Seattle hotels: Autumnal swank in the city

End the fall with a trip to swanky Seattle. Credit: Seattle Municipal Archives.

By Maria Mora

In early fall, Seattle attracts vacationers seeking refreshingly cool temperatures and some of the world’s best seasonal seafood. For those in warmer climates — like me — the thought of balmy days and brisk nights at Seattle hotels is absolutely intoxicating. In addition to its iconic ferries, eclectic music venues and crave-worthy restaurants, Seattle sports some of the best boutique hotels and trendy hotel destinations. Here are four super-chic hotels in downtown Seattle:

Hyatt at Olive 8
The Hyatt at Olive 8 is the first LEED-certified hotel in Seattle. What does this mean? Basically the hotel has taken serious steps to conserve water and energy. Olive 8 goes a step further by providing guests with eco-friendly dining and spa amenities. This sleek Hyatt property doesn’t sacrifice style to be Earth-friendly. The hotel features modern design elements and memorable touches like an extensive indoor pool and a wine and coffee bar. For a truly unique experience, book the Presidential Suite and indulge in a bathroom so upscale it has a flat screen television built into the vanity mirror.

Sorrento Hotel Seattle
At first glance, this doesn’t appear to be one of the trendy Seattle hotels. In fact, it opened in 1909. So what makes this hotel stylish? The retro-chic atmosphere.The Sorrento Hotel is well-known for attracting celebrities and artists — as well as medical professionals visiting the nearby hospitals. Named one of Conde Nast Traveler’s Top 25 Hotels, the Sorrento has incredibly ornate guest rooms that feel comfortable, not stuffy. Stay here for artistic inspiration or just to feel like you’ve stepped back to a simpler, more charming time. Call ahead to find out about scheduled block parties and readings by local writers.

Hotel Max
Dubbed the “most artistic of all the downtown Seattle hotels,” Hotel Max lives up to its name through careful design details and original art pieces throughout the hotel. There’s nothing uptight about the art here. Look for bright canvases, splashes of color, and thoughtfully restrained décor. No matter what your design ideals are, you can’t help but feel like you’re part of something very cool when you stay in this hotel. The property’s main restaurant, Red Fin, was voted Best of Citysearch in 2007. If you think sushi is all about fish, let the amazing Angus steak roll prove you wrong.

The W Hotel Seattle
The W feels a little like moving into someone’s extremely stylish home. Nothing about the interior feels “hotel-ish.” Even the lobby has been renamed The Living Room. The Spectacular Rooms, appropriately named, feature dizzying views of Seattle and framed black-and-white art. The Wow Suite — all two stories of it — is decorated like an upscale residence. Soak in the Jacuzzi, enjoy the plasma screen TV or just gaze out the floor-to-ceiling windows. At W, even if you’re not staying in a suite, you’ll get swept up in the swanky atmosphere. When the sun goes down, the W Bar heats up with special guest DJs and local talent.

Maria Mora is a memoir blogger and wannabe photographer. She travels extensively throughout Florida and the Caribbean with her two young sons.

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