Seattle Hotel Choices
 

My husband and I are planning a trip to Seattle in mid-March and would like recommendations on hotels in the downtown area. We are considering The Edgewater, Inn at the Market, Alexis, The Sorento, or the Grand Hyatt but are not opposed to other ideas. Are there any areas of Seattle that we should avoid?

For quality and value (surprisingly great rates are often available on weekends) I favor the Grand Hyatt.
The Edgewater doesn't belong on the list with the others IMO. The Inn at the Market is a good choice also. I'd rank the Sorrento and Alexis below (rooms are tired IMO).

I think you would be happiest at a hotel in the vicinity of the Hyatt, Sheraton, or Westin. They are centrally located. Check out a map of hotel locations and keep in mind that some downtown streets going east-west are hill climbs.

I stayed at the Westin in Seattle and thought the rooms were great with a wall of windows. The bathroom was excellent too. It is centrally located - within walking distance to Pike's Market and some shopping, etc.

I love the INN at the Market ( right in the heart of things) or Hotel Monaco ( a superb luxury hotel>>>>

Definitely the Edgewater! It has recently been remodeled and it is absolutely gorgeous! We chose it because it was right on the water. The views are just amazing from the property.

We were very impressed with the concierge who met our every need. They even got us into Salty's on a Sat. night and ordered a comp limo to pick us up. The hotel shuttle was excellent. We did not drive in the four days we were there.

Get in under the Breakfast on the Bay package. You can order anything on the menu with no limit. The views from the restaurant Six Seven are beautiful.

We also enjoyed turndown service, robes, and all the nice amenities. The rooms are decorated very tastefully in Northwest decor. Teddy bears on the beds, furry bear footstools for putting your feet up in front of the fireplace after a long day of sight-seeing.

We will be staying here again this summer and chose it over the Olympic because of the beautiful location.

Ted, when was the last time you stayed here? www.edgewaterhotel.com Have a great time in Seattle! ***kim*** :)

Kim- what was the rate you got on the Edgewater???

I would probably skip the Edgewater in March - it's likely to be raining and there's nowhere you can walk to quickly under cover from the Edgewater. My picks from your list would be the Inn at the Market <i>only if</i> you can get a water view, not a street view, room. Tie for second between the Hyatt and the Alexis. You might also see if you can get a rate for the Monaco, also a Kimpton hotel (like the Alexis.) All the above (not the Sorrento, which, while a lovely place, is not as conveniently located as the others) will be good choices in the event you want to get around the city center without constant umbrella headaches or reliance on irregular waterfront transit (bus or trolley.)

Kim: I haven't been inside the Edgewater in several years, certainly not since the recent renovation you referred to. The reason I don't think it belongs on the list of Seattle's top downtown hotels is because the Edgewater really doesn't compete in the luxury or business-luxury hotel segment.
If you take a look at a room at the Grand Hyatt or the (former Four Seasons) Fairmont Olympic you'll see what I mean. Those hotels use imported wood panelling, lots of marble and elegant fixtures in the bathrooms, expensive linens, and beautiful public areas suitable for impressing business associates.
The Edgewater's niche is more toward families, casual travellers, etc. The hotel doesn't try to compete for the business/expense account crowd. The decor is more rustic, almost cabin-style. And that's how the Edgewater wants to market itself: as an unstuffy, more casual alternative to the business hotels, but still a nice place to stay.

The original poster didn't even specify whether or not he/she wanted rustic vs. more upscale digs, but looking at the list provided my guess is he/she wanted the latter. I could be wrong, and if so, the Edgewater might be a better recommendation because of its unique water views.
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the Edgewater at all. I'm just trying to match what I think the OP's desires are to what's available in Seattle.
The Edgewater is more memorable IMO than the Hyatt or the new Marriott or the Westin because it's very unique. Just depends on what appeals to the individual.

In response to your fantastic reviews of the hotels that I originally listed, we're looking more for quality and preferrably quiet. We live in Florida on the coast so waterview is not a factor to us. We will be arriving in Seattle after visiting Victoria, BC for 4 days and will only have 2 full days to explore Seattle, so a hotel that's convienent, clean, quiet, and preferrably 4 star is preferred. Any great discount web sites would be welcome too.
Thanks for the information so far, keep it coming!

I got a great rate for the Elliot Grand Hyatt on luxurylink.com Excellent hotel, first class staff and great location. For charm try the Inn at Harbor Steps and Inn at Market.

Just a quick bit of trivia for the Edgewater as a former employee there. Remember that the &quot;Edge&quot; was where the Beatles stayed in the 60's during their US Tour and that the Edge is also the place where many touring bands will end their tours becuse of this. It is one of those incognito places to see very interesting people, not with standing the fact that you really can/could fish from your window. When I worked there the Chef would filet it and cook it for your dinner. Be sure and request a harbour side view...it's a lot of fun!

Yes, it actually is right on the water! After researching all the properties in Seattle, we considered Inn at the Market or the Fairmont Olympic. My hubby wanted to be right on the water and my daughter wanted the pool at the Fairmont.

We decided to go with the Edgewater for the beautiful views of Elliott Bay. I enjoyed watching all the ferries and water traffic from our hotel window. You just don't have that with the other places. It was so Seattle!! We also loved all the fireplaces on the property, the games set out in the lobby and just the basic &quot;willingness to please&quot; attitude of the staff here. It was a perfect stay!!

Their restaurant the Six Seven has also recently received awards and very good reviews. ***kim***

I first stayed at the Alexis. It was very nice. Next time I stayed at Inn at the Market. No comparison. I'd stay there again in a heartbeat!

cmcfong: what range is considered a great rate?

Grand Hyatt, hands down the best!!!!

This post is so old that a couple of better choices than most of these didn't even exist then -- The Andra and the Inn at Harbor Steps.

I'm not sure why this was dug up from two years ago.