Inn remodeled into unique Après Whitefish hotel

The former Stumptown Inn changed hands, underwent a major makeover and has emerged as Après Whitefish, a boutique hotel with an eye on design that remains affordable.

Owners describe the Après Whitefish hotel, at 800 Spokane Avenue, as a modern, stylish and comfortable place for adventurous travelers to immerse themselves in the culture and environment of a breathtaking mountain destination.

“We are excited to modernize the charming property for residents and visitors of Whitefish,” said Ethan Joseph, founder and CEO of Après Hotels. “Our company’s mission is to provide hospitality offerings that complement their surroundings, increase access to nature, and celebrate the local community. Après Whitefish is a unique property that exemplifies all of these values.”

Brothers Ethan and Andrew Joseph purchased the Stumptown Inn in December 2019 and they have spent the past few years renovating and rebranding the property. The exterior was renovated in the spring of 2020 and since then renovations occurred in phases with the final interior touches being completed in June of 2022.

“We closed down portions of the hotel but never closed the entire thing down. We did the renovation piece by piece and tried to keep guests as happy as we could while doing that,” Joseph said. “It was a balancing act but it worked out for the best. We were able to keep all our employees paid and keep some cash flow coming in and it never felt like we were overextended.”

The building consists of 40 spacious rooms with modern design elements, many with beautiful river and mountain views.

“We created this to appeal to a broad audience and we try to highlight the local community,” said Joseph.

Amenities include a sauna, a fire pit and a coffee lounge. Joseph said the outdoor, wood-fired sauna was built by a local builder, Lucas Schwandt of Wisdom Workshop in Kalispell, and that the coffee lounge features local coffees.

General Manager Katrina Pierce said the hotel is looking at ways they can partner with other small businesses in the community. She is currently working on a record-sharing partnership with Whitefish’s Slow Burn Records.

“It’s still in the works. We’re definitely working with them to set up a program where we can market them and send guests over their way and they’re going to lend us some records to (play) in our lounge area,” Pierce said.

Like many businesses, Après Whitefish has had trouble finding new staff in the last 12 months but Joseph is working on a solution.

“We do offer some housing to employees in the summer. We are looking to expand that,” Joseph said. “It's just so difficult for people to find housing.”

While prices will rise in the summer months, the rates at the new, stylish hotel are surprisingly affordable in keeping with the owner’s desire to make the area accessible to a wide range of people.

“We have a real appreciation for quality design but with the sense of affordability,” he said. “So we keep staying true to that and creating an opportunity for others to access the same type of things at an affordable price point.”

He added that his business values “friendly personal service that you get with a smaller hotel”

and that visitors are likely to see the same face behind the desk each day during their visit.

A FAN OF skiing, hiking and mountain biking, Joseph was first introduced to Whitefish when he visited during a childhood trip.

“I had traveled to Glacier and Whitefish as a kid with my family,'' he said. “One of our trips to Glacier was probably one of the most memorable trips as a kid.”

During a more recent ski trip to Whitefish Mountain Resort, Joseph looked at potential properties in the area and while the Stumptown Inn was not on the market, he identified it as an opportunity to take an existing building, make improvements and grow a business.

He reached out and found the owner had listed the property previously and he was still willing to sell. Joseph was then able to combine his love of the outdoors with his desire to be in the hotel business.

“The whole idea behind this concept was to improve access to nature and to beautiful places,” he said.

Pierce added that the hotel is thoughtfully designed and that visitors are appreciating the special touches.

“It's a uniquely designed hotel that really honors the area, so you’re not staying in a cookie-cutter hotel room that could be anywhere,” said Pierce. “That’s the feedback from our guests – that’s what they love the most.”

Après Whitefish is the first hotel in the Après Hotels portfolio, with another being planned in Guerneville, California, on the Russian River.

For more information about Après Hotels and Après Whitefish, visit www.apreswhitefish.com.