Hotel Sorrento (Seattle) Review – One Night Stay and Sunday Jazz Brunch
For Vancouverites like myself, it’s super popular to go down to the states during a long weekend and spend a couple nights in Seattle or the nearby cities like Bellevue. I recently went for a two day, one night trip with my family and we decided to stay in downtown Seattle so we’re close to all the nearby attractions.
We chose to stay at Hotel Sorrento which is a historic downtown Seattle hotel with a longgggg history. They opened their doors in 1909 (I know!) and have since then remodeled with a new restaurant, bar and updated the guest rooms.
Room + Amenities
I got one of the suites on the second top floor and you can tell there was a lot of thought that went into every aspect of the room. There were architectural accents on everything from the furniture, to the coffee table, to even the lamps!
One thing I really appreciated about this hotel was that they offered something I’ve never seen in any other hotel before. Fresh coffee grounds and a French Coffee Press (with instructions)! The fact that I can have freshly brewed coffee in the morning was amazing and made me want to stay in bed that much longer.
See? Even the mirrors and tables in the hallway have such intricate and detailed designs. It’s really unique.
The beds were surprisingly comfy and the pillows, even comfier. If you’re like me and don’t want to walk around in bare feet, complimentary in-room slippers can also be brought up upon request.
Their toiletries are from Le Labo which is a luxury perfume brand based in NYC. Their entire collection is from the Santal (Scent) 33 line. <3
The washroom while small, was very clean and felt very luxurious due to the marble accents on the walls and floors.
There were also nice touches like this glass container of cotton pads (sometimes, I forget to bring mine and I need it when removing makeup :P). It’s the little things that count, am I right?
Hosted Wine HourΒ
In the Fireside room, they have aΒ Hosted Wine HourΒ from 5-6pm where you can unwind and enjoy a glass of wine. π My family and I arrived just after 5pm and since it was a long drive, it was nice to be able to sit on one of the couches, relax, and enjoy a glass of wino before heading out for dinner.
I went with the Chardonnay and they were quite generous with the serving. π
Sunday Jazz Brunch
I stayed from Sat to Sun so I had the pleasure of trying out their Sunday Jazz Brunch in the morning (with live jazz!). It’s available only on Sundays between 10:30am – 1:30pm.
Now this is something to get giddy about…Β Bottomless Mimosas ($15). :O Have you heard of such a thing?! It’s pretty much like a dream come true. I got mine with grapefruit juice but you can also have it with traditional OJ.
I don’t get the opportunity to brunch with live music too often so I was ecstatic to hear Jazz singer Emma Caroline Baker. Her voice was smooth, silky, and she sang some of my favourite songs including Norah Jone’s “Don’t Know Why”. If you have a chance to hear her live, make sure you do it.
Now on to the brunch. This is theΒ Chicken & Waffles ($17 USD)Β and it was by far the best chicken and waffles I’ve ever had. I know it’s a bold statement, but it’s true. Instead of sweet waffles made with regular wheat batter, these were made with fresh savoury corn which complemented the dish incredibly well. The fried chicken was also executed well and had a nice crisp batter. But even with all that, I’d say the true superstar of the dish was the spiced honey that was drizzled all over. It was SO good I wish I could’ve bought a jar of that.
TheΒ Dutch Baby ($9 USD)Β is on their small plates menu and it’s essentially a Dutch pancake topped with chantilly cream, lemon, mint, and fresh fruit.
My family also really enjoyed the freshness of theΒ Steelhead Toast ($9 USD).
Whenever I seeΒ Shrimp and Grits ($23 USD) on the menu, I just have to order it. And I’m glad I did because it did not disappoint! The shrimps were fragrant and juicy while the grits were more muted and absorbed all of the great cajun spices.
Last but not least is theΒ Croque Madame ($15 USD).Β For those of you who have never had a Croque Madame before, it is a ham and swiss cheese sandwich, smothered in bechamel sauce, dijon mustard, and finished off with an egg. This is the true breakfast of champions because I dare you to not fall asleep after eating this hefty number. π
Having experienced the rooms, amenities, and the in-house restaurant, I can confidently say I’ll be returning for sure. The service was top notch from beginning to end, and the quality of everything from the toiletries to the brunch was just second to none. As a person who normally only stays at ‘modern’ hotels, I am surprised at how much I loved the history of the hotel, and the unique details that make this hotel historic.
Disclaimer: I stayed at Hotel Sorrento as a media guest and all food and drinks were complimentary. All opinions are my own.
Happy Eating!