lake union area-seattle
 

Can anyone tell me more about this area of Seattle--we are thinking of staying at the Silver Cloud Inn there and I'd like to know more about it--thanks!

It's just on the edge of downtown, a long walk or quick bus/cab ride to downtown. It would be great if your room had a view-the lake is a busy place with seaplanes, boats, kayakers, all sorts of activity going on. In terms of things to do on the lake, the Center for Wooden Boats is neat, and renting kayaks from the NW Outdoor Center is a great way to see the city from a different vantage point.

There is a cluster of restaurants at the south end of the lake but most of them aren't very good-Bluwater Bistro is your best bet in that area. Serafina, an Italian place a little north of your hotel, is quite nice. McCormick's and Schmick's, across the lake, has a nice outdoor deck right over the lake (they have a good happy hour).

It's a very pretty area and reasonably convenient on what I'd call the very outer edge of downtown. Will you have a rental car? Or be relying on taxi or the bus? What kinds of things are you planning to do while you're here?

Silver Cloud is a good regional chain. The property on Lake Union is a little farther north than the bulk of the restaurants on the lakeshore, but certainly walkable. IIRC like the Residence Inn (a couple of blocks south) the SC Inn offers a free breakfast and has free shuttle service downtown and to the cruise docks if that's a concern. Don't know about hours - ask the hotel.)

It's a fun area and one that I would probably prefer for a visit, as opposed to more expensive places downtown.

I believe BTW that all the rooms face the lake.

There are SC Inns in other great locations - waterfront in Mukilteo and Tacoma, on Capitol Hill and University Village in Seattle, and coming soon, one across the street from Safeco Field.

For those of you that know this area and may have stayed at either the Silver Cloud Inn or the Residence Inn-which would you prefer?