1 Hotel Seattle has appointed Nijad Fares as General Manager, bringing an international hospitality professional with experience across lifestyle, luxury and boutique hotels to the 153-room property in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighbourhood.
Fares brings a career spanning Japan, California, Hawaii and Switzerland, with experience across hotel operations, team leadership, guest experience and food and beverage. In his new role, he will oversee the hotel’s overall operations, including guest experience, team leadership and food and beverage performance.
To Lead Operations at 1 Hotel Seattle
Fares will oversee the day-to-day operations of 1 Hotel Seattle, with responsibility across guest services, team performance and food and beverage operations.
His background includes hotel openings and renovations, restaurant and bar launches, service audits and capital improvement projects. This experience will support his broader responsibilities at the Seattle property as he works with teams across the hotel to maintain operational performance and guest service standards.
Brings International Hospitality Experience
Fares joins 1 Hotel Seattle from Aloft Osaka Dojima in Japan, where he served as General Manager. During his tenure, he focused on guest satisfaction, team engagement and financial performance. Annual talent turnover was reduced to 10%, while the hotel’s leadership index improved by 51 points to reach a top-five ranking in Japan.
Earlier in his career, Fares held leadership positions at Tokyo EDITION, W Hollywood, Viceroy Santa Monica, Clift Hotel San Francisco and The St. Regis Monarch Beach. His experience also includes roles with Westin and Sheraton properties.
His career across different hotel brands and markets has given him exposure to lifestyle, luxury and boutique hospitality, as well as operational leadership in diverse destinations.
Experience Across Openings and Renovations
Fares has worked on hotel openings and renovations, restaurant and bar openings, service audits and capital improvement projects. His operational experience also includes initiatives connecting hospitality with environmental and nature-focused practices.
At Clift Hotel San Francisco, he introduced a rooftop herb garden and beehives as part of the property’s connection to nature. The experience aligns with his broader interest in integrating operational practices with a hotel’s surrounding environment.
His background in food and beverage also adds experience relevant to 1 Hotel Seattle’s dining operations, alongside his wider responsibilities across hotel performance and guest experience.
Leadership Focused on People and Performance
Commenting on the appointment, Starwood Hotels CEO Raul Leal said,
“Nijad brings a thoughtful approach to hospitality and a proven ability to build strong teams, elevate the guest experience, and drive operational performance. 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.”
Fares said,
“I’m thrilled to join 1 Hotel Seattle and become part of a brand whose values resonate so strongly with my own. 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.”
Building on 1 Hotel Seattle’s Operations
Fares brings a combination of international hotel management experience, operational expertise and a focus on team engagement to his new position. His previous leadership experience includes improving employee engagement, managing financial performance and overseeing operational projects across multiple hospitality environments.
At 1 Hotel Seattle, he will now lead the 153-room property while focusing on guest experience, team leadership and food and beverage operations.
Supporting a Nature-Led Hospitality Approach
Fares’ experience with initiatives connecting hotel operations to nature also complements the positioning of 1 Hotel Seattle. His appointment brings together his background in lifestyle hospitality and operational leadership with a market known for its connection to the outdoors.
Alongside his professional experience, Fares is a Certified Sommelier and Six Sigma Green Belt. He 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 and is also developing conversational Japanese.
