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Seattle Hotels

See Also

• Where to Stay in Seattle

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
• Downtown: Fairmont Olympic
• Near Cruise Port: Edgewater
• Pike Place: Inn at the Market
• Best New Hotel: Lotte
• Convention Center Arch: Grand Hyatt
• Convention Center Summit: Olive 8

Hotel in Pike Place Market, Seattle.

If a central location is what you’re after, it’s hard to beat the Inn at the Market. The only hotel located within Pike Place Market.

Seattle Hotels – My Advice

The 7 Best Hotels in Seattle

1. The Four Seasons – Downtown

Best hotel with view in Seattle.

Hotel Phone: 206-749-7000
Seattle’s best luxury hotel – centrally located near Pike Place Market, the Seattle Art Museum, and loads of downtown restaurants. Modern, airy, and elegant decor, plush and spacious guest rooms and suites, and stunning views. The full spa, beautiful outdoor heated infinity pool, and 24-hour fitness center all overlook Elliott Bay. The restaurant is fantastic. Service is impeccable.

2. Fairmont Olympic – Downtown

5-star hotel in Seattle.

Hotel Phone: 206-621-1700
The most opulent and traditional Seattle hotel. Luxurious suites are warm and comfortable and feel like you’re in a friend’s home. Executives Suites are worth the splurge for the additional room and wonderful bathrooms. Luxury shopping surrounds the hotel and 2 of Seattle’s best restaurants, Shuckers and The George, are on the ground floor. Pike Place Market and 5th Avenue Theater are both an easy walk. The fitness center on the 2nd floor is nice, and there’s a lovely glass-enclosed pool and hot tub with outdoor terrace. The hotel has its own beehives on the roof – the honey is used in everything from desserts to beer in the hotel’s restaurants.

3. Inn At The Market – Pike Place Market

Best boutique hotel in Seattle.

Hotel Phone: 206-443-3600
This is Seattle’s premier boutique hotel. It’s located in the lanes of Pike Place Market and surrounded by top-notch restaurants – and when I say surrounded, I mean surrounded: this is foodie heaven. Fantastic views, large rooms, and immaculate bathrooms are hidden within the understated exterior. It’s in the heart of the tourist scene but never feels anything but classy and enchanting. There’s a marvelous rooftop patio on the 5th floor that looks over Pike Place Market to Elliot Bay. It’s rarely used by hotel guests so you could grab food and a local bottle of wine from the market and quite possibly have the whole deck to yourself.

4. Thompson Seattle – Belltown/Downtown

Luxury hotel in downtown Seattle.

Hotel Phone: 206-623-4600
Seattle’s most modern hotel. The Thompson has floor-to-ceiling windows with great water and mountain views to the west. Decor is contemporary and stylish with a modern edge. Just steps from the shops and restaurants of Pike Place Market, though the in-house restaurant, Conversation, is not to be missed. Be sure to visit The Nest rooftop cocktail and oyster bar to enjoy the amazing views (need to be 21 or over). Exceptional service and a welcoming atmosphere complete the experience.

5. Hotel Ändra – Belltown

Luxury hotel with separate bedroom.

Hotel Phone: 206-448-8600
A lovely and modern boutique-style hotel, done up in a warm Scandinavian-chic decor. Rooms are comfortable and well-appointed, with a good variety of sizes to choose from: small (but thoughtfully laid-out) studios up to spacious suites. Celebrity chef Tom Douglas owns the fantastic restaurant next door (which also provides the hotel room service), and attached cooking school. You can’t beat the location – the Ändra is close to Pike Place Market, shopping, restaurants, and nightlife.

6. The Edgewater – Waterfront

Luxury hotel on Seattle waterfront.

Hotel Phone: 206-728-7000
Great views at this charming lodge-themed luxury hotel situated on Seattle’s waterfront. There’s a fantastic restaurant and cozy lounge area sitting right over Elliott Bay, and every guest room has a gas fireplace. The waterfront room views are definitely worth the upgrade. Walkable to waterfront attractions, Pike Place Market, Seattle Center, and the Olympic Sculpture Park, but you do feel a little detached from the downtown action (perhaps that’s what you want).

7. Lotte – Downtown

Luxury hotel with view in Seattle.

Hotel Phone: 206-800-8110
Brand new luxury hotel. Trendy, fun, and fantastic. Great bar and restaurant on the 16th floor (as is the lobby) with good views. Walking distance to Pioneer Square and the football, soccer, and baseball stadiums. Ideal for honeymooners, a romantic weekend, or anyone happy to spend their time primarily in the hotel itself. (The surrounding 2 or 3 blocks in any direction hold little interest and almost no shops or restaurants. Pike Place Market is about a 12-minute walk to the west.)

Map of best hotels in Seattle.
1. Four Seasons • 2. Fairmont Olympic • 3. Inn At The Market • 4. Thompson Seattle • 5. Hotel Ändra • 6. The Edgewater • 7. Lotte

Seattle Neighborhoods for Tourists

Where to stay in Seattle? The core of Seattle is fairly compact, and most visitors choose to stay within the city’s central corridor neighborhoods: Downtown, Belltown, Pioneer Square, the Waterfront, South Lake Union, and the area surrounding Seattle Center. Seattle’s long rainy season and hilly terrain make it a good idea to book a hotel near to what you plan to spend the most time.

Luxury hotel with pool in Seattle.

The fantastic Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Seattle.

• Close to Pike Place Market
The neighborhoods of Downtown, Belltown, and Pioneer Square are all within an easy walk of Pike Place Market. The Waterfront is not far, distance-wise, but is separated from the Market by a busy street and a steep hill.

• Close to the Space Needle
Seattle Center, where the Space Needle is located, straddles the neighborhoods of Lower Queen Anne and Denny. This can be a good choice for those looking for a hotel outside of the busiest part of the city, but still close to museums and easy transport into downtown.

• Close to Shopping
Nordstrom’s flagship store, as well as Westlake Center and the high-end Pacific Place shopping malls are located Downtown. Local and independent boutiques are common in Belltown and Pioneer Square.

• Close to the Seattle Convention Centers
Downtown hotels are best for visitors attending Seattle Convention Center Arch and Seattle Convention Center Summit events, and the further from the waterfront, the closer you’ll be. (Look for hotels located on or near 6th, 7th, or 8th Avenues.) Belltown and Pioneer Square hotels are within a 10-15 walk.

• Close to Universities
The University of Washington is located 5 miles northeast of downtown Seattle. There are many good hotels in the University District (“U-District” to locals), and the UW’s Link light rail station makes for easy transit from Downtown, Pioneer Square, and Capitol Hill.

Seattle University is located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, within walking distance of a couple of good hotels. Capitol Hill is connected to Downtown, Pioneer Square, and the University District by light rail, and to Pioneer Square via street car.

Seattle Pacific University lies a few miles north of downtown Seattle, separated from the city center by steep Queen Anne Hill. The neighborhoods with easiest access to SPU are Seattle Center and South Lake Union.

• Close to Cruise Ports
Travelers embarking from The Bell Street Terminal on Norwegian and Oceania cruise lines would do best to stay on the Waterfront (walkable), or Downtown or Belltown (a quick taxi/ride share away).

Carnival, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International cruise lines sail from Smith Cove Terminal. This terminal isn’t walkable to any hotels, but is an easy taxi, ride share, or shuttle ride from Seattle Center area hotels, as well as Downtown.

More information about cruising from Seattle can be found here: Seattle Cruise Port Guide.

• Close to Sports Stadiums
Pioneer Square hotels are walkable to T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field, as are Downtown hotels south of Pike Place Market.

• Best Views
The best Elliott Bay views are found in Waterfront hotels, and Downtown hotels located near Pike Place Market or with high floors. The best Space Needle views are in Seattle Center and South Lake Union area hotels. South Lake Union hotels have pleasant lake views.

• Best Restaurants
The best neighborhoods for restaurants are Downtown, Belltown, Pioneer Square, and Capitol Hill.

• Best Nightlife
Seattle’s nightlife scene is the most active in Belltown and Capitol Hill, and to a lesser extent Pioneer Square. For a neighborhood nightlife vibe try Ballard, Fremont, or Wallingford.

• Best for a Quiet Stay
To be close to the city, but outside of most of the noise and crowds, choose a South Lake Union or Seattle Center hotel (but avoid Seattle Center hotels on Labor and Memorial Day, when music festivals congest the area).

• Best Connected for Transit
Downtown, Pioneer Square, Capitol Hill, and the University District all have stations on Seattle’s light rail line, which also connects to the airport. South Lake Union and Capitol Hill connect to Downtown via street car line, and the Seattle Monorail connects Seattle Center to the downtown core.

Staying in Downtown Seattle

Staying in downtown Seattle.
Dense and dynamic, Seattle’s downtown core is home to most of the city’s best (and most expensive) hotels, as well as some of our most incredible hotel room views. Loads of great shopping, dining, and entertainment options are at your doorstep: By day, browse the market stalls at Pike Place and the galleries at SAM. Get your fashion fix at the original Nordstrom location at 6th and Pine. At night, step out for a show – you’ll have your pick of all types of music, theater, and dance. At any time of day, you’re surrounded by fantastic restaurants just waiting to serve you award-winning Northwest cuisine and the freshest seafood you’ll ever taste.

Expect to pay premium rates to stay downtown, especially in the summer months. A car isn’t essential – this area is exceptionally walkable, and parking can be expensive and hard to come by. (Hotels charge $30-$40/night extra for valet parking.) Generally, what’s not accessible by foot is easily reached via light rail, street car, or monorail.

The Best Hotels in Downtown Seattle

Staying in Belltown

Staying in Belltown, Seattle.
Nightlife and high-rise condos are the hallmarks of this Seattle neighborhood, located just north of downtown. Belltown is convenient to many of Seattle’s best attractions, and the city’s young and hip flock to this area for its trendy boutiques, bars, and eateries. Jazz clubs, rock venues, prohibition-style speakeasies; you’ll find them all here, as well as most of Tom Douglas’ award-winning restaurants. Walk to Pike Place Market, Seattle Center (home of the Space Needle, Chihuly Museum, food and music festivals, and MoPOP), and the waterfront Olympic Sculpture Park.

Though still above the national average, Belltown hotels rates are generally lower than those you’ll find downtown, and there are some real bargains to be had in this area if you’re willing to forego a little bit of luxury. The active nightlife crowd means Belltown’s not an ideal choice for those seeking peace and quiet – expect additional activity on weekend nights, especially right after the bars close at 2am.

The Best Hotels in Belltown

Staying in Pioneer Square

Staying in Pioneer Square of Seattle.
Once the heart of downtown, the historic Pioneer Square neighborhood is home to some of the city’s oldest surviving buildings, the ever-popular Underground Tour, and the Klondike Gold Rush Museum. It’s not all antiques, though – in recent decades the area has experienced a resurgence in popularity. There are now modern art galleries, boutique shops, and trendy restaurants housed within the Romanesque Revival-style buildings of Seattle’s past, and the neighborhood is once again considered one of the city’s most vibrant. Pioneer Square is within walking distance to T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field sports stadiums, the downtown ferry terminal at Colman Dock, and Pike Place Market.

Pioneer Square has its own stop on the region’s Link light rail line, a streetcar line that runs through the International District into the Capitol Hill neighborhood, and is home to Amtrak’s King Street Station; there’s no need to rent a car when transit is this easy. It’s worth mentioning that there are several social service agencies located within the neighborhood, attracting a fair number of homeless people. If you stay in this area, expect some to see some congregating and minor panhandling, but don’t be alarmed – these folks are less dangerous than they are down on their luck.

The Best Hotels in Pioneer Square

Staying near Seattle Center

The best Seattle hotels near the Space Needle
Anchored by the iconic Space Needle, Seattle Center is an arts and entertainment mainstay located just north of the Belltown neighborhood. The Center was originally created for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, and remnants of the fair’s space-age theme remain in the Center’s mid-century architecture, sculpture, and the Monorail that runs from the base of the Space Needle into downtown. This area isn’t the most scenic, but there’s no shortage of things to do: along with the Needle, the Center’s campus houses the Pacific Science Center, The Museum of Pop Culture, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and the Seattle Children’s Museum and Theatre. The Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and many theatre companies make their home at Seattle Center, which is also the site of many of the city’s biggest urban outdoor festivals: Bumbershoot, Folklife, PrideFest, and Bite of Seattle. The Gates Foundation Visitor Center and Olympic Sculpture Park are both located nearby.

Hotels around Seattle Center are generally less expensive than those downtown, and include many mid-range and budget options. Parking is cheaper and more readily available in this neighborhood, and the Seattle Monorail provides easy access to downtown and Pike Place Market. The area around Seattle Center quiets at night, making it a good option for visitors who want to avoid the busiest parts of the city, but lodge near popular attractions. Check your dates, though – if you’re traveling during a festival weekend (especially Memorial Day or Labor Day) or when there’s a major concert at Key Arena, expect the opposite: busier streets, more expensive rooms, and difficult parking.

The Best Hotels near Seattle Center

Staying in South Lake Union

Staying near the water in South Lake Union.
This is is one of Seattle’s fastest growing neighborhoods. Once a gritty industrial center, South Lake Union is now a hi-tech hub, home to many of the region’s most prominent biomedical and technology companies. The recent revitalization has brought loads of great restaurants into the area, and is responsible for the creation of beautiful Lake Union Park, located on the urban lake’s southernmost tip. Head to the park to check out the impressive Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), explore the vessels (or rent one) at the Center for Wooden Boats, or hop a float plane at Kenmore Air – they’re all adjacent to its lovely waterfront expanse. The South Lake Union Streetcar runs through the heart of the neighborhood into central downtown, making it easy to visit the more central sights as well.

South Lake Union hotels are generally less expensive than those downtown, many with swimming pools and lovely lake or Space Needle views. It’s quieter here than in the city center – making this neighborhood a good choice for those who like to escape the hustle and bustle at the end of the day. When you’re up for it, accessing the city is easy: aside from the streetcar, most South Lake Union hotels provide complimentary shuttles into downtown and Seattle Center.

The Best Hotels in South Lake Union

Staying on the Seattle Waterfront

Staying on the Seattle waterfront.
Set snugly beside the deep Salish Sea inlet, Seattle’s downtown waterfront neighborhood is all about the bay: Elliott Bay. From the pebbly beaches of Myrtle Edwards Park on the waterfront’s north end to its busy working harbor to the south, marine-loving types will find no shortage of things to do along this beautiful Puget Sound Seaboard. Take in the sunset at the Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park, hang with the harbor seals at the Seattle Aquarium, take a seaside spin one the Great Wheel, and eat the freshest seafood of your life at any of the amazing restaurants dotted along the way. When staying beside the water’s not enough, Argosy Harbor Cruises, the Victoria (or San Juan) Clipper, the ferries at Colman Dock, and the West Seattle Water Taxi all await to whisk you out onto the waves.

There are only a couple of hotels situated directly on Seattle’s waterfront. These will be pricey, especially if you spring for a bay-facing view. The walk from the waterfront up to downtown and Pike Place Market isn’t far, but it is steep, and separated by a busy roadway. This separation makes the waterfront district feel disconnected from the rest of downtown – which may or may not be what you’re looking for. And heads up: there’s construction underway to better link the downtown core to the waterfront district – the finished product will be stunning, but in the meantime the area’s a bit of a mess.

The Best Hotels on the Waterfront

Staying in Capitol Hill

The best hotels in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood
Known for its nightlife, counterculture, and great food and drink, Capitol Hill is one of Seattle’s most vibrant and well-loved neighborhoods. It’s anchored at its north end by stately old homes and leafy Volunteer Park: home to the Volunteer Park Conservatory and the Seattle Asian Art Museum. Seattle University borders the area’s south end. In between is a dense and glorious mishmash of fantastic restaurants, coffee shops, taverns, and music venues. Indulge your inner foodie at Melrose Market, make a caffeine-fueled pilgrimage to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room, or browse the shelves at Seattle’s best bookstore, The Elliott Bay Book Company. At the end of the day, Capitol Hill makes it easy to unwind and recharge – the neighborhood is home to more than 100 bars and nightclubs.

All these hotspots don’t leave much room for lodgers; Capitol Hill has only one hotel, situated next to Seattle University on the district’s busy south end. Travelers wanting a quieter experience and a more personal touch can opt for one of north Capitol Hill’s charming Bed & Breakfasts, most within walking easy walking distance of Volunteer Park. It’s an easy walk into downtown from most points in southern Capitol Hill, though you might want to spring for a cab on the (steep) trip back up. This area is also easily accessed by public transit – there’s a Capitol Hill Link light rail station, as well as a streetcar line that runs through the International District and into Pioneer Square.

The Best Hotels in Capitol Hill

Staying in the University District

The best hotels near the University of Washington Seattle
North and east of Seattle’s downtown, the “U-District” is where you’ll find the main campus of the University of Washington. It’s not just dorms and classrooms: two trip-worthy museums (Henry Art Gallery and Burke Museum of Natural History) sit surrounded by gorgeous gothic architecture, mountain views, and famous springtime-blossoming cherry trees. The area surrounding UW campus is chock-full of good (and cheap) restaurants, bars, and indie boutiques. The U-District hosts a fantastic year-round farmer’s market every Saturday – grab something to go, and bike (or stroll) down the nearby Burke-Gilman Trail. When you’ve had enough of college living, head east down the 45th St. viaduct and peruse the chic shops and upscale eateries of University Village – a tony outdoor shopping center located just downhill from campus.

University District hotels are cheaper than downtown hotels, except over university move-in weekends in September and graduation weekend in mid-June. If you’ve got a car, parking will be cheaper as well. A car’s not necessary, though – it’s easy to get to the city’s most popular areas and attractions via light rail, thanks to the new University of Washington station.

The Best Hotels in the University District