Patrick--OMG, isn't that asparagus good?! We used to live in Yakima and my dad would bring boxes of it down to my sorority when I was in college. I still love the stuff! Have a good drive down here today. We came home last night instead. Horrid traffic, much worse than normal, so hopefully it will be clear for you.

Patrick~ Thanks for checking in with us. I was thinking of you (since I'm here in Seattle) and wondering how things turned out. I'd also like to ask about the Belltown Inn. And thanks for the reminder about 2Bells, I haven't been there in ages and it's right near my office.

Is Palace Kitchen open for lunch? I just might go have that poached egg on asparagus---love that combination!

I really like the Belltown Inn. I easily got a room rate of $99 for Friday and for Saturday nights. When I was there on a Tuesday a couple weeks ago, they only charged me $79! The rooms are very newly redone and colorful and contemporary. There is a refrigerator for you personal use (including a free water and a couple of free soft drinks) and a microwave with free popcorn! Normally they have some parking permits (I think $10 or $15 for the night) for a nearby lot. But otherwise you must park on the street at pay stations. For me that worked fine -- and they had NO permits available. Parking is free from 6 pm till 8 pm. And yesterday (Saturday) I put the car in the same "permit" lot for $5.75 for all day.
High Speed Internet is $5 a day -- beats the $14.95 a day here at the Westin in Portland!!!

One issue might be that there is no AC in the rooms at the Belltown. There are ceiling fans and at nearly any time opening a window gives you cooler air than you need. But on Friday and Saturday night I did have to close the windows due to the noise from all the bars and clubs near by.

If returning to Seattle, I'd grab the Belltown Inn in a second. Of course I liked others I've stayed in -- The Andra, Inn at the Market, Inn at Harbor Steps, and the Alexis a bit better in some but not in all ways. But none of them comes close to matching that price!!

I'm pretty sure Palace Kitchen is only open for dinner.

How big was your room at the Belltown (approx square footage)? That would be my main concern. I visited a friend who was staying there temporarily when he moved to town a couple years ago and the room he was in was *tiny*--like a ship cabin--maybe 150 sf if that.

Good to know about the AC situation.

And yes, Palace Kitchen is only open for dinner.

Good to know about the Belltown Inn. I put together a trip for friends last year, and got some good tips for them here. The Belltown sounds like it might have also filled the bill.

Your descriptions of your meals has now made me hungry!

Thanks for the report back. Have new places to put on the list now.

I appreciate the tip on Belltown Inn. I'll make a point to walk by at lunch-time some day and take a peak. Very handy information for when friends come to visit me. Thanks again.

My rooms at the Belltown both times were the same and I had the impression nearly all the rooms are the same.

Queen bed with about 2 to 3 feet and a nightstand on one side, a nightstand and a chair on the other -- in maybe 5 feet. There is a desk and desk chair. Sizeable open closet. There is a wet bar as you enter with a smallish undercounter refrig with tiny freezer, a fairly large sink with garbage disoposal, a microwave, and coffee maker with STarbucks coffees and Orville R. popcorn. The bath is standard -- tub shower but with one of those nice outwardly curving shower rods that gives you more room, a pedestal sink, and toilet.

If I were to guess, the actual room must be about 12 by 14, plus the sink area in the hallway.

For comparison I'm now in a "deluxe" room at the Westin in Portland, and although it has a king, not queen bed, I'd guess the room is about 2 feet wider but the same length as the one at the Belltown or maybe 1 foot longer.