Lotte Hotel Seattle
Hotel · Central Business District
809 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
Highlights
Chic rooms, Puget Sound views, dining & spa in Beaux Arts church.
Chic rooms, Puget Sound views, dining & spa in Beaux Arts church.
"If we were giving out Best Dressed awards, Lotte Hotel Seattle would be a shoo-in. Designed by French starchitect Philippe Starck, the luxurious property — which readers voted their favorite hotel in Seattle in our 2023 World’s Best Awards — is the city’s most fashionable high-rise, awash in Starck’s clear influence: sculpted armchairs, wooden accents, and surrealist throw pillows create chic and cozy havens. Floor-to-ceiling windows and plenty of mirrors make already-spacious rooms feel even larger; the views over Elliott Bay are particularly mesmerizing, especially from 16th-floor seafood restaurant The Charlotte." - Sophie Dodd Sophie Dodd Sophie Dodd is a travel, wine and lifestyle writer. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"Why should we book here?This Philippe Starck-designed hotel occupies 16 floors of the flashy, 44-floor F5 Tower in the heart of Downtown Seattle. Everything about the hotel, inside and out, comes off striking and beautiful. While Seattle's style of luxury usually requires deferring to a casual aesthetic, the Lotte commits to the kind of high-end hotel that appeals to international business moguls. Set the scene.The prime location means that nearly everything is walking distance, including the iconic Pike Place Market and the Downtown malls. The direct area lacks the bustle of restaurant-goers in the evenings or ambience that encourages a casual stroll, but the convenient freeway access right Downtown makes it easy to get to almost anywhere by car or public transport. Not that the type of people staying here are worried about getting anywhere; this is the private car and driver, door-to-door service type of clientele. Give us the backstory.The hotel, which encompasses a historic 1907 church next door, was designed for SLS with a José Andrés restaurant to be included. But the original opening, slated for 2017, never happened. Instead Lotte, a South Korean hotel company with many Asian properties just making inroads in the U.S., snapped it up in 2019. Keeping the Philippe Starck design, the Lotte opened in 2020 with the remodeled beaux arts sanctuary as its ballroom, complete with the church's pipe organ and stained glass. One of South Korea's biggest companies and with a strong reputation for luxury hotels in Asia, Lotte marks the company's third U.S. property and a chance to show off its brand of bold opulence. How are the rooms?Floor-to-ceiling windows with sprawling views of Elliott Bay make the rooms feel even bigger than they are—which is large, for a city hotel. The heavy marble bathrooms (floor, walls, counters) feature arching fixtures to create a luxury vibe, while the mid-century modern furniture, like the small rust-colored pleated bedside lampshades, mixes in a little more fun. The 189 guest rooms include 33 suites, the largest of which is the 2100-square-foot Presidential suite, complete with baby grand piano. What's the food and drink situation?The Charlotte restaurant sits on the 16th floor of the hotel, giving it access to the incredible water views, as it serves its version of contemporary Pacific Northwest cuisine, though Lotte's decision to import a hotel chef from California, rather than hire someone local, shows that its priorities lie in creating a classic luxury feel rather than truly local terroir. Still, for the visiting crowd looking to get the food they know—but made with local ingredients—Charlotte offers the imagined idyll of Northwest food: Alaskan halibut, king salmon, and Dungeness crab. The drinks, including a stellar list of toast-worthy sparkling wines, live up to the luxury billing—and affordably so during the happy hour on Tuesday through Saturday afternoons. Is the spa worth it?Le Spa de l’hôtel Lotte departs from the more classic luxury of the rest of the hotel in design, but not in the service or services. It uses Biologique Recherche products for a range of customized facials, and a series of non-surgical face lifting and plumping treatments including micro-currents, micro-punctures, collagen treatments, and "liquid surgery." Cupping treatments come in detoxifying and cellulite targeting versions, and there's a complete slate of massage, sugaring, waxing, aromatherapy, and hair and makeup options. The sauna, steam room, and 16-head walk-in shower finish out the treatment options. How is the neighborhood around the hotel?The Lotte sticks out from its Downtown surroundings, the shiny glass of the tower skyrocketing up from the otherwise ordinary city streets. Though plenty of interesting sites sit within walking distance, including the beautiful Central Library, the location draw here is more about the easy access to getting elsewhere, mostly by car. Does the service add up?In a town where service often comes as an afterthought, Lotte's staff shines with attentive, personal, and bend-over-backwards interactions. From setting up special meals to just brightening days with smiles and genuine care, the staff here lift the already luxury experience to the next level. The concierge does their best to make any necessary arrangements, including personalized itineraries for seeing the town and making sure kids and dogs enjoy their time in the hotel. Should I bring my family here?The large rooms all have plenty of room for kids and the various suite arrangements accommodate larger families. The staff knows just how to cater to their youngest clientele, welcoming them with kid-friendly treats and making sure they experience the same luxury service as their parents. Is it accessible?ADA accessible rooms are available." - Naomi Tomky
"A contemporary, art-deco–tinged urban retreat opened in September 2020 that occupies the top 16 floors of the F5 Tower and connects a modern glass skyscraper to a restored 1908 Beaux-Arts church repurposed as the Sanctuary, complete with pipe organ, stained-glass windows and original dome. Renowned designer Philippe Starck melded past and present, infusing interiors with Pacific Northwest rainforest references such as a reclaimed 3,000-year-old sequoia front desk, tree-trunk–shaped stools and timber-pattern carpets. The hotel has 189 rooms (including 32 suites and a 2,100-square-foot Presidential Suite with a baby-grand piano), all with floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views of Elliott Bay or West Seattle; rooms feature a neutral palette of blond wood, marble and warm metallics, travertine-clad bathrooms with arched mirrors and rain showers, Nespresso machines, Bose speakers and a pillow menu. Dining on the 16th floor showcases seasonal Pacific Northwest ingredients at Charlotte Restaurant and Lounge, with dishes like Hama Hama oysters with horseradish crème fraîche and blood-orange mignonette, white bean soup with stinging nettles, black garlic–roasted octopus, and fruit-forward desserts from the executive pastry chef. Service aims to be anticipatory and personalized (including a formal Korean bow on arrival, welcome cocktail and macarons, and bespoke itineraries). Families and business travelers are well catered to—sizeable rooms, kid-friendly meals, high-speed Wi-Fi and a 24-hour business center—while pet-friendly policies welcome dogs under 40 pounds (a fee covers bed, bowls and treats, or is waived with a puppy-pampering package). The property is centrally located within walking distance of Pike Place Market, the Seattle Central Library, major arts venues and a 10-minute walk to the Colman Dock ferry terminal, offers robust accessibility features (Braille signage, ramps, roll-in showers and ADA-compliant rooms), and includes an on-site spa with five treatment rooms, sauna and steam using luxury brands like Biologique Recherche and MBR Skincare." - Supriya Kalidas
"Lotte Hotel Seattle occupies 16 opulent levels of the 44-story F5 Tower, a gleaming and angular addition to the city’s skyline. Open since late 2020 and envisioned by French industrial designer Philippe Starck, rooms and suites in the 5th Avenue property are distinct, with giant windows overlooking Elliot Bay, oversized mirrors, and plenty of art. Lest you forget that you’re in Washington state — which is almost 50 percent forest — timber is incorporated into the interior design, from a striking live-edge check-in counter made from a gargantuan sequoia to log stools in rooms. Dinner at 16th-floor restaurant, The Charlotte, consists of contemporary seafood and seasonal dishes served with more ocean views. The Seattle Convention Center and Seattle Art Museum are 10 minutes away by foot, while Pike Place Market is 20 minutes." - Travel + Leisure Editors
"This Philippe Starck-designed hotel occupies 16 floors of the flashy 44-floor F5 tower in the heart of Downtown Seattle. The prime location means that nearly everything is walking distance, including the iconic Pike Place Market. Floor-to-ceiling windows with sprawling views of Elliott Bay make the rooms feel even bigger than they are—large, for a city hotel. Charlotte restaurant, on the 16th floor of the hotel, offers the imagined idyll of Northwest food: Alaskan halibut, king salmon, and Dungeness crab. The drinks, including a stellar list of toast-worthy sparkling wines, live up to the luxury billing—and affordably so during the happy hour on Tuesday through Saturday afternoons." - Jessica Voelker, Naomi Tomky
