You can’t help but have a brush with history at Dayton’s Hotel Hardware. The 1890 building is deeply interwoven with Dayton’s identity.
It was constructed on Main Street by Jacob Weinhard of the famous beer family 25 years before the road out front was even paved. A saloon and billiard hall operated on the ground floor while lodging was offered upstairs.
Revitalized in the 1990s, the property has been known in recent years as the Weinhard Hotel. With its most recent ownership change in 2023, a nine-month, head-to-toe renovation now ushers in the next era as Hotel Hardware.
Owner Padraic Slattery, a historic preservationist whose previous work in the Seattle area was primarily with midcentury modern design and construction, remade the 15-room, 21-and-older hotel from floor to ceiling and renamed it as an homage to a period when a hardware store operated in the ground-floor space. Make sure to pay special attention to the hardware touches — an outstretched hand door pull at the entrance, brass plumbing fixtures in the bathrooms, door knockers at each room.
Pull up and park next to the hotel’s entrance, flanked on one side by a giant mural Slattery commissioned from favorite movie, “Stand By Me.” Overflow parking is available on the street or on the back side of the property.
From the lot — an open remnant from the 1960s fire that burned down half the original building — enter the lobby with black wainscoting, hand sanded and stained red oak floors, a cozy seating area for four, antique décor and grand paintings commissioned of Jacob Weinhard and his famous uncle, Henry. Contactless check-in is offered.
The main floor connects to seven “landmark king” rooms, featuring 12-foot ceilings, frosted windows that offer views of the city, mattresses by Ortho, mini-fridges and smart TVs. A double-king room upstairs sleeps four and boasts the building’s original Douglas fir floors. All upper level rooms have 14-foot ceilings. The Weinhard Suite, a more than 500-square-foot space, features sandblasted brick walls, 10-foot windows with original stained glass, couch area and a large bathroom with checkerboard zellige tile floor.
After a day on the mountain at Bluewood, a trek to Palouse Falls, a stroll through the shops on historic Main Street or a fishing excursion on the Touchet River, unwind at The Bobcat Room, Hotel Hardware’s on-site cocktail destination. Open through Main Street or connecting down a hallway from the lobby, the space includes a bar area and communal table to enjoy craft cocktails.
Adjoining is the hotel’s bottle shop, featuring a vast selection of natural wines, hand in hand with the operation’s specialty coffee program. Take your drink for an evening on the rooftop patio for stunning stargazing with the warmth of a firepit.
Whether you’re looking to explore Dayton or unplugging for a quite getaway, consider a stay where you can go back in time with modern conveniences.
To book at Hotel Hardware, 235 E. Main St., click here and begin your adventure.