The hotel is built on a very steep hill. As a result, the hotel's two
banks of elevators are separated by a garage entrance on the first floor. The elevator in the main lobby is a bit slow. Access to the parking garages (one is on the first floor,the other on the second with separate entrances) with a vehicle requires a skilled driver and the spots are very tight.

Rooms in the back do not have a view of Lake Union, only those in the front, but our room was comfortable and a bit larger than most. If you can settle for the view at breakfast only, you might prefer the lower rates offered for the back rooms.

The location of the hotel is excellent, Lake Union is directly across
the street and the hotel is a just a few minutes to all the
downtown areas of Seattle.

Breakfast is served in the third floor lobby with a wonderful view but there not enough tables to accommodate everyone and late comers will need to sit on an lounge chair or a sofa. The waffle makers are wonderful but a line forms during peak times.

Overall this is a lovely spot, a comfortable and convenient hotel in an up and coming neighborhood of Seattle.

We have stayed here multiple times and its usually great. I highly recommend spending the extra $ to get a view room - the view of Lake Union is really beautiful. The breakfast is very nice, not outstanding, but good. The beds are excellent. The last time we went, we arrived with our two kids ready to swim, but the pool was closed for repair! We were very upset since this is the main reason we go to this hotel. They offered to take a small discount off our room and said we could use their sister hotel's pool. However, their shuttle was booked. So we drove over to the other hotel. Their pool was fridged. We swim often and I think this is the coldest pool I've tolerated - we felt like we had to stay and swim a while for the kids and since we drove all the way there. Five days later on our return trip, we called and the pool was fixed, so we stayed there again and had a great time. I love this place.

I recently stayed for six days at the Silver Cloud on Lake Union for a week-long symposium. First the positives: The hotel has a cooperative staff, a lovely third floor "view" lobby of the lake, a daily newspaper delivered to your room, a continental breakfast that is included, and a cost-free shuttle van service that will transport you to downtown Seattle.
The negatives: The rooms are average to say the least- a little worn and small in size. My room had not been thorougly cleaned before my arrival- trash cans had not been emptied. The hotel is not near the center of the city- you need to take a public bus or use the shuttle van to go downtown, a definite negative for tourists. In addition, there is no sign when you approach the hotel from the south- the place is unremarkable and resembles an apartment building (there is a sign on the side of the building which you can only see when you approach the hotel from the north side. In addition, although it was mid-July, the outdoor pool was closed (there is an indoor pool) and there wasn't any patio furniture around the pool.

All in all, a good place to hold a meeting but a not-so-good place for a vacation. You may want to look elsewhere !

They have a shuttle that will bring you into downtown, which is very convenient. Very nice staff, and clean hotel.