Where To Stay In Seattle?

As with most places we visit on short trips, it’s generally best to stay as central as possible. Or is it? In Seattle, that might not always be the case. Downtown is one of several potential areas to stay in, but depending on your circumstances, it might be better to consider somewhere outside the urban core.

I always spend a lot of time researching the places and areas I stay in, and when I visited Seattle, I stayed in two different locations — neither of which was Downtown, even though I spent a lot of time there. Initially, I stayed in the SeaTac/Tukwila area south of the city. After returning from a road trip in the region, I stayed in Fremont, which is north of Downtown.

Downtown is the obvious first thought, but I wouldn’t say it is the obvious choice. I usually prefer to stay as central as possible when I travel. If you are on a short 2-3 day city break and want to avoid renting a car, then Downtown is where you should stay. I also think it might differ depending on whether you’re American or not. As a non-American, I enjoyed spending time outside Downtown because it felt so different from home, and I liked visiting the large big-box stores. For Americans, those kinds of things are less exotic, so they’ll likely spend more time Downtown. It might sound odd, but you can’t find anything like a Walmart Supercenter anywhere in Europe.

If you stay Downtown, you likely won’t (or shouldn’t) have a rental car. Most sights are reachable within walking distance of any hotel in the Downtown area. To get the best skyline views, such as from Kerry Park, you’ll need to use Uber or a taxi. There’s public transport from the airport, though Uber is often the most convenient method.

The main drawback of staying Downtown is the cost. Hotels are incredibly expensive! I wanted to stay in Downtown Seattle, but I couldn’t find a single hotel at a reasonable price. Unless you’re traveling without a budget, it’s better to look elsewhere and use a rental car or Uber to visit Downtown for sightseeing.

The area around SeaTac and Tukwila is a great option if you’re looking for cheaper motels — or rather, less expensive, as nothing in Seattle is cheap. The best prices I found were in the area around the airport, with rooms costing about one-third of what you’d pay for the same quality Downtown. There are several budget motels along International Blvd (US Route 99).

This area is best for shopping, as there are many huge shopping centers nearby, especially Southcenter, which has every major shopping chain represented.

Another benefit of this part of the city is its connection to the Sound Transit light rail system. It’s possible to travel from Tukwila International Blvd Station into Downtown Seattle in 30 minutes, avoiding the heavy parking fees in the city center. I took the light rail from Lumen Field after a game back to Tukwila, and it was a good, modern service.

Initially, I had planned to stay in this area for both parts of the trip. However, it felt a little boring to stay so close to the airport for the second part of the visit. It felt as though the trip had already ended by that point. Being near the airport has both positives and negatives, but I wouldn’t say that noise was an issue.

When I returned to Seattle after a road trip, I stayed on Aurora Ave in Fremont. It was just eight minutes by car from Downtown Seattle, but the suburban residential area was quiet and safe. Unfortunately, this part of the city is not yet connected to the Sound Transit light rail system. The only public transportation linking it to Downtown is buses. While I normally don’t mind buses, I’m not particularly fond of them in the United States.

Fremont, Wallingford, and the University District are three perfect locations just north of Downtown to stay in. If you’re looking for hotels or motels in this area, make sure you stay south of Green Lake. Aurora Ave north of Green Lake, in particular, gets very sketchy.

Prices in this area are a bit higher than in SeaTac/Tukwila but much lower than Downtown. Since it’s only eight minutes away, it’s easy to take an Uber into Downtown. Alternatively, you can drive at least once or twice. While parking prices are high, there are garages everywhere. I didn’t have any issues finding parking — finding parking at a reasonable price, however, is a different question.

If you decide to stay in this area, don’t miss visiting the Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge!

Personally, if I return to Seattle, I would prefer to stay in the area around Fremont, Wallingford, or the University District. It felt like the best value for the money. It also offers the most freedom, as you can have a rental car while still being close enough to Downtown to go there for dinner in the evening and leave the car behind.

Each of these three main areas (Downtown, Fremont, and SeaTac) is a good option, depending on your preferences.