms to the historic hotel’s 284. On the other side of the street, you’ll find The Davenport Lusso, which, in early 2025, will complete its rebranding to The Louie, and offers a boutique experience for your C-Suite execs across 48 rooms.
About a five-minute drive away is the sleek, modern convention hotel, The Davenport Grand, with 716 guest rooms and 62,800 sq. ft. of meeting space. Its grand ballroom can be divided into three with air walls that drop from the ceiling quietly in under two minutes and a touchpad by the door that transforms the lighting into a range of themed colors, which you can brand to your meeting; and as cool as this fixture is, it won’t steal the show—it just enables you to.
Across the river is the collection’s fifth hotel, The Centennial by Davenport Hotels. With its upscale design, the famed, dreamily comfortable Davenport mattress in each of the 411 guest rooms and 30,000 sq. ft. of meeting space overlooking the Spokane River—some of which is perched high above the city in its iconic tower—you’d have no idea that it’s the top pick for meetings on a budget.
Eat
We’re not done with The Davenports yet. For a dining experience your attendees will be talking about long after the meeting’s end (I know I was), gather for Afternoon Tea at The Palm Court Grill at The Davenport Hotel.
I was lucky to be visiting on a Saturday afternoon, because the experience takes place every Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. After painstakingly trying to make a choice from a large menu of traditional and boutique teas alongside classic tea party bites, I settled on my go-to Earl Grey and the comforting floral flavors of Davenport Boutique blend—and, if you so choose, you can add on a glass of champagne.
A familiar favorite for Davenport locals and a must-try for visitors is Wild Sage, only a five-minute walk from The Davenport Hotel. Between its cocktails and wine list and its award-winning rotating seasonal menu, I certainly walked away satisfied both in belly and in heart.
Explore
Manito Park is a Spokane icon, growing from an undeveloped recreational area in 1904 to five sprawling botanical gardens today. A stroll through the formal, manicured Duncan Gardens is a stark contrast to the serene Nishinomiya Tsutakawa Japanese Garden, but both had me wandering in wonder and picking out unique plants I recognized from my time as a garden-nursery employee while in college.
More accessible (just a few blocks from every Davenport Hotel) and just as historic is Riverfront Park. Hop aboard the Numerica Skyride for unmatched scenic views of the Spokane River and Spokane Falls on a 15-minute round-trip gondola ride.
Only a few minutes of strolling along the river will take your group to Looff Carrousel—another of Spokane’s proud icons. Built by master craftsman Charles Looff, the Carrousel began operation in 1909 and features hand-carved animals; it’s one of only about 10 Looff Carrousels still in operation today, out of the about 50 he built. And, fun fact: yes, you can spell Carrousel that way! I’m a writer, and I had no idea until my visit to Spokane. It’s the official spelling of the one in Spokane—there are actually three legitimized spellings of the word in English. Who knew?
This article appears in the November 2024 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
