Places Worth Visiting: The Montvale Hotel Spokane, Washington

Photo by S.E.W. 2008

If you are on the West Coast and find yourself on your way to the great Rocky Mountains of Idaho and Montana stop for the night in Spokane, Washington. It is a medium sized town on the freeway to better things, not much to look at initially, but if you stop over for the night you might be surprised at what you find.

There are a number of hotels in Spokane. Most are of the dingy rubber-stamp variety you can find at any freeway stop. But if you want a real unique experience, stay at the Montvale Hotel. Decorated like a first class hotel from a hundred years ago, the Montvale manages to evoke a genuine sense of nostalgia without the campy fakeness one usually finds at boutique hotels. The proprietors have done an outstanding job of restoring the architecture of the building that houses the hotel, and even the lobby has an authentic retrospective quality. When you aren’t resting in the beautiful tall ceilinged rooms, or dinning in the delightful adjoining restaurant, take some time to stroll the atrium. It is filled with beautiful antiques, old books, and quiet places to sit with your coffee and read.

Photo by S.E.W. 2008

You can visit the Montvale Hotel at 1005 W 1st Ave, Spokane, WA (509) 747-1919 or online at montvalehotel.com.

Before you get back on the freeway take a few minutes to visit Spokane’s River Front Park. In addition to a carousel, an ice rink, and an Imax theater, the park features a spectacular view of the Spokane River falls. These natural falls run through a Kaplan Turbine at the Monroe Street Dam producing almost fifteen megawatts of power at what is the longest running hydroelectric facility in the state.