The Davenport Grand, Autograph Collection — Hotel in Spokane

I stayed in this hotel in conjunction with my running in the annual Bloomsday 12K run in Spokane, an annual event that typically attracts ~30,000 participants.||The tangible characteristics of the hotel including lobby, room, personnel, dining, etc. were fine. That is, the room was spacious, clean, quiet, and comfortable . . . including a very sizable walk-in shower. The bed and bedding were impeccable. The common areas were well-maintained and attractive. The lobby was spacious. Elevator capacity was plenty sufficient to handle what seemed to be a full hotel on a weekend of a major event. The location is ideal, in the heart of Spokane, across the street from the convention center and the Riverfront Park. Staff were friendly.||What irked me, however, were a couple of billing oddities:||(1) I arrived about 3 hours before the official check-in time. I inquired about an early check-in, totally understanding that an early check-in is not a "right". In my life experience, almost all hotels, if a room is ready, will let guests check-in early, with no fuss or extra charge. This property allowed me to check in early, but only for a $25 fee. That $25 early check in fee just seems petty. My presence in the room for an extra 3 hours costs the hotel, what, maybe 8¢ of electricity if I plug in a laptop and a phone charger and turn on a light? And I'm actually doing the hotel a favor by not contributing to the VERY LONG check-in lines that formed later in the afternoon.||(2) The hotel normally charges a $20 amenity fee, but effectively gives it back as a $20 credit if you eat at a hotel restaurant. The front desk reiterated this policy when I checked in. So, believing what they had to say, I had a late lunch at the hotel restaurant, which I otherwise would not have done because I'm generally not a fan of hotel dining. Upon reviewing my portfolio after checking out, I did not see the $20 credit so I called to inquire. What I was told is that the "special rate" I received as an "athlete" in the Bloomsday race reduced the amenity fee from $20 to $10 (great), but did not include the dining credit (not so great). Tell you what, Davenport Hotel: how about not messing with the silly ticky tacky gimmick of an "amenity fee" that may or may not be credited back to a guest as a dining credit depending on the circumstances. Just charge a rate for the room and be done with it. But if you do continue to charge an "amenity fee" but the associated dining credit does not apply for certain rates, then make sure this is clear to guests.||Truth be told, because this billing stuff left a bad taste in my mouth, when I return for the Bloomsday Run next year, or return to Spokane for any reason, I anticipate I will stay at one of the many other hotels located in downtown...

Checked in for my our 16th anniversary. Was given a corner room with beautiful view. The staff helped to get a bouquet of flowers in or room prior to arrival.

Once we got settled into the room my wife flipped on some lights over the bed a noticed several cob webs hanging off of the ceiling over the head of the bed and one from the light valence to the curtain. While I was on the phone with the front desk my wife noticed a piece of uneaten jerky on the floor under the television.

The front desk associate sent up a bell hop, Luke, who was a kind and helpful young man. Luke helped us to the 16th floor and a different room. Luke asked to check the room prior to us entering, making sure the room was clean. More cob webs on the ceiling. Luke tried to bat a few of the cob webs down. He repeatedly apologized and asked us to accompany him to the lobby in order to sort the issue out. The front desk associate indicated he could have one of the two rooms recleaned. We chose 1201 for the views. I asked at that time, what the Davenport was going to do in order for my wife and I to feel valued . The associate indicated that we get settled in and someone would be reaching out to us. My wife and I agreed went to the exercise room while our room was cleaned. Returning found one large cob web still over the head of the bed and one coming off the light valence connecting to the curtain.

The next morning around 10:00am we stopped by the front desk telling the associate what we experienced the day before and requested to speak with management. The associate indicated the manager was interviewing someone, verified our room number and contact information and assured us that the manager would be reaching out soon.

Around 3:00pm I called the hotel asking to speak with management. The associate asked me to explain why I needed to talk with management, shared the previous days experience. The associate indicated that she, manager, was in a meeting. The associate took down my phone number and transferred me to her voice mail. I indicated that I did not have much faith in management calling me back for resolution. The associate indicated I could leave a review on line that would be closely monitored and or contact Marriott and that they would become a middle man in the situation.

I do not care for negative reviews as I feel the problems can be handled with communication and patience, here I am. Our check in was August 9th and I still have not been contacted by management to make the situation...

The Davenport Grand property is stylish, modern, and conveniently located across the street from Riverfront Park. Our room itself was spacious, even with a king bed-- which is actually the standard at this hotel. I was told they do not have queen beds, even in their rooms with 2 beds.

The bed and bedding were so comfortable-- one of the best I've slept on in a while. I'll also note that instead of a headboard, the bed had a full wall mirror. This made the room feel even more open and bright. I also realize a large bed mirror may be a pro or con for some, depending on preferences... I'll leave it at that. Lol

Although our room had only a shower with no tub, it was a very nice shower. It was large and had great water pressure that warmed up quickly for a top notch experience, complete with quality shampoo, conditioner, and body wash dispensers.

Even though we saw multiple promising restaurants nearby, we opted to dine downstairs in the hotel restaurant lounge. We were enticed with a generous discount coupon that was provided at check-in. The menu was not huge but had a good variety (including some flatbreads and a surprisingly delicious and well-portioned fried chicken sandwich), which we enjoyed along with a complimentary wine tasting (courtesy of another coupon). I'm not sure if the coupons are a standard offering, but they were much appreciated! And they were cheerfully accepted by our attentive, friendly servers.

Another perk of our stay was a gorgeous park view from the 12th floor. And while the park is a must-see in Spokane, it may be helpful to note that we could hear music from live events there both evenings of our stay. While we enjoyed it, I realize this may be a consideration for others. Regardless, the music was done by 10 pm.

It may also be helpful to note the additional fees. An amenities charge of $20/day plus a parking charge of $25-35 (depending on self park vs valet) do add up. I was a bit disappointed with this. However, the attached parking garage felt safe and convenient, even though we ended up walking everywhere during our stay. And the wifi was fast enough to use the streaming device we'd brought to catch up on our shows before bed.

Although the fees are steep, the location, comfort, style, and great service at the Grand make it a fantastic choice for a weekend getaway. If you're looking for a place that exceeds the generic chain hotel options, the Grand a solid choice. I will be returning for a future event, and I'm looking...