A few eyebrows were raised as we chugged up the so-called Grand Motor Entrance at the Fairmont Olympic in Seattle. Especially those of the doorman who must have thought we were at the wrong hotel, writes HotelView editor David Simpson.
As he opened the door of our somewhat beaten-up cab that was anything but a grand motor, he inquired if there was any luggage and seemed surprised to learn we were in the right place and that there were three bags in the back.
The Fairmont Olympic’s Grand Motor Drive
“Have you travelled far?” he ventured, continuing to eye the black and white cab with suspicion, but his mood changed to disbelief when I told him we had just spent three hours being transported 160 miles from Portland.
“I can honestly say that I have never heard of anyone arriving at this hotel by cab from Portland,” he responded, and inquired how much the ride had cost. When I told him, he blinked, then whistled, and swiftly had us on our way up the escalators to the hotel’s glorious lobby.
Its wrap-around mezzanine balcony reminded us of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis with its legendary twice-daily March of the Ducks, and the warm smile we received at the reception desk lifted our spirits.
Our deluxe king guest room, above, was upgrade to a suite
By the time we had checked in, they were soaring. Our Deluxe King bedroom had been upgraded to a recently renovated eighth floor Signature Suite. Our bedroom had extra comfy Stearns & Foster bed and a spacious marble bathroom featured rainfall shower.
Soft-close sliding barn-style doors separated it from the sitting area with modern sofa, wing chair and work desk featuring Ethernet connectivity and a separate ChargePort including USB outlets. Both rooms had large wall-mounted HDTVs.
We quickly made ourselves comfortable before returning to the bustling lobby where we found the Terrace Bar the ideal place to relax and lunch on fine wine and mini burgers. It became a daily routine as we indulged in one of our favourite pastimes … people-watching.
The Olympic has had a big role in Seattle’s history. When it opened in 1924, it was considered the creme de la creme of the city’s hotels. Over the years it played host to Presidents, royalty, movie stars, vacationers, and thousands of conventions, wedding, bar mitzvahs, and parties.
Over the years the hotel has undergone many changes, but by the 1970s The Olympic was showing its age. There was even talk of tearing the building down, but Seattle citizens voiced their objections and in 1979 the University of Washington, owners of the property, chose the Four Seasons hotel chain, in a joint venture with JMB realty of Chicago, to take over the lease.
The magnificent Fairmont Olympic lobby, above, with its wrap-around mezzanine balcony, and, below, the Georgian Room
The most noticeable change from the street was the demolition of the Grand Ballroom and construction of a new entrance on University Street. A health club and swimming pool was also sited above the lobby facing Seneca Street.
Guests entering the lobby from the Seneca Street entrance looked up to see the hotel’s 13 original 6ft chandeliers completely restored to their former brilliance. Those entering on the University Street side saw the brand new lobby that connected to the original lobby by escalators. The Seneca Lobby, as well as the Spanish Ballroom, looked as new as when the hotel opened in 1924.
Unfortunately, all of this was not enough to satisfy Four Seasons for the long haul, and in 2003 they relocated closer to the waterfront and handed the keys to Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.
Now Fairmont is embarking on grand plans of its own, making significant changes to the lobby and Georgian Room room that will result in the restaurant once again becoming an evening venue for fine dining. The reluctance to travel that followed 9/11 hit hotels hard and it was decided to the restaurant would only provide breakfast and lunch.
Shuckers Oyster Bar, one of Seattle’s oldest and most pre-eminent oyster bars, accessed directly through a hotel corridor, became the only evening attraction for Fairmont guests who have soaked up the beautifully carved oak panelling and unique tin ceiling of the haberdashery it once was in the 1930s.
The Seattle skyline dominated by the iconic Space Needle
We had arranged to dine there just the once during our brief stay, but the oysters were so good, and the service so friendly, that we returned to spend the last of our four nights enjoying the buzzing atmosphere.
Our other evenings were spent experiencing the Umi Sake House, one of a number of fine Japanese restaurants in Seattle, and the French bistro-style Cafe Campagne. Both are to be recommended, although it must be said the city is stuffed full of so many fantastic eateries that could have kept us happy for months.
Over three and a half days we discovered that Seattle has a lot to offer, although the steep streets to and from the Elliott Bay waterfront were not so easy for visitors of advancing years.
The Ferris Wheel was a bit of a rip-off but the nearby Wings over Washington is not to be missed, with an eagle-eye view of everything Washington State has to offer. It left us breathless and grateful to have taken the stomach-churning ride shortly after lunch rather than before it.
The iconic Space Needle, built in the Seattle Center for the 1962 World’s Fair, also cannot be missed simply for the views of the Downtown skyline from its 600ft summit.
And then there’s Pike Place, Seattle’s original farmers market established in 1907. Each year more than 15 million visitors explore this bustling nine-acre village of 500 small independent businesses, filled with farmers, craftspeople, butchers, fish markets, shops, bakeries, restaurants and specialty food stores.
And how the florists can sell fantastic bunches of blooms for such ridiculously low prices is a true mystery.
The very first Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle opened in 2014, offering an evolving menu of coffee, cocktails and food, and a wide range of merchandise
Finally, you’ll also find the very first Starbucks, which opened in 1971 and spawned a global coffee culture. There are now at least 400 of its coffeehouses in Seattle alone, and the city also boasts the very first Starbucks Reserve Roastery.
Opening in 2014 in the vibrant Capitol Hill neighbourhood, it offers an evolving menu of coffee, cocktails and food. It also sells a wide range of beverage-related merchandise And be prepared … some of the coffees cost a small fortune. Nevertheless, it’s the in place and is always packed.
With so much coffee in Seattle, it’s small wonder everyone is sleepless!
