SAN FRANCISCO—Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has announced it has been selected by the Fana Group of Companies to manage a new, luxury boutique hotel in the upscale Seattle, Wash. suburb of Bellevue. The 120-room new-construction project is part of a major, mixed use development scheduled to break ground in early 2017. The development will include two high-rise towers and 270 premium rental apartments.
Slated for a 2019 opening, the new Bellevue Kimpton will occupy the development’s North Tower and will include approximately 5,000 square feet of meeting space, a street-level, full-service restaurant, a heated rooftop pool with adjacent event space and lounge, a fitness center, and all the other amenities commonly associated with the Kimpton brand.
Located in the heart of downtown Bellevue’s central business district, the new hotel will be a short walk away from shopping, restaurants, and entertainment, including Bellevue Square, Lincoln Center, and the Bravern. Major companies with nearby offices include Microsoft, T-Mobile, PACCAR, Concur Technologies, and more. Downtown Bellevue is about 10 miles from downtown Seattle.
“The Pacific Northwest has been an integral part of Kimpton’s growth story for more than two decades and we look forward to expanding our presence in one of the strongest markets in the country,” said Kimpton CEO Mike DeFrino. “The hotel’s prime location near some of downtown Bellevue’s best shopping and nightlife—not to mention the only rooftop hotel pool in the area, will be a draw for travelers. Our signature amenities like complimentary bikes and the nightly hosted wine hour will surely delight some new Kimpton fans as well.”
For Kimpton, Bellevue will be the brand’s eighth hotel in the Pacific Northwest, joining four properties in Seattle, including the Hotel Monaco Seattle, Hotel Vintage Seattle, Palladian, and the Alexis, along with three in Portland: the Hotel Monaco Portland, the Hotel Vintage Portland, and the RiverPlace Hotel.
The owner and developer of the new hotel is the Fana Group, a Bellevue-based company that developed the acclaimed Las Terrazas Resort in Belize and has boutique hotel investments in Seattle and San Francisco. The architect for the Bellevue project is CallisonRTKL, a firm known for luxury lifestyle hospitality projects including the W Hotel Beijing and the Hotel Beaux Arts in Miami.
“We are eager to bring something to downtown Bellevue that it doesn’t yet have… a boutique luxury hotel, “ said John Powers, Fana’s president of real estate. “Kimpton’s leadership experience in the boutique hotel market and the thriving hotels in not only in the Northwest but also nationally made this a clear and easy partner choice to represent us for this premiere project.”
