My Favorite Seattle Hotels
• 5-Star: Four Seasons
• 4-Star: Hotel Andra
• 3-Star: Ace • Mayflower
• For Couples: Inn at the Market
• For Families: Westin
• Near Cruise Port: Edgewater
• Pike Place: Inn at the Market
• Convention Center Arch: Grand Hyatt
• Convention Center Summit: Olive 8
• Seattle Center/Climate Pledge Arena: Maxwell
Seattle Hotels – My Advice
- Seattle has a lot of good hotels, but location matters more than brand. I’ve stayed in just about every hotel in the main central neighborhoods, at least 40 different Seattle hotels over the years. For first-time visitors, I usually steer people toward Pike Place Market, the waterfront, downtown, Belltown, or the nicer edge of South Lake Union. My personal favorites are still the Four Seasons and the Inn at the Market. They are expensive, but they put you exactly where most visitors want to be.
- Best-located hotels for first-time visitors: Mayflower Park Hotel, The State Hotel, Palihotel, Inn at the Market, Thompson, and Four Seasons. This is the sweet spot for Pike Place Market, the waterfront, Seattle Art Museum, light rail, restaurants, ferries, and walkable sightseeing. The tradeoff is price, parking cost, and the usual downtown grit around some blocks.
- Best Luxury Hotels: Four Seasons • Fairmont Olympic • Lotte • Thompson. Four Seasons has the best waterfront location and pool. Fairmont has the grand historic feel. Lotte is polished and quiet, better for business travelers and couples who do not need to be beside Pike Place Market. Thompson is a stylish boutique-luxury choice with great views, but rooms can feel smaller than the price suggests.
- Best Boutique Hotel: Inn at the Market. This is my favorite Seattle hotel for visitors who want charm, location, and a real sense of place. It is directly in Pike Place Market but still feels calm once you are inside. Book early for summer weekends and cruise season.
- Best Historic Hotels: Hotel Sorrento • The Arctic Club • Mayflower Park Hotel. Sorrento has the most character but is up on First Hill, so it is less convenient for casual sightseeing. Arctic Club is handsome and close to Pioneer Square and light rail. Mayflower Park is the easiest historic hotel to recommend because the Westlake location is so useful.
- Best Newer Luxury Hotel: 1 Hotel Seattle. This is the best recent addition to Seattle’s hotel scene, set in South Lake Union near Denny Park. It is stylish, eco-minded, and good for Amazon, biotech, Space Needle, and Lake Union stays. It is not my first pick for Pike Place-focused sightseeing, but it works well if you want a quieter, newer luxury hotel north of downtown.
- Best Modern Luxury Hotel Away from the Market: Lotte. Lotte is not “new” anymore, but it still feels fresh and high-end. The location near 5th and Marion is good for business, Pioneer Square, and walking to Seahawks, Mariners, or Sounders games, but less fun at night than Pike Place, Belltown, or Capitol Hill.
- Seattle Hotels with Pools: Four Seasons is the clear winner, with an outdoor pool and hot tub facing Elliott Bay. The Westin is best for kids. Hyatt at Olive 8 is best for lap swimming. Other solid pool options include Fairmont Olympic, Marriott Waterfront, Sheraton Grand, Warwick, Courtyard Pioneer Square, Silver Cloud Stadium, Silver Cloud Lake Union, and Silver Cloud Broadway. If the pool is important, confirm hours before booking. Seattle hotel pools are often smaller than travelers expect.
- Seattle Hotels with Kitchens: Inn at the Market has Beecher’s Loft, a rare Pike Place option with a kitchen. Hyatt House is the practical family choice near Seattle Center and the Space Needle. Residence Inn Lake Union is good for longer stays and families who want more room. Kitchens are most useful in Seattle if you are staying four or more nights, traveling with kids, or want to make use of Pike Place Market produce and seafood.
- Seattle Hotels with In-Room Jacuzzi or Large Soaking Tub: These are usually specific suites, not standard rooms, so always confirm the exact room category before booking. Good places to check are Fairmont Olympic (Cascade Suite), Alexis Royal Sonesta (1BR and Spa Suites), Ändra (Monarch Suite), Hotel 1000 (Presidential Grand Suite), Grand Hyatt (Onyx, Carrera, Vesuvio Suites), The Edgewater (Penthouse Suite), Hotel Vintage (Luxury Suite), Warwick (suites), Silver Cloud Stadium, Silver Cloud Lake Union, and Silver Cloud Broadway (King room with Jacuzzi). Do not assume “spa bath” means a romantic private hot tub. Read the room description carefully.
- Best Seattle Hotels with a View: Four Seasons • Inn at the Market • Thompson Seattle • The Edgewater • The Westin • 1 Hotel Seattle • The State Hotel. In Seattle, “view room” can mean water, city, Space Needle, or a partial sliver between buildings. For the best water views, book a specific bay, Elliott Bay, waterfront, or Puget Sound room category.
- Best Seattle Hotel for Foodies: Inn at the Market. It is surrounded by Pike Place Market, Le Pichet, Zig Zag, Matt’s in the Market, The Pink Door, Sushi Kashiba, and half a dozen good coffee, seafood, and bakery stops within a short walk. I would rather stay here than chase a “foodie hotel” in a less useful neighborhood.
- When to book: For May through October, summer weekends, cruise departures, Mariners home stands, Seahawks games, graduation weekends, and big concerts, book early. Seattle hotel prices can jump fast, especially downtown and near the waterfront. January, February, and early December are usually the best-value months. July, August, and September are the most reliable for weather and the most expensive for hotels.
- Transportation tip: Do not rent a car just to stay downtown. Parking is expensive, traffic can be annoying, and light rail, rideshare, ferries, the monorail, and walking cover most visitor needs. Rent a car only for day trips, Olympic Peninsula, Mount Rainier, wine country, or if you are staying outside the central neighborhoods.
The 8 Best Hotels in Seattle
1. The Four Seasons – Downtown/Waterfront
Seattle’s best luxury hotel and my personal favorite. The location is almost perfect: steps from Pike Place Market, Seattle Art Museum, the waterfront, ferry views, and plenty of good restaurants. Rooms are spacious and polished, service is excellent, and many rooms have views over Elliott Bay or downtown. The outdoor heated infinity-edge pool and hot tub are the big selling points, especially in summer. Goldfinch Tavern is very good, and the spa and fitness center are both strong. The downside is obvious: it is expensive, and parking adds even more. But if you want the safest luxury splurge in Seattle, this is it.
2. Inn At The Market – Pike Place Market
Seattle’s best boutique hotel and the hotel I recommend most often to first-time visitors who want charm, location, and a real Seattle feel. It sits right in Pike Place Market, surrounded by restaurants, coffee, bakeries, seafood, produce stalls, and waterfront walks. Rooms are larger and calmer than you expect from the understated exterior, and the bathrooms are excellent. The guest-only rooftop deck is a gem, with views over Pike Place Market, Elliott Bay, ferries, and the Olympic Mountains. Grab cheese, fruit, smoked salmon, bread, and wine from the market and take it upstairs. The only real downside is price, especially from May through October, but the location saves time and makes the trip easier.
3. Edgewater – Waterfront
The classic Seattle waterfront hotel, built right over Elliott Bay. It has a cozy lodge feel, gas fireplaces in the rooms, and some of the best water views in the city. Pay for a waterfront room if the view matters, as the upgrade is the whole point here. Six Seven restaurant and lounge have a terrific setting over the bay, especially for sunset or a rainy-night drink. The location is walkable to Pike Place Market, the Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle Center, and the waterfront, but it does feel a little removed from downtown restaurants and nightlife. That can be a plus if you want quiet and water views, but I would not choose it if you want to step outside and immediately be in the middle of the city.
4. Thompson – Downtown/Belltown
A stylish modern hotel just north of Pike Place Market, with floor-to-ceiling windows and some excellent west-facing water and mountain views. The location is very useful: close to the market, Belltown restaurants, the waterfront, light rail, and downtown shopping. Rooms are sleek rather than spacious, so upgrade if you want more room or a better view. The Nest rooftop bar is the main draw, with some of the best hotel-bar views in Seattle. It is 21-and-over and can feel more scene-y than relaxing, but for a cocktail with a view it is hard to beat. A strong choice for couples, first-timers, and travelers who want a polished hotel without the formality of the Four Seasons or Fairmont.
5. Lotte – Downtown
One of Seattle’s most polished luxury hotels, with sleek rooms, excellent bathrooms, and a high-end feel that is quieter and more businesslike than the hotels around Pike Place Market. The lobby and Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge are on the 16th floor, with good Elliott Bay and city views. It works especially well for business travelers, couples, and anyone who wants a calm luxury hotel rather than a busy tourist location. The tradeoff is the immediate neighborhood. The hotel is walkable to Pioneer Square, the waterfront, the Seattle Public Library, and the stadiums, but the surrounding blocks are not especially interesting for shops, restaurants, or evening wandering. Pike Place Market is about a 12-minute walk west.
6. Fairmont Olympic – Downtown
Seattle’s grand old luxury hotel, and the best choice if you want historic character, formal service, and a central downtown location. The rooms and suites are warm, traditional, and comfortable, with more old-school elegance than trendiness. Executive Suites are worth considering if you want extra space. The George and Shuckers are both on-site, which is a real advantage on rainy nights or short stays. Pike Place Market, the Seattle Art Museum, 5th Avenue Theatre, Benaroya Hall, and downtown shopping are all walkable. The indoor pool and hot tub are in a bright solarium and are better than most downtown hotel pools. The downside is that it can feel a little formal and less “Seattle neighborhood” than Inn at the Market, Thompson, or Ändra.
7. Alexis Royal Sonesta – Downtown/West Edge
A handsome historic hotel in a very useful West Edge location, close to Pike Place Market, the waterfront, Pioneer Square, Seattle Art Museum, and the ferry terminal. I like this part of downtown for visitors who plan to walk a lot and want easy access to both the market and the older brick-and-stone side of Seattle. Rooms vary more than at newer hotels, which is part of the charm but also means you should pay attention to the exact room category. The building has more personality than most chain hotels, and The Bookstore Bar & Café gives it a nice local feel. Best for travelers who want boutique character and a central location without paying Four Seasons prices.
8. Hotel Ändra – Belltown/Downtown
A warm, stylish boutique hotel with Scandinavian-inspired design and one of the best practical locations in Seattle. It is close to Pike Place Market, Westlake light rail, downtown shopping, Belltown restaurants, and the monorail to Seattle Center. Rooms range from compact studios to larger suites, so it works for both couples and families who want a little more space. Lola, the Tom Douglas restaurant connected to the hotel, is a big plus for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and room service. This is not a waterfront-view hotel, and it does not have the luxury drama of the Four Seasons or Lotte, but it is comfortable, well-run, and genuinely useful for exploring Seattle on foot.
1. Four Seasons • 2. Inn At The Market • 3. Edgewater • 4. Thompson Seattle • 5. Lotte • 6. Fairmont Olympic • 7. Alexis • 8. Hotel Andra