Accommodations

Seattle is a city with a huge range of options for accommodations, from the most luxurious four- and five-star hotels to kitschy motor lodges; quaint bed-and-breakfasts to comfortable hostels; and trendy boutique hotels to floating rental homes. There is truly something for every personality, traveling style, and type of trip.

Perhaps the main criterion to begin your search for lodging should be the area of town in which you wish to stay, or plan to spend the most time in. The downtown neighborhoods and central business district are, of course, the main areas for hotels—keep in mind that parking is a major hassle and very expensive in these areas, so if you have a car or plan to rent one, staying slightly outside downtown may be a better option. Lodging is also at a premium in the summer months, between the high tourist season, numerous conventions and festivals in the city, and filled-to-capacity cruise ships that dock in Elliott Bay each week. You will pay the highest rates in the summertime, and booking early (as well as considering going outside of downtown) is advised. Many hotels on the outskirts of downtown provide free shuttles to major locations such as Pike Place Market, Westlake Center, and the Space Needle.

Overview

In the traditional off-season between November and March, excellent deals can be had. The Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau has sponsored a long-running promotion called the Seattle Super Saver program, offering discounts of up to 50 percent at participating hotels and a coupon book with reservations that provides great savings on local restaurants, attractions, and shopping. Seattle Super Saver promises the best available rate at more than 80 hotels, with no booking or hidden fees, no prepayment or change fees, no cancellation fee until 24 hours prior to arrival, and the best available room promised at check-in.

The accommodations listings are categorized by type of property (hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, home rentals, etc.), and within each lodging category the accommodations are further organized by area of town. The price range is based on the published rack rates provided by each property, and of course depending on deals, discounts, coupons, and time of year, you may well be able to get a lower rate than what we have listed.

The amenities offered by each property are listed, along with pet acceptance policies (if applicable). Every listed property accepts major credit cards unless otherwise noted and offers guest rooms with accessible features that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Hotels are exempt from the state smoking ban; however, most Seattle hotels are completely nonsmoking nevertheless. An accommodations listing will specify if the property offers any smoking rooms or exceptions to this general rule. Due to the mild summer weather, a few hotels do not come equipped with air conditioning in some or all guest rooms, particularly some historic properties. Although it rarely gets hot enough in the area to make A/C a necessity, hotels that are not fully air-conditioned are noted. Complimentary Wi-Fi service is standard in most Seattle hotels now, so unless a charge is noted, each accommodation does offer free high-speed Internet access.

We have included a quick index before the main listings for added convenience.