I was recently in Seattle for a couple of nights, a trip which I booked pretty last minute. Seattle is a very seasonal hotel market. In winter rates are quite low, while in summer they aren’t. Most decent hotels were running $400+ per night, so I decided to book the Hyatt Olive 8, given that it had Points + Cash availability, much to my surprise. This is a Category 4 property, meaning that my stay cost 7,500 points plus $100 per night.
Back in the day I used this hotel as my home base, and spent dozens and dozens of nights here. It’s a solid hotel with big suites, friendly staff, a great breakfast, and a saltwater lap pool. I won’t be writing a full review of the hotel, given that I’ve reviewed it before.
However, this stay was pretty special since I got an upgrade to the presidential suite. Like I said, I’ve stayed at this hotel many times before, and often got upgraded to their “Luxury King,” which is actually quite a spacious suite, with a separate living room and bedroom.
I was pleasantly surprised when I checked in and was informed I had been upgraded to the presidential suite. The hotel was sold out, so I imagine there are a few reasons I could have gotten this:
- I was checking in late and they had no more rooms available, so upgrading a high status member to a higher suite is often how they deal with that
- I’ve stayed at this hotel many times, and was on very good terms with the former front office manager, though she’s not there anymore; however, maybe she left something nice in my profile
- I had flown Spirit Airlines the same day, so perhaps the karma gods were looking down favorably on me that day 😉
- I can’t eliminate the possibility of it being because of the blog; to be honest I didn’t necessarily get that sense, though, since they didn’t do anything else to suggest that might be why
In my well over a thousand hotel nights I’ve gotten maybe a few presidential suite upgrades. For example, earlier in the year I was at the Le Meridien Dhaka, and got an upgrade to their insane presidential suite. That’s truly a “presidential” suite, since it’s the nicest hotel in the city, and they mentioned a number of heads of state who had stayed in that suite.
Anyway, the presidential suite was located on the 17th floor, which is the highest floor of the hotel (the building is much taller, as there are residences on top of that). Upon exiting the elevator I turned left, and then the room was at the end of the hallway on the right.
Hyatt Olive 8 hallway
The presidential suite is room #1734.
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite exterior
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite floorplan
I have to say upfront that I don’t totally love the decor of the Hyatt Olive 8. The hotel is nice, but is also pretty minimalist and generic-feeling. And the presidential suite isn’t any different in that regard. As far as presidential suites go, this one is pretty modest (is there a way to say that without sounding horrible? I swear that’s not the goal).
The suite consists of one main, huge room.
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite entryway
There’s a 10 person board room-style table. I think that’s one of the things that many don’t realize about presidential suites. While getting a presidential suite when you’re traveling alone sounds nice, often these suites are created with the purpose of conducting business in them. And let me say, it’s sort of depressing to pick up Qdoba, bring it to your room, and then eat alone at the end of a 10 person table.
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite 10 person table
Across from that table is a wet bar, and then there’s a more intimate table that seats four, and a living area.
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite living area
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite living area
The wet bar had a fridge, microwave, and Keurig coffee machine.
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite wet bar
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite dining table
The living area featured three sets of seats, including two love seats, as well as a slightly larger couch.
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite living room
Next to that was an office area with an iMac (which is pretty cool to have in a room), as well as two big, comfy seats across from it. I almost felt like a car salesman when sitting there, based on the setup, and the two empty seats across from me.
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite office
Across from that was a half bath.
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite guest bathroom
The bedroom itself was virtually identical to the bedroom in the standard suite, with a king size bed. I appreciate that they have five pillows, though don’t love how small they are.
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite bedroom
Across from it was a chest with a TV, as well as the sliding door separating it from the living area. I know this is perhaps random, but I don’t get why this hotel uses translucent doors in all their rooms. This makes it tough to keep the bedroom dark, either when it’s light outside, or when you’re traveling with two people, and one person wants to be in the living room with the lights on while the other person is sleeping.
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite bedroom
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite bedroom
Then there was a large bathroom with double sinks, a walk-in shower, a tub, a partitioned off toilet, and a closet.
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite master bathroom
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite master bathroom
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite toiilet
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite shower
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite closet
Toiletries were from BeeKind, which is the same toiletries they have in standard rooms. For fairly basic amenities I quite like these.
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite toiletries
The one thing I don’t love about the Olive 8 are the views. While some rooms at the Grand Hyatt (which is right across the street) have incredible views of the bar, the Olive 8 is blocked on all sides. I imagine there are good views from the condos, which are on higher floors, but unfortunately there aren’t really views from the hotel.
Hyatt Olive 8 Presidential Suite view
Bottom line
In general I love the Olive 8 for the friendly staff, great Globalist breakfast, saltwater pool, and large standard suites.
Getting an upgrade to a presidential suite was a treat, and I’m of course incredibly grateful for it. However, as far as presidential suites go, this one was fairly basic, in terms of size, design, etc.
And as weird as it sounds, you do miss out on some level of coziness with presidential suite upgrades. While it sounds nice, when you’re traveling alone, sitting at a 10 person table all alone can’t help but make you feel a bit lonely. I know, this is the epitome of first world problems.
What President would stay in that ugly suite? Maybe an unknown banana republic strongman? A military dictator's uniform with lots of medals would go well with the suite's decor.
most boring presidential suite ever
The odds of being upgraded to the presidential suite are astronomical. When a hotel is oversold and out of rooms they put an elite member staying only 1 night in the presidential suite.
Presidential suites are often used as the cherry on top for a corporate account that books a convention at a hotel.
Thats the dullest president suite i have ever seen. The space is ok, but the decor is depressing. The guy responsible for it must be stuck in the 70's.
"And let me say, it’s sort of depressing to pick up Qdoba, bring it to your room, and then eat alone at the end of a 10 person table."
Too bad the suite didn't have a smaller, more intimate table (say, one that seats 4 people) you could have sat at that would be less depressing ;)
@Speedbird I think I'm becoming one of those people after 12 years in Seattle. :(
You were in Seattle? My condolences. Why would you come back to this cultural deadzone full of fake, uncaring, unloving, mean people? I want to leave asap.
Agreed it seems pretty modest. I was interested years ago in the "Onyx Suite" at the GH. When I inquired at the front desk they pretty much scoffed at me and said that the room runs 3K an night. (It was my first stay at a Hyatt).
Fast forward 5 years and the Onyx Suite sells for ~800 a night. Have considered it for 4th of July, but not sure the view would be decent (our Emerald Suite got us only a sliver of a view of the water)
It seems like most presidents that come to Seattle stay at the Westin.
Presidential suite?!?! That? No way, can't be!! Tell them to go back to the drawing board!
We got "upgraded" to a higher floor with a better view when we were there last week and the upgraded view . . . yeah.
Do you have one of the Hyatt Olive 8 rubber duckies?
Nothing 'minimalist' about that hotel! Spare, drab, dull, or sparse maybe, but not 'minimalist'. Also please stop using the word 'gorgeous' to describe things (not used in this post, for obvious reasons).
The nearby Westin Seattle also has the translucent doors in some of its suites. Strange trend.
Interesting. I've only stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Seattle, but appreciate the peek inside the Olive 8.
it’s sort of depressing to pick up Qdoba, bring it to your room, and then eat alone at the end of a 10 person table.
hilarious!
The decor is very circa 2006-ish, in my opinion. Too much earthtone colors and generic patterns as embellishment.
What's the difference between the Hyatt and Grand Hyatt?
I've stayed at Hyatt Olive 8 in a normal suite which was great, I'd say nicer than this behemoth. Location is great and the crab benedict for breakfast
Seems like a nice hotel to stay at on my next trip to Seattle.
Great review Lucky!
This is called a "presidential suite"?! What a joke!
The grand hyatt Seattle is much nicer and a much better value at 12,000 points per night, or free award. Just sayin... that Suite looks like an outdated three star Hilton Suite
This is the crux of our hobby. One often gets the nicest rooms when you don't need or want them and you get average rooms when travelling on special occasions. My best hotel rooms have been upgrades when travelling for work. I arrive late at night after working all day, immediately fall asleep and then leave first thing the next morning.
Nice touch. Not very familar with Seattle but wonder if someone that has the money to book a presidential suite would chose that hotel or would look for more luxury properties. BTW, what is the best SPG property in Seattle in your opinion?