Sticking to its principle of developing hotels only in areas where a successful one already operates, Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts opened the Pan Pacific Seattle on November 14, its fourth Pacific Northwest property, joining two in Whistler and another in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The Singapore-based hotel operator mainly concentrates on
the Pacific Rim—it has nine properties in the region—but is turning more attention
to
The new Pan Pacific Seattle is a mixed-use development
housing a Whole Foods market that is connected to the hotel's ground floor, and
there are 34 condominiums in addition to the 160 guest rooms. Of course, what
new
Not only does the luxury hotel stand on its own, it is also
one of the key cogs in the development of South Lake Union, a downtown
lakefront neighborhood that is one of the largest urban-revitalization projects
in the country. The only drawback is that the property is a good hike—about 20
blocks—from downtown
However, what the hotel lacks in convenience, it makes up
for in design. The new property takes its cue from Pan Pacific's
Many of the guest rooms, designed by Hirsch Bedner, a leader in hospitality interior design, offer unobstructed views of the famed Seattle Space Needle, downtown Seattle and Lake Union, which sits directly across from the hotel.
Guest room hardware includes 32-inch HDTV plasma TVs, featuring Kool Connect technology, which allows guests to watch high-definition TV and movies or listen to more than 40 radio channels. Additionally, all wired and wireless in-room, high-speed Internet is complimentary, a striking departure from many luxury properties that still charge for Internet services. The only current hiccup at the hotel is that there won't be a functioning restaurant until mid-February. In the meantime, there is still 24-hour room service from the hotel's kitchen and a lobby bar, open every day, offering a light food spread.
The Pan Pacific Seattle operates under the concept of the "total stay experience," designed to provide focused guest service and amenities. To achieve this, the hotel takes a page from the cruise lines, which typically know guests' profiles before they even step on board. "We develop our services around that system," says Lori Main, general manager of the Pan Pacific Seattle. "Who they are? What do they want?" Those wants are then taken care of by personal stewards, who can give guests utmost privacy or take care of every need they may have.
The recent opening of the hotel is also the perfect time for
travel agents to book clients. Through the first quarter of 2007, Pan Pacific
Seattle is offering "luxury on sale," a program whereby travel agents
can get discounts on the rack rates. It's wise to act now, because normal rates
vacillate between $300 and $500 per night, and availability at the hotel could
prove to be a problem if you don't book far in advance. "We have limited
availability right now," says
The hotel's travel agent liaison is Paul Sposare, director
of sales (206-654-5010). For further information on Pan Pacific Seattle, visit
(www.panpacific.com).