Much like the eclectic city itself, Seattle's lodging offers something for everyone. There are grand, ornate vintage hotels; sleek and elegant modern properties; green hotels with yoga studios and enough bamboo for an army of pandas; and cozy bed-and-breakfasts with sweet bedspreads and home-cooked breakfasts.
Travelers who appreciate the anonymity of high-rise chains can comfortably stay here, while guests who want to feel like family can find the perfect boutique inn to lay their heads.
Two of the newest properties on the scene affirm Seattle's growing status as a world-class city: the Thompson Seattle, a boutique hotel with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook Pike Place Market and Elliott Bay, and the Kimpton Palladian, a stylish and sophisticated urban retreat in a landmark 1910 building. Meanwhile, a pair of the city's most classic and sought-after Downtown digs have recently undergone dramatic modern transformations: the Fairmont Olympic and the Inn at the Market. A number of other tried-and-true hotels have upped the ante as new competition looms, a boon for visitors to this booming city.
Unfortunately, there’s no getting around the fact that staying in Seattle is expensive. Unless you’re willing to sleep in a hostel, expect to pay at least $130–$200 a night for basic accommodations anywhere in-city. Budget travelers will want to look outside the Downtown core, or try to finagle deals from online booking sites. And as always, the devil is in the details: parking fees, charges for Wi-Fi, and additional costs for view rooms can bump nightly rates $100 or more. As travelers have felt the squeeze, some hotels have responded with lower prices, special packages, and sensible extras, like free parking or meal vouchers. Many hotel bars and restaurants are also offering happy hours, sometimes twice a day, with an emphasis on food as well as cocktails.
And with all the convention and cruise travelers, high season can mean a scramble to find anything in the center of town. Never fear, though—most of the neighborhoods have relatively quick access to Downtown; a couple, like Queen Anne, South Lake Union, and Capitol Hill, are a quick walk away, and many hotels offer free shuttles to the core. Take a deep breath, book ahead, and aim high—you never know what sort of deals you might find.
