The Revitalist

The Arctic Club, a turn-of-the-century treasure in downtown Seattle, reopened this month as a new grand hotel. The building, replete with signature walrus heads encircling the facade, is a stately and playful monument to the riches amassed in the Klondike gold rush. If, as Robert Service once wrote, "the Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold", these tales were once recounted in the Arctic Club's Alaskan marble lobby by the folks who had witnessed them first hand. The Northern Lights Dome Room is the building's most spectacular feature, however -- a ballroom that seats over 200 people with a gilt and glass ceiling lit to resemble the northern lights. These interior rooms and the facade are protected under the historic landmark designation and have been well-restored.

Restoration and rehab took over two years. The Revitalist got a sneak preview just before the building opened in early July.