When thinking about iconic places in Washington State, I’m reminded of Mount Rainier or the Hoh Rainforest. However, this month, I visited the second-largest city in Washington State for the first time, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Spokane, aptly named after an indigenous tribe meaning “Children of the Sun,” is a place where nature meets high-end luxury. And nothing screams high-end luxury louder than the Davenport Hotel in Spokane, WA. Courtesy of Visit Spokane, my husband and I were thrilled to come and preview exclusive eats for its Food and Wine Festival, as well as some of the other exciting sights and sounds. Here were our favorite experiences.
The Davenport Hotel in Spokane, WA
The Davenport Hotel collection includes five hotels in Spokane, each with their own unique flair. We were supposed to stay at the Davenport Louis, which is just about to reopen after some huge renovations, but unfortunately it wasn’t quite ready yet. This will be the Davenport Hotel Collection’s first boutique hotel, complete with butler service for a more upscale and refined hotel experience.
Because of the renovations, our reservations were transferred over to the magnanimous Davenport Hotel, also known as the Davenport Historical, which is full of rich history and even a few friendly ghost stories. While the Davenport Louis was more our style, we were floored by the gorgeous early 20th-century architecture at the Historical, which was loosely inspired by the Spanish Renaissance.
This hotel also has several ballrooms inspired by European architecture, including the Isabella Ballroom, which is decorated in the Italian Neo-Classical Renaissance style, the Elizabethan Ballroom, which takes inspiration from the Elizabethan era, and my personal favorite, the Marie Antoinette Ballroom, which in the French Neo-Classical Renaissance style and has a gorgeous balcony with windows that overlook the city.
Since it’s a historical hotel, there are so many historical details to take in, from priceless paintings to mahogany furniture. My favorite is a “Will you marry me?” painted into the plaster wood grain by a craftsman or architect involved with the early decoration. The Davenport has long been associated with love stories, and it’s even a popular wedding venue.
But despite all of these historical elements, don’t think that you’re stepping completely back in time, because the Davenport has all of the modern amenities like high-speed wifi, walk-in showers, and flat-screen TVs. While each suite is unique, we loved all of the antique furniture and our gas fireplace. Our room was on the penthouse floor, so we could practically see the entire city, all the way into the mountains.
Wining and dining in Spokane, WA
I wouldn’t be doing the area justice without mentioning the culinary scene in Spokane. We frequented several restaurants managed by the hotel, including the Palm Court Grill and the Emporium Cafe. They also have a couple of gorgeous bars, including the Peacock room, which is a must-see. We also went to a bunch of other restaurants and wineries in the area. Here were our favorites!
The Palm Court Grill
I was so impressed by the quality of the food, especially after I learned how small the kitchen was. The Davenport staff work magic back there! On the first night, we had dinner and wine tasting at the Palm Court Grill, curated by Chef Patrick Dahms, who is the Area Director of Culinary at the Davenport Hotels, and Derek Angerman, who is the Director of Food & Beverage.
Menu favorites include the Davenport Crab Louis Salad, which honors the hotel’s founder, Louis Davenport, the Pomegranate Duck Breast, and the Créme Brûlée.
The Davenport also offers a scrumptious afternoon tea, with a top-tier selection of tea blends. My husband and I tried several varieties but ended up enjoying the Vanilla and Bourbon the best. We also tried many of the tasty finger sandwiches and sweets, including the Earl-Grey-infused deviled eggs, and the brand-new lemon and violet tartlets, which had pop rocks on top.
The Emporium Cafe
For a quick meal or snack, you can’t go wrong with the Emporium. We tried a delicious huckleberry coffee cake, and even a few of their hot sandwiches. Coffee, hot chocolate, tea, the Emporium has it all. That said, the thing to grab here is the soft peanut brittle, which is deliciously crunchy without feeling like you’re breaking a tooth. My husband devoured an entire box during our stay — no regrets!
The Grand Terrace Bar
The Davenport Grand is a more modern hotel, and we had lunch at the Grand Terrace bar to taste test a special menu that will be featured at the first annual Pacific Northwest Food & Wine Festival happening at the Davenport Historic Hotel in September. This festival is in support of the James Beard Foundation, and promises to be quite the extravaganza if these preview eats have anything to say about it. This meal was accompanied by tastings from Dry Fly Distilling, and we also got to meet Ari Nordhagen, who is the author of The Spokane Cookbook.
The Wanderlust Delicato Cooking Class
Spokane is also all about unique and high-end culinary experiences, so the cooking class at Wanderlust was a great way to bond while we learned something new. Each of our party paired up to create a side dish, and I was thrilled to create a batch of gnocchi, which was a first for me.
The Maryhill Winery
We tasted a lot of wine on our trip, but our favorites came from Maryhill Winery, which has won over 3,000 awards across 50 exceptional wines from their Goldendale-located vineyards. The tasting room in downtown Spokane is a must-visit, and the owners, Craig and Vicki Leuthold, were incredibly passionate about bringing people from all walks of life together through wine and live music. Best of all, the tasting room is family and dog-friendly.
Sorella
For some excellent Italian food, you can’t go wrong with Sorella. This restaurant is not exactly a hidden gem since it’s so well-known, but it knocked our socks off with Dante’s Meatballs. Everything on this menu is a winner, but make sure you reserve a table in advance. This place is usually packed. Not only is the food great, but so is the decor. I loved the dripping candles, the navy blue theming, and all of the lovely golden accents. This is definitely the perfect place for a romantic meal if you’re hoping to wow a special someone.
Other luxury experiences in Spokane, WA
The Davenport Spa
One of my favorite luxury experiences during my trip was the Davenport Spa. Since I wasn’t able to bring my camera in, I don’t have any photos for this one, but it’s definitely a no-skip experience. They have a variety of services available, from massages to facials, with comfortable, gendered sitting rooms full of dim light, a gas fireplace, and beautiful sconces.
After a time in the aromatic steam room, I nestled into one of the comfy chairs by the fire with some sparkling cider and a little bowl of white-chocolate and raisin trail mix. It was so relaxing to turn off my phone for an hour and just exist in this little haven that seemed to be completely disconnected from the rest of the world.
When it was time for my facial, I almost didn’t want to leave, but it was totally worth it. My skin glowed afterwards! Huge props to the staff for curating the experience so expertly.
Riverfront Park
Riverfront Park is the epicenter of the city, and it’s one of the best places to go for a romantic stroll or even to chase around the kids! This area has a splash pad, a red wagon-shaped play structure, views of the Spokane Falls, as well as decorative art pieces along the meticulously maintained pathways.
Looff Carrousel
We loved the Looff Carrousel, which is an indoor carousel ride with a twist — if you sit along the outermost ring of horses, you can reach for a ring to toss at the garbage goat on your way around. If you manage to get it in the bucket (which I actually did!) you win . . . bragging rights!
Speaking of the garbage goat, there actually is a metal art sculpture by Paula Mary Turnbull in the park that will “eat” small pieces of litter at the push of a button. This sculpture was created for the 1974 World’s Fair, which was hosted in Spokane.
Numerica Sky Ride
Another attraction at the Riverfront Park that was created for the 1974 World’s Fair was the Numerica Skyride, which is a short, fifteen minute gondola ride that takes you beneath the historic Monroe Street Bridge and past the art deco City Hall, finally crossing over the gorge for some close-up views of the Lower Spokane Falls. The cars do pause frequently for boarding like on a ferris wheel, so there are plenty of opportunities to take some gorgeous photos of the city and surrounding mountains. This ride is wheelchair-accessible and leashed pets are allowed.
