8 Cool Spots to Crash in Seattle
Seattle boasts an attractive downtown, making it the core of most trips to the city, both waterfront and beyond, around the Pike Place Market area. Most accommodations are centered downtown, whether in business hotels in the downtown towers with four or five stars, or smaller three-star hotels on the fringes of the financial center. Just north of downtown, connected by a super cool monorail, is the city's symbol, the Space Needle. This iconic tower is the heart of the Seattle Center, the site of the 1962 World's Fair, and a hub for museums and attractions.
Before you rush to find a flight to Seattle, want to get to know the Emerald City a bit?
For the complete guide to traveling in Seattle, click here…
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Five-Star Hotels in the Center of Seattle
Grand Hyatt Seattle
The Grand Hyatt is a five-star business hotel from the international giant chain based in Chicago. It's one of the largest and most central hotels in Seattle's business district, offering a totally cool urban stay with a stunning view of the downtown towers. The hotel is adjacent to Seattle's convention center, just a ten-minute walk from Pike Place Market. Despite the city's formal and prestigious status, it's a user-friendly hotel, with relatively large and pristine rooms, a big gym, and an inviting lobby.
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Four Seasons Hotel Seattle
The Four Seasons in Seattle is the finest hotel in the city in terms of quality and location, and understandably one of the less wallet-friendly options. This five-star deluxe luxury hotel is located just across from the Seattle Art Museum, a minute's walk from the waterfront and Pike Place Market. It's a stylish urban hotel with amazing rooms (both the room itself and the bay view), a very high culinary level, a stunning rooftop pool, and all possible luxury functions.
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Fairmont Olympic Hotel
The Fairmont Olympic is among the finest hotels in Seattle. It's a five-star hotel from the Canadian hospitality giant based in Toronto, located near I-5, just five blocks from the Seattle Art Museum. The hotel features spacious and well-equipped rooms, good culinary standards, an inviting lobby and bar, and a totally cool indoor pool area. While it's not as luxurious as the Four Seasons (you could rate it between 4 and 5 stars), it offers a very high-quality accommodation option in the city.
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4-star hotels in the heart of Seattle
The Sound Hotel Seattle Belltown, Tapestry Collection
The Sound Hotel is an experience in itself, rising up as a sleek and tall skyscraper in the prestigious Belltown district. It's a newly established four-star hotel where the main attraction is, of course, the panoramic view from the rooms. The hotel boasts relatively spacious rooms, a lobby and restaurant that, while not large, are certainly adequate, a cool modern design, and everything you need for an urban adventure in Seattle. The hotel is just a 10-minute walk from Pike Place Market amidst luxury residential towers.
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Mayflower Park Hotel
A wonderful four-star hotel right in the heart of Seattle. The Mayflower Park is a short walk from Pike Place Market in a historic skyscraper. The hotel is very popular, boasts high service standards, well-equipped rooms, a small but charming lobby, and a great restaurant. The hotel's biggest advantage is its location, paired with the unique character of the building.
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Crowne Plaza Seattle, an IHG Hotel
The Crowne Plaza from the hotel giant IHG (the brand is American but the chain is British) is located in the heart of downtown, not far from the I-5 and the Fairmont, and next to the Kimpton, also part of IHG. This is a shimmering skyscraper hotel (black from the eighties) that has aged a bit but still offers a comfortable and pleasant urban stay in the center of Seattle. The hotel has small but well-equipped rooms with views, an excellent restaurant, a charming lobby with a bar, and everything needed for a downtown experience.
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Excellent 3-Star Hotels in the Heart of Seattle
Palihotel Seattle
The Palihotel is a three-star hotel in the most central location in downtown Seattle, on First Avenue right across from the entrance to Pike Place Market. This is a charming three-star hotel with good service that, aside from the perfect location, also offers a wonderfully enjoyable yet unpretentious hotel experience. The hotel features rooms that are not large but comfortable and well-equipped, a small lobby with a cute restaurant, and even beautiful views from some rooms.
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Best Western Plus Pioneer Square Hotel Downtown
The Best Western Plus is a three-star hotel from the hotel and motel giant based in Phoenix, Arizona (originally from California). This is a small and wonderful hotel right next to the square that is the heart of the developing Pioneer Square district and opposite the historic Smith Tower. The Best Western Plus is an impressively efficient three-star hotel with relatively large and well-equipped rooms, a small breakfast restaurant, and a small lobby. It is purely a hotel for a comfortable sleep in an excellent location in the heart of the city.
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4 Guy's Tips for a Perfect Stay in Seattle
Seattle is one of the most unique cities in the United States. It's a city with its own character – misty, cold, yet very cultural and essentially one of the most vital sources of iconic American brands from Jimi Hendrix to Starbucks and Microsoft. There aren't many sunny days in Seattle, but when the skies clear up (mostly in the summer) and the mists over the bay dissipate, the city reveals itself in full glory with plenty of bodies of water, sparkling towers, and the monumental Mount Rainier standing watch from the southeast.
Downtown Seattle is a classic American city center filled with towering high-rises, a vibrant urban atmosphere, and must-visit spots during your city exploration. The heart of downtown is Pike Place Market, one of the oldest and most famous city markets in the United States. Below the market lies the waterfront with plenty of entertainment spots on the piers at Elliott Bay, like the giant Ferris wheel and the city's aquarium.
At the top of the hill is the financial district with skyscrapers, the tallest of which is the Columbia Center. South of the financial district, in Pioneer Square, urban atmosphere and residential areas blend seamlessly. Close by is Chinatown International, the city's most vibrant ethnic enclave. Northwards lies the Belltown neighborhood, towards the Space Needle, home to the gentry, with primarily luxury residential towers.
- Hotel Character – The hotel vibe in Downtown Seattle is entirely urban, and most of the time spent in hotels is actually in the room. The five and four-star hotels have large lobbies and restaurants (some extremely luxurious) and occasionally indoor pools that you might barely have time to enjoy. The hotels themselves are meticulously designed, very modern, and the service level is excellent and above.
- Lodging in Downtown Seattle – A large portion of the city's hotels are located in the downtown area. These are generally good to excellent hotels, rated three to four stars, with many being fantastic boutique hotels. Generally, it's a good idea to stay as close as possible to the heart of the city and Pike Place Market.
- Hotels and Motels Near Sea-Tac Airport – Right next to the airport, off Highway 5, along Route 99, there's a huge variety of four-star business hotels. You'll find hotels from all the major chains and loads of two-star motels, also from well-known chains. This lodging area is very convenient outside of Seattle's center, mainly due to the easy connection to downtown, whether by car or public transport. It's the preferred area for tourists arriving with a car, especially because of the parking situation. Near the large Westfield Southcenter mall, just a five-minute drive from the airport on the 405, there's another large cluster of good motels.
- The Season – The best time to visit Seattle is the summer. The city is delightful in the summer, with temperatures ranging from cool to warm (though it rarely gets very hot). Summer tends to be relatively dry in terms of rainfall. But the most important part is – there isn't too much fog, so you can enjoy the view of the bays and especially the mountains. The sight of Mount Rainier from the city is simply breathtaking.
Map of Recommended Areas to Stay in Seattle
