January 14, 2020

A Lobby With Personality: Rich in History, Deluxe in Appearance

A regional landmark and architectural masterpiece, The Historic Davenport Hotel draws tourists and history aficionados alike. A topic of conversation of hotel guests is the ornate lobby, designed in a Spanish Renaissance style. In order to give the lobby an atrium-style affect, Tiffany style glass was used, with a glass roof above it for protection. All of the light chandeliers and sconces are original to the hotel, and can still be found in the lobby of The Historic Davenport.

Popularly referred to as “Spokane’s Living Room”, such extraordinary features have helped The Historic Davenport Hotel earn a prized spot on the National Register of Historic Places. During the hotel’s renovation in 2000, the hand-painted frescoes, ornate woodwork and European-inspired marble were all meticulously restored, including the genuine gold leaf around the lobby hearth and the year-round lit fireplace – both hallmarks of Davenport hospitality since the hotel opened its doors a century ago.

The first fire in the lobby fireplace was lit in September 1914 by Kirtland Cutter. Hotel proprietor Louis Davenport decreed that as a symbol of hospitality. Originally wood-burning, the fireplace now burns natural gas. The painting above the fireplace depicts the Niña, Pinta, and Santa María – the ships Christopher Columbus used to discover the New World in 1492. Architecturally, the hotel has elements of Italy, France, England, Spain, and Imperial Russia.

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