Less expensive hotel recommendations pre-cruise Seattle

[azalice]

We are taking a Eurodam Alaska cruise next August out of Seattle. We plan one night before the cruise in Seattle and we find the hotels near the cruise terminals very expensive. We would appreciate recommendations of moderately priced hotels, perhaps under 300 a night.

And, what would a taxi cost to get to the cruise terminal the next day? Thanks.

[AV8rix]

Well, first let me say that you don’t want a hotel “near the cruise terminals” anyway.  HAL does not sail out of the downtown piers, where the hotels are.  HAL sails out of Pier 91 (Smith Cove) which isn’t downtown, it is up by Queen Anne.  Check it out on Google map or any map app.

 

So you might want to just stay at a more reasonable place near the airport, then take a taxi or Lyft or Uber up to Smith Cove.  JMO and I live in the Seattle metro area.

[oakridger]

25 minutes ago, azalice said:

We are taking a Eurodam Alaska cruise next August out of Seattle. We plan one night before the cruise in Seattle and we find the hotels near the cruise terminals very expensive. We would appreciate recommendations of moderately priced hotels, perhaps under 300 a night.

And, what would a taxi cost to get to the cruise terminal the next day? Thanks.

 

I suggest you post over on the West Coast Departures forum to get a much wider pool of responses.  Have a great trip!

 

West Coast Departures - Cruise Critic Community

 

~Nancy

[Crew News]

When cruising out of Seattle, I choose the SEATAC Marriott with its free airport shuttle. 

 

My last taxi ride from the Marriott Hotel to the Terminal was about $50 plus tip.  With a lot of luggage on a few occasions, I took a local limo service for $72.  The limo service is also very convenient for transportation from the HAL Terminal to the SEATAC airport at the end of your cruise.

[DaveOKC]

Stay at one of the many airport hotels and use Seattle Express roundtrip (to pier back to airport after cruise).  It was a very good experience in August.  Convenient pickup area at Pier 91 and they leave frequently.  Picks up at most airport hotels and now even at airport (or so I was told).

[RedneckBob]

We normally stay at hotels in Tukwilla, Wa. Free shuttle service from airport to hotels in this area and plenty of restaurants walking distance from hotels. Then take shuttle to Pier.

[CruiserBruce]

7 hours ago, oakridger said:

 

I suggest you post over on the West Coast Departures forum to get a much wider pool of responses.  Have a great trip!

 

West Coast Departures - Cruise Critic Community

 

~Nancy

Agree with this idea. There are dozens of threads over there with hotel recommendations. Seattle is not cheap in the down town area, but staying at the airport misses all the nice things about downtown Seattle, which are many.

 

There are also many transport ideas.

[Seasick Sailor]

We lived in Coeur d'alene Idaho and have taken many trips to Seattle to board ships or visit friends. This is a nice hotel for around $250. You might get a military or senior discount or AARP.  Have a wonderful time!

 

 

Staypineapple, The Maxwell Hotel, Seattle Center Seattle is located in Downtown Seattle, a neighborhood in Seattle, and is in the entertainment district and near a metro station. Seattle Waterfront and Pike Place Market are worth checking out if shopping is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's popular attractions can visit Seattle Center and Woodland Park Zoo. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's going on at T-Mobile Park. Take an opportunity to explore the area for water adventures such as kayaking.

[fsufancc]

I'm looking at staying at the Warwick in June for an RCL sailing.  RCL sails out of the same port area as HAL so it is not real close, but a short Uber ride away. 

 

But the Warwick is near Pike Place Market so we can do some touristy stuff as we are getting in the day before.

 

It's under $250 and is nice and clean.  We stayed at the Warwick just before Covid hit during an Amtrack rail trip from Chicago to Seattle and the Warwick stay was built into the cost of the train trip.

[vlbradley21]

We stayed at Fairfield Inn SeaTac (free airport shuttle), and used Seattle Express for transportation to the ship.

[shipshapegirl]

We cruised in September and stayed at the Coast Gateway Hotel.  It was very nice with a continental breakfast and they have a restaurant on the property.  

When we stay in Seattle, we usually take the hotel shuttle back to the airport and take Holland America's transportation to the cruise port.  The reason is once we give them our luggage to put on the bus, we do not see it again until it is in our stateroom.  It is very convenient.

 

[Cruising-along]

I live in the Seattle area and also recommend staying at an airport hotel.  They're much more reasonable in cost and you can always use the light rail and monorail to see Seattle if you wish.

Living here, the only time we stay in a hotel is the night before an early flight TO a cruise.  Here is where we stayed last time -- #3 on Trip Advisor for SeaTac, breakfast starts at 5 am, free airport shuttle.  We were very happy with it.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g58732-d2460074-Reviews-Hampton_Inn_and_Suites_Seattle_Airport_28th_Ave-SeaTac_Washington.html

[Bruin Steve]

For our upcoming August cruise, we are arriving just the day before the cruise (no sightseeing--just sleep and ride to the pier the next day), we booked several months in advance and got the Wingate by Wyndham at the airport...$159 ($182 after taxes) on an AAA rate.  We'll take the hotel shuttle from the airport and either Uber or Lyft to the pier.

 

https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/wingate/seatac-washington/wingate-seatac-airport/overview?CID=LC:WG::GGL:RIO:National:50618&iata=00093796

Edited November 29, 2022 by Bruin Steve

[eileeshb]

Anyone stayed at Belltown inn? The reviews I’m seeing online seem to be good for the price except that there’s a few homeless folks hanging out at the dog park nearby.

I prefer not to stay at airport hotels unless I’m arriving or departing at some stupid hour of the night.

[azalice]

Thanks for suggestions. I will be checking out more hotels.

 

[psuboater]

Wanted to add the Hilton Garden Inn at South Lake Union is centrally located (still will have to take a cab to Pier 91), reasonably priced and clean. I live outside the city now, and use the HGI to stay overnight when I want to go out downtown. 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

I think you are a little far out to get the best rates. If you think you need to book this far out, book a fully refundable rate someplace and look again in June. I travel a lot on business and seldom book more than a month out.

[Glaciers]

On 11/29/2022 at 12:01 PM, eileeshb said:

Anyone stayed at Belltown inn? The reviews I’m seeing online seem to be good for the price except that there’s a few homeless folks hanging out at the dog park nearby.

I prefer not to stay at airport hotels unless I’m arriving or departing at some stupid hour of the night.

 

Haven’t stayed there but live in the area and walk past it frequently. I like the location and there are some dandy restaurants nearby, particularly along 2^nd Ave a block west. Most are frequented by locals who live in the area so are not mentioned much on travel boards. There are some folks who hang out along Bell St that live in low income housing in the area but most are not homeless although it’s hard to tell sometimes.  It’s less than a 15 minute walk from the hotel to Pike Place Market, Space Needle/Seattle Center and Westlake Center for the light rail and monorail.

 

Another option in the same general hotel class is the Mediterranean Inn in Uptown near the Seattle Center. Good hotel near many restaurants at a decent price.

[Incognito1]

We prefer to stay at the Fairfield or Hampton Inn in Bremerton - they're a block from the ferry to Seattle (takes about an hour) and run less than $150/night.  Safe area, none of Seattle's problems, and no Seattle hotel tax.  It's a few miles from there to the cruise terminal (suggest an Uber here -- a lot of the taxi drivers are "flat rate" and it will cost near $20).

Edited December 7, 2022 by Incognito1

[navybankerteacher]

The Inn at Virginia Mason (large Seattle hospital) comfortable, reasonably priced and convenient to downtown.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

On 11/28/2022 at 8:55 PM, azalice said:

We are taking a Eurodam Alaska cruise next August out of Seattle. We plan one night before the cruise in Seattle and we find the hotels near the cruise terminals very expensive. We would appreciate recommendations of moderately priced hotels, perhaps under 300 a night.

And, what would a taxi cost to get to the cruise terminal the next day? Thanks.

 

This topic pops up any time someone responds because I am following it.

 

As I said in my other response, I think you are too far out to get a good idea of what prices will be 9 months from now. Seattle is a big city, it will not be sold out months in advance. I seldom book more than 14-21 days out for my business trips (sometimes as little as 7 days) and I've never had an issue getting a room.

 

Day of the week matters a lot too. One hotel I loved and have loved for years is the Kimpton Hotel Vintage. Not knowing your exact dates, I checked August 4 (a Friday) check-in for a Saturday cruise departure and the Kimpton was $308. I checked August 7 (a Monday) check-in for a Tuesday cruise departure and the Kimpton was $208.

 

As I said before, if you are worried about getting a room and just can't wait, book something acceptable (but fully refundable) now and keep checking for something better.

[Bruin Steve]

I have generally found, wherever I travel, that I get the best hotel room rates by booking as far in advance as possible...with one big caveat--ALWAYS book a REFUNDABLE rate (no advance payment...and look for special rates--AAA, AARP, Senior, etc.).  Book it way out...then every now and then, do a new search for hotels...and, if you find a better rate or more preferred hotel, book that and cancel the original booking.  More often than not, we find the rates are NEVER as low as they are 11 months or more early...

[KeepCalmBearOn]

The hardest job in the travel industry is hotel revenue manager.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/18/exactly-when-to-book-a-hotel-to-get-the-best-deal.html

[Incognito1]

On 12/9/2022 at 11:12 AM, scottca075 said:

the Kimpton was $208.

 

The Kimpton has an incredible steakhouse, but the rooms leave a lot to be desired.  Also, if you're normal sized, you won't be able to turn around in the shower AND the bathroom is so small that you can sit on the commode and touch all four walls.

[Bruin Steve]

5 minutes ago, scottca075 said:

The hardest job in the travel industry is hotel revenue manager.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/18/exactly-when-to-book-a-hotel-to-get-the-best-deal.html

They are right...sort of...

OFTEN (and the key word is often), you can find a better hotel deal within the last two or three weeks than four months before your stay...HOWEVER...

...it's a lot like booking a cruise.  It all runs by the laws of supply and demand.  If a hotel doesn't sell out...or get near selling out...they drop the rates.  And, for the most part, hotels do NOT fill up most nights.

 

A long time ago, I started my career working for a hotel chain (and my chain had the highest occupancy rates in the industry...and never lowered prices).  But, in those days, most hotel chains ran somewhere between 50% and 75% occupancy on the average.  But, here's where it gets tricky.  There are times when any particular hotel fills up--100%.   Some hotels get more business travelers and have much higher occupancy Monday through Thursday.  Others get weekend tourists and fill up Friday through Sunday.  If a hotel is in a city that does a lot of convention or event business, it is going to fill up for those events.  In cruise ports, the night before a ship embarks--or, especially, if several ships are in port, you stand a much better than average chance the hotel will be booked solid...and you are not going to find a bargain rate.

 

There are just a lot of factors that go into the pricing.

 

OTOH, IF you know you are going somewhere, say, over a year ahead, BOOK EARLY.  Most hotels initially post rates based on being completely empty--which they are when they are making the rooms available for a date for the first time.  Since we typicallybook our cruises well in advance, I almost always look for hotels right away.  I remember several years ago, we made a reservation for a pre-cruise at the Conrad Istanbul...and got a rate so low (something around $100 per night) that the head front desk clerk thought it was a mistake--or a scam--and tried to charge us much more.  Finally, he called the Hilton head office and found out that, yes, it was a legitimate reservation.

 

Since I book early (always a cancelable rate) and keep checking the hotel sites over time, I can tell you that, with rare exceptions, the price doesn't go below that initial rate.  I also check alternate hotels in case I find a better deal elsewhere.  I travel a lot and only on rare occasions have I ever found better rates late in the game.  But when I have, no problem canceling my early reservation and booking another at the lower rate.