Ace Hotel Seattle – Seattle, The Original Creative Outpost
Where a maritime workers’ lodging became the blueprint for a global design movement
The First Ace, Still Ahead of Its Time
Before there were Ace Hotels in Portland, New York, or Kyoto, there was Ace Hotel Seattle. Opened in 1999 by Alex Calderwood, Wade Weigel, and Doug Herrick, it began as an experiment in rethinking hospitality—affordable, stylish, and deeply connected to local culture. The founders took over a former maritime workers’ halfway house in Belltown, a building with an honest, utilitarian past, and turned it into a home for travelers who valued creativity over convention.
A Building with Stories in Its Walls
The structure itself carries the grit and charm of Seattle’s working waterfront. Its brick façade and simple geometry speak to early 20th-century functionality; inside, much of the original character remains. Exposed red-brick walls, original hardwood floors, and industrial details form the canvas. Instead of covering the building’s imperfections, the designers celebrated them—layering in vintage furniture, found objects, and art from local makers to create a space that felt lived-in from day one.
Design That Doesn’t Try Too Hard—But Gets It Just Right
Ace Hotel Seattle set the tone for what would become the brand’s signature aesthetic: part utilitarian, part eclectic, all intentional. Rooms mix flea-market finds with custom-built pieces, minimalist layouts with cozy textures. You might find a turntable and vinyl stack in one room, a repurposed military desk in another, or a mural from a local artist across the hall. The style isn’t about luxury for its own sake—it’s about personality, place, and a sense of discovery.
A Neighborhood Living Room
The lobby feels like it belongs to Belltown as much as to the hotel. Guests and locals share the same couches, sipping coffee, reading, or swapping stories. The building’s compact footprint means spaces feel intimate, almost residential, with a human scale that encourages conversation. In the absence of a rooftop or sprawling lounge, the hotel’s charm comes from these grounded, communal moments.
The Blueprint for a Movement
What began here in 1999 sparked a global boutique hotel phenomenon. The Ace Hotel concept—design-savvy yet democratic, rooted in local culture, willing to preserve history rather than erase it—has since been exported to cities around the world. But this Belltown original remains something special: a reminder that the right design, in the right building, can shift an entire industry.
DNA Hotels Verdict
Ace Hotel Seattle is both a time capsule and a trailblazer. It’s where the Ace ethos was born: authentic, adaptive, and artfully unpolished. Staying here is less about amenities and more about atmosphere—a creative hub that still feels as fresh and relevant as it did at the turn of the millennium. For travelers who value character over cookie-cutter, it’s the original, and still one of the best.
