Travel
Iconic Seattle Hotel Gets a Splashy Makeover
Roosevelt Hotel is reborn as Hotel Theodore with local touches and amenities.
By Nia Martin November 27, 2017
This article originally appeared in the November 2017 issue of Seattle magazine.
The 88-year-old Roosevelt Hotel has had some work done—and it’s looking a little younger and hipper these days, even as it gives a bow to the past.
Originally built by famed local architect John Graham Sr., the property was purchased by Provenance Hotels in 2015, and the company began a floor-by-floor renovation. Now called Hotel Theodore, its 153 rooms, designed by Seattle-based Susan Marinello Interiors, feature refined yet industrial furnishings, along with photos and patent drawings (curated in collaboration with the Museum of History & Industry) that highlight Seattle’s history of innovation; elevator landings also showcase historic items, such as the first Amazon Kindle and an early Eddie Bauer jacket.
In select rooms, guests will find locally made Freeman rain jackets; record players and vinyl from local label Light in the Attic; and a room service menu that includes Portland cult favorite Salt and Straw ice cream (slated to open a Seattle outpost this winter).
The hotel also offers a new restaurant, Rider, which opens today; a penthouse suite with wraparound city views; and an aperitivo hour in the hotel’s restored atrium, now part of the lobby. All in all, it’s a welcome revival of an iconic property that’s not too old to change with the times.
Hotel Theodore
downtown, 1531 Seventh Ave.; 206.621.1200
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