Hotel Review: Kimpton Hotel Vintage Seattle (IHG)

This is my first stay at a Kimpton hotel ever. I know Kimpton is now a part of IHG as that’s how I actually found the hotel in the first place. The reason for that was the Pacific-Northwest Snowpocalypse, where everyone went haywire because of a few inches of snow. The Centurion Lounge at the airport wouldn’t let people in anymore at 6 p.m. and their scheduled closing time is usually 10 p.m. The Club at SEA came to the rescue and welcomed guests. The Centurion Lounge’s excuse was because of the safety of their employees they will close early. Sorry guys, but your employees are probably safer inside the lounge where there are heat, food, and water compared to be outside on the roads. The road conditions were already terrible at 6 p.m. and didn’t change much until 10 p.m. I know because I took a taxi to the Hotel Vintage at about 3 a.m. after sitting inside the plane for 3 hours on the runway. After that, I had to wait for two hours to get my bags back at the baggage claim and standing in line for almost an hour to get a taxi. All the hotels in the area were sold out and it was already the next “morning” so it is hard to find a hotel at about 3 a.m. Luckily I found the Hotel Vintage on my app for a decent rate of about $140/night.

Read more: Travel Tip of the Week: How to Book a Hotel for Tonight If It’s past Midnight

The taxi ride in a Toyota Prius was pretty smooth for the roads being totally covered in snow and not plowed at all. Luckily at that time of the night, not many people were on the road anymore. This made it easy to reach the hotel. The taxi pulled into the parking garage entrance of the hotel and I was able to unload my bags without being in snowy conditions. This is also where the main entrance of the hotel is located at.

Check-In

Compared to what happened all day while trying to fly out of Seattle, the check-in was the easiest and smoothest thing of the day. The receptionist greeted me and within a few moments, I had my keys in hand and had some of my bags stored because I didn’t really need them for the night. Because of my status with IHG, I received a $10 voucher which I could use towards charges from the restaurant or minibar. You don’t have to decide right away for what you use it, as the voucher gets applied during checkout and it will take basically $10 off your bill if you used either the restaurant or the minibar in your room.

I asked for a late checkout and she was able to give me 1 p.m. instead of the standard checkout time of noon. I took my bag and carry-on bags and headed up to my room. After dropping my stuff off I headed back outside to take some pictures of the Hotel Vintage and surrounding area. Seattle became a Winter wonderland within a few hours. The streets of downtown were not plowed at all and completely covered in snow. The next morning I even saw people snowboarding on the small hill at the US Appeals Court.

1 Corner King Guestroom (Room 804)

The Hotel Vintage is all about wine and the design inspired by the region’s top wineries. You probably have noticed all the wine bottles on the glass shelf when you checked in. They are spanning the lobby area around to the lobby living room. This theme continues into the generously sized and luxurious guest rooms. My corner room offered a few to the south looking towards the Seattle Public Library.

A work desk was located in front of the short wall with plenty of space to set up your laptop for comfortable working conditions. Next to it is the minibar located on a shelf holding snacks and a bottle of wine.  The shelf is next to the entrance to the simple but well-prepared bathroom featuring a shower tub on one side and a vanity with a mirror on the other.

The king bed is on the opposite side of the work desk. Did you notice the hand-dyed recycled-cork art piece above the headboard? Take a look when you stay there. Overall you will see corks everywhere in the room being used as art/decoration. On either side of the bed is a nightstand with lamps. Only one side has power outlets that are integrated into the alarm clock.

The closet is located right next to the room door and besides giving you space to put and hang your clothes you will find inside a safe, umbrella (Yes, this is the rainy city), additional lines for the bed, iron, dry cleaning paperwork+bags, and a yoga mat.

The TV sits on a cabinet which houses a refrigerator and coffee maker. Unfortunately, the location is not very great if you want to enjoy a movie from the bed. You can’t turn the screen enough without actually moving its base further away from the wall to get a better angle. However, the TV screen is perfect to watch movies on the sofa which is located on the opposite side of the room. Which can be transformed into a queen sofa sleeper.

Public Areas

The lobby houses beside the check-in counter also a small living room like area with a fireplace and seating. Very cozy to hang out and relax. During the morning hours, you will find a coffee and tea station here and during the rest of the day, you can refresh with a cup of water. The Hosted Evening Wine Hour is held here as well, which I couldn’t enjoy unfortunately because of my very late check-in and departure the next day. Some of the rooms give you club lounge access located at the Columbia Center Tower, which is about four blocks away. The club is located on the 75th floor and gives you breathtaking views of the city. Unfortunately only available from Monday-Friday. The club is closed on weekends and national holidays. However you don’t have to book an expensive room, there is a public observation deck on the 73rd floor open to the public. The Sky View Observatory at the Columbia Tower is open seven days a week but could be closed for special events. Check the observatory’s website for up to date info.

Read more: An Amazing View of Seattle – The Columbia Center Tower

The Kimpton Hotel Vintage has an on-site fitness center as well as an in-room spa service if you desire. The hotel has partnered with Riot Athletics to offer spin classes, Crossfit training, and group workouts. Riot Athletics is located only a few blocks away.

Another way of staying fit is to borrow one of their complimentary bicycles and explore the city that way. The hotel is pet-friendly and invites you to bring your animal-friend along with you.

From the lobby, you can access the on-site restaurant Tulio.

Dining

Tulio is an award-winning restaurant and one of the best Italian restaurants in the city. Famous for its Saturday and Sunday Brunch, which are also the breakfast hours for hotel guests staying over the weekend. After my long and demanding day, I was ready and hungry for some delicious breakfast and Tulio didn’t disappoint. Their menu is amazing but I ordered the special of the day – an omelet. It was fantastic and enough for me to fill me up. Service was great from the waiter, who guided me to my table, all the way through to the service staff taking my order and bringing out the food. I can really see why people love to come here. Tulio is definitely worth visiting no matter if you are a hotel guest or not. Unfortunately, breakfast at the hotel is not complimentary, not even when you hold top tier status with IHG or Karma Rewards. You can do, however, room charge if you stay at the hotel, which allows you to earn some extra points. The prices are fair and the food is great, so you can’t go wrong having a good meal here, no matter if it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Alternatively, you can order room service, which is full-filled by Tulio as well if you can’t get away from the coziness of your hotel room.

Conclusion

The Kimpton Hotel Vintage is a great boutique hotel in Downtown Seattle and absolutely worth checking out. While offering great and luxurious rooms, the views are very limited as the hotel is surrounded by higher buildings almost all the way around. The view of the Seattle Public Library is probably the best of all of them. The staff was super amazing and helpful. I had a few chats with the guys from the front desk, the concierge, and the bellman. Just great people overall and very welcoming. The Hotel Vintage is a great basecamp to start your exploration of Seattle. It is located close to the Columbia Center Tower with its amazing Sky View Observatory, the Seattle Waterfront, the Westlake Shopping Center, the famous Pike Place Market, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle Art Museum, and many other attractions. All within walking distance. Enjoy your strolls through the city and have a good time at the hotel and in the city. I totally enjoyed my stay here and wished my flight would have been postponed for more than just one night. Thanks a lot to the whole staff and team behind the scenes.