Kimpton Hotel Vintage Seattle

Washington wine is no joke, and if the climate keeps on changing, it’s only going to get better. (How’s that for a silver lining?) A wine-themed Seattle boutique hotel is an idea whose time has definitely come — and a stroll through the Kimpton group’s newly reconditioned Hotel Vintage reveals a hotel that’s on friendly terms indeed with the red stuff. And the white, presumably. You know what we mean.

Wine or no wine, it’s hard not to love what they’ve done with the place. The new look is suitably grown-up, but not overly so — dark colors, rich textures, well-chosen furnishings, and a surprising amount of sunlight streaming in through the full-length windows, which is direct or indirect, depending on the weather, of course. The Kimpton hotels are known for friendly details that feel very West Coast — in-room yoga mats, special amenities for pets, an electric car charging station — and the Vintage is, in that respect, no different.

If wine’s your focus then Italian cuisine is a natural choice; Tulio, by Seattle’s venerable Walter Pisano, serves rustic Italian fare from fresh Pacific Northwest ingredients, a winning combination. Washington wine flows freely here as well, of course. And with a location near the heart of downtown, you’ll find the rest of Seattle’s best is close at hand.