We stayed barely 12 hours in Spokane Washington on our latest Retro Roadmap Roadtrip, so it didn't make sense to splurge on one of the historic hotels in downtown. That is why we were happy to find the Ruby Hotel to be clean, within our budget and conveniently located in downtown Spokane.
While it isn't truly "stepped back in time" in ambiance, it's always good to have an alternative to the chains. And hey look! We were neighbors of a historic hotel, so we could "walk back in time" just by popping in there :-)
The Ruby was originally a motel, but it has been "hipped up" with a fresh look. New paint, music-inspired local art, new room fixtures and bathrooms, this was the perfect place for us to crash after a long day roadtripping from Portland.
Had we been spending more than just shut-eye time in town we may have availed ourselves of the bikes at the Ruby. Nice touch!
While we were bummed to not be able to park directly at the hotel, we were directed to their sister property around the corner to park our car. (It's a short walk back to the hotel, so if you're traveling solo you might want to discuss this arrangement with the clerk, to ensure your safety. I'm not saying it isn't a safe town, but Mod Betty cares! )
AND while the Ruby did have it's own bar, we turned our jaunt back to the hotel into an adventure by detouring down the road for a classic cocktail at the Volstead Act for a nightcap. Now that's more like it! Even if you only have a few hours in town, try to make the most of them, you never know when/if you'll be back!
Slainte!
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