Seattle's Hotel Monaco: Comfort And Class

Review of Kimpton Hotel Monaco Seattle, an IHG Hotel | 1101 Fourth Avenue
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Seattle, an IHG Hotel
  • Trip101 Review
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Kurt
Kurt 
Updated
| 4 min read

The Kimpton Hotel Monaco Seattle is one of the Emerald City’s best boutique hotels. Ideally located in the downtown area, between Pike Place Market and Pioneer Square, Hotel Monaco puts guests in the middle of Seattle’s best. This former switching center for Northwest Bell has been turned into a hidden world of its own. As you step into the lobby, glance up at the playful dolphins painted on the overhead area. This water-world theme was created from visions of a temple in ancient Crete and bathes the hotel lobby in a calming blue aura.

Room choices

deluxe king room
Source: Kurt Jacobson

Choose from one of 189 guestrooms and suites. For a quieter room, choose the backside of the hotel where even though the window offers only views of the building next door, the quiet comfort is a plus. Some rooms look out on the bustling streets for those who like to watch the pulse of this great city. All rooms offer free Wi-Fi, in-room spa services for a fee, valet parking, electric car charging, free bikes (first-come-first-served basis), toys for children, comfy robes, Atelier Bloem toiletries, complimentary Starbucks coffee service, 24-hour fitness center, and exclusive privileges to full-service fitness centers nearby.

The rooms are large, and all have either a tub/shower combination or separate shower and tub. Ours was a deluxe king room and had enough space to hold a yoga class for five! Not that we did, but we could have since the room was so spacious. The bathrooms are spotlessly clean and you’ll appreciate the long list of bathroom items the Hotel Monaco provides like chapstick, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, nail clippers, and more. Other things provided upon request are lint rollers, cell phone chargers, international plug adapters, TSA approved liquid bags, and a humidifier.

Pets are welcome for free at the Hotel Monaco Seattle, but if your dog needs a grassy area to do their businesses, be warned you might have to walk three blocks to Freeway Park near the Interstate 5 freeway. Inside the hotel, your dog will feel right at home with a dog bed, food and water bowls, pet menu, and pet sitting for a fee if needed. At five p.m. you and Fido can attend the complimentary happy hour in the lobby where Washington wines and light appetizers are served until six p.m. nightly.

Surprise, they have a great restaurant

Outlier dinner entree
Source: Kurt Jacobson

Customer service is outstanding. During our stay, we were contacted by text message to see if we needed anything to make our stay better. We had just purchased a gorgeous bouquet of flowers at Pike Place Market (a ten-minute walk from the hotel) and needed something to put them in. While we were waiting for the vase, the flowers that we set on the bed had leaked water on the comforter and needed to be replaced. We called for new bedding and in less than five minutes had a clean and dry replacement! A few minutes later the staff sent up a vase that was just right for our flowers. When we needed ferry information, the concierge guided us to the right ship for an afternoon trip to Bainbridge Island.

The biggest surprise was the on-site restaurant, Outlier. We had dinner one night and started with the roasted beet salad and asparagus salad. I asked the waitress if they had any special mushrooms since the Washington area is known for such delicacies, and she said she would ask the chef. The chef had several types of wild mushrooms and offered to cook up a sautéed mushroom starter that was delicious. For our entrees, we had the seared scallops and a seafood stew that were excellent. The star of the show was a deceptively named vanilla cheesecake that had four types of raspberry treats on the plate. This cheesecake was one of the best raspberry desserts ever! Don’t miss it if you love cheesecake and raspberries.

Near two of the city's best attractions

Free loaner bikes
Source: Kurt Jacobson

The location of the Hotel Monaco Seattle puts you in an easy walk of ten minutes or less to get to the famous Pike Place Market or Pioneer Square. You will find a farmers’ market, seafood, arts and crafts, buskers, and more in a fun place to navigate stairs and hallways of this 1909 market gem. Be sure and check out the flower stalls where inexpensive bouquets will brighten up your room. Visit Market Spice for one of the best spice, coffee, and tea shops anywhere. The Athenian Restaurant is where a famous scene in the movie Sleepless in Seattle had Tom Hanks and friend sitting at the food counter. The Athenian has a good view of the Seattle waterfront and a tasty menu featuring Northwest seafood specialties like steamer clams, Alaskan cod fish and chips, and crab Louie salad, to name a few of their delicious choices.

The best show at Pike Place Market is watching the guys at Pike Place Fish Market entertain the crowd and throw fish. If you go, don’t miss the monkfish with its big scary mouth full of threatening teeth. This monkfish is placed up front with the rest of the iced fish display, tied to a string, and is jerked when an unsuspecting tourist gets too close. Across the street from the market, coffee lovers will enjoy visiting the original Starbucks for a cup of joe.

Head south a few blocks from the Hotel Monaco to walk the historic Pioneer Square and enjoy its small shops, cafes, and classic buildings. Reserve the hotel’s free bikes and ride to either Pioneer Square or Pike Place Market if you can handle Seattle’s hills!

Don't miss out

With so many hotels to choose from in Seattle, it would be easy to miss out on the Hotel Monaco. Now that you know how much they have to offer, you’ll be one of the lucky ones staying at this elegant hotel.

Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Kimpton Hotel Monaco Seattle, an IHG Hotel
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