Old Hotel Reborn in the Gorge

annual Art and Wine Fusion event. He got the last bed in town because of a cancellation at the Inn of the White Salmon. The next morning at breakfast, David asked, half-joking, if the place was for sale and learned it was. When the Diercks took over the bed-and-breakfast hotel, “we inherited a great staff,” says David. “That was the first secret of our success.” Several of the facility’s 10 employees have worked there for years: Phyllis Hagerstrom—who staffs the office two nights a week— is a 27-year employee, and Office Innkeepers taking hotel back to decorative roots Manager Rishell Graves has been there almost nine years. By Jeanie Senior venture south to the Columbia River The new owners decided they Gorge for years. When they finally would showcase local art and wine, he Inn of the White Salmon visited, David says, “we were just and promote the region’s multiple is getting a new look. It won’t entranced.” recreation and scenic offerings. be an overnight change It was either fate or destiny that Toward those ends, there is a becauseT owners David and Dennice brought him to White Salmon in changing exhibit of work by local Dierck—who took over in the spring July 2006, at the end of a stint of artists in the new Hallway Gallery— of 2007—are staying open for wildland firefighting in southwest the hall that leads to the breakfast business while the work is Washington. room. The Arts Council holds its completed. David, who had been living out of regular meetings at the inn. What already has emerged is a the back of his truck, arrived during Wine-tastings are held once a self-described eco-friendly boutique the White Salmon Art Council’s month from November through hotel with a European March, including touch. performances by local That’s partly due to musicians. The events are Flo and Nicole open to local residents as Niemesch, who moved well as guests. here from Germany on The inn also offers an invitation from the B-R-T packages, the title Diercks to share in the for a variety of offers that new adventure of include a room and innkeeping. transportation. David and Dennice The Bed-Ride-Ticket both grew up in the includes a lift ticket to Everett area, where they Mount Hood Meadows owned a Christmas tree plus transportation to the ranch. He also was a ski area in the inn’s four- battalion chief for the wheel-drive van. Bed- Marysville Fire District. Ride-Thrill involves She worked as a whitewater rafting or Starbucks store manager. kayaking. Bed-Ride-Trek As longtime residents Above, Inn of the White Salmon has been transformed into a is a snowshoeing outing; of northwest European-style boutique hotel. Top, a bedroom wall at the inn and Bed-Ride-Taste is a Washington, they didn’t offers guests a little philosophy. wine tour.

4 FEBRUARY 2009 Klickitat The skiing package is available for $69, including a bed in the inn’s new hostel room. David calls it “a great bundle.” Hostels, long popular in Europe as a low-cost lodging alternative, are relatively scarce in the United States. But David sees them as a growing market. “It’s the economical way to travel,” he explains. Eight beds are located in the hostel room, which was converted from a two-room suite. The beds are bunks, including one with two queen size beds. “We’ve got the only queen-sized bunk beds in the Gorge,” David jokes. Cost for a single hostel bed, including breakfast, is $25. A local craftsman built the bunks, which feature a ladder to the upper bunk. All have curtains that close off Inn of the White Salmon remains Above, David and Dennice Dierck the sleeping space, similar to the the town’s only lodging facility. continue renovating the inn, which will curtains used on Pullman train Bringing the hotel back to its bring the only hotel in White Salmon sleeping cars. Lockers are available origins, decor-wise, means replacing closer to its original Craftsman decor and style. Below, David shows the inn’s hostel to store gear, and there is a Victorian antiques, flowered section, which has eight bunk beds and communal bathroom. wallpaper and fancy light fixtures lockers for guests to store their gear. So far, most of the hostel room with the clean lines, warm colors guests have been international and simplicity of design that was a Dennice says. “It’s not unusual for us visitors familiar with the setup, Craftsman trademark. to be housekeeping, just whatever it David says. David points out the Craftsman takes.” “They save their money for food look was a protest—or an antidote— They have changed the breakfast and drink, which is the European to the Victorian penchant for menu. Previously, the menu was way,” he adds. embellishment. more of an elaborate tea with a As for the entire inn, “our vision He calls it “an overdose of lavish array of desserts. is to take it back to the Craftsman doilies.” Now the breakfast includes era, which was still going on in To date, the innkeepers have breads, local fruit, gluten-free 1937,” he says. redone the breakfast room, added a granola, yogurt, cheese, meat, cereal That was the year the hotel—then second sunny breakfast room at the and specialty egg dishes. called the Hoodview—opened. building’s east end, and transformed People who don’t stay at the hotel It was a businessman’s hotel for the so-called parlor into a hip family are welcome for breakfast, which years, until being converted to a bed room with suede sofas and a flat- costs $10. Reservations are advised. and breakfast about three decades screen television. “We try to stay with natural and ago. David says one of the delights has sustainable items, and seasonal been pulling out wall-to-wall fruit,” says Dennice, who says the carpeting and finding clear fir phrase “eco-friendly boutique hotel” flooring throughout most of the signals it is locally-owned, not building. corporate lodging, whose owners By spring, nine of the 14 guest care about the environment. “We’re rooms will be transformed to the always researching what we can do new look. Except for a licensed to be better stewards.” n plumber and a licensed electrician, David, Dennice, Flo and Nicole are For more information, go to www. doing all of the work themselves, as innofthewhitesalmon.com or call (509) well as handling daily operations. 493-2335. For reservations, call (800) “We just fill in where needed,” 972-5226.

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