HELP - Where to stay in Seattle with (many) Kids?

[Jackie V]

We are going to be in Seattle August 18-21, before our cruise on the Sapphire Princess. Our kids are ages 9 and 12. My original plan was to try Priceline.com for a hotel in downtown Seattle, not rent a car, and do sightseeing downtown. However, we have friends who live in Washington state who have decided to join us for the weekend - only staying Friday and Saturday night. They have 4 kids, so staying in a suite for them would be most comfortable. If I used priceline, there would no guarantee of a suite, or even that we would stay at the same hotel since our we would have different length of stays.

The other family mentioned the Embassy Suites Bellevue. They currently have rates at $124/night which is reasonable. I also saw that the Embassy Suites by the airport has even less expensive rates. This would allow us to stay in suites and have a full breakfast every morning. Of course, we would then need to rent a car, but this would give us some freedom to see sights outside of downtown Seattle, such as the Beoing factory tour. What do folks think of this plan? How difficult will it be to get into Seattle from the airport every day? Or, do you have any other ideas for a reasonable place to stay with children - preferably with a pool, etc?

[cherylandtk]

Jackie, Try looking over at the "Pacific Northwest" board under ports of call, as well as the pre-post hotel board. Lots of good discussion on specific hotels and amenities, as well as stuff to do. Enjoy.

[alwalaska]

We stayed at the TownePlace Suites Seattle South/Renton Renton, WA | More hotel information >> a couple of years ago.They are listing at $109 for your time frame fro a 2 bedroom suite. There are two rooms with beds and a sofa bed and sleeps 5 people. They were pretty nice for our family. It does not include a free breakfast if I remember right, but it does have a kitchen that we stocked with cereal and milk. :) If I remember right, it took us about 20 minutes to drive into downtown, but there are some cook things to see out of town, like Snowqualmie Falls (spelling?)

 

When we went, we were also able to find a tour package on the web that included the space needle, the science museum and some of the other more common things all for 1 price that was significantly less than doing the things individually.

 

I hope this helps.

[spocruiser]

Jackie;

 

I think it really comes down to whether you want to be driving or not and what you want to do. If you stay downtown somewhere central, you will have relatively easy walking access to the Seattle Center (Space Needle, the monorail, Science Center, The "EMP" - Experience Music Project, rides & arcade); the Pike Street Market (be sure to visit the seafood market closest to the main entrance/right by the cast iron pig - watch out for flying salmon!); The Seattle Waterfront (steps & elevator by the Pike Street Market - aquarium, shops, restaurants); and lots of stores and places like Gameworks, Niketown, etc that the kids will enjoy. A very short cab or bus ride or the waterfront trolley will take you into Pioneer Square (old Seattle, Safeco Field, underground tour). Downtown will cost more and be careful of high daily parking charges if you do get a car.

 

 

If you want to do the Boeing tour, Snoqualmie Falls, the Cascade Locks or other things outside of downtown, you will want a car and you can still do downtown, although downtown Seattle traffic and parking can be rough at times.

 

 

I wouldn't recommend staying out by the airport. It can be kind of a seedy area. The Embassy Suites in Bellevue are nice, but not really next to anything other than a shopping center. If your friends live close or are otherwise familiar with Seattle, they should be able to take the lead in playing tour guide.

 

 

You might consider getting a car and staying at the downtown Hampton Inn. It is just north of the Seattle Center, so you can walk there and take the monorail into downtown, which in turn puts you blocks from Pike Street Market. I don't think they charge for parking, best to ask. They do have some suites and breakfast, although more continental than Embassy Suites. I just booked rooms there for $129 for a June baseball game trip.

 

 

Enjoy your time in Seattle. Please write a review of the Sapphire after your cruise. I booked it for next April.

[VibeGuy]

I wouldn't have any problem staying at any of the following properties near the airport (all on Intl Blvd/Hwy 99 unless otherwise noted) I've stayed there myself within the last 18 months. Some of the other brands are fine and I haven't stayed there recently, others are older/seedy/working-girl-infested. It's not a "rough" neighborhood at all.

 

Holiday Inn (on Intl. Blvd) or the HI Select (Renton)

HI Express

Hampton Inn

Courtyard

Marriott

Doubletree

Doubletree Guest Suites (Tukwila, by the mall)

Hilton

Raddisson

Red Lion (NOT the Red Lion Inn Seattle South At Boeing Field - total dive)

Coast

Prime (formerly the Wyndham)

 

Any of them are fine; the Embassy Suites Airport is actually further afield than the Doubletree by a mile or two.

 

On weekend days, the schlepp from the airport area to downtown is less than 20 minutes on your choice of two freeways. Parking is fairly inexpensive and available on the weekends near any tourist activity of note, the exception being the ballparks on game day. All bets are off for overnight or weekday parking - expect to pay as much as $27/day.

 

I would highly suggest using Priceline and getting several rooms near the airport. . .typical 3-star winning bids are on the order of $35-42 for that zone at that time of year.

 

If you wanted to be in Downtown, there's the newish Springhill Suites which is on the eastern edge of Downtown. Additionally, the Comfort Inn Seattle Center (not the Quality on Aurora - icky dive) has suites, along with the Hampton Inn Seattle Center.

 

Eric

[Jackie V]

Thanks, everyone! I did find the Homewood Suites downtown at a special rate $129 per night. We're still open to suggestions, though. Has anyone stayed at that hotel? We're still thinking about renting a car even staying downtonw, since we would have to get dwontown from the airport anyway. Maybe we could rent the car from the airport and drop it off downtown on Sunday, so we wouldn't have to go back to the airport before the cruise? Thanks for all your input, and keep it coming!!!

[vacationhappy]

Our family of four stayed at the Homewood Suites and it was great. We would definitely stay there again when visiting Seattle.

[Host Caroline]

We got a good rate at Comfort Suites Seattle Center on Roy St. -- near Space Needle and all those attractions, Seattle Ducks (walking distance), a shuttle to Pioneer Square etc. Includes breakfast and the suites are less than hotel rooms lots of places.. Just a thought..you would not need car if you stayed there

[VibeGuy]

I always forget about the Homewood, despite driving past it every day on my way to work (it's adjacent to the HAL corporate HQ, to make this slightly more cruise-related). It's excellent. My grandparents stayed there when they came up.

[frani]

where did you find the $129 RATE?

[Jackie V]

Hi. FYI - I did try the Comfort Suites, but they are sold out for my dates. Then I called the Homewood Suites 800#. They started out by quoting me $189/night. I asked for the AAA rate, but that was no help. Then the helpful reservationist found the "Home and Garden" Rate for $129/night. I have no clue what Home & Garden has to do with Homewood Suites, but it was the best rate I could find for a suite near downtown. I also tried the Silver Cloud Lake Union, but they are also sold out for those dates.

We are now leaning towards not renting the car and usine public transportation as much as possible. This way, we won't have to worry about parking, directions, etc. From what I understand, a taxi ride from the airport would be about $32?

[VibeGuy]

Actually, if you're staying at the Homewood Suites, a car would be super, as I believe their guest parking is free. The hotel itself is *slightly* out of the downtown core, and about six blocks from the edge of Seattle Center - a nice walk admittedly, but a walk nonetheless.

 

Eric

[momthecruisedirector]

You can stay in Tukwila at the Comfort Suites, it is near a family fun plex so the kids can play (video games, mini golf, go karts, batting cages). It is near the airport exit off I-5 so easy access via cab from airport and to Piers.

 

Check out the website: http://www.fun-center.com/WA/