William Howard Taft, 27th US president, was the first registered guest at the Sorrento, an imposing Italianate hotel known since its birth in 1909 as the jewel of Seattle. The combination of luxurious appointments, over-the-top service and a pervasive sense of class add up to a perfect blend of decadence and restraint.
The beautiful on-site Fireside Lounge is one of the coziest places in Seattle to flop down with a stiff drink.
Oh – and it's allegedly haunted.