Lotte Hotel Seattle

Lotte Hotels and Resorts is a new name in the United States, but this Korean brand looks perfectly at home in downtown Seattle. Lotte Seattle begins with a local landmark, the 1908 Beaux-Arts Sanctuary, formerly a Methodist church — but the bulk of the hotel is found up above, occupying 16 floors of a modern glass tower that stands over the original church building.

This means far-ranging views of Elliott Bay and the city, as well as plenty of space for wide-open, modern rooms and suites. The designer was none other than Philippe Starck, whose trademark whimsical maximalism is on display, but in a mode that’s tailored to the Pacific Northwest; the reception desk, for example, is carved from a 3,000-year-old sequoia tree. As for the in-room comforts, they’re first-rate — Lotte is a proper luxury brand, and both the services and the facilities are of the highest standard.

Down in the Sanctuary is the hotel’s ballroom, while the third floor is home to Le Spa de l’hôtel Lotte. And on the 16th floor, with a stunning view of its surroundings, is Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge, which specializes in Pacific Northwest flavors like seasonal seafood and local oysters.