Pike Place Market at night.
Photos in order: Debora De Napoli; Berglind Hafsteinsdottir; Aefa Mulholland
Story by Aefa Mulholland
1. The 121-room, former apartment building in Seattle, Washington finished $10 million renovations in October 2007. Check out the Alexis Hotel’s fireplace suites with wood burning fireplaces or one of the cool arts-themed suites at this eco-conscious hotel. Driving a hybrid? You get free parking!
2.Location, location, location! Pike Place Market is five blocks away. Island ferries and the waterfront are two minutes’ walk. Seattle Art Museum (S.A.M.) is within ambling distance.
Check out the spacious, lofty rooms on one of the Alexis’ appealingly eclectic packages, such as the “I Louvre You Too” promotion, running through May 11, 2008. The package includes overnight accommodations and VIP admissions to S.A.M.’s Roman Art from the Louvre exhibit.
3. The quirky boutique property is pet-friendly. Most exotic creatures to check in for a bit of overnight pampering: penguins!
4. Nothing is too much bother for the charming, friendly staff. Guests even get advance e-mails from concierge Joseph, complete with a downtown map, local attractions, and shopping suggestions about everything from big name stores to funky shirt stops in BoHo-style Fremont.
5. Not only do enticing aromas of the on-site Etherea Spa spill into the corridors, but guests are greeted as they walk in by the smell of fresh coffee from the Bookstore Bar & Café and thrilling scents from Parfumerie Nasreen.
6. There’s a hosted wine hour in the Library Bistro & Bar every evening. Have a glass and muse on your day or down a couple and get chatty with other guests.
7. It’s a Kimpton, part of the only hotel company to score 100% on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for four years in a row.
