Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Max

Hip and art-forward, the Hotel Max (for "Maximalism") blends artsy decor with punchy minimalism for an architect-office effect, and though most of the rooms are on the small side, they come with cushy trimmings. The work of local photographers is hung in the public spaces and paintings by local artists decorate the gray walls of the guest rooms—though accent colors like an orange bedspread or a red cushion save rooms from being drab. The hotel even features a Sub Pop floor, which pays homage to the famous Seattle record label that introduced the world to bands like Nirvana and Death Cab for Cutie; those rooms feature band posters and Crosley record players with a stash of vinyl albums. The downside to the Max is that rooms in the historic building can feel cramped, especially the bathrooms, which sorely lack in counter space.