A few weeks ago, with my mom’s birthday just around the corner, I knew exactly what I wanted to gift her. A weekend at The Fairmont Olympic Hotel. She’d never stayed at this Fairmont location and we were far overdue for a girls’ weekend away…so what better reason to treat her to mini trip?
As someone who admittedly loves all things “fancy,” I love the Fairmont. Its elegant and timeless interior is a refreshing change from the standard modern hotel these days, (although, don’t get me wrong, I’ll always appreciate a good mid-century piece) and they have an incredible attention to detail when it comes to every moment of your experience. Also, the location makes it the perfect place to get away. It’s right in the heart of downtown, which encourages you to explore Seattle through the lens of a visitor once again. That is, if you ever leave the hotel…which is a hard sell considering they have some of the best food, cocktails and spa services in the city.
So, with a reservation on the books, I surprised her with the news the weekend before. We excitedly texted about our plans all week: what we were going to wear, where we should eat, what to pack, (I get my planning tendencies from my mom, can you tell?) both eagerly anticipating the upcoming staycation.
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History
I’m not a history buff, but I have to admit The Fairmont Olympic has a really interesting story. My mom, on the other hand, is a history buff, and discovered this on her own. She was so excited about this that the first thing she exclaimed to me after meeting up Saturday morning was, “Have you read about the history behind this place?” and then proceeded to tell me the entire story, starting back in the 1800s.
I won’t repeat the entire thing here (if you’re interested, it’s on their site), but my favorite fact? It was the original site of the University of Washington back in 1861 (Go Dawgs!) until 1911 when the university moved to its present location. Since then, this building has operated as a theater and then ultimately a hotel, providing a home away from home for many impressive guests.
Afternoon Tea
If you’re going to pick one activity while visiting The Fairmont, make it their afternoon tea at The Georgian. It is the most beautiful experience — there’s gorgeous natural light streaming in from floor to ceiling windows, a wonderful waitstaff, and the food is incredible.
Right after checking into our room, my mom and I were seated for our tea. There, we proceeded to sip champagne and tea, and fill up on a tower of tea sandwiches and treats. Of course, all of this was done while giggling about how fancy it all was and sending photos to the rest of the family. Couldn’t resist!
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The Spa
Because it was a girls’ weekend, I knew a trip to the spa was necessary. If you remember, last spring I made a trip to Penelope & The Beauty Bar and absolutely loved it. So this weekend, I made sure to work in time for my mom and I to visit the spa and treat ourselves to massages. It was, hands down, the best massage I have ever had. I went into the 50 minute appointment feeling pretty relaxed, and came out feeling better than ever.
Like the rest of the experiences at the hotel, they take such great care of you at the spa. First, you get all cozy-ed up in fluffy robes and enjoy a cup of tea or glass of prosecco before your service. Then, you move to a room for your service, where you’ll find that it’s quiet, comfortable, and you can select your own scent for aromatherapy — I went with eucalyptus, naturally. After your service, there is more time to relax in the waiting room, so my mom and I spent a few minutes after our massages hanging out there, practically melting into the couch.
Cocktail Hour
I had heard The Terrace served a mean martini, so after we had settled in on Saturday afternoon, we headed down to the lounge in the hotel. We made it just in time to catch happy hour, so we ordered 2 martinis and a snack to nibble on, and then sat back to listen to the musician playing in the lobby. He had some very Tallest Man on Earth vibes, we were into it.
After our cocktail (okay, cocktails), we made the one-block trek to Purple, one of our favorite spots in Seattle. Again, another reason to love The Fairmont is that it sits within walking distance of so many great downtown spots. At Purple, we enjoyed wine flights and split the basil pesto pasta. Highly recommend.
After dinner, we quickly changed back into our hotel robes and slippers, enjoyed one last drink in the room, and then snuggled up in the all-too-comfortable bed to fall asleep some “quality” TV.
All in all, it was a fabulous weekend. If you’re traveling to Seattle, or looking for a place to escape to for a quick staycation, I could not recommend The Fairmont enough! Not much is better than great company in a lovely hotel.
xx,
H
A big thank you to The Fairmont Olympic Hotel for hosting us.
All photos by the very talented S. Wolfe Photography.
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