The Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Seattle

We just spent 4 nights at the Fairmont Olympic and we had a great time. The hotel was excellent in every way. Downtown location made it easy to get around without a car. In fact, I walked around town early every morning and my wife and I walked all afternoon. The Washington State ferries (we went to Bainbridge Island one day) are just a short walk away as well. At the hotel, the lobby and the Olympic bar were epic! The decor was awesome too. Spa was great (we both got massages). Coffee shop in the lobby was very convenient. The service was A+, especially the Assistant Director of Rooms, Christian Scherping. He was very friendly, helpful, made great suggestions for dinner (Shuckers is a must), and he always took the time to talk with us even though I'm sure he was very busy. We first met Christian when he worked at the Fairmont Grand in Del Mar (Southern CA) where he made such a great impression on us that, when he accepted his current position at the Fairmont Olympic (where he is now) we decided to come up and stay at this hotel too. Also, Sayaka the Concierge was outstanding. Very helpful with directions, reservations, and information about Seattle. Two excellent employees at an excellent hotel. Would highly recommend staying here. You will be well taken care of.

First I would like to say Thank You to Ali who was working at the front desk during our check-in. She was so sweet and kind, very professional and welcoming. We had an amazing stay at this hotel! The room was spotless, comfortable, and beautifully maintained. The relaxing atmosphere and excellent amenities made our experience even more enjoyable. Everything exceeded our expectations, and we truly appreciated the outstanding service. We highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a comfortable and memorable stay.

Check in was fast and easy. I was able to check in early without an extra charge, and given an upgrade as well. Great start! The suite was comfortably sized, with a living room area, entrance alcove, and bedroom that could be shut off from the living room. The carpeting was high quality and in great condition, as were the paint and wallpaper in the room. Everything was clean and tidy. The soft furnishings were comfortable, but lacked a decorating theme and seem like they were thrown together from a closed down Holiday Inn. There were plenty of power plugs in all the rooms, the lighting was comfortable and plentiful, the bed heavenly to sleep in. The bathroom was marble clad and spacious with plenty of counter space for toiletries. Rants: The lobby and bar decoration are fantastic…classic Art Deco charm and elegance … promising a hint of what’s to come. Then you get in the room and it’s all rather drab. The bathroom shower/tub combination was NOT five-star. The shower was anemic at best with water flow (get rid of the constrictors in the shower head — you’re a five-star hotel); and the shallow tub meant that if you wanted to take a bath the water couldn’t cover your feet sticking up. There was no turn down service offered in the evening, and only two towels provided in the room. I asked my housekeeper for two more and she was happy to provide them, but that information never carried over to future nights. It should have been recorded as a customer preference and continued through my stay. They had one of those super annoying refrigerators where if you touch or move anything it gets charged, and no room for your own items. There was a charge of $15/day to get a fridge of your own, which would have had to stick out awkwardly somewhere in your room, making the decor even less appealing. This may help the hotel maximize revenue, but it doesn’t encourage me to return. There was a $35 resort fee tacked onto my bill, which no one mentioned … neither Amex who I booked the room from, or the hotel upon checkin. It felt like I was being nick and dimed, and it feels like a deceptive way to increase the room rate without any notification until it’s too late. There is a speakeasy bar hidden in the main lobby. I wish I’d known about it (say at check in?) so I could have made a reservation there. It was so much quieter when I looked in than the main bar area, and I would have enjoyed entertaining my friends there. Raves: The George restaurant. Fabulous space with amazing windows and marble floor. And the breakfasts I had were SUPERB! Friendly service, great food, amazing ambience. This place was the star of the stay. Location is terrific, just four blocks from the waterfront. There are steep hills down to the water front and back up if you’re walking, and an uber is roughly $15 to go those four blocks each way if you’re not walking. The Art Deco charm of the lobby and restaurant. Wow!

My husband and I attended a wedding reception and party here and stay three nights. The hotel is absolutely gorgeous. The staff had great customer service and the rooms very clean and well maintained. The ambience and decorations were also amazing. I highly recommend this hotel for your next special event.

First Class in every respect...