Urban Blog

Few American cities are more beautiful than Seattle. Bounded on three sides by water, with mountain ranges to the east and west, and towering Mount Rainier to the south, Seattle is stunning.

As if its natural beauty weren’t enough. Seattle has hip local culture – grunge, Starbucks, Amazon.com, and Nordstrom all got their starts here – and terrific food. And the hotels in Seattle offer a broad range of experiences from cool to cozy,

Unfortunately, the stories about rain here aren’t exaggerations. It rarely pours like it does in Miami or Hawaii, but it drizzles, sprinkles, and mists a lot. Just bring a water-repellent raincoat, shoes that can get wet, and a sturdy umbrella. Or come in July and August when the weather is usually gorgeous.

Seattlites are used to the weather, so very few things get called on account of rain. Many activities take place indoors – the local baseball stadium has a retractable roof – and you can cover blocks downtown without ever venturing outside.

The Pike Place Market is the heart of the city and has been since 1907. If you only have time to visit one thing in Seattle, make it the market. If you can have a meal there, better still. There are dozens of great restaurants from take-outs serving pizza or burritos to four-star, white-linen restaurants.

The market also has wonderful views of Puget Sound. Watching the ferries glide across Elliott Bay is a uniquely Seattle experience.

Water-view rooms at the Inn at the Market provide this panorama to their lucky guests. Located just half a block up from the market high stalls, Inn at the Market is one of the best located hotels in Seattle. It’s steps from everything the market has to offer, and downtown shopping is just a few minutes away. In fact, it’s one of the best Seattle hotels.

In addition to the restaurants in the market, the Inn has three good ones of its own – Café Campagne, Campagne, and Bacco. Dungeness Crab Benedict from Bacco is a great way to start the day.

If the weather’s fine during your visit, head up to the roof terrace. And if you can afford it, upgrade to a suite with a private deck overlooking the Sound.

The Mayflower Park Hotel is a few blocks up Stewart Street and it’s probably the best Seattle hotel for serious shoppers. All the big department stores and downtown malls are just steps away.

Built in 1927, it has a lot of charm, although standard rooms are pretty small. If you’re not going to spend much time in your room, and why would you, it’s a very good value. During the holidays, they have a shoppers’ package that includes gifts and discounts at local stores.

Oliver’s is our favorite Seattle hotel bar. The two-story windows, cozy booths, and happy hour appetizers make it a nice spot for a perfectly made martini. Andaluca Restaurant serves Spanish food and tapas in stylish surroundings.

Although the Mayflower Park is not a luxury hotel, in terms of location, style, and value, it’s a good Seattle hotel.

The most luxurious hotel in Seattle is the Fairmont Olympic Hotel. Opened in 1924, it’s the only Five Diamond Hotel in the Northwest and it’s on a par with the grand hotels of Chicago or Boston.

The Olympic has 450 nicely decorated rooms, although the less expensive rooms are on the small side. Service is truly world class, and the Spa and Health Club are terrific. We love swimming in the indoor pool on cold, rainy days.

The hotel is conveniently located on the same block as many of Seattle’s most exclusive shops. If your schedule allows, high tea in the Georgian Room is an institution. There aren’t many experiences in Seattle like it.

The Olympic is a very formal hotel, and it’s pretty tame. We stayed here one Christmas Eve and the bar closed at 9PM. So if you’re looking for excitement, you won’t find it here. If you’re looking for peace, quiet, and professional pampering, this is the spot.

The Kimpton Hotel Group has several properties Seattle hotels. And all are managed to a high standard. Hotel Monaco is on 4th Street near the Olympic. The décor is bright and colorful, and the lobby is decorated with reproductions of ancient murals of dolphins from Crete.

The restaurant here, Sazerac, serves updated Southern food and great cocktails. And there’s a nice fitness center. Like all Kimpton Hotels, it’s pet friendly. In fact, they’ll have an amenities basket for Fido in your room. If you don’t have a pet, you can arrange to have a goldfish on loan.

The Alexis is another Kimpton hotel with a full-service spa and a very popular bar. Located in an area with lots of design stores, it’s in a 1901 building with wood floors, brick walls, and high ceilings. There’s lots of original art, and it’s just a couple of blocks from the waterfront, where you’ll find several good restaurants.

The Four Seasons Hotel is one of the newest hotels in Seattle. It’s probably not worth the premium price in winter, when the location overlooking Elliott Bay is windy and cold. But in summer, the rooftop terrace with infinity pool, hot tub, and fire pit is the most glamorous spot in Seattle. It’s very convenient to galleries, the Seattle Art Museum, and the Benaroya Concert Hall, and service is first rate. Request a room overlooking Puget Sound.

With its ultra-modern amenities, Hotel 1000 is the most innovative hotel in Seattle. Since it opened in 2007, it’s won nearly every travel award there is, and the automated services are sure to dazzle. Choose the art you want displayed on your 40″ LCD TV monitor, get restaurant recommendations from your telephone, or relax in the Philippe Starck designed free standing tub that fills from the ceiling.

The stylish public areas features dark woods, leather, and onyx, and the guest rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows. When you get hungry, Studio 1000 and BOKA specialize in Urban American cuisine.

Read more about Seattle here. Or find And find travel ideas here.

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