Go boutique with a stay at Seattle’s The State Hotel.
It’s no secret that Seattle has seen a building boom in recent years. The cranes arrayed along the city skyline provided plenty of clues. But some of those construction projects involved historic properties — and we visitors are the happy beneficiaries. Just a two-minute walk from the city’s iconic Pike Place Market, the luxe new boutique State Hotel retains all the historic charm of its 1904 predecessor, but with an abundance of modern creature comforts, including a snazzy bar and restaurant — Ben Paris, named after the Seattle entrepreneur and restaurateur who once owned this building. The lobby lounge sports long dark couches, low bookshelves and a wall lined with illuminated doorknobs — it’s art, just go with it. Artist Kate Blairstone’s colorful Craftsman-style wallpaper lines the landings, and her portraits of Seattle luminaries — Heart’s Ann Wilson, for example, and sci-fi writers Frank Herbert and Octavia Butler — hang in the guest rooms, adding to the sense of place. ZZZZ’S: Even the queen and king-size beds in the State Hotel’s rooms — all 91of them — are locally made. (They’re super comfortable, too.) Don’t expect typical hotel closets — our room had a hanging rod and leather catch-alls — or extraneous furniture, but the rooms have sleek desks, flat-screens, Wi-fi and views of the waterfront or glittering city. SPLASHES: White subway tiles line the walls of the walk-in shower, where a glass half-wall keeps the water contained. Pump bottles dispense custom toiletries. And cozy gray knit bathrobes hang ready for cozying up afterward. EXTRAS: The delights — and flying salmon — of Pike Place are less than two blocks from the hotel, along with a plethora of restaurants, shops and coffee stops. On-site, a rooftop terrace offers stellar views and balmy sunshine (or very brisk breezes, depending on the weather), while the stylish street-level Ben Paris serves up bites and drinks all day long. DETAILS: Rooms start at $135. 1501Second Ave., Seattle; www.statehotel. com