Cheap hotels downtown Seattle
 

While I am a local, and often post advice, I'm needing to help friends coming to stay with me this fall.

They want a "cheap hotel downtown". I'm not sure there is one! I've got all the usual suspects covered, the Moore Hotel, Mediterranean, 6th Ave Inn, 8th Ave Inn, etc. They've got a rental car, and I've warned them about parking fees... but is there anything I'm missing?

The places we usually recommend on Lake Union, Silver Cloud, etc. are all shockingly more than I expected ($150+). Even the Moore is $82/night.

So anyone who had something somewhat cheap that was OK, would love to hear from you.

Thanks, Suze in Seattle

Have you looked at Hotwire, or try using Priceline. I see some reports on betterbidding.com and biddingfortravel.com of 3* properties downtown for about $80 or so. [4* over $100, so may not qualify as "cheap".]

No, I have never used (don't know how to use) Priceline myself, though I will certainly mention the suggestion to them, and will read at the two sights you recommend to see what people are getting in Seattle. Thank you.

The La Quinta is worthy of consideration. The rate includes parking and breakfast.

Suze, are you saying $82 is too much for them? If so, then they are not going to find anything downtown, I'm afraid.

I'm not sure I have to ask them. I think the reality of downtown Seattle hotels will be a surprise them (they live in the countryside in Vermont).

Also they aren't here for tourist activities, and are going both down to Portland and up to BC. So am thinking something outside the city, with good freeway access might work better in this situation.

I'll check out La Quina (it's right by my office).

Thanks HTTY & Wanderer!

A couple of year ago we stayed at the 6th Ave Inn, nice for budget travelers, clean, friendly front desk, very nice restaurant downstairs opened for BLD or to go. I recommend this Inn!

Thanks Faina! Good to hear.

I sent them a short-list with:
Best Western Loyal Inn
La Quinta
6th Ave Inn
8th Ave Inn
Days Inn

Thanks again everyone :-)

I think they should at least TRY Priceline. The typical Priceline strategy is to reserve a place as a backup, one you can cancel, then keep trying with Priceline (which gets new inventory all the time; e.g. you could bid today and fail but bid tomorrow at the same price and succeed). My preference for Priceline in Seattle is Lake Union zone, where you can SOMETIMES get the Residence Inn or the Courtyard by Marriott 2.5 star hotels for a good price. But this zone is tricky; there isn't availability all the time, and it depends how busy those hotels are.

The key with Priceline is not to bid too much. Just pick a limit above which you say, "It's not worth it to be locked into a non-refundable hotel to save only X dollars." You can base your bidding price on research about going rates for the hotels in the area(s) you seek. Obviously if the hotel is $129 on its own you wouldn't bid $119 on Priceline.

There's always the Mercer Island Travelodge, named the "best budget hotel in Seattle" by Frommer's. Freeway access to downtown is very easy. Looks like rooms are $80 to $90. You might go by and take a look though; there is a lot of construction near there and it may be noisy or dusty.

I stayed at the Comfort Suites Downtown in June ata rate for far less than $150 per night and there was free parking. Free Breakfast. It was a good hotel for a cheap rate.