Hi all, my husband and I will be attending a conference in Seattle late July 2007. The Convention centre is handling accommodation and the above options are available for similiar costs. I understand the Mayflower is slightly further away than the other two options from the Convention centre but wonder if anyone has any other comments to help me decide? Thanks.

I really like the Mayflower Park Hotel because it's an older classy traditional kind of hotel. Mayflower is closer to shopping, Pike Place Market, and the Waterfront. The Sheraton is just a typical Sheraton, but you're right closer by a few blocks to the convention center. I've not heard of the Pike Street Suites.

I love the Mayflower--it is connected by a side door to a 3 level shopping center with a "food area "for a quick lunch--good food. It is a easy walk to Pikes market. It is also in the "downtown"area that has free bus transportation on the city sreeets. I also have not heard of Pike street suites --Maybe irt has another name???

Maybe it's the Summerfield Suites by Hyatt which is on Pike Street?

You have three distinctive choices.

The Sheraton is immediately west of the Convention Center. They are constructing a new tower of rooms which may be open by the time you visit.

The Mayflower is a 1920s "boutique" style hotel in a convenient location a short walk from the Convention Center.

Pike Stree Suites must be Summerfield Suites (1011 Pike), immediately west of the Convention Center. I believe this property is geared toward "extended stays" and may include some kind of breakfast with the room rate.

All these properties are near the retail core, but The Sheraton and The Mayflower are better situated.

If I could get a room in the new tower at The Sheration, that is where I would book.

It's really a matter of your preference or style, they would all work for your purposes. I like the older hotels. Mayflower Park is a classic. Also has a good restaurant and excellent bar downstairs. As with older hotels, rooms are likely smaller than the more modern ones.

Thanks guys. Yes, I think what our conference website calls Pike Street Suites is indeed the Summerhill Suites. I am leaning toward them at the moment because we will be staying for 7 nights and suites will offer us kitchen facilities and separate bedroom etc. Has anyone any personal experience here?

I stayed at the Summerfield Suites once years ago during a heat wave (before I broke down and bought an air conditioner). It was fine then, but I've heard it could use some renovations. Actually I think it's scheduled to be renovated and reopened as a Homewood Suites--I saw a press release about that recently with the name change but can't remember the details of the timing of the renovation, so you might want to ask about that.

No personal experience, since I live here, but I'd probably pick it just to get a kitchen. Then you can shop down at Pike Place Market - yum!

Hi Suze, I'm going to "latch" on to you now that you've confessed to being a local - hope you don't mind! Can you offer any advice re transportation from Seattle to Victoria? Would like to take ferry for something unique (for us) but a bit confused about where to depart from and whether we should take a car from Seattle or pick up in Victoria (cost not too different when booked from Australia.) Can you (or anyone else!) offer any advice here? Thanks.

Seattle to Victoria, the easiest way is to take the Victoria Clipper. It's a shuttle that will take you there. In my experience, a car is not necessary up in Victoria. It's not all that big and transportation can be arranged to any sites not within walking distance.

That is of course assuming that you are going for a short trip of a day or two and staying somewhere central in Victoria.

We visited both cities in 2005 and took a Kenmore Air float plane from Seattle to Victoria. It was expensive but a wonderful experience. We took the ferry (Victoria Clipper) back to Seattle.

We stayed at the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe which was ideally situated. We had no car in either city. This hotel has a car service that takes guests almost anywhere in the city free. Additionally, we used the water taxis frequently which are very inexpensive and fun (don't miss the Saturday morning ballet they perform to the strains of the Blue Danube). The hotel has a pier where they stop.

We absolutely love Victoria. Fell in love with the city while on an Alaska cruise in June and returned in August.

ozgirl- happy to help. here's more details on the hotels. i realized that i drive right by SummerField Suites on the way to work everyday! It is RIGHT on the freeway (I-5) so that might be something to consider re possible constant traffic noise.

Also here's there locations in relation to both the Convention Center and Pike Place Market:

Suites- 12 blks to Mkt; 6 blks to CC
Mayflower- 4 blks to Mkt; 5 blks to CC
Sheraton- 6 blks to Mkt; 1 blk to CC

I've only been to Victoria 2x. I caught the Victoria Clipper round-trip from the waterfront in Seattle once. And another drove up by car with family and took the Clipper one-way home the other time.

OOps, there are two hotels ~~ SummerHill Suites by Marriott and SummerField Suites by Hyatt. They are both near the freeway but the Hyatt is more central than the Marriott.

FYI, you CAN'T take a car to Victoria if you want to leave from Seattle. That is a passenger only vessel. To take a car you do to drive a couple hours either to Port Angeles or Anacortes (from which you take the ferry to Sidney, near Victoria). Those ferries allow cars.

Or the ferry from Tsawwassen (south of Vancouver) to Swartz Bay, which I prefer to the Anacortes/Sidney run because it runs more frequently and takes about half as long (but of course the drive from Seattle to Twawwassen is about an hour or more longer than the drive to Anacortes, depending on the wait at the border).

Thank you everyone. We will be continuing on from Victoria to Tofino and then further into BC and Alberta so will need a car eventually. My thought was to take the passenger only Clipper from Seattle and then pick up car in Victoria - this then avoid a border crossing by car which sounds like it can be tediousand a lengthy drive? How easy/difficult would it be to get to where the Clipper leaves from our hotel (if we stick with the Suites?)

A little too far to walk but under $10 taxi fare, I'm guessing.

Hi everyone,
I know this is a very old thread.
I am wondering if this info is still correct.
We will be wanting to get from Vancouver Island to Seattle.
Is the ferry still in action?
Lordy

If the address is 1011 Pike Street, that property is now a Homewood Suites--a Hilton brand we liked in Chicago and Phoenix.

The Clipper sails between Seattle and Victoria: http://www.clippervacations.com

HTTY