The Charter Hotel in Downtown Seattle Review
The Charter Hotel is one of the newest boutique hotels in downtown Seattle. It opened in summer 2018 and is an independently operated property that is part of the Hilton’s Curio Collection. We recently had the opportunity to stay overnight to experience the hotel and its two dining options. Here’s what we thought.
A Great Hotel in Downtown
While not one of the tallest buildings in downtown, The Charter has an ample number of rooms including 229 guestrooms, 13 of which are one-bedroom suites. We had a standard room with a king bed and a city view of downtown on the 15th floor, just below the hotel’s rooftop bar, the Fog Room (more on that below). Guest rooms are sparkling new and spacious. They even include a robe and slippers, one of my favorite treats!
As far as amenities go, the hotel has a fitness center with a sauna and steam room that are free for guests to use. There’s no swimming pool, but truth be told, most downtown Seattle hotels don’t have pools either. One of the reasons is the ample amount of activities to do in the downtown core. If you’re staying at the Charter, you are within walking distance of most of Seattle’s biggest attractions, so it’s best to spend your free time outdoors.
Martin and I travel frequently for both pleasure and work, and it was apparent to us that the Charter Hotel is made to appeal to business travelers. Its amenities plus proximity to tech hubs in downtown make it an ideal hotel for those traveling on business. As an added bonus, the hotel is also walking distance to Seattle attractions such as Pike Place Market and the waterfront. It is also close to Westlake Station, making it easy to catch the Light Rail to nearby neighborhoods such as Capitol Hill, or directly to the Seattle-Tacoma Airport.
Sunset Drinks and Small Bites at the Fog Room
On the rooftop, you’ll find the hotel’s bar and restaurant, the Fog Room. It’s a great place to watch the sunset or people watch from the balcony. The Fog Room is open to the public, so best to get there early to save your spot. The menu is focused mainly on cocktails, but there are also non-alcoholic mocktails, a trend that I am relieved to see take hold in the Seattle food scene. Martin enjoyed a whiskey on the rocks, while I had a fruity lemonade. Food-wise, the menu offers small bites to accompany your beverage. We enjoyed a salmon crudo with matsutake and white soy sauce, along with a cheese board of 3 different cheeses and seasonal fruits. The cheese board was the prettiest I had ever seen. I really liked the addition of greens to add color and freshness. For dessert, we enjoyed a tasty creme brulee.
Dinner at the Chef’s Counter at Patagon
We kept our sunset snack light because immediately after that, we headed to the ground floor of the Charter Hotel to Patagon. An Argentinean grill, Patagon has three main dining sections: a bar area, general dining room, and a few seats around the Chef’s Counter. We sat at the latter, where we were warmly greeted by Chef Ben. He asked us a few questions about our dietary restrictions and preferences and then set about to making our 4-course dinner.
Besides the personalized attention from the chef, sitting at the Chef’s Counter also gives you a peak into the kitchen. You can watch your entire meal being prepared right in front of you. There’s also a large rotating grill, usually with a giant hunk of meat on it.
Our first course was sweetbreads with celery root, apple, and hazelnut. If you’re never had sweetbreads, they are chunky with a taste and texture very similar to chicken thighs. The particular dish was served like a taco, and it was incredibly juicy and flavorful, a great way to start off the meal.
Next, we were served sopressini pasta with smoked mussel, pimenton, bottarga, and fennel. The pasta was made in house and resembled a small wonton. It was tender and accompanied by a light pimenton sauce that was so delicious, we lapped it up with spoons to savor every bite.
The main course was one the absolute best: a tender and juicy filet mignon topped with shaved truffles and served with a chimichurri sauce. This was one of the best steaks that we have ever had in Seattle and it reminded us of our wedding dinner in Italy. Highly recommended.
Our fourth and final course was dessert: churros con chocolate. This was a favorite snack that I enjoyed when I studied abroad in Granada, Spain. I can’t say that I’ve had churros con chocolate in Seattle, so it was a welcome treat to see it on the menu and experience it at Patagon. The churros were coated in sugar and cinnamon, and the accompanying chocolate sauce had just the right amount of bittersweetness as a perfect compliment. It was the best way to end a decadent dinner.
In Conclusion
Whether you are a business traveler or tourist wanting to experience all that downtown Seattle has to offer, the Charter Hotel is a great place to spend the night. We highly recommend staying here the next time you’re in need for accommodations in downtown.
Full disclosure: Our overnight stay at The Charter Hotel was a hosted experience, but all words, media, and opinions are our own. We were not paid to create any of this content.