The W, the W, the W. "Oh, you're so lucky!" Sorry, I don't get it, there's nothing really special about this hotel. The decor looks like someone who never had the benefit of visiting really cool hotels decorated it. The "Living Room" is more of a Star Trek intergalactic bus station waiting room, circa 1980 (and I don't mean this in a cool way...). The rooms are okay, but are pretty standard and do not gel with the überhip image. The restaurant, however, is fantastic (both staff and food). Try the egg white fritata which is delicious, as is the sushi.

If you're a rich person, you might like this place, where you can pay extra (on top of outrageous nightly costs) for food, coffee, internet, and anything else. Double beds are European-sized, room is average in every way. Hallway and elevator lighting is extremely dim and a bit scary in a downtown area. There's just nothing special here, although nothing wrong with it either. If you're swayed by decor and have loads of dough you might like the "hip boutique" feel making you feel like a VIP, but if you're just a middle-class cheapskate like me, it's a waste of money. And be sure you check out the wine prices before you drink the stuff in the fridge; the bums on the street can tell you where to pick up a cheaper bottle of the same!

First, the positive: the staff here is excellent and very accommodating. They're what longtime W customers expect: gracious, polite, eager to please and attentive. The bar puts out a very nice menu as well; the scallops are well executed and the spicy tuna dish has proper heat and flavor. The restaurant off the lobby produces a hearty breakfast and a nice staff as well. Now, the less than positives: the ambiance by the downstairs fireplace feels like a W, but it has been very clumsily set up right in front of the doors, so that sitting with a drink means getting blasted with cold air every time a guest enters the hotel. More importantly, the rooms here seem to have been decorated by someone with Holiday Inn Extended Stay sensibilities. This is by far the most disappointing aspect of the property. Where is the comforting color scheme? The modern decor and touches that make the W "The W"? This property really misses the point, and for that reason is at least a notch below its contemporaries.

We have stayed there before, but it had been a few years. I remember the hotel as being more monochrome before. This time they've added a little orange and red to the grey decor. We enjoyed the feature called the Living Room: their lobby with a fireplace and (my favorite feature anywhere) free WiFi. It's always annoying to have to pay $25.00 for WiFi, in fact I won't do it, I'd rather just go to Starbucks. At this hotel, their large and welcoming lobby area is where you get the morning coffee and the free WiFi. Funny, hotels don't have newsstands any more; everyone wants to get on their devices.
The room, elevators, and hallways all are dimly lit. I think this is part of the W concept. Luckily there was good light in the bathroom and a good readng light by the bed.
We spent two nights at the W Seattle, and I would be happy to go there again. I think it was a good value.