Bellevue stay for this summer

Not for a cruise, but one family member will be attending a meeting in Bellevue, WA this summer and the rest of us (3 altogether) are planning to come with.

I imagine we may get a list of hotels with a discount for the attendees, but in the meantime, I'm researching hotels on my own.

How wide a net should I throw (Redmond, etc.) in terms of being close and not getting caught in really bad traffic (I've been to Seattle three times so I don't think we need to be staying there -- we might not even go over there during our short stay -- just a few days)?

I've been researching based on our usual needs (we prefer having a minifridge and microwave). I've noticed just about every hotel I've been looking at have some sort of fitness/exercise room, but not all of them have a pool.

Should I avoid Redmond or surrounding areas?

Thanks in advance.

Assuming a major brand, you'll be fine. Cast the net for Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland or Issaquah and use navigation software that is aware of traffic.

One non-major brand you should be aware of that may meet your needs well is Larkspur Landing. They're owned by Starwood, and they're surprisingly good extended-stay properties.

Stay in Bellevue if the meeting is in Bellevue.

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Thanks for the info so far.

As long as you can use surface streets and stay away from I-405, traffic shouldn't be a huge factor. Where in Bellevue is the meeting? I'd probably opt for something in downtown Bellevue or closer to the I-90 corridor than Redmond or Kirkland, both of which can be quite trafficky.

I'd also include the Silver Cloud chain in your research - it's a high quality regional chain.

Hi there:

I live in S. Bellevue. Traffic sucks everywhere around here. If the meeting is in Bellevue I'd try to stay there rather than going to Redmond or Kirkland. I-405 is a nightmare during commute hours and parts of I-90 (especially in the Eastgate area) can be very bad also. If you go out to Redmond then you'd likely be fighting the traffic on Hwy 520, which can get ugly unless the meeting is in NE Bellevue (Microsoft campus?), in which case you can exit 520 earlier than the interchange with I-405.

My recommendation depends upon what you want to do while you're here, whether you are renting a car or plan to walk/take the bus/utilize a hotel shuttle, and how much you want to spend on your accommodations. Staying in Bellevue gives you easier access to Seattle via bus, either from the Bellevue Transit Center (downtown) or from the Eastgate Park & Ride. The Metro system is pretty good so you could explore Seattle without the hassle of driving and paying for parking.

Thanks. It turns out the meeting will be at the Meydenbauer Center. So we'll have to start cracking on which hotel to consider as our first choice.