Nijad Fares Takes General Manager Role at 1 Hotel Seattle After 20 Years in Hospitality

Starwood Hotels has appointed Nijad Fares as General Manager of 1 Hotel Seattle, bringing more than 20 years of international hospitality experience to the 153-room property. Fares will oversee hotel operations, guest experience, team leadership and food and beverage as the Seattle hotel continues to strengthen its luxury lifestyle presence.

Fares joins 1 Hotel Seattle following his role as General Manager of Aloft Osaka Dojima, where he improved guest satisfaction, strengthened employee engagement, enhanced financial performance and reduced annual talent turnover to 10%.

Why has 1 Hotel Seattle appointed Nijad Fares as General Manager?

Fares has been appointed to lead all aspects of operations at 1 Hotel Seattle, which opened in May 2025 in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighbourhood.

The appointment brings an experienced international hotel operator to a property that represents 1 Hotels’ debut in the Pacific Northwest. Since opening, the 153-room hotel has established a presence in Seattle’s luxury hospitality market and has earned a MICHELIN Key.

Fares’ background across lifestyle, luxury and boutique hotels in Japan, California, Hawaii and Switzerland provides experience relevant to the positioning of the 1 Hotels brand.

What experience does Nijad Fares bring to 1 Hotel Seattle?

Fares brings more than two decades of international hospitality experience covering hotel operations, leadership, guest experience and food and beverage.

His career has included leadership positions at Tokyo EDITION, W Hollywood, Viceroy Santa Monica, Clift Hotel San Francisco and The St. Regis Monarch Beach, alongside senior roles with Westin and Sheraton properties.

Across these positions, he has been involved in hotel openings and renovations, restaurant and bar openings, service audits and major capital improvement projects. His experience therefore extends beyond day-to-day operations into broader hotel development and performance management.

What did Fares achieve at Aloft Osaka Dojima?

Before joining 1 Hotel Seattle, Fares served as General Manager of Aloft Osaka Dojima. During his tenure, he focused on guest satisfaction, employee engagement and financial performance.

The hotel also reduced annual talent turnover to 10% under his leadership. Its leadership index improved by 51 points and the property achieved a top-five ranking in Japan.

These results highlight Fares’ focus on both commercial and people-related aspects of hotel management. His approach combines operational performance with team engagement, an important balance for lifestyle and luxury hospitality properties.

How has Fares contributed to hotel openings and renovations?

Throughout his career, Fares has worked on hotel openings, renovations and the development of food and beverage operations.

His experience includes opening signature restaurants and bars and directing multimillion-dollar capital improvement projects. These responsibilities have given him exposure to the operational requirements involved in maintaining hotel assets while also developing guest-facing experiences.

At Clift Hotel San Francisco, he introduced a rooftop herb garden and beehives, reflecting an approach that connected hospitality operations with nature and thoughtful guest experiences.

That experience aligns with the philosophy of 1 Hotels, whose positioning is strongly connected to nature-inspired design and sustainability.

What is the significance of 1 Hotel Seattle’s MICHELIN Key?

1 Hotel Seattle opened in May 2025 and marked 1 Hotels’ first property in the Pacific Northwest. The 153-room hotel has since earned a MICHELIN Key, establishing recognition within Seattle’s luxury hospitality landscape.

The MICHELIN Key distinction adds to the property’s positioning as a high-end lifestyle hotel. Fares will now oversee the property as it continues to develop its market presence.

His operational background and experience with luxury and lifestyle properties provide a foundation for maintaining service standards while supporting the hotel’s ongoing performance.

What will Nijad Fares oversee at the Seattle hotel?

As General Manager, Fares will oversee all aspects of operations at 1 Hotel Seattle. His responsibilities will encompass hotel operations, team leadership, guest experience and food and beverage.

His previous leadership experience suggests a broad management approach covering service quality, employee engagement, financial performance and operational efficiency.

At 1 Hotel Seattle, these priorities will be relevant as the property continues to build its position within Seattle’s competitive luxury hotel market.

What qualifications does Nijad Fares hold?

Fares is a Certified Sommelier and Six Sigma Green Belt, combining hospitality expertise with formal knowledge of process improvement.

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.

His international background is also reflected in his language skills. Fares speaks English, French and Arabic fluently and is developing conversational Japanese.

These qualifications complement his extensive operational experience across different hospitality markets and hotel segments.

How does Fares’ background align with the 1 Hotels brand?

1 Hotels is positioned as a mission-driven luxury lifestyle hotel brand inspired by nature. The brand combines sustainable design and architecture with luxury accommodation and service.

Fares’ experience at Clift Hotel, where he introduced a rooftop herb garden and beehives, provides one example of his previous engagement with nature-focused hospitality initiatives.

His wider experience across luxury, lifestyle and boutique hotels also fits the operational environment of 1 Hotel Seattle, where guest experience and distinctive positioning are central to the property.

What does the appointment mean for 1 Hotel Seattle?

Fares’ appointment gives 1 Hotel Seattle a General Manager with extensive experience across international hospitality markets and multiple hotel segments.

His background includes hotel operations, commercial performance, employee engagement, food and beverage and capital projects. These capabilities can support the property as it continues to establish itself in Seattle following its 2025 opening.

The appointment also adds leadership continuity to a property that has already gained recognition through its MICHELIN Key and its position as the first 1 Hotels property in the Pacific Northwest.