by Scott Laird
Last updated: 2:40 PM ET, Wed December 4, 2019
Seattle's landmark Fairmont Olympic Hotel will undergo a major renovation to the lobby, meeting spaces, and food & beverage outlets in the first half of 2020, the hotel announced in a press release Tuesday.
The hotel will remain open for business during the renovation, which will begin in January and is expected to be completed by summer.
"This magnificent landmark building from 1924 is evolving for a new era," said General Manager Markus Treppenhauer. "Seattle is a fast-changing city and our story within the city's history remains unchanged, yet, as we approach our centennial anniversary, we are bringing new life to the design, culinary offering, and the experience across the hotel."
The hotel's first major public space renovation to be undertaken in four decades will also see the transformation and reopening of the space occupied by The Georgian restaurant during the dinner hour. The Georgian had previously offered dinner service, but the hotel discontinued that in 2015 citing slack demand.
Now re-opening for dinner, The Georgian will "still be defined by its soaring classical framework", but receive updates in the form of bold shapes and new approaches to lighting.
A retooled menu will deliver "unforgettable meals" for guests and Seattle residents alike.
The lobby renovations will include the addition of a central bar, which will transition service throughout the periods of the day. It will start the day as a coffee bar, transitioning to afternoon tea and later hand-crafted cocktails. Many hotels have added multi-phase service outlets to their lobbies to revitalize them as hubs for meeting, and this refresh will go one step further with the addition of a separate "hidden" library bar open select days of the week.
The hotel will also refresh its key event spaces with design upgrades, new lighting, and modern function space technology. The hotel has over 28,000 square feet of function space. The Spanish Ballroom, the largest space, has the reception or theatre capacity for up to 750 attendees or banquet capacity for 500.
Constructed on the original site of the University of Washington, the Fairmont Olympic marks 95 years of service this week, having first opened to guests on December 6, 1924. The hotel's guest rooms and corridors were last refreshed in 2016.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
