Review: Fairmont Olympic Hotel Seattle

How 'bout give some context on room rates, points accrued or spent, and whether it is part of any Virtuoso or Amex Fine Hotels program?

Stayed at the Fairmont in Big Island and it was amazing. Best customer service I had in years.

Visit the Banff Springs, Chateau Lake Louise, Chateau Frontenac in Canada and really experience some historic Canadian properties.

I stayed at the Fairmont San Francisco in August, and I had a nearly identical experience. A very classic, historic hotel right in downtown SF (top of Nob Hill). The rooms are very large, I had a 1BR king suite, and it was *gigantic*, with a view of Mason & California. I ended up using two free nights from the Chase Fairmont card, and a suite upgrade (from status that came with the card). $0 out of pocket, would have otherwise been about $600/nt.

After my stay there, I'm also definitely keeping Fairmont on my radar. They don't have a lot of properties, but I was very impressed.

@Michael
Their rewards program is... lacking. But they are generally on FHR, I don't know about Virtuoso (I don't use it). Or you can use the Citi 4th night free.

"Now let’s talk about the decor."

lolol I feel like I'm reading a bitchy interior decorator blog

I've stayed there several times for work. I prefer the Four Seasons for both location and style but there is an old world elegance to the Fairmont. For me, I imagine it must be somewhat like being on the Titanic (in decor).

I live in Seattle so I've never stayed at the Fairmont but from childhood, it has been a place I've gone to many, many times - a drink with my best friend every December (tradition!), afternoon tea with grandmother, dinner during restaurant week in The Georgian with mom, events in the ballroom as a kid and another one (5th Avenue Theatre gala) a few years back...and I've always loved it.

I did see a standard (you're right, huge!) room on one of the saddest night of my life; when a dear friend who was terminally ill was treated to a stay there by his mom. He invited me to collect him from the room and have dinner with him, just before Christmas, when the lobby was amazing with its decorations. Although that memory is sorrowful, it still cheers me to know he got a little luxury before he died about two months later (at 28).

Was most recently there when its lovely in-house spa had a Groupon special last winter and both my mom and I did the massage/facial package.

Expensive in some ways, the place just exceeds expectations to the point that I consider my splurges completely worth it, always.

Nick, I like your briefcase!

What a grande dame of a hotel indeed. It's giving me Hotel Cortez vibes.

I shared this review with my friend who has worked with at that Fairmont and he said that the reason for the automatic sink is that it's a mobility feature for ADA rooms. The non-ADA rooms have regular controls for both hot and cold. He's glad you liked the hotel generally.

I would imagine the automatic faucet in your room was precisely because it was an ADA room.

First time commenter – great to see the Fairmont brand get some love!

Never had any desire to go to Seattle, but might consider a trip just to stay here. Exactly my kind of trip.

@Michael - It is a Virtuoso property and treat them well.

I Live in Seattle and the Fairmont Olympic's reputation is very good, and like @Chrissyliz, my experience with it has been events and drinks at the bar. Service is impeccable.

I have stayed at other Fairmont properties and have always had great service, but for one notable exception, the Fairmont Empress in Victoria BC. We went there for 2 nights this summer with friends visiting form the east coast and found the hote to be a giant tourist trap.

The Empress is supposedly famed for it's high tea, which was underwhelming at best if not actively bad. The tea was bags not loose leaf, served in stainless steel not China teapots, loose leaf was a supplemental cost and served in industrial looking French presses. Scones were served with whipped not clotted cream and the finger sandwiches were more bread than filling. The cost was $100 US per person.

The room we booked was a standard no-view two double room for ~CA$250/nt. The room was on the smaller side but has all the basics it should have, decor was very much an old world luxury hotel look. The room did have ample plugs for charging multiple devices and reasonable fast wifi. The bathroom was TINY! For expample when seated on the commode my left and right arms were brushing up against the toilet paper roll and shower curtain respectively.

The only bright spot was the Bengal Lounge, which had a very Victorian British Empire feel in keeping with the era of the property, the drinks were the excellent and the bar snacks and food were top notch.

Now one hotel doesn't make or break a brand but, with Fairmont, if you need to go to Victoria BC, stay somewhere else, skip the high tea and go have drinks and food at the Bengal Lounge.

Michael