Hotels Need True Collaboration When Adding Native American Design
Photo Credit: A room in the Inn at the 5th Inn at the 5th
Skift Take
Paying homage to a region’s cultural and aesthetic heritage requires more sensitivity than ever before — and enhanced stewardship.
Fans of the cult classic film The Big Lebowski are undoubtedly familiar with the sweater worn by Jeff Bridges' iconic character, The Dude. But when they first walk into a shop on the premises of Eugene, Oregon hotel Inn at the 5th, they're probably unaware they're seeing the pattern on that sweater, which the local Cowichan tribe created.
Visitors at the Inn at the 5th can get an educational experience at that Pendleton shop, which is accessible from the hotel's lobby, though. The woolen goods company's partnership with the boutique property — and its new sister hotel, the art-centric Gordon — has produced guestroom and common area designs imbued with tribal motifs.
The Inn at the 5th features a Pendleton-themed suite while a Pendleton conference room at the Gordon contains imagery and educational materials explaining its ties to local tribes' ceremonial goods.
But representing culture and history is a more delicate balancing act than ever, said Malene Barnett,
