A renovated 1960s motor inn in downtown Walla Walla, featuring custom regional art, gear-ready guest rooms, and a central courtyard anchored by a wood-burning fireplace.
The Finch stands on the eastern edge of Main Street, a modern reimagining of a 1967 motor inn that once operated as the Royal Motor Inn and later a Red Lion. Developed by a Bozeman-based property group and managed by Columbia Hospitality, this 80-room boutique hotel has transitioned from a mid-century roadside stop into a highly acclaimed basecamp, earning a spot on Condé Nast Traveler's list of the top 50 best hotels in the world. The original Streamline-era architecture remains visible in the open-air design, where guest rooms open directly to the exterior, surrounding a central courtyard that serves as the social heart of the property.
Inside the rooms, the design balances essentialism with regional storytelling. Custom-built gear walls provide practical storage for outdoor equipment, while the beds feature custom sloped headboards designed for reading. The walls are adorned with infographic art created by Pacific Northwest artists like Christian Schultz and Hannah Bartman: illustrations depict local touchstones, including the Walla Walla watershed, regional avian populations, the Bluewood ski area, and the iconic Main Street music store, Hot Poop. Bathrooms are finished with clean white tiles, walk-in rain showers, and Malin and Goetz bath products, providing a refined contrast to the rugged adventures of the surrounding valley.
The central courtyard is anchored by a massive wood-burning fireplace, surrounded by comfortable lounge seating where guests gather in the evenings to share bottles of local Cabernet Sauvignon or play games of pétanque. In the morning, the lobby serves as a starting point, offering fresh-brewed coffee from Walla Walla's Livit Coffee Company and Hummingbird loose-leaf teas. Nearby, the Map Room acts as a dedicated planning space, stocked with custom field guides, regional books, and curated recommendations from the hotel's staff, who are referred to as guides. From here, guests are a short walk from downtown's premier tasting rooms, restaurants, and boutiques, making the hotel an integrated part of the local community.
Ask the front desk guides about the featured wine partner of the month to enjoy a complimentary pour at check-in, then grab a custom field guide from the Map Room to plan your walking route to downtown tasting rooms.
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