WHAT’S NEW

 

The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) announced that it will present Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris, an exhibition of the work of Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Oct. 8,2010 through Jan. 17, 2011. The exhibition will present iconic works from virtually every phase of Picasso’s legendary career. Drawn from the collection of the Musée National Picasso in Paris, the largest and most important repository of the artist’s work in the world, the exhibition will feature more than 150 original works of art, including approximately 75 paintings and sculptures, complemented by an important selection of prints, drawings and photographs. The opportunity for SAM to present this work is possible because the Musée Picasso has recently closed for renovations, allowing a global tour of this full-scale survey to travel for the first and, very likely, the only time. The presentation at SAM will be the United States debut of these works which follows the Atheneum Art Museum in Helsinki, Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow and the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.

 

Pacific Science Center has announced that it will host the West Coast debut of Tutankhamun:The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs, May 24, 2012 - Jan. 6, 2013. This is the largest King Tut exhibition ever shown on the West Coast, featuring more than 100 objects from both the tomb of King Tut and from royal and private tombs and temples of important rulers throughout 2,000 years of ancient Egyptian history. In addition to these artifacts, many of which have never been seen in North America, the exhibition will offer the opportunity to learn about King Tut’s life and death through recent CT scans on his mummy. Tickets for this exhibition will go on sale in November 2011.

 

 

Kitsap Tours is a new tour company that began offering tours of Bainbridge Island and the Kitsap Peninsula, located 35 minutes from downtown Seattle via ferry boat, on May 1, 2010. Kitsap Tours offers a variety of tours including a seven-hour photography tour of Bainbridge Island and the Kitsap Peninsula, where some of the best photography locations in the area will be visited, as well as a 3-hour tour of the Bloedel Reserve, a 150-acre estate garden with large areas of second growth forest, gardens, ponds and meadows. Transportation is via a 14- passenger mini bus and tours begin at the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal.

 

EverGreen Escapes now offers a full-day tour to Washington state’s infamous Olympic

Peninsula inspired by the best-selling Twilight book series. The tour begins with a ferry ride across the Puget Sound followed by a scenic drive to the town of Forks, home of Twilight characters Edward and Bella. Visitors and Twilight fans are invited to traverse the old growth, moss-filled Hoh Rainforest during a guided walk through the Hall of Mosses Trail. Additional tour destinations include La Push, home of the Quileute Native American Tribe and Jacob Black and First Beach, a drive-to beach known for occasional whale spotting. The tour concludes with dinner at La Bella Italia in Port Angeles where Edward and Bella had their first date. To find out more about this tour and others offered by EverGreen Escapes, visit www.evergreenescapes.com.

 

Learn the skills necessary to sketch Seattle’s sights, while learning the back-story behind some of Seattle’s historical architecture with the new Travel to Sketch architectural sketch and walking tour. The neighborhoods, locations and subjects vary depending on the group’s interests. Tours are offered every Friday with the option of either a three-hour or six-hour class. Supplies are provided, including a sketch book to keep. No sketch experience is required. For more information, visit www.traveltosketch.com.

 

Shutter Tours’ new, three-hour walking tour through downtown Seattle is designed for visitors looking to improve their travel photography while learning historic and fun facts about Seattle. Each tour offers lessons in photo composition and is for both the beginning and experienced photography lover. Cameras are not provided but a simple disposable camera will work for the tour. Groups are limited in size to ensure quality interaction and attention from guides. For more information on the tour and tour times, visit www.shuttertours.com.

 

Classic Helicopter Corporation recently inaugurated its new SeattleHeliTours.com flightseeing tours, offering custom or pre-packaged helicopter tours of Seattle landmarks such as downtown Seattle, the Space Needle, Lake Washington, Lake Union and the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. Tours of sights outside of Seattle such as downtown Bellevue, Snoqualmie Falls and Mount Si are also available. For details on the tours, visit www.seattlehelitours.com.

 

CityPass had joined forces with the Space Needle and now includes the iconic attraction in its Seattle CityPass attraction book. The Space Needle joins other great Seattle attractions such as the Pacific Science Center, Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour, Seattle Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo and an option ticket with the choice of visiting Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame or the Museum of Flight. Adult Seattle CityPasses are $59, while youth passes (ages 4-12) are $39. The collection of passes would cost $111.60 if each ticket was purchased separately. Seattle CityPass may be purchased at any of the included attractions or online at http://www.citypass.com/city/seattle.html.

 

The Woodland Park Zoo opened a new Humboldt penguin exhibit on May 2, 2009. A colony of 20 endangered Humboldt penguins reside in a 17,000-square-foot exhibit that replicates shoreline cliffs and features viewable nesting burrows and rocky tide pools. Special windows and acrylic walls allow spectators underwater vantage points. The exhibit also features crashing waves and a beach that mimics the desert coast of Punta San Juan, Peru, home of the largest colony of wild Humboldt penguins. As part of Woodland Park Zoo’s commitment to “green” practices, the exhibit has been

designed with sustainable technologies, using geothermal energy and a filtration system that will save three million gallons of water and 75 million BTUs of energy each year. The exhibit is also designed to contain and recycle all storm-water runoff, preventing the pollution of natural resources like Puget Sound. For more information on the Humboldt penguin exhibit or Woodland Park Zoo, visit www.zoo.org.

 

EverGreen Escapes, a Seattle outdoor adventure company, offers a half-day voluntourism tour on Wednesday afternoons. The tour affords participating volunteers the opportunity to take part in habitat restoration in Seattle nature parks. Volunteers meet with restoration stewards and assist in habitat improvement. Depending on the season, volunteers will remove invasive plants that choke out important native species, plant native plants or conduct beach clean-ups to remove trash that is harmful to wildlife. Hotel or cruise terminal pick-up, refreshments and afternoon tea are included in the tour. For more information visit www.evergreenescapes.com.

 

Savor Seattle Food Tours launched its two hour Chocolate Indulgence Tour on Jan. 2, 2010. The tour focuses on Seattle’s finest chocolate creations and provides guests the opportunity to experience decadent chocolate truffles and caramels, mini cupcakes, Columbian drinking chocolate and a handcrafted chocolate cocktail and more.

April 26, 2010 - Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB) re-launch of its venerable Seattle Super Saver consumer hotel booking program with expanded travel booking options, features and functionality. Seattle travelers benefit from a more sophisticated and robust booking platform that enables one-stop shopping for lodging plus newly added booking opportunities of transportation, tours, sightseeing and Seattle travel packages. The Seattle Super Saver program also offers booking of special packages associated with Seattle events and culture. The Seattle Super Saver web site, www.seattlesupersaver.com, will regularly features packages that offer tickets to the most popular civic festivals, special events and major cultural exhibitions. Travelers can book at www.seattlesupersaver.com or call (866) 285-2535.

 

Hyatt has introduced its Hyatt Place brand to Seattle with the opening of the new Hyatt Place Seattle/Downtown hotel on June 1, 2010. Located within walking distance of the Space Needle, the hotel features 160 guestrooms, indoor swimming pool, in room refrigerators, 1,460 square feet of meeting space, as well as complimentary Wi-Fi internet throughout.

 

Courtyard Marriott has brought a historic building back to life as its new Courtyard Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square hotel. The 1904 Alaska Building, in the heart of Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square district, originated as a bank to accommodate prospectors flocking to Seattle during the Klondike Goldrush in the late 1800s. The building opened as a hotel on June 1, 2010 with 262 newly designed guestrooms, a restaurant with full service bar and over 4,600 square feet of meeting space. The hotel has 26 guestrooms dedicated to stays of 30 days or more, offering cooking amenities and sleeper sofas. The hotel’s location puts its guests within walking distance of Seattle’s sports stadiums, as well within close proximity to the city’s top attractions.

The hotel is also adjacent to the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, providing direct connection to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport via Sound Transit’s new Link light rail service.

 

The Maxwell Hotel, an independent family-owned hotel located at the base of Queen Anne hill, adjacent to the Seattle Center, opened its doors to guests on March 22, 2010. The hotel features 140 guestrooms, an indoor pool, an exercise facility, an espresso bar, 1,600 square feet of meeting space and 3,000 square feet of ground floor retail space. Located just north of downtown Seattle, The Maxwell Hotel is just steps away from the Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet, SIFF Cinema, Intiman Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Teatro ZinZanni, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum, Pacific Science Center and the iconic Space Needle.

 

Hostelling International opened its renovated facility in the historic American Hotel in downtown Seattle on July 31, 2009. The American Hotel is a 90-room, 320 bed hostel with rates beginning at $28 per bed for dorm-style accommodations for Hostelling International members. Dorm-style accommodations for non-members are $31 per bed. Private rooms are available for $86 a night for up to two people, with extra persons in a private room for an additional $9. A continental breakfast and sheets, towels and pillows are complimentary. Other amenities include computers, laundry facilities, a self-serve kitchen and storage lockers.

 

The Hyatt Regency Bellevue opened the doors to its much anticipated expansion on July 31, 2009. The expansion introduces a second tower with 43,000 square-feet of meeting and event space, as well as 351 new guestrooms. With the opening of the second tower, the hotel houses 733 luxury guestrooms, 60,000 squarefeet of meeting and event space as well as a 7,000 square-foot workout complex.

 

MTM Luxury Lodging announced that it will manage the Bellevue Park Hotel, a new

property in Bellevue, WA being developed by Hydra Developments, LLC. The 100-room hotel is expected to open in spring 2012.

 

The Hyatt brand has expanded its holdings in downtown Seattle with the opening of a $175- million, 39-story hotel-condominium project located one block north of the existing Grand Hyatt Hotel. Opened January 30, 2009, Hyatt at Olive 8 features 231 condominiums on the upper 22 floors and 346 hotel rooms on the lower 17 floors. The entire building is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certified by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It is the first mixed-use hotel and residential project to achieve such certification in Seattle. Hyatt at Olive 8 also becomes one of only 20 hotels in the U.S. to be officially designated “green” by the LEED Green Building Rating System. Key elements of the energy-saving and eco-friendly building include low-flow plumbing fixtures, dual-flush toilets, a low-chemical mechanical water

system and landscaping maintenance that uses minimal city water thanks to native plant

species and irrigation systems. On-site amenities available to both condominium owners and hotel guests include the locally-sourced restaurant Urbane, an eco-friendly spa, saltwater pool, housekeeping, drying-cleaning services, valet parking and 24-hour room service, in addition to separate lobbies and elevators for the hotel and condominium components of the building. Hyatt at Olive 8 also contains 11,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space.

 

Media Contact: Caitlin Haedicke of Duo PR, caitlin@duopr.com, 206-957-8305;

The Four Seasons brand returned to Seattle on Nov. 3, 2008 with a 21-story hotel and

condominium tower in the heart of downtown, adjacent to Pike Place Market and the Seattle Art Museum. The luxury hotel features 134 guestrooms, 13 suites, a signature water-view restaurant, event and meeting space including an expansive ballroom and an outdoor pool overlooking Elliott Bay. The hotel’s restaurant, ART Restaurant & Lounge, has a “best source” philosophy of using the freshest local ingredients, not only in its main dining room, but also in its in-room dining and catering menus. Overseeing the food and beverage for the hotel is acclaimed Seattle chef and Four Seasons veteran, Executive Chef Kerry Sear. The project was developed by The Seattle Hotel Group LLC, which is comprised of local investors John Oppenheimer, president and CEO of Seattle-based Columbia Hospitality; former Seattle mayor Paul Schell; and entrepreneur Bruce McCaw.

 

The historic Arctic Club Hotel has been renamed the Doubletree Arctic Club Hotel Seattle-Downtown. The hotel will continue to be managed by the Hotel Group which has managed the property since the hotel opened in July 2008. The Arctic Club Hotel has 120 rooms, 5,800 square feet of meeting space and fitness center. The hotel is located in the historic Arctic Building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places and once housed a fraternal men’s club. The building’s taste of early 1900s architecture including a foyer and stairwells lined with Alaskan marble, 23 molded walrus heads wrapping the third floor exterior and the Northern Lights Dome Room, featuring Rococo gilt ceiling, ornamental cornices and a stained glass dome, with effects reminiscent of the Northern Lights, remain untouched.

 

Tulalip Resort Casino, located 40 minutes north of Seattle, celebrated the grand opening of its 370-room luxury hotel and spa on August 15, 2008. The resort provides a location for meetings, conferences, weddings and retreats, as well as overnight accommodations for casino visitors. The hotel features specialty suites such as the 2,000-square-foot Player’s Suite with a professional-size pool table, dart board and arcade games and two Asian-themed suites designed on the principles of feng shui but with a Northwest twist. The hotel also offers 13 meeting rooms, a 5,000-square-foot junior ballroom and a 15,000-square-foot ballroom, totaling up to 30,000 square feet of meeting and reception space. There are two restaurants in the hotel, as well as a cocktail bar located in the hotel lobby. The 14,000-square-foot T Spa features men’s and women’s lounges with saunas, steam rooms and rainwater showers. The spa also has couples and group treatment rooms for up to six people. Authentic tribal art, valued at more

than $1 million, is incorporated into the hotel’s interior design.

 

 

Sound Transit’s Link light rail line from downtown Seattle to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) reached completion on Dec. 19, 2009. Now travelers are able to traverse the 15.6 miles between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac seamlessly. Downtown stations are located at Westlake Center, the financial district, Pioneer Square and the International District. The train makes stops in several neighborhoods south of Seattle before reaching the Sea-Tac/Airport Station, an approximately 30 minute trip. The Sea-Tac/Airport Station connects to the airport through the airport parking garage via a pedestrian walkway. The fare for the trip from downtown Seattle is $2.50 for adults, $1.75 for youths 6-18 and free for riders under six when accompanied by a paying adult.

 

 

On July 20, 2010, Washington State Convention Center opened The Conference Center, its newest meeting and event facility. Located at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Pike Street, The Conference Center features 71,000 square feet of high-end configurable space which easily connects to 205,000 more; a 20,000 pound capacity freight elevator to facilitate move in/move out; and 60 amp electrical connections for registration and networking requirements. The Conference Center has award-winning catering services, a commitment to sustainability and an eco-friendly design.

 

EverGreen Escapes, a local outdoor adventure company, is now offering private team-building retreats throughout the Seattle region for corporate groups. Programs are customized in order to meet the needs and objectives of each group. Sustainability, wilderness and adventure are the basis for these hands-on challenges that encourage leadership, communication and problem-solving skills. Some activities include scavenger hunts using GPS and/or maps and compasses, team survival or rescue, kayaking, rock climbing, wine tasting and much more. Each group is led by a professional naturalist who is dedicated to educating people on sustainable travel.

 

Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB) opened the Market Information Center in June 2009 at the entrance to the Pike Place Market at First Avenue and Pike Street. A collaboration between SCVB and the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority, the center facility serves the needs of Seattle visitors and locals, as well as the Pike Place Market neighborhood. The Market Information Center is open daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau also opened a new location of the Seattle Visitor Center and Concierge Services (formerly the Citywide Concierge Center), in the upper Pike Street lobby of the Washington State Convention Center, in January 2008. The new, highly visible location allows the center to assist more visitors and convention attendees. The center features large plasma-screen displays of Seattle information and real-time Seattle-Tacoma International Airport flight information. Seattle Visitor Center and Concierge Services is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

 

Delta Air Lines inaugurated two new nonstop flights to Asia from Seattle during June 2010. Service to Beijing, China began service five times weekly on June 4, 2010 and a new Osaka, Japan route began daily service on June 7, 2010. Each of the new routes uses Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

Delta Air Lines, in partnership with Air France KLM, began expanded service to Amsterdam on June 1, 2010. Service increased from seven to 10 flights weekly aboard a combination of Airbus A330-300 and Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

Icelandair began new service between Seattle and Reykjavik on July 22, 2009. Icelandair offers four flights a week, departing Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. As the only Nordic airline to serve the West Coast, the carrier serves as a gateway to Scandinavian countries, including connections through Reykjavik to Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, as well as other European destinations. Icelandair is the fifth airline to fly non-stop from Sea-Tac to a European destination.

 

Hainan Airlines, China’s largest privately-owned air carrier, began offering non-stop service between Beijing, China and Seattle, four times weekly, on June 9, 2008. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the first United States destination served by Hainan Airlines. Hainan Airlines inaugurated service with an Airbus A330-200 but has ordered Boeing 787s for future use.

 

Alaska Airlines began nonstop flights from Seattle to Austin on Aug. 3, 2009. Flights leave Seattle at 9:45 a.m. Pacific time and arrive at 3:40 p.m. Central time. Flights to Seattle leave Austin at 4:40 p.m. Central time and arrive at 6:45 p.m. Pacific time.

 

Lufthansa Airlines began daily non-stop service between Frankfurt, Germany and Seattle beginning on March 30, 2008. Lufthansa is the largest carrier of international passengers in the world and Frankfurt Airport is the eighth largest airport in the world. The route is served by a 221-seat Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

 

Air France inaugurated the first daily, non-stop service between Paris and Seattle in June 2007. The more than 50,000 people who make the journey between Paris and Seattle annually will no longer need to connect through another city.

 

 

Last year, the Port of Seattle added its second terminal, Smith Cove Cruise Terminal, with two, 1,200-foot berths. The new terminal serves as homeport for Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. The existing Bell Street Cruise Terminal at Pier 66 continues to serve Celebrity Cruise and Norwegian Cruise Line. The port has achieved steady growth in business since it inaugurated its Bell Street Cruise Terminal a decade ago and projects some 435,753 cruise passengers and a record 233 total sailings during its 2010 summer cruise season..For more information on Smith Cove Cruise Terminal, visit www.portseattle/seaport/cruise

 

Carnival Cruise Line has announced that it will operate a schedule of seven-day, round-trip Alaska cruises from Seattle beginning in May 2010. The 17, week-long cruises aboard the 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit will depart Seattle on Tuesdays from May 11 - Aug. 31, 2010. Port calls include the Alaskan towns of Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, as well as Victoria, British Columbia.

 

Holland America Line announced it will begin a new 14-day, round-trip “Alaskan Adventurer” cruise from Seattle beginning in 2010. The route will be served by the 1,380-passenger ms Amsterdam and will include a port call in Anchorage, marking the first time a major cruise line will regularly call upon the city. The cruise will depart Seattle May 17-Sept. 6, 2010 and will makes port calls in Ketchikan, Skagway, Sitka, Anchorage, Kodiak, Juneau and Victoria, British Columbia.

 

 

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