E-MAIL CHRIS   PRINT   2008 COLUMNS   ARCHIVES   SEARCH ARCHIVES HISTORY AND HOSPITALITY IN SPOKANE By Chris Barnett August 7, 2008 -- Most gilded, gracious, grand dame hotels strike me as catering to visiting rulers of Third World countries, dowagers hoping to marry off their granddaughters or to meeting planners hoping to fill the ballrooms with conferees. But the 94-year-old Davenport Hotel and Tower courts social lions, visiting dignitaries and business travelers upgrading their usual lodging experience. The property, which occupies an entire city block in downtown Spokane, Washington, also has no problem with road warriors dropping in to hold impromptu meetings in the spectacular lobby. During a recent visit, the Davenport's lavishly furnished and decorated lobby, complete with a fountain (and fish), elegant sofas and tables, intricately carved floor lamps and a skylit ceiling, was packed with people transacting commerce on their laptops and connected to the free WiFi. At 10 in the morning, I didn't spot a single tourist. Of course, the Starbucks outlet, which seemed strangely out of place in the lobby, is a lure for latte lovers. However, it's the spacious yesteryear setting and the welcoming spirit that you can actually feel. It's what packs them in. Another attraction: Massive bouquets of colorful fresh flowers are everywhere. Louis Davenport, credited by many for inventing the Crab Louis, vowed that his hotel would never have fake flowers or floral arrangements. He believed guests deserved the freshest of everything that his considerable wealth could buy. The Davenport is a history-maker in the hospitality business. It claims to be the first hotel in the United States with air conditioning in the public areas, folding ballroom walls and a central vacuum cleaning system. Perhaps not as earthshaking as the first fully electrified hotel (The Waldorf in New York) or the first chain to have a private bath in all guestrooms (the Statler group), but innovative nonetheless. The Davenport also boasts one of a dying breed and his door is open to all guests. Tom McArthur, who carries the title communications director, is a wry wit and the resident historian. Blessed with a deep baritone voice, McArthur worked in radio in Tacoma and he doesn't bob, weave, spin or go mum at tough questions. He answers before you ask. "See those beautiful stone walls? That's painted on to look like stone," he confesses. "The plaster is painted to look like wood. The Art Deco glass ceiling is 25 feet high and authentic Tiffany." When the Davenport Hotel opened, most guests traveled by railroad. They wanted luxury, so Louis Davenport created an ornate main dining room and dubbed it the Palm Court Grill, a name he swiped from the Titanic. And like most historic hotels, the Davenport has a ghost in residence who "fell through a skylight to her death in 1920," and occasionally haunts the place. The 238-room Davenport--be sure to book the original and not the 328-room contemporary tower across the street--is very accommodating. A business center, with two personal computers and a laser printer, is next to the concierge desk. Neither the business center nor the concierge desk ever closes and there's no charge for guests. There is a spa and workout room one floor below the lobby. Hours to use the fitness equipment are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., but the hotel will bend them on request. Want a personal trainer at 3 in the morning? No problem, says McArthur. Rates for nice, traditionally furnished rooms officially start at $299 a night and there is no seasonal differential. However, I called the hotel reservation line direct and was quoted $219 nightly for a deluxe king on a Wednesday two weeks out. Parking is $17 a night for self-service and $24 for valet parking. (Spokane International Airport is 8 miles away.) Do not expect delicate, nouvelle cuisine in the Davenport's dining rooms. Both the Palm Court Grill and the Peacock Room have traditional food. "The guy who owns the Davenport today is a very meat-and-potatoes kind of guy, not a sushi guy," maintains McArthur. "If you want grits for breakfast or prime rib for dinner, it's on the menu. There are no tantrum-throwing chefs here. We're not a Manhattan restaurant or hotel." Not even close. The great event at the Davenport back in the day was a live cattle auction called the "Ladies in the Lobby." Buyers and sellers would sit on the mezzanine sipping bourbon and the stars of the show would gallop across the lobby floor. The auction ended when the Davenport closed in 1985. The property was almost demolished and it remained shuttered for 15 years. It reopened in 2002 after a two-year, $38 million restoration funded by local entrepreneurs. The new owners even restored the genuine gold leaf around the lobby's massive fireplace, which burns year-round as a sign of the hotel's renewed hospitality.

ABOUT CHRIS BARNETT Chris Barnett writes about business-travel tactics and strategies that save time and money and help minimize hassles. He is based in San Francisco and has written for a wide variety of major newspapers and national magazines. Barnett on Business Travel is syndicated by Creators Syndicate. THE FINE PRINT Joe Brancatelli makes this space available to Chris Barnett in the spirit of free speech and to help encourage editorial diversity and the wider discussion of important travel issues. All of the opinions and material in this column are the sole property of Barnett. This material may not be reproduced in any form without the express permission of Chris Barnett. This column is Copyright © 2008 by Chris Barnett. JoeSentMe is Copyright © 2008 by Joe Brancatelli. All rights reserved.