Tl;dr – My review of the Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla, Washington.
For many folks visiting Walla Walla, there’s a good chance that the Marcus Whitman will stand out as the ‘go-to’ hotel. A quintessential small town, one that isn’t too unlike the setting for a low-budget holiday-themed Hallmark Channel movie, Walla Walla doesn’t have an abundance of premium hotels. Short of staying at a bed and breakfast or an inn attached to one of the town’s many wineries, your options are standard motel chains and economy-tier hotels. Thus, in pursuit of an upscale hotel to review for my wine-tasting adventure in Walla Walla, I landed on the Marcus Whitman. It may not be immediately apparent, but the Marcus Whitman is a first-class points hotel. It’s a member of the Stash Hotel Rewards, a loyalty rewards program for over 300 independent hotels. It case you’re wondering, the hotel is named for a missionary who established a settlement in Walla Walla and died trying to convert the Cayuse Native American to Christianity. Ok, let’s jump into it!
Booking the Marcus Whitman Hotel
I booked a three-night stay at the Marcus Whitman directly through the hotel’s website in one of the hotel’s tower rooms. As this was Spring Release weekend, the hotel was almost fully booked.
We ended up snagging one of the last rooms available for about $270 per night.
Getting In and Location
If you’re arriving by air, it’s only a 7-minute drive from Walla Walla Regional Airport to the Marcus Whitman, which also happens to be the tallest building in town.
The lobby has a rustic, regal, Oregon-type feel. Kinda like the building a beleaguered Pony Express rider would finally arrive at carrying an oh-so-important telegram.
Check-in was quick, the front desk staff was super friendly and helpful (more on that later), and we were given a room on the fifth floor.
The Room
Our room, while simple, was decently spacious and offered some views of the quaint town below with the Blue Mountains in the distance. There was a desk with an old-school rotary phone in the corner, and in front of the comfortable king bed was a cozy velvet blue couch. There was also some local coffee, pre-ground, so that you could make your own pour-over to live out your wildest hipster fantasies.
Again, simple, but after a day of wine-tasting, this was a nice place to come back to and rest.
Vibes / Grounds / Amenities
The hotel also serves as a conference center, featuring a dedicated hall with meeting rooms and a ballroom. Located in the same wing is the hotel’s fitness center. There’s a handful of cardio machines, some free weights, and a few weight machines. Nothing super glamorous, but enough to work up a sweat and stay on your routine.
L’Ecole Winery’s downtown tasting room/winebar – Nº 41 – is also attached to the hotel’s lobby.
Dining
We dined out each night we were in town, so my experience with the hotel’s food offerings was limited to a few to-go breakfast orders and one light aperitif session. Our rate included a $20 per day dining credit which could be used at the hotel’s restaurant – The Marc – and Mrs. Blackbeard and I opted to split the avocado toast and a scrambled egg dish, which we both found pleasantly surprising. There’s also complimentary coffee in the lobby.
The craft cocktails in the hotel’s bar are well-made and unique. Alongside some drinks, we shared a small salad one evening before heading out for a full meal.
Service
I was super impressed with the service we received at the hotel. We had several packages waiting for us at the hotel (probably around 20), and the staff thoughtfully organized them all, securely storing them in a closet for safekeeping. This made it easy to account for everything and port the packages up to our room. All other interactions we had with the team were pleasant, whether ordering in the restaurant, casually exchanging words in the elevator, or requesting extra pillows at the front desk.
Conclusion
The Marcus Whitman is in a great location – squarely in the middle of Walla Walla’s downtown. It’s walkable to many tasting rooms and great restaurants. If you’re feeling less adventurous and want something easy, the onsite restaurant and bars are solid, and the service is strong. When folks at the wineries asked where we were staying while visiting Walla Walla, their reactions to hearing ‘The Marcus Whitman’ were almost uniformly – ‘Oh, I’ve heard that place has really turned around.’ This is likely because the property underwent a significant renovation just last year (2024). I don’t have a pre-renovation stay to compare it to, but I found my stay to be enjoyable, easy-going, and convenient, and I’d recommend it to anyone coming into town for some great wine.
