The FINCH — Hotel in Walla Walla

I usually enjoy staying at The Finch. This is probably my 5th stay in about 3 years. I come to town 3-4 times a year and have stayed at all the other places to find which one I like best. Rooms are modern and different than what you see at other hotels. It’s close to (and within walking distance) all the different restaurants and shops downtown. But I have had some issues this time around:

I had a tough time even booking this hotel. I had been planning my trip for a month and a half and was able to book 2 of my 5 nights, but the other nights weren’t available. I kept checking. The other nights ended up opening up at the last minute. But I did a lot of going out of my way checking availability to stay here.

My room was clean for the most part but there were a couple of spots in the bathroom that were missed. Maybe just quick cleaning? This has not been a problem for me in the past.

My deadbolt on my door didn’t latch. I am a single person alone on this trip. The only reason I was okay with it was because I was in the secure building. I reported it and hope they will get it fixed for the next person.

I didn’t realize how thin the walls were till the last night of my stay. The kind person next to me had been up since about 5am. How do I know? I have heard every noise since then. Including their phone vibrating.

I like the beds, they are more comfortable than a lot of ones in other hotels I have stayed at. Pillows are wonderful. Layout of the rooms are great. The employees are all very kind.

I don’t want to bash the hotel based on this trip, there is a reason I originally went out of my way to stay here. I think for right now I will just take a break from staying here. Tired me that spent my last morning here frustrated with so much noise, is not ready to forgive and forget...

Pretty good hotel in downtown Walla Walla. Rooms are going for a sort of post- modern industrial vibe in decoration and the somewhat spartan furnishings and are clean and bright. Appreciated the nice big modern bathroom, truly a highlight. The bed was nice. The coffee that was available in the lobby in the morning was good.

Basically the Finch is set up as the perfect place to be right in the middle of goings-on in the downtown Walla Walla area or to head to Whitman. One thing though: being in the center of Walla Walla, there is a lot of noise from the streets in the evenings and mornings and the AC unit in our room did not allow just running the fan without heat or AC on so there is no good way to block out the outside sounds. Also, be ready to be woken up in the morning as walls seem thin and there's a lot of sounds from the rooms next door and people slamming their doors.

Couple of things I didn't like that much: The bathroom doesn't have a real door, just a sliding door, so there is no real privacy, the sink in our room was in the main room not in the bathroom which felt a bit odd and cramped, the rooms don't seem to have fridges or microwaves, or at least ours didn't (probably by design) so if you need stuff refrigerated be aware. We felt that the rooms need somewhere to sit, there only was one small chair. If you go for takeout for multiple people like we did that proved to be an issue. Oh well, maybe sit outside? There are some picnic tables. On property parking is very limited.

All in all ok, but would rather stay somewhere...

This is a tale of two hotels. Actually, one is a hotel and one is a motel. To quote Dickens, “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” The Finch is a glorified motel, built with concrete block construction. Everything is put together with the least expensive industrial materials. There are no closets. Metal hooks are provided for your clothes. The small sink sits in the room, and a sliding door provides privacy when you shower or use the toilet. The Finch is a 21st Century version of a Motel 6.

The other tale is about a new hotel, done in a hip style, with funky stenciling on the walls. The shower is powerful and large. A large room is available and the location is excellent. Toiletries come from Mallin + Goetz. Staff are uninformed about wine and Walla Walla’s wineries, but they are very nice. One can say it’s industrial chic, while another would say industrial cheap. The Finch is very schizophrenic.

A member of the staff phoned two hours before our arrival to inform me our dog was not welcome in the suite I booked. It was too late to book another accommodation. We ended up in a room I did not want. A note in the room proclaimed, “Your dog should not be left unattended in your room.” How is this a dog friendly hotel? Are we in Walla Walla to spend the entire time in our hotel room? After our experience, we would not book the Finch when we return to...