Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle
An oasis in and of itself…the Pan Pacific hotel in Seattle welcomes guests with a quiet elegance and charming service that is second to none. Sweeping into the chic lobby greeted by gracious hotel staff felt like arriving at a familiar, luxurious home away from home. With a packed schedule for the next three days, I was eager to settle in my room and catch a much needed moment of relaxation.
Having been very familiar with Pan Pacific hotels across Asia, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the hotel’s American flagship property. Would they uphold the traditional hospitality that Pan Pacific was known for in Asia? Would the standards be equivalent? Once en suite, my worries dissipated. Though the décor was decidedly more Western, the muted silver tones with off white accents and dark woods proved familiar, as did huge windows at every turn, allowing for spectacular views of downtown Seattle. Furniture here seems to have been picked with the very diabolical notion of alluring guests with their caressing, relaxing manner so that we may never leave.
Thick, soft pillows beckoned me to nap on the firm, plush king bed but the marble bathroom with soaking tub and windows overlooking Seattle’s Space Needle won my attention. For those who love Aveda products, you’ll revel in the bath time experience at Pan Pacific Seattle. Should you need further attention to your oh-so-weary traveler’s body, the hotel’s Vida Spa cannot be missed.
While all of Vida Spa’s Ayurvedic treatments are unforgettable experiences, my personal favorite is the Swedana treatment. Lusciously warm oil is slathered on tired muscles before an hour long massage ensues in which you will wish that you had a time remote to press repeat over and over again. Just when you want to press repeat for the 10th time, you’re ushered into a large cedar wood sauna where a customized herbal concoction steams away toxins stubborn enough to cling to you.
Was I in Seattle for work? I could barely remember after the Vida experience. In fact, little seemed to matter in that moment except for the fact that I was about to experience the hotel’s gastronomical brilliance via SeaStar Restaurant’s endless parade of sensual oysters, sweet, succulent Korean kal bi, daringly dressed and perfectly seared Ahi tuna with tangy citrus jasmine rice and one of the best Vanilla crème brulées in America.
Not even 24 hours into my stay at the Green Globe certified Pan Pacific, I was completely won over and that’s no easy task given the sheer number of hotels I encounter during my globetrotting experiences. Was it the ergonomic intelligence of the individually packaged ice bags in the wooden chest on each floor? The unobtrusive but detail oriented attention from hotel staff who each made me feel genuinely welcomed and valued? The adorable café and boutique lined cul-de-sac the hotel was part of that made it a little world of its own? Or was it the soothing, contemporary ambiance of the hotel itself that made me fall in love with the idea of living there permanently?
Perhaps it was the swirl of explosive flavors with every dining experience that did it. Or, most likely, they had me at “welcome to the Pan Pacific Seattle Ms. Yuen” because all of the above come together to create a seamless, spectacular hotel experience that Pan Pacific is recognized the world over for.