Wine Lover's Guide to Seattle: Hotels
By Andy Perdue

How does a hotel fit into our theme of "A Wine Lovers' Guide to Seattle"? It can cater to winery touring, feature Northwest wines in its restaurant or have a good knowledge of the industry to help educate its guests.

Or it could be like Hotel Vintage Park.

Hotel Vintage Park has dedicated itself to the Washington wine industry - from its name to the nightly wine reception to the Chateau Ste. Michelle Suite. In a city filled with wonderful hotels, Hotel Vintage Park isn't the largest or most luxurious, but it combines Old World charm and elegance with a fierce dedication to Washington wines.

In the heart of downtown on Fifth Avenue, coincidentally just up the street from the Washington Wine Commission's offices, Hotel Vintage Park has 126 rooms, each named after a Washington winery or vineyard. You can stay in the Preston Premium Wines room, the Woodward Canyon room or the Columbia Winery room. Marketing director Charlotte Morgan Wayte intends to eventually have a bottle of wine from the sponsoring winery in each room, which means the Leonetti and L'Ecole rooms could fast become the hotel's most popular.

The hotel was built in 1922 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was known as the Kennedy Hotel before it was purchased by the Kimpton Group and opened as Hotel Vintage Park in 1992. Last spring, the owners spent $800,000 renovating the entire hotel.

Each evening, hotel guests are treated to a wine reception, led by concierge Greg Frederick, who ensures only Washington wine is served. During certain times of the year, Frederick holds port tastings on Friday and Saturday nights. Wayte and other hotel managers also attend the nightly reception, which allows them to meet their guests. Additionally, Washington winemakers will join the reception from time to time to pour their wines.

Wayte occasionally invites regional chefs and cookbook authors for book signings followed by food and wine pairings.

"The guests just love it," she said.

The idea for the wine theme actually came from one of Kimpton's other properties, the Hotel Vintage Court in San Francisco, which touts California wineries. Wayte said promoting Washington wineries and vineyards is a lot of fun because the industry is so young, fresh and exciting. It's also fun to show off Washington wines to guests from the East Coast and California who might not realize just how good Washington wines are, she said. While the hotel's charm attracts a mix of guests, Wayte said she's noticed many customers are attracted to Vintage Park specifically because of the wine theme.

"We get more and more people who want to know more about the wine industry," she said.

As a result, the hotel will invite the Washington Wine Commission to come in and do occasional presentations on Washington wine country, followed by wine-themed dinners at Tulio Ristorante, the upscale Italian restaurant connected to the hotel.

Wayte works with a local wine touring company to set up packages for guests who want to visit Seattle wineries, and she plans to create in 2001 a package for groups who want at least 10 rooms, a winemaker's dinner at Tulio and a chartered plane to Eastern Washington wine country.

Needless to say, those who love wine - especially Washington wine - are going to love Hotel Vintage Park.

Hotel Vintage Park
1100 Fifth Ave., Seattle
206-624-8000
www.hotelvintagepark.com

Seattle hotels
Hotel Edgewater
2411 Alaskan Way, Pier 67, Seattle
206-728-7000
www.noblehoushotels.com/edgewater/
Seattle's only waterfront hotel has a great history in the Emerald City and offers up the ambiance, cuisine and wine selection expected by discerning wine lovers. The restaurant has one of the best views anywhere, especially when the Olympic Mountains come out on sunny days, and serves up fresh regional ingredients and plenty of Northwest wines.

Sorrento Hotel
900 Madison St., Seattle
206-622-6400
www.hotelsorrento.com
Perpetually ranked as one of the most romantic hotels in Seattle, the Sorrento is famed for its tasteful furnishings and tasty menu at the Hunt Club restaurant, which features fresh regional cuisine. The hotel offers 76 rooms and suites, including the huge penthouse that runs about $1,700 a night.

Four Seasons
411 University St., Seattle
206-621-1700
www.fourseasons.com
In Seattle, life doesn't get any more elegant than at the Four Seasons, which started in 1924 as the Olympic. The Georgian Room serves up regionally inspired cuisine, and Shuckers offers oysters and seafood.

W Seattle Hotel
1112 Fourth Ave., Seattle
206-264-6000
www.w-hotels.com
Seattle's newest luxury hotel also works hard to be its hippest. From retro art and furnishings to the sleek, modern design, W is the antithesis of stodgy. W also is home to Earth & Ocean, a fusion restaurant with a good wine list.

Alexis Hotel
1007 First Ave., Seattle
206-624-4844
www.alexishotel.com
The Alexis, an elegant and historic hotel in the heart of downtown, offers 109 rooms, many of which feature fireplaces, and an entire spa floor with eight rooms. The Alexis is owned by Kimpton, which also owns Hotel Vintage Park and Hotel Monaco in Seattle.

Inn at the Market
86 Pine St., Seattle
206-443-3600
www.innatthemarket.com
To many, the Pike Place Market is one of Seattle's best features, and the market doesn't get any closer than when staying at the Inn at the Market. You're just steps from some of the freshest ingredients, best shopping and a couple of great wine shops (De Laurenti's and Pike & Western). It doesn't get much better than this.

ANDY PERDUE is editor of Wine Press Northwest. He can be reached at 509-582-1564 or via e-mail at editor@winepressnw.com