E

The Inn at the Market wants $20 per night for valet parking...does anyone know of a cheaper alternative for stashing the rental car nearby? I'm not familiar with the neighborhood at all...
Right now the plan is to rent the car at the airport for the 4 days we'll be there, but we will actually use it to drive out of the city on only 2 of the days; so should I consider just renting for the day instead, and is that easy to do near the Inn?
Your advice is appreciated...

SuchAZ

The Inn at the Market is in downtown Seattle, so parking is expensive. I haven't lived in Seattle for a few years now, so maybe someone will have some more recent info, but from what I remember, there are a few small outdoor lots nearby; I suspect they wouldn't be much cheaper, and there would be more risk of loss or damage. I don't remember any car rental places nearby. Considering the cost of the Inn, $20 is more than reasonable in my opinion.

Gardyloo

Yeah, that's right - the open lots are not much cheaper (the Market is a mega tourist draw, the the parking lot owners can get away with murder.) There's a covered garage a block or so from the Inn (next to Cutter's) that might be a few bux cheaper, but it won't offer in-and-out, which the hotel probably will, so the hotel might end up being cheaper. I'd rent by the day if the $20 is too big a pain.

PamSF

We've stayed at the Inn at the Market a few times and thought the parking ended up being pretty reasonable. We ended up walking most of the other places in downtown. There are places downtown to rent which we have also done when we are on our way out of town following conferences. The parking at Inn at the Market is so central and probably ultimately cheaper than any other lots in the area. You might check at the lot under "Cutters" but I think that usually ends up costing us $12/day. I don't know if you can park overnight there or not.

Tansy

I'd go with the $20 per day, I think the convenience will be worth it and you won't find much cheaper in downtown Seattle.
Also, Metro buses are free anywhere downtown, so you can easily hop on and off and go to Pioneer Square, the waterfront, all over the place! Check the bus maps at bus stops, they indicate the "ride free zone" which covers a LOT of ground.

E

OK, thanks everybody, we'll go with the hotel's parking. $20 is reasonable, as it does include in-out--sometimes the Bargain Hunter in me gets out of control!

lori_f

if you're really not going to use the car for two of the four days you're here, you might consider getting a rental only for the days you need it. a taxi from the airport to the Inn will cost you about $30 (i think there's a flat $25 airport/downtown rate). there are several rental car offices within walking distance of the market. if you can find a good rate for the two days you need the car, then you'll save $$ in the long run. as a poster above mentioned, buses within the downtown corridor are free (otherwise $1.00/1.25)taxis are pretty cheap for in-city transport. though, if you're staying at the inn at the market, you can't be TOO budget conscious!

whatever you decide, have fun while you're here!

traveler24

IMO a car in Seattle is un-necessary.
2 Yrs ago we stayed in Seattle and used the "free"zone with great convenience.
When we wanted to do some sightseeing in the out of town areas.
We walked over two blocks to the National car rental office and picked up our car ( We were staying at the Mayflower Hotel-which is downtown "inside" a 3-4 storied shopping mall.)
My grand daughter loved the location,
"Historic" hotel,shopping and food adjacent, "free"mass transit in basement and direct access to the Monorail. Teen-ager heaven