I stayed in Hotel Andra last May when it first opened. (Lola, the Tom Douglas restaurant was not yet open.) It's well-located and the rooms are very nice and comfortable. It's walking distance to everything in downtown Seattle. I paid a lot less than they're charging now but my partner and I really had a good time there (it was his birthday present) and a great dinner at Assagio, the Italian restaurant just outside the door.

Actually I would be leaning toward the Andra if it was only for ourselves, except that our friends have never been to Seattle or the Pacific Northwest, so it seems the waterfront should be more the attraction. They stay in nice cities everywhere, but not all have the waterfront. Decisions, decisions.

We really enjoyed our waterfront stay at the Edgewater Hotel. www.edgewaterhotel.com I think Inn at the Market has a some water view rooms, but even there you're not directly on the waterfront.

The Beatles actually fished from their hotel room there! Still deciding between the Edgewater again since we loved it so much and the Fairmont Olympic! ***kim*** :)

OK here's the deal. I live in Seattle but have stayed at most of the hotel's mentioned for special events, new years etc. Also, have lived downtown for a year.
The city is pretty small so you can get everywhere, including the waterfront within 5 minutes max, walking. So, pick the hotel based on other varibles; price, quality, theme, restaurants, etc.
Inn at Harbor Steps is more like a B&B in the city. Fairmont is more formal. Andra is contempory, comfortable and has great food and beverage advantages. Overall, I'd pick the Andra, but check out all the websites and go from there.

Kimamom: Your question is impossible to answer. Which is better, Vancouver or Victoria?

Vancouver is a big city, Victoria is a much smaller city, almost a town. It's like asking which is better: San Francisco or Carmel.

which is better, an apple or an orange? :)

Go to both, take your car across to Victoria on the ferry, you're going to need it. Don't stay at the Empress. Try a B&B, which would be more characteristic of Victoria. Visit Butchart Gardens over there. Summertime it's gorgeous - you'll need your car to get to the Gardens.

Vancouver has everything that a big city has to offer and more. It's very cosmopolitan but very charming. And the food scene is marvellous.

Take the drive north of Vancouver on the Sea to Sky Highway. It's breathtaking.

Go east to Lake Okanagan and the wonderful wine region there. They have four wine festivals a year. Try to get to Okanagan for one of these festivals. The area residents have their own Loch Ness monster staying in Lake Okanagan. You couldn't ask for more!

Enjoy!

We spent four nights at the Andra this fall and really liked our large room and the location.

thanks, everyone - unless I hear more good buzz about the Inn At Harbor Steps, looks like I'll be picking the Hotel Andra!

Thanks easytraveler, I'll be posting more questions later on the Canada board. My daughter brought a friend along on our snowboarding trip and she said they had spent some time in Vancouver golfing last summer and loved the place! Happy Holidays! ***kim** ((l))