01:26 PM PDT on Saturday, October 15, 2005

By JOYCE TAYLOR / KING 5 News

SEATTLE - The old Vance Hotel on Stewart Street in downtown Seattle has been given a major makeover and a new name to go with it.

The soon to be unveiled Hotel Max is sleek, hip and eye-catching. You might even say it looks like something right out of New York City – and it’s a sightseeing trip in itself.

“If they come from Oklahoma or from New York, they feel like they learn a little bit about the city through the art, through the paintings, through the photography,” said Denise Corso, Hotel Max designer.

In fact, the new Hotel Max in downtown Seattle could actually pass for a chic, funky art gallery, highlighting the works of 39 Seattle artists and photographers.

Are you a grunge fan? Try the fifth floor and the works of local grunge photographer Charles Petersen. How many of us wouldn't like to grab our morning paper and say a quick hello to local celebs Eddie Vedder and Chris Novaselic or Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain?

The third floor is photography by Joan Broughtohn, who focuses on Seattle street performers.

The rooms also feature more original works by local artists – it’s a far cry from the old Vance Hotel with its traditional décor. The grand opening is Saturday.