Seattle, Part 3: Staying at the Hyatt Olive 8... aka a Meditation on Modern Luxury

I headed home after my afternoon walk to prep for the rehearsal dinner. Chef K was running errands for the groom, so I had some time by myself in our hotel room at the Hyatt Olive 8 to relax and, like a real design geek, check out the decor. The hotel itself is brand-new so the furnishings were impeccably clean and in tip-top shape, the design sleek and modern. Everything, really, was quite "nice" -- but it really got me thinking about "trendy" vs. "true luxury" in contemporary interior design, especially with regard to hotel, restaurant and bar interiors.

Take the Olive 8 -- it had all the hallmarks of "trendy." Black-painted wood (OK, plywood): check. Geometric patterned bedding in a cool (as opposed to warm) color palette: check. Copious frosted glass: check. If our room had had those squiggly pieces of "driftwood" (painted black, of course) sold at places like West Elm, I wouldn't have been surprised. And the sliding door to the bathroom -- so "cool," yet so inconvenient.

So why don't all these elements add up to true sophistication? What makes an interior truly sophisticated? I think it comes down to the details, to high-quality materials, a classic, not up-to-the-minute, sensibility and almost always a sense of personality, a thoughtful eclecticism. Not the kind of impersonal design-by-numbers too often seen in all those bars and hotel lobbies with black-painted wood, blue uplighting, geometric-patterned wallpaper (or damask -- ugh, so 2005), that kind of thing.

I don't really mean to be picking on Olive 8 in particular. In fact, all of the above being said, I would definitely recommend the Olive 8 to anyone traveling to Seattle -- it was a very comfortable stay and great value!!

Best Hotel Breakfast: Holiday Inn Express, Carlsbad

I don't know about you, but I really like to chow down for breakfast. I need my starch (bagels, toast, cereal, oatmeal) as well as protein (eggs, sausage), and I need salty things as well as sweet. Surprise! We got all of this and more in the FREE breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express in Carlsbad, NM.

Kaii hypothesizes that there is a free hot breakfast war going on among the mid-size chain hotels -- like, who can draw in the most customers with the promise of the most amazing hot breakfast ever?? If so, HIE would be just one step ahead. Their signature cinnamon roll may not have smelled great as a lotion, but it sure tasted good.

Best Hotel Decor: Stephen F. Austin Intercontinental, Austin

The Intercontinental in Austin wins the hotel decor award on account of its sophisticated -- and consistent -- stylings. From the lone star emblazoned on everything from the wallpaper to the carpets, to the cowhide & leather armchairs, everything was extravagantly Texan, but not in a vulgar way. Extra points for the fancy curtain valance over the shower.


First runner-up: Holiday Inn Express, Cortez, CO. Again, I was impressed by how this hotel took a decor theme -- in this case, the American Indian/Southwestern theme -- and maxed it out. Kokopelli (the dancing flute player) and other petroglyph figures appeared everywhere from the room number plates to the bathroom mirror.


Second runner-up: Hampton Inn, Savannah, GA. Kudos to this mid-range hotel chain for such an elegant outpost in the heart of the old South! The spacious breakfast room, with its Louis XIV chairs upholstered in rose and mint, was particularly charming.

Best Hotel Amenities: Four Points Sheraton, Scottsdale

I've always been really fascinated by free hotel amenities -- the packaging design, the branding, the different scents and colors. What mini identity statement are they trying to make? Is the hotel partnering with an outside company (eg. Neutrogena, Pantene, Crabtree & Evelyn, Molton Brown), or putting out an original product? Are they going for a neutral fragrance or something distinctive? Do they choose to put out mouthwash or lotion? Sewing kit? Shower cap?

My pick for the best in this category is the Four Points Sheraton in Scottsdale, AZ. The scent was a classic and classy lemon verbena, and the packaging cheery. Importantly, the tubes were soft and squeezable -- very user-friendly. Isn't it surprising how many hotel shampoos and lotions come in those stiff plastic bottles that you have to pound against your hand to get anything out of?

Worst: Holiday Inn Express in Carlsbad, NM (not pictured). HIE is very proud of the hot cinnamon rolls it puts out for breakfast -- so much so that they've made "cinnamon roll" the scent for their shampoo, conditioner and lotion. No thank you, I don't want to smell like candy! It's like those ladies at New York Sports Club who insist on polluting the locker room with their "caramel" and "bubble gum"-scented moisturizers. Shudder.

The Wigwam Motel!

"Have You Stayed in a Wigwam Lately?" the sign outside the Wigwam Hotel asks. Indeed!

Kaii and I just had to stay here. Now a historical landmark that makes it onto just about every poster, brochure and video about historic Route 66, the Wigwam Motel harkens back to the enthusiasm and optimism of the 50s and 60s, and the midcentury golden age of pushing westward to California in America's shiny new cars.

The inside was roomier than you might think and nicely heated, the beds comfy and bathroom clean (although seriously 50s-style). It was cute that they also parked period cars outside to add to the ambience!

Renaissance Pere Marquette

A mere two hours later, we arrived in NOLA. Our hotel, the Renaissance Pere Marquette, is quite nice! Kaii tells me the chic look is part of Renaissance's new "big boutique" strategy (ie. despite being a big chain, they are trying to emulate the upscale exclusivity of boutique hotels).