Palouse Falls Inn celebrates one year of operation

People traveling through the Town of Washtucna and want a place to rest for the night or spend the weekend can reserve a room at the Palouse Falls Inn Bed and Breakfast.

Palouse Falls Inn, located off Main Street on 210 SW Cooper Street, has been in operation for the last year and has seen its fair share of guests.

The bed-and-breakfast is a craftsman, two-story home built in 1905 and located 17 miles from Palouse Falls.

Guests who stay at the B&B will have the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere and watch different deer, elk, birds and turkeys roam Washtucna.

Palouse Falls Inn owners Cathy and Scott Blankenship purchased the house in 1989.

Scott Blankenship explained the house was built by Linn Lancaster Bassett, son of Washtucna’s founder George Bassett.

He said Linn Bassett’s daughter, Esther, owned the home and made it into a boarding house for teachers who moved to the community.

Cathy said she was always interested in turning the house into a B&B, but the plans would wait as she and Scott raised a family in the home.

She said they made small improvements to the building over the years. In 2004, they started making major renovations, which included repainting the house, remodeling the stairway, replacing the windows and the doors, and completing other projects.

Cathy said there have a range of guests who have stayed at Palouse Falls Inn in its first year of operation including cyclists who were on their way to see Palouse Falls.

Other guests included Washington State University football fans traveling to Pullman for a Cougars game, or wedding guests passing through the area

She noted some guests have stayed at Palouse Falls Inn to celebrate anniversaries, or to visit the countryside for the weekend.

Cathy said she has received positive feedback from B&B guests, and hopes to have some of the past guests become regular patrons in the future.

There are three guest rooms patrons can reserve at Palouse Falls Inn, most made for double occupancy.

The Red Room features a queen-size bed, as well as books by author Zane Grey.

Another room is the Lilac Room which features a double bed.

The third room is the Maid’s Room, which also features a double bed. Cathy said it was the maid’s quarters when the Bassets owned the house.

Guests who stay at the house will notice pictures of the Blankenships’ family, as well as artwork and decor from Cathy’s relatives. She said the quilt on the bed in the Maid’s Room was made by her daughter as a birthday present.

The B&B features decor throughout the house, including a painting by Randall Johnson, who designed the WSU Cougars logo.

Guests will also meet Socks, the Blankenships’ two-year-old corgi-dachshund mix. Cathy said they adopted Socks a few months ago. She added he likes people and is good around small children.

Palouse Falls Inn has several amenities for guests, including wireless Internet and laundry facilities. For families with infants, there is also a crib, high chair and baby monitor.

Cathy said guests can also enjoy Palouse Fall Inn’s breakfast for free. She explained she worked at the Washtucna School as a cook for 17 years and loves to cook meals for guests.

In the morning, guests can also make their coffee or tea at the beverage center.

There are picnic breakfasts also available for guests who leave the house and explore the area. She explained the breakfast consists of items like juice, water, muffins and fruit.

She added guests can enjoy a meal and drinks in the gazebo, which includes outdoor cafe lights and twinkle lights in the inside.

Cathy said there are still projects she and Scott want to work on in the house. One project is to strip the top of the staircase, varnish and repaint it.

In the living room, the Blankenships want to add new tile to the fireplace to fit the style of the house. Cathy noted the fireplace does not work through she might install an electric fireplace in the future.

Cathy said she is also in the process of setting up credit card access through the business’ phone number.

The price to the Red Room for one night is $80 with a $10 cleaning fee.

The cost of reserving the Lilac Room or the Maid’s Room for one night is $75 and a $10 cleaning fee.

Cathy said guests can reserve a room by contacting Palouse Falls Inn at 509-650-7132 or emailing [email protected].

Guests can visit http://www.palousefallsinn.com for more information.

The Palouse Falls Inn B&B rooms can also be booked through the Airbnb website, https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/13398776.