Hotel Cathlamet gets new life
Published 4:00 pm Sunday, February 28, 2010
Visitors to Cathlamet have a cool new place to stay in town. The historic Hotel Cathlamet will reopen for business in March.
The downtown hotel, built in 1929, has a classic façade outside and new furnishings, carpets and floors inside. Owners Kevin and Sandy Wirkkala have owned the building for about 12 years, and previously operated it as an assisted living facility.
Kevin Wirkkala said the inspiration to turn the building back to its original use came as
| The Cathlamet Hotel lobby features the original hotel front desk from 1929. Photo: Joanne Rideout |
the couple struggled to maintain the assisted living facility in the face of a difficult economy.
“We were set up to do private pay,” he said.
However, as financial conditions worsened nationwide, more and more clients were unable to pay, so the Wirkkala’s sought status as a state facility to keep their commitment to residents.
But when state compensation turned out to be insufficient to keep the building open, the Wirkkalas decided to reopen the facility as it was originally intended – as a hotel.
Wirkkala said he had the informal but atmospheric McMenamin hotel model in mind as he renovated the building.
The Oregon-based McMenamin hotel chain specializes in renovating old, unusual
| The hotel’s exterior has a classic look that recalls its roots in the 1920s. Photo: Joanne Rideout |
buildings into affordable lodging while preserving their historic flavor. Original woodwork in the Hotel Cathlamet has been preserved and the beautiful original hotel lobby desk is still on the premises.
Wirkkala said renovations he did on the building to turn it into an assisted living facility 12 years ago cost about $1 million and paid for re-configuring the floor plan so that each room has its own bath. The hotel now has an elevator, among other improvements.
The building also features atriums with skylights between some rooms that allow natural light to enter the hotel interior. There are 19 guest rooms. Local contractor Prestegard Construction is assisting with renovation work. The building should open March 1.
Wirkkala said the hotel will offer Wi-Fi and a continental breakfast, served in a roomy kitchen and meeting area on the second floor.
The downstairs lobby area will offer a brewpub, and Wirkkala has contacted area microbrewers about running a pub in the space.
Room rates start at $69.
“We’re hoping to attract fishermen, kayakers, hunters and hikers,” he said.
The Hotel Cathlamet is online at hotelcathlamet.com.
