Hotel History

Publish Date: 08/11/2007
 

The Fairmont Olympic Hotel sits on a 10-acre city-center tract deeded to the University of Washington by Seattle pioneer Arthur A. Denny and other trailblazers in 1861. The University's first building was constructed where the hotel now stands. The University later moved to its present site in Northeast Seattle, retaining ownership of the valuable ''Metropolitan Tract.''

The Olympic Hotel - listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 was originally financed with support from 4,500 individual investors who collaborated to create a gathering place for their burgeoning community. The name ''Olympic'' was given to the project by Robert Lee Ellzey, a real estate broker who suggested it in a contest sponsored by The Seattle Times. He donated the $50 prize to the not-yet-built Olympic Hotel.

Designed by the New York firm of George B. Post & Sons, a leader in hotel architecture, and built by Grant Smith & Company of Seattle, The Olympic represented the best elements of the modified Italian Renaissance style of architecture popular in the 1920's, a reflection of Palladio's Georgian period.

The hotel, accented with high, arched Palladian windows, is constructed of brick with terra cotta trim rising from a base of granite. At the time of construction, the steel and reinforced concrete hotel was one of the largest structures built in America using Portland cement. 

On October 31, 1924, the hotel was completed at a cost of nearly $4 million with more than $800,000 spent on furnishings. In addition, the hotel was decorated with hundreds of antique mirrors, Italian and Spanish oil jars, bronze statuary and terrazzo floors installed by Italian workmen who came to Seattle specifically for the project. 

Upon opening, the hotel introduced a new level of quality and luxury to the Pacific Northwest.  The impressive architecture and extraordinary public spaces immediately made the hotel Seattle's primary venue for civic, social and corporate gatherings, both intimate and grand. Commented food writer James Beard, who resided in Portland at the time, ''There was nothing grand before it arrived on the scene, and it came in with a swirl.''

The Olympic's stature as the community's preferred gathering place remains unchallenged to this day as countless corporate, civic, cultural and family traditions continue to unfold here. Public and personal celebrations occur regularly and the hotel's ambiance resonates with the memories of families and institutions.

Restoration and Modernization

In 1980, The Olympic Hotel underwent a spectacular two-year $62.5 million restoration and infrastructure modernization, including $5 million in seismic updates. When it reopened in 1982 as the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel, the original oak paneled walls gleamed, the crystal chandeliers (which had been in basement storage for decades) glistened and the signature Palladian windows revealed elegant interiors more exquisite than ever before.

Guestrooms and other public spaces were also refurbished. The 756-room count was reduced to 450, making way for larger and more luxuriously appointed guestrooms and suites. Shuckers, now one of Seattle's pre-eminent oyster bars, was converted from a haberdashery. The Garden, previously a cavernous ballroom, became a warm and lively entertainment and private event venue. The Georgian, another impressive space that had undergone many transformations, became an award-winning restaurant (now featuring French-inspired regional cuisine and a world-class wine list). Seattle's love affair with its favorite hotel was rekindled.

On August 1, 2003, a new era was ushered in when Fairmont Hotels & Resorts assumed management of The Olympic Hotel. The Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Seattle joins such landmark properties as The Fairmont San Francisco and The Fairmont Banff Springs. It is part of the Pacific Northwest Region, which also includes The Fairmont Empress, The Fairmont Chateau Whistler, The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, The Fairmont Waterfront and The Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel.

In November of 2005, the Fairmont Olympic Hotel underwent a $650,000 refurbishment and restoration. Custom carpeting was installed in the main lobby, lower lobby and Mezzanine. Lobby furnishings were also reupholstered and marble and oak finishes received deep polishing. In addition, custom lobby lighting was installed to better showcase the intricate architectural details of the lobby. The refurbishment was part of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts continuing reinvestment in the historic and beloved property. In 2007, The Fairmont Olympic Hotel received its 23rd consecutive AAA Five Diamond Award.

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For more information, please contact:

Meg Paynor
Public Relations Manager
Tel: (206) 287-4056
Fax: (206) 623-2271
Email: meg.paynor@fairmont.com