Seattle...where to stay

[cruisinlawn]

We'll be on Star Princess 6/1...flying in day or two pre-cruise...?'s

 

- how far is airport from cruise port?

- do we want to stay overnight close to airport or cruise port or in between?

- may do some light sightseeing on these one or two days.

- is there a liquor store near the cruise port?

 

Thanks for the info.

[SeattleCruiselover]

20 miles

If you want cheap, stay by the airport

If your budget can handle about $300.00, stay downton (others have reported getting rooms for less by using priceline.com, but do not know how comfortable you are with that, how well you will do)

State stores are not open on Sunday in WA. There is one at 2nd and Seneca, which is about 3-4 miles from Terminal 30, where Princess docks (right downtown)

[cruisinlawn]

Thanks Karen....the store you referenced at 2nd, can you buy alcohol there? Oh, what is a state store?

[cruisinlawn]

Thanks Karen....the store you referenced at 2nd, can you buy alcohol there? Oh, what is a state store? If we stay near the cruise port, does that mean we will be downtown? As for hotel, we just want a room to crash for one or two nights, but not in an area you would send your mother. THanks.

[SeattleCruiselover]

A state store is the store where the Alcoholic Beverage Control for the state sells alcohol. You can buy beer and wine at regular grocery stores, but nothing stronger. There are none of the above in downtown, and the closest one to Terminal 30 would be in West Seattle about 5-7 miles away across the West Seattle bridge.

 

Terminal 30 is south of downtown in a district called SODO (short for "south of downtown"). There is only ONE hotel in that district, across the street from Safeco and QWest Fields. It is the Silver Cloud Inn. Rates for the weekend that you will be there run $284.87 for two people per night. Hotels in the downtown core are considerably more expensive (other than the motor inns, and I'm not going to recommend any of those to you because of their location).

 

The Silver Cloud is in an area that you would not need to worry much about at night, so long as you don't go about 1/2 mile north into Pioneer Square unescorted after dark. The hotel itself in is the area where the stadia are and the train station. Little in the way of night life, and not all that much foot traffic at night.

[baokiecruiser]

We checked Trip Advisor last year for the best rates and the best reviews of cheaper Seattle hotels. We ended up staying in a Holiday Inn Express by the airport coming in and the Holiday Inn Express by the Space Needle on the Sunday we got back to port. They both worked out very well and were clean and comfortable and cheap compared to most of the other hotels (and we had points from my husband's travel so we got one of the nights free). We took a taxi from the HIE Airport to the port and it was a short ride and not very expensive (like around $30 or so, I can't really remember). On the Sunday we disembarked, we took a cab back to the HIE by the Space Needle and then walked over to the Space Needle where the Duck Tours depart. This tour takes you all over Seattle and in my opinion, is a very good way to get familiar with the city....and it was fun. We then, of course, took the monorail from the Space Needle over to the Westlake Mall and shopped a bit and then walked to Pike's Place and mingled with the Sunday crowds. All of this walking was really only a few blocks and was a great way to see the city in one day. I highly recommend the Duck Tour if you are short on time.

[SeattleCruiselover]

BAOkie: Agree with you. Taxis, though, from Dexter to Terminal 30 should not be anywhere near $30.00. I live less than a mile from that hotel and go to work almost to Sea-Tac airport, and that is about what it costs me to get there. I would think in the neighborhood of $10.00 to Terminal 30, give or take a bit.

 

(Now one (tongue in cheek, more or less, sort of) friendly piece of advice for you when you come into town in July. While most of us are very polite and neighborly to our out of town visitors, there is a small minority right now who outright HATE Clay Bennett and what he is trying to do to our city and, for some reason, don't realize that the average Oklahoman is not he and is not a majority or minority owner of the Seattle SuperSonics, and can get a little passionate and profane about it.

 

So just smile and tell the locals that you are from "the Southeast." I would hate to see people take something out on you that isn't your fault. Really, 99% of us are a lot nicer than that. (Note that I don't like what he is doing, either, but I would never call you on it)).

 

Have a great cruise in July. Looking forward to hearing about it when you get back.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Oops, I misread. Yes, from HIE at the airport to Terminal 30, $30.00 would be about right. From the one on Dexter would be about $10.00. Sorry about that.:D

[wwaggone]

I want to thank Seattle Cruise Lover for all the great information in this thread and wanted to get a review of the pioneer square best western. The reviews online vary from scary, and dangerous to charming. Can you help?

[SeattleCruiselover]

The hotel itself is nice and fine. I have to be honest about Pioneer Square, and say that, after dark, it CAN be a scary place sometimes. Like the downtown core of any major city, there are homeless there, some of whom may have problems with unmedicated mental illness. There are also panhandlers who will try to hit you up for money, bus tickets or whatever else they think they can get their hands on.

 

If you don't walk out alone after dark (i.e. especially unescorted females), stay in well lighted areas, and just keep walking without responding to the panhandlers, you generally won't have a problem. If you can hear someone shouting at the top of their lungs on a street corner, avoid going that direction for the time being. (Same things for any large crowds of unruly appearing people).

 

I have lived in Seattle for 7 years now and I travel through Pioneer Square at all hours of the day and night, and I haven't had any major problems to date. So long as you stay focused and aware of your surroundings, using avoidance techniques where appropriate, you should be fine.

[FSUFAN]

A state store is the store where the Alcoholic Beverage Control for the state sells alcohol. You can buy beer and wine at regular grocery stores, but nothing stronger. There are none of the above in downtown, and the closest one to Terminal 30 would be in West Seattle about 5-7 miles away across the West Seattle bridge.

"There are none of the above"???? No place to buy liquor or no grocery stores.

 

I was hoping to get some liquor in the downtown area before our cruise. Makes no sense to haul it all the way from Orlando.

 

Is there a Liquor store downtown? I will be staying at the SpringHill Suites.

 

Thanks

[SeattleCruiselover]

Yes, there is a state store at 2nd & Seneca, which would be about half a mile or so from SpringHill.

[H20 Lover]

(HI Karen :::waving:::) )

 

Anyone know of hotels that offer a shuttle to the Port (Terminal 30)?

[wrp96]

(HI Karen :::waving:::) )

 

Anyone know of hotels that offer a shuttle to the Port (Terminal 30)?

 

 

I know when I was looking for hotels, both the Marriott Waterfront and the Edgewater were offering Cruise specials that included transportation to either pier. Of course, you could probably get a less expensive hotel AND pay for transportation to the pier and save money.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Yvonne: (*waves back*)

 

There is a hotel within (almost) walking distance (about half a mile (and I used to walk it all the time when I worked for the Mariners and Seahawks and lived in West Seattle)) of Terminal 30, which is the Silver Cloud Inn Stadium. That neighborhood is fine at night (mostly commercial, so not much of anyone around after dark, unless there is a baseball game or football game going on); they have a shuttle. Most downtown hotels will shuttle you within a 3 mile radius of the property itself.

 

Like I said on the roll call--you can all come and crash in my living room if you don't mind aerobeds and futons?????

[Gramps25]

Does anyone have any feed back on the La Quinta Inn & Suites downtown on 8th Ave?

 

Thanks

[leprechaun2]

A lot of this info deals with pier 30. Does anyone know of reasonably priced hotels/motels near pier 66? We are sailing on NCL from the Bell St. Terminal.

[SeattleCruiselover]

The Edgewater and the Marriott Waterfront are the two nearest to Pier 66, and neither one of them woul be what I would consider cheap ($300-1000.00 per night for two people), and that is the pre-Priceline price for most downtown properties. There are some motor inns and such, but I would not recommend them to my family, so certainly would not recommend them to you.

 

There is a Comfort Inn near Seattle Center that I understand has rooms starting for in the neighborhood of $160.00 per night, if you book and pay in full on the internet.

[Tenn4ever]

Does anyone

have any feed back on the La Quinta Inn & Suites downtown on 8th Ave?

 

Thanks

 

We stayed there last May for a few nights. The hotel and room were mostly satisfactory. There were things which were okay (the price) and the distance from downtown (seems like ten blocks) didn't bother us because we love to walk. We had good weather while we were there - no rain, so the walking was no problem. We booked there because we were driving our own car and free parking came with the hotel.

 

However, the downside was that there was road construction and another hotel being built next door at the time. We weren't aware of that when we booked. Since it's been almost a year maybe the construction is finished.

 

There was only one restaurant close by (Korean, I think) and the World Market.

 

One specific problem we had was with our room. The bathroom was for a disabled person. There was no bathtub/shower combination. The shower was mounted on the wall for a person to roll in with a wheelchair. The floor of the bathroom was tiled with a drain in the middle and with the toilet just sitting in the shower compartment. This meant the entire floor was wet after a shower. We weren't told this when we booked the room. We hated it and told the front desk. We were told later that it was a room for the disabled so if you book there make sure you don't get that type room. They did give a big discount to use at another LaQuinta in the future.

 

Another thing is there are a few homeless people who you will meet on your walk from the hotel to downtown if you stay there. I know that bothers some people but I was okay with it as long as my husband was with me.

[mochuck]

The hotel itself is nice and fine. I have to be honest about Pioneer Square, and say that, after dark, it CAN be a scary place sometimes. Like the downtown core of any major city, there are homeless there, some of whom may have problems with unmedicated mental illness. There are also panhandlers who will try to hit you up for money, bus tickets or whatever else they think they can get their hands on.

 

If you don't walk out alone after dark (i.e. especially unescorted females), stay in well lighted areas, and just keep walking without responding to the panhandlers, you generally won't have a problem. If you can hear someone shouting at the top of their lungs on a street corner, avoid going that direction for the time being. (Same things for any large crowds of unruly appearing people).

 

I have lived in Seattle for 7 years now and I travel through Pioneer Square at all hours of the day and night, and I haven't had any major problems to date. So long as you stay focused and aware of your surroundings, using avoidance techniques where appropriate, you should be fine.

 

Sounds like the neighbourhood I work in :D

[SeattleCruiselover]

However, the downside was that there was road construction and another hotel being built next door at the time. We weren't aware of that when we booked. Since it's been almost a year maybe the construction is finished.

 

Sorry to disillusion you. The construction this year is far more intense than it was last year.

 

Sounds like the neighbourhood I work in :D

 

I think there is one in pretty much every city around the world, no?