Starwood Hotels, the hotel brand management company that operates Baccarat Hotels, 1 Hotels, and Treehouse Hotels, has announced the appointment of Nijad Fares as General Manager of 1 Hotel Seattle…
With more than 20 years of international hospitality experience across lifestyle, luxury, and boutique hotels in Japan, California, Hawaii, and Switzerland, Fares brings extensive expertise in hotel operations, team leadership, guest experience, and food and beverage. In his new role, he will oversee all aspects of operations at 1 Hotel Seattle, which opened in May 2025 in the city’s South Lake Union neighborhood. The 153-room property marked 1 Hotels’ debut in the Pacific Northwest and has since earned a MICHELIN Key, establishing a strong presence in Seattle’s luxury hospitality landscape.
Image credit: 1 Hotel Seattle
“Nijad brings a thoughtful approach to hospitality and a proven ability to build strong teams, elevate the guest experience, and drive operational performance,” commented Starwood Hotels CEO Raul Leal. “His international experience, passion for people, and appreciation for nature make him a natural fit for 1 Hotels, and we’re excited to welcome him to Seattle as we continue to build on the hotel’s success.”
“I’m thrilled to join 1 Hotel Seattle and become part of a brand whose values resonate so strongly with my own,” said Fares. “Throughout my career, I’ve always believed that exceptional hospitality starts with genuine human connection, both with our guests and within our teams. Seattle’s deep connection to nature makes it an incredible setting for 1 Hotels, and I look forward to working alongside the team to continue creating meaningful experiences for our guests and the local community.”
Fares joins 1 Hotel Seattle following his role as General Manager of Aloft Osaka Dojima, where he elevated guest satisfaction, strengthened team engagement, improved financial performance, and reduced annual talent turnover to 10%. Under his leadership, the hotel’s leadership index improved by 51 points and achieved a top-five ranking in Japan.
Throughout his career, Fares has held leadership positions at Tokyo EDITION, W Hollywood, Viceroy Santa Monica, Clift Hotel San Francisco, The St. Regis Monarch Beach, and several Westin and Sheraton properties. His experience includes opening signature restaurants and bars, leading hotel openings and renovations, achieving strong regional service-audit results, and directing multimillion-dollar capital improvement projects. At Clift Hotel, he also introduced a rooftop herb garden and beehives, reflecting an early commitment to thoughtful hospitality and a connection to nature.
A Certified Sommelier and Six Sigma Green Belt, Fares holds a Bachelor of Arts in Hotel Management from Washington State University’s Swiss Branch and a Swiss Diploma in Hotel Management from Institut Hôtelier César Ritz. He speaks English, French, and Arabic fluently and is developing his conversational Japanese.
Set in the trendsetting South Lake Union neighborhood, 1 Hotel Seattle offers a nature-inspired urban retreat with expansive views of the city skyline and Space Needle. The 153-room sustainable sanctuary draws inspiration from the Pacific Northwest’s natural beauty and cultural heritage, blending thoughtful craftsmanship and biophilic design through reclaimed wood finishes, stone-clad millwork, custom live-edge furniture, and lush greenery. With its thoughtful design, locally inspired dining, and commitment to sustainability, 1 Hotel Seattle is a destination where guests can immerse themselves in the natural beauty and cultural richness of the region while enjoying the highest standards of comfort and luxury.
Main image credit: Kelsey Bumsted / 1 Hotel Seattle
