Chelsea1479

So I've found a great airfare with Qantas for my trip to Seattle etc in August - but it requires the purchase of at least $150 accomodation through the travel agent.

So as the conference I'm attending is at the Westin, I decided it would be easier to book this accom for Seattle, rather than Vegas, LA etc as I'm not sure on exact dates there yet (and flight + $150 accom must be booked ASAP).

So the choices that I have are the Sixth Ave Inn and the Eighth Ave Inn. Both are exactly the same price.

I know that the Sixth Ave Inn is apparently directly across from the Westin, which is great, but it's got some really awful reviews on trip advisor, which scares me.

The eighth ave inn is obviously a bit further away (can any locals comment on this as far as walking distance, time etc?)but it looks a little nicer...

Can anyone advise??

Cheers

Andrew

I'm a walker, and I've walked all over downtown Seattle. To me, the few blocks from the 8th Avenue Inn to the Westin are not even worth worrying about if I'm just walking between the hotels without bags:

http://www.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en...,0.020084&om=1

It's not unsafe as I recall although if you're not familiar with cities you might feel unsure late at night (I wouldn't blink an eye about it).

happytrailstoyou

If my choice were limited to these two older motels, I would definitely book at The Sixth Avenue Inn--it has a much better location in relation to downtown activities.

If cost were the only consideration, The Eighth Avenue Inn would have to be considerably cheaper to attract my business.

suze

I can't imagine it would take more than 10 mins. to walk to the Westin from either place. I only know them from the outside, as above, these are old motels, so don't be expecting the Ritz and you'll be OK. I'm not sure why, but I hear way more about Sixth Avenue Inn, than 8th, for whatever reason.

happytrailstoyou

My point is that both the hotels you mention are about equal in what they offer according to www.tripadvisor.com and Sixth Avenue Inn is closer to the convention center, shopping, downtown entertainment, etc.

According to maps at Yahoo, Eighth Avenue Inn and Inn at the Market are .5 miles from the convention center. If your choice were between Sixth Avenue Inn and Inn at the Market, I would recommend the latter.

Gardyloo

Five miles?? As if - try 5 blocks. (20 blocks to the mile in Seattle, i.e. 12 to the km.)

Neither place turns me on; I stayed at the 6th Ave. Inn many years ago and it was a dump then, maybe things have improved but I wouldn't be optimistic. The 8th Ave. will be a longer walk but doable.

I'd still try for Priceline while sitting on a cancelable booking for one or the other of the cheap places.

happytrailstoyou

I wrote ".5" mile which is equal to 1/2 mile, not 5 miles.

Gardyloo

Sorry.

suze

It's not the distance, it's the hotels. I would not pick either one of them for myself.

Chelsea1479

Thanks for info.

Suze - are they both really that bad that you wouldn't stay at them??

I think maybe my best bet would be to use priceline for my Seattle hotel - and if I just select somewhere downtown this should be within easy walking distance of the Westin??

And then for the AUS$150 pp required to be spent on accom booked through travel agent, I will book our nights in Vegas or San Francisco and hope that they don't charge too much (as the rates through the agent are more than booking myself - but I guess better to pay more for a couple of nights than for 5 in Seattle!).

Andrew

If you've never used Priceline before, go to a site called BiddingForTravel.com first. Also Betterbidding.com. These sites are for Priceline users. You can find out bidding strategies as well as what people have been paying for which hotels, since Priceline doesn't tell you which hotel you've received until after they've charged your credit card. Then again, you can save a ton of money with Priceline on hotels, and I've always been happy when using them.

I've used Priceline for Seattle hotels a few times. If you bid for a 3* hotel downtown, you could wind up with a hotel as far north as Seattle Center (e.g. Holiday Inn) which is quite a walk down to the Westin. On the upside if you do wind up at the Holiday Inn you could take a short bus ride to the Westin I believe.

You might bid for a 4* downtown which I'm pretty sure would get you close to the Westin (or maybe even the Westin itself). But you might have to bid quite high to win a 4*.

Another strategy: bid for a 2.5* in the Lake Union zone. While this is really a long walk to the Westin (I've done it - probably 20 minutes tops), the hotels you're likely to get - the Residence Inn or the Courtyard - have hotel shuttles that would probably drop you close to the Westin. Or, you could take a bus as well.

Chelsea1479

Hey Andrew - thanks for the reply! Very useful, esp as I've never used priceline before. Also I think I have to use the Hong Kong website (as I am an Australian and I don't have a credit card with a US address) but I figure it should be the same concept!

My late-40's Mum is coming with me and will be entertaining herself while I am at the conference - so I'd rather get a place downtown. Walking to the Westin doesn't bother me, so from what you are saying I shouldn't get somewhere further than a 20 min walk if I select downtown and 3 star??

You say I'd have to bid quite high for a 4 star - in your experience, what is 'high'? More than US$150?

Thanks!

suze

Chelsea- I'm not sure how bad is "so bad". They are just normal motels like you'd see anywhere. Not particularly appealing. I was thinking of this post driving home last night and made a point to look at 8th Ave Inn, it is quite a bit more distance from downtown (a good 3 blocks further) plus in a more industrial looking area.

Especially with your Mom along, I'd spring for a more centrally located and little bit nicer hotel in Seattle. I think it would really be worth it.

Between the two one does not appear any nicer from the outside than the other.

Or if you need a cheap one, I'd look at the Moore Hotel, over either of the ones you mention.

The hotel I like myself is the Mayflower Park, which is right near the Westin, an older hotel but very nice.

Sounds like bidding Priceline could be the way to go. Sorry I have no experience with that to assist.

NWWanderer

I would not take my mom to the Moore, and she's fine with budget hotels. It's just too basic--fine for backpackers on a budget, but I find the rooms drab and depressing (but I haven't stayed, just looked at a couple rooms since my mom doesn't like to spend a ton of money on hotels so I was checking budget places out). She and my stepfather ended up staying at the Executive Pacific Place and that was fine for them--not expensive but still decent. And that's going to be in a better neighborhood for your mom to explore from while you're at your conference. Although my parents weren't here in August--so check on whether it has A/C--I don't think it does. And I doubt the Moore does either, and it will most likely be pretty warm here in August.

If you can spring for the Mayflower Park, that's the nicest affordable accommodation downtown, I think.

Andrew

Chelsea1479, find the Seattle Hotels section to see recent successful bids on BiddingForTravel.com . I see there haven't been many successful bids for 4* hotels recently but the last one was the Westin, for US$110. The successful bid price depends on the going rate at the time at the hotel. If it's a busy time, hotel rates are higher so Priceline's will be, too. The $110 bid was for March. In August, a very busy time for Seattle, it would be much higher and you might not get anything.

It does take some time to learn the tricks of Priceline (such as free rebids - the ability to raise your price and bid again immediately in the same area on Priceline without waiting 24 hours). I'm not sure I'd recommend it to you honestly, given that this might be a one-time thing for you. But if you are willing to spend the time on it, you could save a good amount of money.

You might also look at Hotwire.com, which is similar to Priceline except that you don't have to "guess" a price - they simply tell you what the price is and you take it or leave it; only when you take it do you learn the name of the actual hotel and its location. (And it's non-refundable.) BetterBidding.com has info on people's Hotwire successes.

Chelsea1479

Problem solved!
Andrew - thanks for the hotwire tip.
I just booked a 4 star hotel in downtown Seattle for US$143 plus taxes a night.
Total price = US$834.
Converted to AUD that is about $200 cheaper than the 6th ave inn! For a FOUR star hotel!

I was hoping it would be the Westin (but that would just be too perfect!) - it ended up being the Sheraton. But I am very very happy.
About to go check out the exact location and walking distance to Westin!

Chelsea1479

Forgot to add - best available rate for my dates on the Sheraton website = US$239 + taxes... so I've saved at least US$480...

Gardyloo

Sheraton is three blocks from the Westin; 5 minutes walk provided you need to wait for the green man (which BTW everybody does in Seattle - to a pathological degree.) Congratulations!

suze

Great news! Congratulations and thanks for letting us know. The Sheraton is quite close, won't be a problem at all.