3 top Seattle hotels for every budget

Four Seasons Seattle teases with a rooftop pool overooking Elliott Bay and Puget Sound.

By Vince Font

Seattle is one of those great American cities that’s far too often trumped by places like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles on travel wish lists. But as anyone who’s ever been to the “Jet City” can tell you, Seattle’s nobody’s second-rate Big Apple. To help you find out for yourself, here are a few of the best Seattle hotels, ranked by cost for every budget.

Small: Sleep Inn Sea-Tac Airport
If you’re traveling on a budget but want to squeeze the maximum star rating out of every last penny (and don’t want it to show), pay a visit to the Sleep Inn Sea-Tac. Located within a mile and a half of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the Sleep Inn is multi level, indoor access hotel that offers some of the best bang for your buck in its price range. Whether you’re in town for the night or intend to stay awhile, the Sleep Inn delivers comfortable lodging with spacious rooms, a friendly staff, nearby shopping and restaurants and is only 15 minutes from downtown Seattle. A complimentary ride from the hotel van is available if you’re within a 3-mile radius of the hotel.

Medium: Red Lion on Fifth Avenue
True to its name, the Red Lion on Fifth Avenue is, in fact, located on Fifth Avenue in downtown Seattle — but don’t let its haughty sounding name dissuade you from booking a stay. The accommodations are actually some of the most surprisingly affordable of all high quality Seattlehotels. Elliot Bay or city view rooms are available, and even standard rooms come with free wi-fi, 37-inch flat panel TV, and Bath & Body Works bath accessories, among other things. The Red Lion is located in the middle of downtown close to everything, and is literally feet away from the monorail stop that takes you directly to the Space Needle.

Large: Four Seasons Seattle
This is the place you go to stay when money is no object and the best possible hotel experience is the prime objective. Seattle vacations don’t get much classier than they do with a stay at the Four Seasons, a posh hotel in the middle of downtown that puts you within walking distance of points of interest like the famous Pike’s Place Market and the Seattle Art Museum. Rooms are spacious and beautifully decorated,with some suites offering a choice between a view of the city or a view of Elliot Bay and Puget Sound. Some of the amenities put other upscale digs to shame — for example, pets are allowed — but I guess that really shouldn’t come as a shock, especially coming from a place that’s been ranked the best of all hotels in Seattle. Apparently, it’s got the canine vote as well.

Insider tip: Jonesin’ for a little more spontaneity in your life? Jump on last-minute Seattle vacation packages.

Related resources

• Cheap Seattle flights
• Spring break vacations
• Tacoma hotels
• Washington hotels

Vince Font is a freelance writer born in Puerto Rico and currently escaped to Utah. When not dreaming of interstellar travel, he’s on the hunt for weird, wacky, and off-the-beaten-track vacation destinations. Next stop: The Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast.