Downtown Seattle info on Residence Inn area, please!

[luv2cruise123]

I have posted on other sites also, but we are sailing Mercury on June 3rd and staying the night before at the Residence Inn on 800 Fairview Ave N which appears to be right on south side of Lake Union.

 

Several questions:

Any reviews available on Residence Inn? We have reserved the 2 bedroom suites. What is in short walking distance (if anything) from there? They have a comp shuttle but it only seats 10 and we ahve 12 in our party.

 

Any links to downtown Seattle map showing our hotel area and over to peir area?

 

Any suggestions on how to see the MOST if we only have from about 2 pm on the day before? Tours? Ride the ducks? Restaurant recommendations?

 

Everyone wants to go up in the Space Needle for sure. Anyone ever dined up in the skyline restaurant there? Better views at sunset, afternoon or evening?

 

Thanks for answers to ANY of the above!

[BooBoo2]

We too (wife, rugrat, and I) will be on the Mercury on June 3rd. I found the following http://www.portseattle.org./seaport/cruise/ which has some info about the port. We are at the Westin prior to sailing.

 

BooBoo2

Scenic El Campo Texas

[slc8584]

Hi there!

 

As a bonafide Seattle resident, here is the info I can provide you:

 

From your hotel, go to the corner of 9th Ave N & Aloha St (the front desk of your hotel will point you in the right direction). Catch the bus (Number 74 to Seattle Center). The ride is a few minutes at most and that will take you right to the Space Needle.

 

If, from there, you want to go to the heart of downtown, go on fifth avenue (to one of the many bus stops) and catch the #16 to Downtown Seattle (this is another 2-3 minute ride, as it is only a mile or two - in fact, you could walk it!)

 

From here, there are many things to do in the immediate downtown area. If you like shopping, check out Westlake Center and the many shops around it. Head west to the water, and if you only have time to do one thing in Seattle, go to Pike Place! Watch them throw fish, get ice cream or just gaze at the water. There are too many good restaurants to name, but my personal favorite is Maximilien Bistro, which is easy to find!

 

I hope this helps!

[luv2cruise123]

The map link I was finally able to SEE where Residence Inn is in comparison to downtown etc.

 

The directions were great - printing them off.

 

Do Pike Place over the space needle? Or will we have time to do both if arriving by 2 pm?

 

Any other recommendations on restaurant in this area or maybe even closer back to Residence Inn?

[trcori]

From another "bonafide Seattle resident" (and Celebrity aficionado ... five cruises so far, sixth will be from the homeport here on Mercury in August):

 

Pike Place vs. Space Needle depends on the weather. If you have a reasonable amount of sunshine, go up in the Needle and enjoy the incredible 360-degree view.

 

If I had only one place to go -- I would make it the waterfront -- besides exploring its shops & sights, you can take side trips such as Elliott Bay Water Taxi to West Seattle or a state ferry or even the Argosy Cruises harbor tour -- then you can take the waterfront streetcar south to Pioneer Square and see the historic district -- take it back from there to the waterfront stop closest to the Pike Place stairclimb and head on up.

 

Re: where you are staying, I work in that area. There are several decent restaurants grouped along southeast Lake Union -- Daniel's Broiler is somewhat upscale, Duke's is the local fave (classy cafe, great chowders & entrees), and a few chain restaurants such as TGI Friday's. The lake is a fun place to dine -- it's amid condos, office buildings, marinas, and should be bustling with boats by early June.

 

Have a great time! This is such a wondrous city :) -- TR

[wander]

As a long time Seattle Metro. area resident I have the following suggestions.

 

Afternoon - go to the Pike Place Market area and stroll around, seeing the "flying fish" stall among other things. If you are good walkers, then go to the waterfront and walk to the Pioneer Square area, or you can take the waterfront trolly to Pioneer Square, or back for that matter. There if free bus service within downtown Seattle, although not as far as you hotel. Pike Place Market closes up around dinner time. See that area before say 6:00 PM.

 

The Space Needle is open well into the evening and it will be light in Seattle till well after 9:00 PM when you are here. So, I would recommend saving that to the evening.

 

Dinner at the Needle. You will go there for the view as there are certainly better, less expensive restaurants near your hotel. However, on occassion we used to splurge and dine at the top of the needle with out of town friends. My favorite way to do it is to arrive while it is still light and still be on it as nighttime falls. However, in June this is hard to do because of the late sunset times. So - eat when/where you wish. While at the Needle, the grounds of Seattle Center (home of the Needle) can be fun to stroll around. Neat fountains and buildings (particularly the interesting??? looking Experience Music Project building on the edge of the grounds.

 

I have not eaten in the Space Needle for several years, so others may have more up to date information on the food. However, I would tend to go to the top of the Needle for the view and then eat at one of the restaurants mentioned by another Poster on the South End of Lake Union. Get a reservation if you can, asking specifically for a window table at one of the places right on the lake. It is an interesting lake as there is an active "airport" for sea planes at the end of the lake, there are working boats on the lake and pleasure boats as well. Fun view and way less pricey than the Needle for dinner. However, I think that this is a personal preference thing.

[luv2cruise123]

Tell me more about the Lake Union choices please that are resident favorites. We're looking for somewhere with good seafood and moderately priced. Residence Inn will shuttle us. If you can suggest some good ones, we might just come back close to our hotel for supper. Especially if there are some nice lakeside venues rather than eating at or near the waterfront/per area. I think we will pass on eating at the Needle.

 

But, if we don't and eat while we're near the Spcae Needle and/or waterfront, what are wome suggestions for there as well?

[DrKoob]

Ok, another Seattlite chiming in.

 

First, under no circumstances eat at the space needle. View is nice, food is horrible and VERY overpriced.

 

And once you are at the Seattle Center (where the Space Needle is) you can take the monorail direct to Westlake Center in downtown. It is about a 5 minute ride and very inexpensive. From Westlake Center (between 5th and 6th on Pine) you can walk one block up to Pike and then 5 blocks down to Pike Place Market.

 

You could actually skip the waterfront until just before you leave as the Mercury is leaving from Pier 66 which is right on the waterfront.

 

My bride and I are real foodies and if you want good seafood, try Etta's Seafood about a block down from Pike Place Market.

 

If you want the best restaurant experiences (equal to the ship's dining room) try Dahlia Lounge, Lola, Icon Grille or if you like Asian try Dragonfish.

 

Near your hotel, most of the restaurants are chains (either national like TGIF or local like Daniel's Broiler). They will give you what we consider adequate but dull food. For interesting, you will need to eat downtown or for a special experience, get the hotel to take you to Fremont.

 

Please feel free to write back and ask any other Seattle questions.

 

Jim in Redmond,WA

[luv2cruise123]

This is so much to take in and consider! What great tips you have given me.So, do you think it would be better to follow your tips above rather than doing a "set" tour with a tour company that would pick us up at the hotel or possible do the "Ducks" tour and then some on our on? Remember that we are arriving at the hotel probably at 2 pm and don;t want to be out TOO late before boarding the next day either.

[ImpulsivePuppy]

Tell me more about the Lake Union choices please that are resident favorites. We're looking for somewhere with good seafood and moderately priced. Residence Inn will shuttle us. If you can suggest some good ones, we might just come back close to our hotel for supper. Especially if there are some nice lakeside venues rather than eating at or near the waterfront/per area. I think we will pass on eating at the Needle.

 

But, if we don't and eat while we're near the Spcae Needle and/or waterfront, what are wome suggestions for there as well?

 

Ivar's Chowder House is located at the opposite end of lake union from you, a cab would be worth the trip. it is a seattle institution. also, another local favorite is a thai place called Racha. It is on Queen Anne Ave at the base of the Queen Anne Hill neighborhood. You will be very close to Buca Di Beppo's which I think is in just about every major city these days, average food but very fun atmosphere. Jillians is right across the street from you and of course you can walk past the wooden boat center to the south lake union restaurants. have fun in the emerald city!

[katiel53]

We are going on an NCL cruise from Seattle, May 22. We arrive in Seattle on May 21, late in the day and are staying at the Holiday Inn on Dexter Av North. We are traveling with my dad who is near 92 and would like to go someplace nice, but not too expensive for dinner. My questions are, how is the Holiday Inn, and what places would you recommend? I don't think we will get to many places for sight-seeing, as we get into Seattle about 330PM. Thanks for your help.

 

Katie

[VibeGuy]

I'm a Seattleite as well, and I concur with most of the recommendations made here. The TGI Fridays mentioned is no longer there (Hooters, however, is, an I have to say that I'm totally blown away by how good the service is there - seirously, it's bizarre), nor is the Cucina! Cucina!. In the neighborhood, I'd probably end up at either Duke's or McCormick & Schmicks Harborside, which is on Westlake. Portland-based chain, very good fish, very good service, eveyrthing's fresh. Can't go wrong. Prices are moderate.

 

The food at the Space Needle restaurant ranges widely between "decent" and "punch line to tourist jokes". I haven't eaten there recently enough to suggest risking it - and honestly, the view isn't that good anymore - when it was built, there weren't skyscrapers in downtown Seattle.

 

If you wanted to eat in the Seattle Center area, I *HIGHLY* recommend Turntable, the restaurant in the Experience Music Project. It's really astonishingly good, very creative.

 

Eric

[ImpulsivePuppy]

hey vibeguy, fellow seattle-ite here, turntables... i haven't heard of this, is it new? or has it been there since emp opened? what kind of food?

[luv2cruise123]

For a guided tour, would you suggest the Ducks or some other tour company for a quick overall tour and then us see the Needle on our own problably. Ivan's Chowder house sounds good. Any other recommendations for right near the Needle IF we do the tour thingy and maybe get left off near there or is that a possibility I wonder? I need to study my Tour map more, but you guys are the best and the quickest!