Things to do / Travel Guide
Seattle, that memorable city - the Emerald City - and all of northwest Washington and the Cascades, is a joy to visit and tour. Be the reason leisure or business, your stay in the region fits perfectly in the lap of luxury. Five-star hotels and restaurants, and excellent day excursions and nightlife provide for nothing less than an unforgettable time. The style is Pacific northwest, with its simplicity and elegance, and its blending of Japanese aesthetics and modernism.
Luxurious Accommodations in Northwest Washington and the Cascades
You'll find luxurious accommodations all around the Puget Sound and Lake Washington, and especially in Seattle. Starting with Seattle, the region's best is the Fairmont Olympic, located in the heart of the business district, a few blocks from both Puget Sound and the Space Needle. This Italianate gem has a classy feel, and indeed, it's where the glitterati stay when in town. The lobby is on an awesome scale, centered by two huge columns and rolling staircases. The rooms and suites are specially appointed, with marble bathrooms, French doors, and a king-sized bed. All in all, the Fairmont Olympic is your ticket to class, Seattle style.
Luxurious modernity is the name of the game at the Grand Hyatt Seattle. Everything is sleek and elegantly curvaceous, designed for maximum comfort and aesthetic appeal. An architecture junkie could spend hours in the lobby just studying the brilliant angles. Moving up(stairs) to the rooms, the first thing you notice is how technologically savvy they are. Flat-screen televisions, electronic blackout drapes, and showers separate from the soaking tubs. This is possibly the ultimate lodging for a Seattle business trip.
Now across Lake Washington, near wineries and within the valley, is Willows Lodge. This lodge of 84 rooms or suites is heavily-laden with a fusion of Oriental and modernist architecture. It's also a fusion of high tech along with the rustic, a place decorated by Native American art and punctuated by flat-screen televisions, stone fireplaces, and extra-long hot-tubs. There's a fantastic spa, by the way, specializing in aromatherapy, massages of all kinds, and facials. The Lodge is a great place to enjoy nature, and the Willows Run Golf Club is one of the best in the Northwest.
Luxurious Dining in Northwest Washington and the Cascades
Working backwards, a fantastic culinary experience can be had at none other than Willows Lodge. The Herbfarm is more than just a restaurant - it's a state of mind, a philosophy of cooking, that the head chefs try to get across to you. The meal is no less than nine courses long, with five or six wine pairings throughout, and the philosophy is to choose the best offerings from land, sea, and the air for the preparation of theme-based meals. Mostly the Northwest is celebrated, with nods to the majestic salmon, the lamb, and wagyu beef. Many of the veggies and herbs come from the Herbfarm's own farm, of which tours can be arranged. The wine list is more than 20,000 bottles-strong, and it specializes in Northwest fare.
Back in Seattle, for possibly the region's best meals, head to Rover's, a city legacy. Make no mistake, northwest Washington and the Cascades is a culinary hotspot, so this appellation says something. The chef, a France-native and famously the bearer of an omnipresent white fedora, spices his Northwest-style food with his own French zest. Rover's specialty is the eight-course meal, an affair that can last at least three hours from start to finish. At the center of these celebrations of dining are entrées like the sturgeon with smoked bacon, Brussels sprouts, and red wine; or the Sonoma squab with roasted cauliflower, leek, and a lovage sauce.
At both these establishments, only fresh ingredients are used, along with seasonal vegetables, preferably locally grown and organic. Washington cheeses and mushrooms are particularly well-utilized.
One more Seattle institution merits a mention, though this certainly doesn't exhaust the list of luxurious menus in the region. The restaurant is El Gaucho, and as you can guess, it's a South American-style steakhouse. Of the two locations in the greater Puget Sound area, that in Seattle is known as the place Seattleites come together to see and be seen. The ambiance smells of power, of deals in the making, and of high-moneyed celebrations. At Seattle's best steakhouse, expect the steaks to define succulence and great taste, from sirloin to filet mignon; the wine and beer flow like water.
Luxurious Yachting in Puget Sound
Fill your day time with a yacht ride on a private yacht, in Puget Sound. Boating around the Puget Sound is one of the best ways to transport yourself around the area, but it's also a great way to get up-close looks at the town of Everett and the warehouse where Boeing jets are constructed, the luxurious mansions of the Bellevue neighborhood, and the natural wild and aquatic life that frolic in and around the edges of the water.
The northwest Washington and Cascades region is set in one of the most beautiful areas in the country, boasting rainforests and mountains, charming fishing towns and powerful metropolises. Upon this backdrop, there's plenty to offer when it comes to the luxurious, from city-center hotels to more rural lodges, from restaurants specializing in the natural and the quintessence of taste to the whole of Puget Sound to explore aboard an amenity-rich yacht. Now that's the life, Northwest-style!
Luxury Vacation Ideas in Seattle, Tacoma, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, Washington and The Cascades
Luxury-Vacations
The Spa at the Sun Mountain Lodge
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