<p>Should have checked hotel rates before planning to get to Seattle early for our Alaskan cruise! We arrive on a Friday night and want to see the Chihuly exhibit (Space Needle area) on Saturday. Then get to Pier 91 on Sunday.</p>
<p>Giving up staying near the Space Needle or downtown. Even the 2-star hotels (Hotwire/Priceline) are almost $300 per night during this weekend. Wondering if there’s a ‘normal priced’ area further out where we could stay and take public transportation in/out on Saturday and probably a cab to the Pier. </p>
<p>Any ideas would be appreciated! We normally stay at Holiday Inn Express or La Quinta type hotels. </p>
<p>I didn’t know what weekend you were looking for, but just for grins I checked out Hotwire for July 4-6th. Not as bad, they are showing 4 star hotels downtown for $200. 4 star hotel in Bellevue for $154, 2 star for $92, some reasonable hotels near the airport and Southcenter. Reasonable hotel in the University District. I’d think you could get to the downtown fairly easily from any of those locations. Though I’d probably skip the hassle and stay downtown for $200, but $300 that you were looking at sounds pretty expensive, especially for a 2 star hotel!</p>
<p>You might try what I like to do. Book yourself at a refundable hotel, and keep checking Hotwire. Sometimes the hotels get cheaper as it gets closer to the date you’re looking at. Then when the price drops, book it and cancel the other hotel.</p>
<p>Take a look at the Cedarbrook Lodge near the airport. I actually stayed there for a night (corporate event), and loved it. It used to be considered a hidden gem. It has a shuttle to the airport, and light rail can take you all the way to the Westlake Center for $2.75 a person. You can enjoy all tourist stuff there and then head back to the hotel and return the same way. Bus routes 24 and 33, I think, can take you to the Pier, but I can’t remember if they run on the weekends. </p>
<p>Pineapple holes are probably also overpriced, but worth checking out. There is a Homewood Suites not too far from where I used to work, which is really close to Holland’s office and the departure pier, and also within walking distance from the Olympic Sculpture Park and the Seattle Center. Please feel free to send me a PM!</p>
<p>A friend of mine left on a cruise today after flying in last night. You’re right-you can save plenty by not staying right in town. There are several good places in the Tukwila area-near the airport and/or right off of I-5, can drop you right downtown. There is a light rail from Tukwila, and it goes downtown, but not near the Space Needle (where my fiend went yesterday). We sometimes stay at local hotels to get away from kids/jobs etc. and I can recommend the Larkspur Landing, Townplace, Ramada, all close to $130. There is also a La Quinta and a Holiday Inn Express, but we have not stayed there. Have fun-this time of year the weather’s not too bad.</p>
<p>I can vouch for Cedarbrook. DH and I have stayed there for our anniversary twice now. It is just an amazing place, quiet grounds even though you can practically see the airport from the place. But it looks like prices have gone up to over $250/night so it might not work for you. It’s lovely though.</p>
<p>There are a few Silver Cloud Inns around that are decent. The is one out by the UW(25th Ave), but public transportation could be an issue. Right in the U district there are the usual places. Look for Roosevelt Ave, 12th NE. Do not, under any circumstances, stay on Aurora/highway 99 north of downtown Seattle.
It’s a good 30-40 minutes in traffic from downtown north to Lynnwood or south to the airport hotels. They are cheaper, but it’s too far for easy access to the fun things in town.
Cedarbrook is really nice with a great restaurant. </p>
<p>Sseamom is right - the hotels further south will be cheaper, and you can find some close to the light rail that will take you directly downtown. From Westlake, you can get to the Seattle Center either by taking a bus or the Monorail. I usually walk, since it is less than 30 min for me, but ymmv. </p>
<p>We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express that was a short shuttle ride from the cruise ship. We paid about $10 per person to be driven to the boat. The other time we were in Seattle, just used HotWire and ended up at a very nice place which was well-located for much less than if we had tried to book with the hotel. BetterBidding.com can give you a pretty good idea of the hotel you are bidding on and the prices that are current for the respective hotels. PriceLine works too but I like being able to choose non-smoking hotels.</p>
<p>I saw some on Hotwire this morning over your timeframe with airport transportation that look reasonable. A 3 1/2 star for $131 by the airport. You will save money having a hotel with a shuttle, for sure. I agree with others that the light rail is convenient, so staying by the airport or probably in the Southcenter area is cost efficient. Never taken the light rail from the airport, but it sounds like a nice way to travel. Would be good if all those millions we paid for it went to use.</p>
<p>We live right near a light rail stop and have taken it to and from downtown often. My kids have used to for the airport, though we haven’t. It’s very convenient and runs so often you’re rarely waiting for more than a few minutes. What we often do is take it downtown, then use the old Monorail to get to Seattle Center. FWIW, we just started using Uber and are very pleased. They are prompt, the cars much newer and cleaner than taxi’s and the prices are good. Plus you can track where they are and how long it will be until they reach you. They run 24/7 and are all over the Seattle area.</p>
<p>I did not realize hotels in the area were so expensive.
Much more expensive than Portland.
We have a few newish places in my neighborhood, but they are 4star and very pricey.
There is a hostel northwest of the locks which is supposed to be nice and there are a few hotels on Queen Anne by the Seattle Center which are cheaper, but they book quickly.
( youll have to give a review of the Chihuly exhibit, Ive never been- Ive never been to EMP either, except to see a show)</p>
<p>I agree that staying by the airport and taking light rail into town seems most cost effective.</p>
<p>Ha! I still haven’t gotten to Chihuly either. The problem with going to those things with family is that all the admission fees are coming out of one bank account - maybe we need a CC field trip ;)</p>
<p>I do not know if the Chihuly garden downtown is good or so-so either! I kind of ran past it many times on the way to work, always thinking it would be nice to get inside someday. :)</p>
<p>There is a Chihuly museum in Tacoma that would soon get a third museum - of modern art. There is also an amazing, amazing car museum in Tacoma that is a must see for any car enthusiast or anyone who likes shiny, beautiful cars! :)</p>