Area’s largest waterfront hotel debuts with a splash

EVERETT — Hotel Indigo, Snohomish County’s new waterfront hotel, opened its doors Tuesday and within hours had international fans.

Wade Lam and his wife, Judy Zhou, were visiting from Hong Kong and planned a week-long stay at the nautical-themed hotel.

“It’s very beautiful, very nice,” said Lam, who was strolling along the Pacific Rim Plaza on the hotel’s waterfront side.

The hotel, which has been in soft-opening mode for several weeks, made its official debut Tuesday.

“We are excited to welcome guests from near and far, and look forward to being part of the vibrant and growing community here in Everett,” general manager Patty Davis said.

Its 142 rooms — 119 with water views — overlook Port Gardner and the Port of Everett’s Waterfront Place.

The four-story hotel also offers an indoor saltwater pool and 8,000 square feet of meeting space.

Economic Alliance Snohomish County and Workforce Snohomish took advantage of the meeting space Tuesday and held its STEM summit, a gathering of more than 200 educators and business and civic leaders, in the hotel’s meeting rooms.

The lobby features comfortable seating around a natural gas fireplace.

Hotel Indigo represents a key milestone for the port. It is the first completed private development of the port’s Waterfront Place, a 65-acre, multi-million dollar development near 13th Street and West Marine View Drive.

“I am happy to officially welcome Hotel Indigo and their guests to the Port of Everett as they open their doors to the community,” said Lisa Lefeber, the port’s deputy executive director said in a prepared statement.

“This exciting and historic milestone marks the first of many openings to come to Waterfront Place, adding to the overall vibrancy and livability of this waterfront destination,” she said. Lefeber is poised to become the port’s first female CEO on Oct. 16.

The Jetty Bar & Grille, located on the hotel’s southeast corner, overlooks the Pacific Rim Plaza and the new $20 million Grand Avenue Park pedestrian bridge a few blocks south.

The menu focuses on Pacific Northwest cuisine, including smoked salmon chowder and Scuttlebutt beer-battered halibut and chips, said Davis, the hotel’s general manager.

Hotel Indigo’s arrival more than doubles the number of waterfront hotel rooms in the county.

Mukilteo’s Silver Cloud Inn and the Inn at Port Gardner at the port’s Marina Village offer 103 rooms combined.

Seattle-based Columbia Hospitality will operate the new pet-friendly hotel.

Columbia operates more than a dozen hotels in Washington, including the Salish Lodge & Spa at Snoqualmie Falls and Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine.

In 2018, the company and port agreed to a lease that will pay the Port of Everett $15,000 a month for up to 80 years.

The lease will be reviewed every 10 years for market value and inflation adjustments. Hotel Indigo is owned by a group of local investors who also own Hotel Interurban in Tukwila.

It was designed by MZA Architecture. Ferguson Construction is the general contractor. The hotel’s room rates start at $169 a night. For more information go to hotelindigo.com/everettwa.

Hotel Indigo’s neighbor, a planned 266-unit apartment building located across the street and to the east, is in the first stages of construction.

Bulldozers have begun to prepare the site for two, four-story buildings.

SeaLevel Properties and Gracorp secured a $67 million construction loan last month to build Waterfront Place Apartments at 1300 and 1400 W. Marine View Drive. The north building, with 135 units, is targeted for completion in spring 2021. The 131-unit south building is expected to follow in summer 2021.

Janice Podsada; jpodsada@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3097; Twitter: JanicePods