Camlin Hotel

The Camlin Hotel is an historic hotel in downtown Seattle, Washington. The story of the hotel is intertwined with the story of Seattle. The hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.HistoryDesignThe architect for the Camlin was Carl L. Linde of Portland, a one time brewery builder, who had built the edifice to resemble an Italian castle. The 93 apartments had all of the latest conveniences, such as “shower baths” and dinettes and kitchenettes. The penthouse comprised the entire 11th floor.On October 31, 1926, the Camlin Apartment Hotel had its official opening. The Seattle Times at the time stated, “the exterior effect of the Camlin is such as to make it stand out from all parts of the city. Instinctively, the thought is born of the magnificent view of the Sound and Olympics which is to be had from the lofty windows in the rear of this edifice. Nothing has been spared in the way of expense in its construction. The Camlin stands as a monument to seat’s development, a mark which equals anything to be found anywhere on the Pacific Coast.”Finance problemsThe building of the Camlin Hotel was sponsored by Adolph Linden and Edmund W. Campbell, the President and Vice-President/Secretary of the Puget Sound Savings & Loan. However, in May, 1926, the month of the hotel's opening, a bank employee had noticed some questionable withdrawals, and had brought them to the attention of the bank's board. The withdrawals included $866,000 to finish the Camlin Hotel.