Downtown is a pretty compact area to explore by foot or bus. There are three main 'hotel' districts within the city. The main area of downtown is the Pike/Pine corridor bordered approximately by 1st to 8th ave and from Pine to James street. Dowtown streetnames are all double lettered, meaning for each letter there is a second street with the same letter. From the Pike Place market south you have, Pine, Pike, Union, University, Seneca, Spring, Madison, Marion, Columbia, Cherry, James, and Jefferson. When looking at hotels you can get an idea of where they are, by how far they are from the heart of downtown which define as 4th and Pine. Westlake center and the Monorail are at 5th and Pine. Locals remember street names by the mantra Jesus Christ made Seattle under protest, which gives you the street names in reverse order from Pike and Pine.
All the main national hotel chains are congregated in this general area. Westin, Sheraton, Grand Hyatt, Pike St. Suites, Paramount, Red Lion, Hilton, Crown Plaza among others would be in prime areas for shopping and sightseeing.
A newer area with many hotels is the South Lake Union neighborhood. This area is rapidly growing and on the 'fringe' of downtown, however the Seattle Streetcar line connects South Lake Union to downtown/Westlake Center. Most hotels in this area provide shuttles. Hotels in this area have easier parking but it is a little harder to walk out your front door and be in the heart of things. Its a great area for views and walking and, as always, there are tradeoffs. Hotel prices in the South Lake Union area tend to be less expensive than those in the heart of downtown. Hotels in this area include: Marriott Courtyard, Marriott Residence Inn, Silver Cloud Inn and Pan Pacific among others.
The third main area for hotels and motels would be the area concentrated around the Space Needle and Seattle Center. This can be a good area for families, or those looking for more budget friendly options. Several attractions are a short walk away. Buses into downtown are very easy to access and the monorail accessed at the Seattle Center is also an option. Main hotels in this area would include Hampton Inn, Comfort Suites, and Best Western Executive Inn amongst others.
Listed are the main hotels in each area closest to the 'heart' of that area. As always, there are many wonderful places though perhaps a few blocks farther away.
BUDGET Hotels
The questions that seems to be asked a lot in the Seattle Forum is where to find more reasonably priced accomodations in the city. The most popular answer has been Sixth Avenue Motor Inn, Days Inn, Ramada Inn which are very close to the heart of downtown. Others include the Moore Hotel. The Ramada lately has been getting horrific reviews so tread lightly and be forewarned. Others have reported getting The Red Lion 5th avenue for as little as $60 on Priceline, so why waste time with cheap motel type places. You just have to understand the bidding process. Read the links mentioned below and you will be more happy with a better hotel at the motel price.
Hotwire and Priceline are also good resources for finding less expensive hotels. You have to be careful when bidding that you are selecting hotels in the correct zone. Usually downtown, or Pike Pine, or Lk Union hotels are popular zones. Be certain because each website defines each area differently. Look at betterbidding. com for more advice.
Other resources for discounted rates include seattlesupersaver.com, the hotel booking arm of the Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Pacific Northwest Journeys, which has contracts with a number of Seattle hotels for discounted rates. Also look at packages through companies like the Victoria Clipper particularly if you're traveling to Victoria or Vancouver in addition to Seattle.
Suggestions from Northwestwanderer:
High end: The Inn at the Market, the Hotel 1000, the Grand Hyatt, the Fairmont Olympic and the new Four Seasons are favorites in this category.
Moderate: Unfortunately, "moderate" in Seattle in the summer months can mean well over $200 a night. Favorites in this category are the Hotel Andra, the Mayflower Park and the Red Lion Fifth Avenue.
Budget: The Executive Hotel Pacific, the Sixth Avenue Inn and the two Best Westerns just north of downtown (the Executive Inn and the Loyal Inn). But in the summer months, it can be hard to find even budget places for under $150-200.
Websites for Seattle Hotel specials
Be aware that a lot of these sites brings ups hotel in outlying areas or near the airport. Make certain which zone the hotel is in before you commit to a room. If you have the option to select a 'zone' make sure you are limiting yourself to just the 'downtown zone'. If you have questions or concerns post a question on the forum before you end up with a room in an area you don't wish to be in.
Hotelcoupons.com
Priceline.com
Hotwire.com
Seattlesupersaver.com
PNWjourneys.com