Place To Stay In Seattle

[funlady]

Will be in Seattle awaiting an Alaskan cruise and would like to spend a few extra days in Seattle (we are from Texas). Can anyone recommend a place they have enjoyed or any to stay away from? Thanks:)

[Rick-n-MeMe]

What is your price range? I live in the Seattle area and might be able to give you some good places that are near the terminal and also near to Pike Place Market and downtown Seattle.

[newt98]

the westin in seattle is great, it is downtown, and has a great view from any exterior room. there is a restaurant on the wharf called the fishermans, which is really good, and not too expensive, and there is also anthony's on the pier, which is a little more spendy, both are really good restaurants. but there are plenty of good places for seafood in downtown seattle, so take your pick. if you are a starbucks fan, you can go get coffee at the original starbucks, directly across the street from pikes place market. good luck!

[calikak]

If you're sailing on Princess, they sail out of Terminal 30 which is in an industrial area and not really near any hotels. A better bet would be to stay either in downtown (most convenient, more expensive) or near Seattle Center (less convenient but not out in the boonies, less expensive). In downtown, the Westin is pretty ideal for tourists--it's near the shopping district and not far from Pioneer Square. Near Seattle Center, I've stayed at the Comfort Suites and it was an OK place, not a Westin but not nearly as expensive either and I think they have a shuttle to downtown from there.

 

Check out the Pacific NW forum, there have been quite a few threads over there with hotel recommendations.

[funlady]

What is your price range? I live in the Seattle area and might be able to give you some good places that are near the terminal and also near to Pike Place Market and downtown Seattle.

Thanks for the quick response! Price range? Not over the top maybe around $150.00 a night or a bit more.

Maybe you could also point us in the direction of the must "sees" in Seattle?

[SusieS]

We love the Mayflower Hotel. It's walking distance to lots of sights....Pike Place Market, etc. It's also near the Westin.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

We booked our 2 nights pre-cruise last week on Priceline and got the Renaissance, have you tried priceline??

[Crown Prince]

3-Star Renaissance in DownTown Seattle:

 

POST # 690 at

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=364161&page=35

 

www.bidding for travel.com

 

this website teaches you how to bid on Priceline.

[jarett]

Goto Priceline and try for a 4* hotel downtown for under $100. I ended up in the Sheraton and it was great!!!

[creddick]

My wife and I stayed at the Crowne Plaza at the corner of Seneca and 6th. A great location and a reasonable price. I cannot say enough about the hotel. One of the largest rooms I have ever had and certainly the most comfortable bed I have ever slept on in a hotel. Easy walking distance (6 blocks down hill) to the waterfront, Pike Street market, etc. I will definitely stay there again if I am in Seattle.:D

[SuzMate]

My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Andra last year over a long weekend. It's a cute little boutique hotel on 4th Ave. I think it runs around $180. It's within walking distance to Pike Market and the water front. In fact we didn't rent a car, just walked everywhere or took public transportation.

The restaurant in the hotel is Lola. It is one of Tom Douglas's. He is one of Seattle's celebrated chefs. He has another restaurant just across the street too. We ate in both. They were great - very unusual foods.

[ReadyToFloat]

There are a lot of good hotels in the area. One that hasn't been mentioned that I'd strongly recommend - I don't know if you've ever been to a Kimpton Hotel yet, but we found each of them to be very unique, have top notch service (in our experience) and offer some very nice amenities. Their slogan is "every hotel tells a story" and many (if not all) are unique properties that have been restored to create a very nice experience.

 

We recently stayed at the Argonaut in SanFran prior to a cruise, and it too was fantastic.

 

Link to Kimpton Hotels (http://www.kimptonhotels.com/hotels_seattle.aspx). Many can be found on Expedia, and often they run 15% off deals (off best available rate) on the Kimpton website.

 

Just a thought for your consideration. Enjoy Seattle!

[Monterey Girl]

Well, if you've never been there then you really must go up in the Space Needle just once. On a clear day you really can see forever. I have never eaten at the revolving (??) restaurant up there. Check out Pike Place Market. Remember the commercial where the guys throw fish ? This is the place. Lots of stall type shopping up on street level. Mostly I remember jewelry. A few regular shops below. At least check out the building called Experience Music Project.(EMP) It is certainly THE most unusual building ever made by man. I think it looks like a squished can ! The inside reminded me of being inside the Statue of Liberty. Inside are music (R&R) themed exhibits. I was checking out a case full of KISS costume clad manequins and a little boy asked who they were. Boy, did I feel old ! Also connected to the Experience Music Project is a Sci-Fi museum( for lack of a better word!!) There is a free monorail downtown that will take you to the Space needle and the EMP and Sci-Fi Museum. The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) is great for Pacific Northwest artifacts. Just across the street from it is our favorite Seattle restaurant called The Brooklyn. GREAT food. Lots of different oysters if you are into that. Another restaurant we really like is the Dahlia, which we walked to from the Westin. I have yet to get there but the underground tour of Seattle looks like tons O'fun. If you have the time and money , a fast ferry to Victoria for the day is also fun. Lots of British type shopping. Great museum called Victoria and Albert just a block or so from the where the ferry docks. Also high tea at the Empress Hotel. It is usually winter or late summer when we are there so I have yet to see the Buchart Gardens.

BTW, we have learned from experience that the Westin downtown is the place to stay. No one here has yet to mention the traffic in Seattle :mad: which goes from horrible to UNbelievable, IMO. You can walk most anywhere from the Westin. If you don't want to walk, the mono rail is near by. If you can't get there by mono rail, it's easy to catch a cab here. Nothing is that far away. Seattle is a great city for just walking around. Lots of great restaurants, tons of upscale shopping and plenty to see. Do a GOOGLE search of "things to do in Seattle" and see what pops up. MG

[jeangeorges]

We are sailing on the Golden Princess on 5/5 and arriving Seattle on the 4th... we are booked at the Marriott Waterfront (using FF miles), what is the best way to get to the ship, cab, bus, etc... We will be returing on the 12th and staying 3 more nights in Seattle is this a good location for Pikes Market.

 

Also, Dh wants to go to the Boeing Air Museum where is it and best way to get there(rent a car, bus ????)

 

Last but not least..... really really really good seafood (cooked not sushi)

 

This is our first cruise and trying to get everything "lined" up properly within having to take out a 2nd mortgage.

 

Thank you

[TxnAquarian]

Jeangeorges, the Marriott Waterfront is a beautiful hotel. I went inside when I visited Seattle last month. It is very new and is right across the street from the harbor. It is also an easy walk to Pikes Place Market (just up an elevator, up a hill and a few blocks of walking). You can get some great seafood there. Also, please don't miss a visit to the Edgewater Hotel. It is just across from the Marriott and right on the water. It is a hidden treasure that looks ugly from the outside - but the inside is gorgeous and they have an amazing restaurant with amazing bay views. The Marriott hotel is right across from the cruise ship terminal that accomodates NCL and Celebrity. However, from what I've heard on this board, Princess docks elsewhere so you will probably be in for a cab ride to the ship. Seattle is an amazing city!

 

Michael

[jeangeorges]

How far is the cab ride from Marriott Waterfront to the Princess Pier... We are flying in around 3pm on the 4th.. should I look for someplace closer to the Princess pier... Also I keep reading about fish & chips.... is there a good place for this... I realllyyyyyyyyyy miss good seafood.

 

Also since I am going to stay for 3 days after my cruise, what would be the ONE thing to do on Friday afternoon/evening.

 

Thanks

[mmm donuts]

and work dowtown so I know the area well.

 

Just so everyone knows - the monorail is not free. It costs like $3 for a round trip. However, the monorail has been in disrepair a lot lately so it may not even be running.

 

What is free are the buses downtown in what is called the "free ride zone". There are maps that will show you what the free ride area is but basically if you are in the downtown core you are in the free ride area. The best place to pick up buses is Third Ave. as that is the main bus corrider. However, bus drivers are really nice in Seattle for the most part and are very willing to help you out.

 

The princess docks are in an industrial area - no hotels there. I don't think there are buses that would run their either so their best bet is a taxi. Speaking of taxis, for the most part Taxis won't just pull over anywhere like in NYC. You need to go to a "taxi stand". Best place to get a taxi is in front of a hotel.

 

We have a new sculpture park in Seattle. It just opened this weekend in fact! It is right on the water and it is FREE! Can't go wrong there. I haven't been to the Experience Music Project (EMP) but I have heard so many people say that it wasn't worth the steep price of admission. They have been having funding issues since they opened so I have a feeling the exhibits haven't changed much since they opened.

 

Do go on the Underground Tour. Everyone that comes to visit us here goes and says it was one of their most favorite things to do.

 

IMHO, do not waste your money on eating at the Space Needle. The food is ok but totally not worth the money. If you are going to spend that kind of money go to a Tom Douglas restaurant mentioned earlier (Dahlia also has an attached bakery if you don't go for dinner). Another of my favorites is the Icon Grill. Great American Comfort Food. Right near the Westin on 5th Ave.

 

Have a great time in Seattle!

[Mooguy]

I am guessing that when you do the [riceline bid that you select the downtown area. We cruise later in July on Golden and will probably spend two nights pre-cruise in Seattle.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

I am guessing that when you do the [riceline bid that you select the downtown area. We cruise later in July on Golden and will probably spend two nights pre-cruise in Seattle.

 

Yes we chose downtown and got the Renaissance 3* for $65 a night:D

[Julia’s Journey’s]

and work dowtown so I know the area well.

 

Just so everyone knows - the monorail is not free. It costs like $3 for a round trip. However, the monorail has been in disrepair a lot lately so it may not even be running.

 

What is free are the buses downtown in what is called the "free ride zone". There are maps that will show you what the free ride area is but basically if you are in the downtown core you are in the free ride area. The best place to pick up buses is Third Ave. as that is the main bus corrider. However, bus drivers are really nice in Seattle for the most part and are very willing to help you out.

 

The princess docks are in an industrial area - no hotels there. I don't think there are buses that would run their either so their best bet is a taxi. Speaking of taxis, for the most part Taxis won't just pull over anywhere like in NYC. You need to go to a "taxi stand". Best place to get a taxi is in front of a hotel.

 

We have a new sculpture park in Seattle. It just opened this weekend in fact! It is right on the water and it is FREE! Can't go wrong there. I haven't been to the Experience Music Project (EMP) but I have heard so many people say that it wasn't worth the steep price of admission. They have been having funding issues since they opened so I have a feeling the exhibits haven't changed much since they opened.

 

Do go on the Underground Tour. Everyone that comes to visit us here goes and says it was one of their most favorite things to do.

 

IMHO, do not waste your money on eating at the Space Needle. The food is ok but totally not worth the money. If you are going to spend that kind of money go to a Tom Douglas restaurant mentioned earlier (Dahlia also has an attached bakery if you don't go for dinner). Another of my favorites is the Icon Grill. Great American Comfort Food. Right near the Westin on 5th Ave.

 

Have a great time in Seattle!

 

Thanks for the great info, we are arriving on a Friday night with our 2 kids, would it be better to get a cab to the renaissance or the shuttle, I was going to get a car but the parking at the hotel is $25 a night and if the traffic is so bad and the bus is free what would your suggestions be???

Would there be a car drop off near the Princess port if we did get a car or would a cab be better all around??:D Hope this all makes sense!!

[JolieMadam]

In Seattle we always use chauffeur service or "town cars" from the airport to hotel or cruiseport. This would be especially useful for a couple with 2 kids. We figured it out and by the time we would pay for the shuttle for each person in our party, we were better off with the town car. They are reasonable in my book, about $35 per trip. Make a reservation for the approx. time you will arrive and then call them after you have your luggage out of baggage claim and you will be picked up quite promptly and driven to your hotel. You can get around easily on foot in dowtown Seattle...no need for a car. We also use them to transport us to the port. The price is about the same. You can book these cars through most Seattle tourism websites or get the number by contacting your hotel.

[sunshine426]

In Seattle we always use chauffeur service or "town cars" from the airport to hotel or cruiseport. This would be especially useful for a couple with 2 kids. We figured it out and by the time we would pay for the shuttle for each person in our party, we were better off with the town car. They are reasonable in my book, about $35 per trip. Make a reservation for the approx. time you will arrive and then call them after you have your luggage out of baggage claim and you will be picked up quite promptly and driven to your hotel. You can get around easily on foot in dowtown Seattle...no need for a car. We also use them to transport us to the port. The price is about the same. You can book these cars through most Seattle tourism websites or get the number by contacting your hotel.

JolieMadam, The private car is a great suggestion. We have a party of four and I was starting to think that might be the way togo. I wonder if you have the name of the company you used, or even a web link? Thanks Karen

[luv2travelWA]

I cannot agree MORE with mmmdonuts! You took the words right out of my mouth :)

 

Space Needle - VIEW only - NOT the food k? And do it only if it is a clear day

 

Underground Tour - a must

*It is in Pioneer Square which is a downtown destination all its own. It is the home of the Elliott Bay Bookstore as well. Booklovers - you may never want to leave!

 

Cabs/town car to Terminal 30 - make your life easy k?

 

Monorail - don't bank on it... locals sure don't.

 

Sculpture Park - beautiful!

 

Benaroya Hall - beatiful hall and they have daily tours

 

Hotels - Sheraton, Crowne Plaza, Kimpton line, Westin, any of the ones mentioned so far are good to go. I would spend the extra little $ is stay downtown versus near the airport or even Seattle Center. You will enjoy your stay much more!

 

We also have the flagship Nordstrom's - after you have that cup of coffee at the first Starbucks near Pike Place.

 

If you are going to be here for more than 2 days prior or after, I would recommend going to Pike Place and picking yourself up a VERY inexpensive wonderful bouquet of flowers to brighten your hotel room... these flowers are magnificent! (its even my local indulgence :))

 

Ferry - Another 'walking' experience - going to Bainbridge, or any one of the destinations, there and back. It is a site to see the city. You may see it on your cruise, but to be on a smaller boat (comparitively!) and maybe experience it at sunset is inspiring.

 

Traffic - oh its here and thriving (ugh from a local).

 

I could go on and on... :)

 

ENJOY your time here!

[bewitchedwitch]

sorry, posted in the wrong area.

[murphysmum]

Hi!

 

We always return to the Edgewater Hotel, which is an older hotel on kind of a pier jutting out into the water. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the waterfront rooms are great, with views back toward Pike's Market area and the ferry boat landing. It's very peaceful with the boats going back and forth. The furniture is very rustic in a Ralph Laurenish kind of way. You can walk to the Market in 5-10 minutes. There are many newer hotels, but we still love the charm of the Edgewater.

 

murphysmum;)