Seattle/Downtown

By car

Getting in by car is not recommended, due to the congestion and parking problems, but if you have to, these are the main routes to get in:

• From I-5 northbound, exit either onto James Street (Exit 164) or Seneca Street (Exit 165, on the left side of the road).
• From I-5 southbound, exit onto Stewart Street (Exit 166), Union Street (Exit 165B) or James Street (Exit 165A).
• From SR-99 northbound, exit onto Seneca Street.
• From SR-99 southbound, exit onto Wall Street then turn left onto 5th or 2nd Avenue.
• From I-90 from the Eastside, continue straight onto the 4th Avenue S exit, then turn left towards Downtown, or exit onto I-5 north and follow the I-5 northbound directions.
• From WA-520 from the Eastside, exit onto I-5 south and follow the I-5 southbound directions.

By ferry

Washington State Ferries offer service from Pier 52 of the Seattle waterfront (also known as Colman Dock) to Bainbridge Island and Bremerton, which makes for a very fun and scenic ride.
Additionally, the King County Water Taxi offers service between Pier 50 on the downtown Seattle waterfront and Seacrest Park in West Seattle, with amazing views of the city. Fare is $4.75 for adults ($4 with an ORCA card), $2 for seniors/disabled, $4.75 youth ages 6-18 ($3 with an ORCA card), free for children 5 and under.

By public transit

Downtown is the hub of Seattle's public transit system and almost every neighborhood in Seattle is connected by a direct bus route to Downtown.

• King County Metro buses serve Seattle neighborhoods. Fares are $2.50 ($2.75 during the weekday rush hour) and include a paper transfer (or an automatic transfer if you pay using an ORCA card) good for two hours.
• Sound Transit provides all-day express bus service from the outlying suburbs and communities of the Seattle Area such as Bellevue (Rt #550), Everett (#512), Issaquah (#554), Redmond (#545) and Tacoma (Rt #590, 594).
• In addition to buses, Sound Transit also operates the Link Light Rail line, which runs north through Capitol Hill to the University of Washington and south to the airport, Tukwila and SeaTac.
• The Sounder, a commuter rail service, has lines running south to Tacoma and north to Everett. The Sounder's terminal is in the King Street Station, at the southern end of Downtown.
• The South Lake Union Streetcar connects the Westlake Center in north Downtown to the nearby neighborhood of South Lake Union just to the north. Fare is $2.25 for adults, $1.50 youth, and $1 for seniors.
• The Seattle Center Monorail makes a direct connection between Westlake Center and the Seattle Center north of Downtown, which is home to the Space Needle. One-way tickets are $2.25 for adults, $1 seniors/youth; transfers or ORCA cards are not accepted.

Seattle's downtown is quite compact, and avenues (running NW to SE, parallel to the waterfront) are hill-free and can easily be walked. However, streets (running NE to SW) can be extremely steep. When your feet are tired, hop onto the Metro buses for a break.
A rule of thumb to remember the downtown street names, from Yesler Way to Westlake Park, is the mnemonic "Jesus Christ Made Seattle Under Protest", as the streets are named as six first-letter pairs of these words (Jefferson & James, Cherry & Columbia, Marion & Madison, Spring & Seneca, University & Union, Pike & Pine).

• Argosy Cruises

  address: 1101 Alaskan Way, Pier 55
  Offers special dinner and sightseeing cruises. The most common tour visitors take is the hour-long journey on Elliott Bay, which gives you an excellent view not just of the Space Needle and the Downtown skyline, but the freight harbor to the south as well.

• Miner's Landing at Pier 57

  phone: +1 206 623-8600
  address: 1301 Alaskan Way
  Named for once being the main departure point during the Seattle gold rush, Miner's Landing now hosts a food court and a variety of gourmet restaurants, a sports merchandise store, a carousel for kids and the Seattle Great Wheel.

• Seattle Great Wheel

  phone: +1 206 623-8600
  address: 1301 Alaskan Way
  Rising 175 feet in the air, this Ferris wheel offers a 15 minute ride in one of the wheel's 42 gondolas, each of which can hold up to 8 people. You'll get a wonderful view of the Seattle waterfront, the Downtown skyline, as well as the Puget Sound, the snow-covered Olympics, and the green city hills.

• Pike Place Market

  phone: +1 206 682-7453
  address: 1501 Pike Pl
  One of Seattle's most touristy destinations, Pike Place Market is a functioning public market; one of the oldest in the country. Mostly indoors, it consists of dozens of little shops tucked into a few square blocks downtown, situated on multiple levels. Even if you hate shopping you might still like this place, with its colorful atmosphere and quirky gimmicks, like the famous seafood stand where the staff toss fish from one end to the other. As the weather gets warmer, many artisans set up booths to sell photographs, glass, ceramics, and fresh flowers. Farmers come to sell their produce, and a vast amount of tiny hole-in-the-wall places offer all kinds of cuisine (French, Russian, Chinese, etc.) It's within walking distance of the waterfront, and crowds fill the market each time a cruise ship is parked in the harbor. Look for big blond Johnny Hahn on his portable piano or one of the other regular street musicians around the market. Be sure to head into the lower levels beneath the crowded main arcade to explore the cramped, dusty shops buried within the building. And don't miss adjacent Post Alley, a hidden gem filled with gourmet restaurants and unique souvenir shops, as well as odd sights like a gum-covered wall.

• Seattle Aquarium

  phone: +1 206 386-4300
  address: 1483 Alaskan Way (on Pier 59 on the waterfront)
  Showcases native fish and mammals of the Pacific Northwest. Among the highlights are the Windows on Washington (WOW) exhibit, two touch tanks featuring animals of the inland sea and outer coast, and a display that holds two giant pacific octopuses, gill sharks and Pacific coral reefs. The outdoor exhibit upstairs features a collection of birds, harbor and Northern fur seals, as well as river and sea otters. At a separate area on the lower level, you can go inside an underwater dome to get up-close with swimming animals from the Puget Sound.

• Seattle Art Museum

  phone: +1 206 654-3100
  address: 100 University St
  The museum's recent physical expansion, coupled with an aggressive campaign to expand the collection, now displays a good assortment of art from the Pacific Northwest and around the world. Though the permanent exhibitions only occasionally delve deeply into a specific subject (such as the enormous variety of pieces in the porcelain room), extensive special exhibitions fill the gap. Tours available.

• Seattle Public Library-Central Library

  phone: +1 206 386-4636
  address: 1000 4th Ave
  A dramatic glass and steel structure in the heart of Downtown, designed by Rem Koolhaas. This is not an average public library and has become a tourist destination in its own right. A popular way to experience the unique architecture of the building is to take an elevator to the 10th floor, the highest observation deck in the building. From here you can walk down to the main floor through the Book Spiral; the core of the structure which organizes the library's books in one continuous path organized by the Dewey decimal system.

• Sky View Observatory

  phone: +1 206 386-5564
  address: 701 5th Ave
  This observatory sits on the 73rd floor of the Columbia Center, one of the tallest buildings on the West Coast and the tallest public observation deck in the Pacific Northwest, sitting 932 feet (284.2 meters) above the ground and more than 330 feet taller than the Space Needle. Great views are offered from the top and some people claim the view is better from here than from the Space Needle. Another advantage over the Space Needle is that this building isn't well known as a tourist attraction, so there's usually little to no line to get to the top. Tickets are available for purchase online (2$ less expensive or in the atrium at the Columbia Center). There is a cafe in the observation deck serving sandwiches and drinks (including beer and wine) and a food court at the bottom of the Columbia Center.

• Tilikum Place

  phone: +1 206 684-4075
  address: 2701 5th Ave
  Etymologically meaning "welcome" in the native Chinook language, Tilikum is home to a statue of Chief Seattle, the chief of the Duwamish tribe that gives this city its name. Sit in the park or in the Tilikum Place Cafe's outdoor seating and enjoy views of the Space Needle while sipping a coffee or enjoying a lunch, and watch the monorail go by.

• Benaroya Hall

  phone: +1 206 215-4800
  address: 200 University St
  An aesthetically and acoustically beautiful new concert hall. The official home of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, it also houses other classical and performing arts roadshows.

• GameWorks

  phone: +1 206 521-0952
  address: 1511 7th Ave
  A chain gaming arcade which is a great place to enjoy all types of video games. A restaurant and bar inside, World Sports Grille, serves American food.

• SceneInSeattle Fine Art ToursThis tour is a good option for those who aren't in town for "Art Walk" but still want to know what's happening in Seattle's art scene. The tour was started by a local gallery and is headed by a curator or gallery owner. You walk through the "West Edge," also known as the Museum District, galleries and learn about Seattle's art history, up-and-coming artists, scandals, and public works. It offers a lovely insider's view in the local art scene, and they also tour other neighborhoods like the "East Edge" of Pioneer Square.

Most of the district's retail is situated around Westlake Station, roughly in an area bordered by 3rd and 8th Avenues, Olive Way and University Street. Brand-name clothing and outerwear are the main draws: the flagship Nordstrom department store dominates the high-end, and the adjacent Macy's serves a more midrange market. Westlake Center has many well-known shops and a food court, and a handful of outlet stores for brands like Columbia and Mountain Hardware are nearby.
Pike Place Market is in and of itself a tourist attraction as well as a place to buy souvenirs and groceries.

• Made in Washington

  phone: +1 206 467-0788
  address: 1530 Post Alley
  Sells all kinds of souvenirs exclusive to Washington state. Along with the usual coffee mugs and fridge magnets, they also sell glass sculptures you can find at the Chihuly Arts and Glass, baked salmon, artisan chocolates and the rain-globe, an equivalent to a snow globe but adapted to suit the stereotypical Seattle drizzle. They also have another shop in Westlake Center.

• Pacific Place Mall

  phone: +1 206 405-2655
  address: 600 Pine St
  An upscale shopping mall at the heart of Downtown Seattle, featuring brand tenants, but only a handful of dining options. There is also a large movie theater upstairs. "Snow" falls hourly every afternoon to dusk during the holiday shopping season.

• VAIN

  phone: +1 206 441-3441
  address: 2018 1st Ave
  Occupying the home of the infamous Vogue nightclub, Vain is a community space, boutique and hair salon. The upper two floors are 20 working art studios. They have an active arts calendar and host other cultural events and fundraisers. Known for supporting "alternative visions of beauty," you can expect to find an 8 year old getting their first mohawk alongside a 68 year old having a conservative bob trimmed up.

Many of the best eating options in Seattle can be found downtown, primarily at the Pike Place Market and in the Belltown neighborhood.

Budget

• The 5 Point Cafe

  phone: +1 206 948-6672
  address: 415 Cedar St
  Seattle's oldest restaurant, serving huge portions of American comfort food since 1929. The full menu is served 24 hours every day. Full bar with stiff drinks, over 25 local beers and liquors. Great jukebox and an eclectic mix of regulars and locals, tourists, politicians, young hipsters, freaks and grouchy old men. Free wifi. Outdoor seating. This is a true piece of Seattle history not to be missed.

• Biscuit Bitch at Caffé Lieto

  phone: +1 206-441-7999
  address: 1909 1st Ave
  The b-word is in every single item on the menu, and this excellent breakfast place is a siren call to those seeking hangover relief, providing burgers (replace the bun with a biscuit) sandwiches (replace the bread with a biscuit), and typical Southern style food.

• Ivar's Acres Of Clams

  phone: +1 206 624-6852
  address: 1001 Alaskan Way
  Smoked salmon plate-lunch and fish-n-chips served outdoors at a scenic downtown waterfront location. Ordering at the walk-up counter outside is inexpensive.Please do not feed ducks and seagulls as human food is harmful for birds! Good food, but pretty touristy

• Mama's Cantina

  phone: +1 206 728-6262
  address: 2234 2nd Ave
  Plentiful portions of decent food and a fun, festive atmosphere. Don't miss out on the Elvis Room.

Pike Place Market

The shops around Pike Place Market are an excellent place to grab some cheap eats. Pick up some bread, cheese, sausage and smoked meats and have a picnic on the park at the north end of the Market, or get a cup of coffee and sit at a table on the sidewalk.

• Beecher's Handmade Cheese

  phone: +1 206 956-1964
  address: 1600 Pike Pl
  A library of artisan cheese from Pacific Northwest farms, as well as some handmade cheese in the factory next door, worth bringing home as a Seattle souvenir. Try some free samples and be sure to get some of their mac and cheese.

• The Crumpet Shop

  phone: +1 206 682-1598
  address: 1503 1st Ave
  Crumpet is a griddle cake originated from England, but you can get one here in Seattle, made with organic ingredients, sweet or savory with a number of toppings.

• Ellenos Greek Yogurt

  phone: +1 206 625-5006
  address: 1500 Pike Pl
  A bit expensive compared to its supermarket counterparts, but richer in flavor and milk, making this a local favorite. Often has long lines, but they move quickly and the owner is generous with free samples.

• Jack's Fish Spot

  phone: +1 206 467-0514
  address: 1514 Pike Pl
  A good place to get seafood, especially dungeness crabs. Market-like atmosphere, seating in stools, and they can cook what you buy.

• Pike Place ChowderOne of the most famous restaurants at Pike Place Market. Selections of exceptional chowder, as well as sandwiches and seafood cocktails.

• Pike Place Chowder

  phone: +1 206 267-2537
  address: 1530 Post Alley
  Usually has long lines (up to 30 minutes) due to the fact this location is more well-known. Has more choices of chowder. Seats quickly fill up!

• Pike Place Chowder

  phone: +1 206 838-5680
  address: 600 Pine St

Piroshky Piroshky

phone: +1 206 441-6068

address: 1908 Pike Pl

A very popular eatery, specializing in their namesake Russian pastries. They have many varieties from which to chose. The smoked salmon, the cheese, onion and garlic roll, and the apple cinnamon roll are all excellent. Be prepared for long lines and out of stock items if you come in late!

Uli's Bierstube

phone: +1 206 838-1712

address: 1511 Pike Pl

Delicious sausages from a German master butcher.

Mid-range

• Café Bengodi

  phone: +1 206 381-0705
  address: 700 1st Ave
  A cramped and friendly restaurant with well-made Italian dishes.

• Campagne Restaurant

  phone: +1 206 728-2233
  address: 1600 Post Alley
  Country French cuisine.

• chan

  phone: +1 206 443-5443
  address: 86 Pine St
  Petite gourmet restaurant. Korean fusion food cooked with Western techniques. Don't expect a wide array of dishes because the place itself is small and rustic, but the taste is worth the price.

• Il Fornaio

  phone: +1 206 264-0994
  address: 600 Pine St
  Chain Italian restaurant that serves great pasta, soup, pizza, and grill with fresh ingredients and real Italian recipes. The atmosphere is really comfortable, with an Italian style interior and great street views of Downtown Seattle through the windows.

• Matt's in the Market

  phone: +1 206 467-7909
  address: 94 Pike St, Ste. 32
  Charming market ambiance and tasty seafood selections make for a fine low-key dining experience at this small spot.

• Palace Kitchen

  phone: +1 206 448-2001
  address: 2030 5th Ave
  Tom Douglas' upscale saloon is a hit any time of day.

• Serious Pie

  phone: +1 206 838-7388
  address: 316 Virginia St
  Regular and specialty Neapolitan style pizza in one of the best pizza restaurants in Seattle. This small space gets overwhelmed with customers around mealtimes.

• Wild Ginger

  phone: +1 206 623-4450
  address: 1401 3rd Ave
  Fine Chinese and Southeast Asian dining experience, but if you want your meal to be spicy, you'll want to specify when you order. Wide selections of meat for satay along with soup and mainly meat for entrees. Gluten free and vegan friendly.

Splurge

• Dahlia Lounge

  phone: +1 206 682-4142
  address: 2001 4th Ave
  Tom Douglas' premiere restaurant and, perhaps, one of Seattle's very finest. It's a very eclectic and creative restaurant, with an emphasis on seafood that runs throughout the ever-changing menu, with many Asian influences too. The appetizers tend to outshine the entrees, so opt for making a meal by ordering one of each and leaving room for dessert (the freshly-fried doughnuts delivered in a paper sack are a bit incongruous, but deservedly popular).

• Le Pichet

  address: 1933 1st Ave
  An excellent French bistro in the heart of Downtown. Try the roast chicken.

• Ruth's Chris Steakhouse

  phone: +1 206 624-8524
  address: 727 Pine St
  Tucked in the center of Downtown. Side dishes served on a per-table basis, so make sure you can agree with your companions! Skip the happy hour.

• The Metropolitan Steakhouse

  phone: +1 206 624-3287
  address: 820 2nd Ave
  Caters to those with fat wallets, with massive portions, classic steakhouse ambiance, and top-grade beef.

• Purple Cafe & Wine Bar

  phone: +1 206 829-2280
  address: 1225 4th Ave
  Has an extensive wine list and some of Seattle's best food. Don't forget to try the salted caramels for dessert.

• Daily Grill

  phone: +1 206 624-8400
  address: 629 Pike St
  At the corner between 6th and 7th Avenues, Daily Grill is a good option for a meal after movies or shopping. Quality American food and a great interior. Definitely go during happy hour — appetizers start at $3.95.

• Elliott's Oyster House

  phone: +1 206 623-4340
  address: 1201 Alaskan Way
  Seafood restaurant that's most famous for serving fresh oysters. In addition, the menu has various seafood to choose from, such as king salmon, sockeye, dungeness crab, king crab, yellowfin ahi tuna, you name it. Happy hour is affordable, with chef's choice of fresh oysters on the half-shell starting at $0.75 each at 3PM, $1.25 each at 4PM, $1.75 each at 5PM, and other deals. The restaurant is located right by the dock and the view is fantastic during the summer when you can sit outside.

• RN74

  phone: +1 206 456-7474
  address: Joshua Green Building, 1433 4th Ave
  The cuisine at RN74 aims to be a perfect complement to the wines — creative, modern, but simple interpretations of regional French cuisine punctuated with seasonal, fresh ingredients and bold flavors, all executed with a signature original twist.

Bars and taverns

The Belltown neighborhood is an excellent place for barhopping, particularly along 2nd Ave.

• Cyclops

  address: 2421 1st Ave
  Good, hip (but not ultra-hip) bar, and not a bad restaurant either. Interesting neo-retro decor. The Ace Hotel is upstairs. Excellent breakfast.

• The Owl N' Thistle

  address: 808 Post Ave
  A great Irish bar. A house band, nice regulars, and halibut burger to die for. Happy hour is 3-7, M-F.

• The Pink Door

  address: 1919 Post Alley
  Reasonably good Italian restaurant, but it's a better bar, with a rather romantic European market ambiance and a trellis-covered outdoor deck. Occasional cabaret-style live entertainment, no cover.

• Shorty's

  address: 2222A 2nd Ave
  A variety of classic pinball games and honest hot dogs. Be sure to check out the Trophy Lounge hidden in the back.

• Tula's

  address: 2214 2nd Ave
  Tula's is a good and affordable venue for local jazz. Cover charges range from $5 to $12.

• The Wildrose

  address: 1021 Pike St
  One of the country's oldest lesbian bars. A full bar, the 'Rose' also serves light meals and snacks. The requisite pool table is always waiting for the next challenger.

• Amber

  phone: +1 206-728-8500
  address: 2214 1st Ave (on 1st avenue between Bell and Blanchard Street)
  Good upscale lounge and restaurant with no cover charge and a pleasant ambiance that has reasonable prices. Daily happy hour with food and drink specials from 4 to 7PM daily and late night happy hour Sunday thru Thursday from 9 to 11PM. Friday (Ladies night) and Saturday night draw good crowds with a live DJ and a mini dance floor. There are 2 levels with some couch and booth seating available.

Breweries

• Pike Brewery

  address: 1415 1st Ave
  Great variety of beers (try the Kiltlifter) and good food too. Can be found in grocery stores and on tap at some bars.

Coffee

• Local Color

  phone: +1 206 728-1717
  address: 1606 Pike Pl
  Serves Caffé Vita coffee in Pike Place Market's largest independent coffeehouse. Also an art gallery, with new art on the walls at the beginning of each month. The first Saturday of every month, holds an art opening from 6PM-9PM.

• Original Starbucks

  address: 1912 Pike Pl
  Who would have thought, when this unassuming place opened in 1971, that it would give rise to a global empire? So get in line, order a latte (no different from anywhere else in the world), and ponder the vagaries of history. And check out the uncensored mermaid which acted as the original logo for the company.

If you're staying in Seattle, you're very likely to stay in Downtown, as here is where most of the city's accommodations are offered. Most splurge options are in the area surrounding the Pike Place Market or Westlake, while most budget options can be found in the Belltown neighborhood.

Budget

• Ace Hotel

  phone: +1 206 448-4721
  address: 2423 1st Ave
  Budget hotel in the Belltown area. Rooms have an option of shared bath. Minimum furniture and quaint.

• City Hostel Seattle

  phone: +1 206 706-3255
  address: 2327 2nd Ave
  Warm friendly accommodation. Private room available. Free breakfast and Wi-fi. All rooms have murals painted by local artists. $25 dorms.

• Green Tortoise Hostel

  phone: +1 206 340-1222
  address: 105b Pike St
  Has a view of the Puget Sound and the Market, 30 bunk rooms in the elegantly restored Elliot Hotel Building. Free Internet stations and Wi-Fi, free dinner 3 nights a week, and free breakfast every morning. The Green Tortoise is a Seattle backpacker institution that also runs festive low-budget bus tours to Mexico and Central America.

• Hotel Five Seattle

  address: 2200 5th Ave
  Its namesake comes from the site of the hotel at Fifth Avenue, below the monorail tracks. Urban-designed rooms. Complimentary shuttle and bike to roam the city.

• La Quinta Inn & Suites Seattle Downtown

  phone: +1 206 624-6820
  address: 2224 8th Ave
  Very close to Seattle Center and the downtown shopping core. High-speed internet in rooms and free breakfast included.

Mid-range

• Belltown Inn

  phone: +1 206 529-3700
  address: 2301 3rd Avenue
  This little establishment at the heart of Belltown offers kitchenette on every room. Rooms only have fans for summer.

• Executive Hotel Pacific

  address: 400 Spring St
  A small hotel in the Belltown area. Standard rooms have small bathrooms, deluxe are slightly larger, suites' bedrooms are perfect for a family and features free Internet and newspaper.

• Hotel Max

  address: 620 Stewart St
  In the heart of downtown, offers an artistic setting for both business and leisure travelers.

• Mayflower Park Hotel

  phone: +1 206 623-8700
  address: 405 Olive Way
  Built in 1927, the centrally-located hotel retains its classical colors on most of its interior, with modern amenities in the rooms such as flat-screen TV and coffee machine. Wi-Fi is complimentary.

• Motif Seattle

  phone: +1 206 971-8000
  address: 1415 Fifth Ave
  Distinctive downtown hotel featuring modern lifestyle amenities, concierge, restaurants and lounges, meeting venues, business & fitness centers, and Seattle's largest rooftop dining patio - a unique Seattle Lodging experience.

• Palladian Hotel

  phone: +1 206 448-1111
  address: 2000 2nd Avenue
  A new addition to the downtown hotel industry, the boutique hotel, developed by Kimpton, adopts a European flair. Every room is equipped with a yoga mat and a daily social (wine) hour is available at the hotel's classic bar.

• Renaissance Seattle Hotel

  phone: +1 206 583-0300
  address: 515 Madison St
  A full service hotel in the heart of downtown.

• The Roosevelt Hotel

  phone: +1 206 429-4320
  address: 1531 7th Avenue
  Another boutique and historic option at Belltown.

• Warwick Seattle

  phone: +1 206 443-4300
  address: 401 Lenora Street
  One of the few budget options in the middle of downtown. Rooms have a view of either the skyline or the Space Needle, added with a Juliet balcony.

Splurge

• Alexis Hotel

  phone: +1 206 624-4844
  address: 1007 1st Ave
  This art-themed hotel has original works throughout the lobby and in the rooms. Furthermore, it sports a big old Dale Chihuly glass piece in the lobby.

• The Edgewater

  phone: +1 206 728-7000
  address: Pier 67, 2411 Alaskan Way
  Near the Pike Place Market, right on the water, and famous for three things: you could at one time literally fish right out of your window, it was the site of a notorious Led Zeppelin incident, and the Beatles stayed here during their 1964 tour. Rooms either face the city with no great view other than the Space Needle, or face the water. These latter rooms enjoy the non-stop action of the ferries and cruise liners in the harbor. The restaurant is elegantly decorated with a few outdoor tables right over the water.

• The Fairmont Olympic

  phone: +1 206 621-1700
  address: 411 University St
  The only hotel in the Northwest to win a five-diamond award. Pulls off grand and luxurious perfectly, is in the middle of downtown.

• Hotel 1000

  phone: +1 206 957-1000
  address: 1000 1st Ave
  New high-tech, boutique style hotel in downtown.

• Hotel Andra

  phone: +1 206 448-8600
  address: 2000 4th Ave
  A hotel of a local brand with a luxury and modern touch. Rooms have private bars and ironing boards, with plush Turkish towels and Swedish bath amenities. The in-house Mediterranean restaurant is managed by the locally-renowned restauranteur Tom Douglas.

• Hotel Monaco Seattle

  address: 1101 4th Ave
  Centrally located in the historic Pike Place Market downtown, facing the waterfront and Elliott Bay. Short walk to Seattle Art Museum, Benaroya Hall, Pioneer Square, Westlake Center, and lots of dining and shopping.

• Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle

  phone: +1 206 264-8111
  address: 2125 Terry Ave
  Designed by Hirsch Bedner, AAA 4-Diamond award recipient hotel.

• Sheraton Seattle

  phone: +1 206 621-9000
  address: 1400 6th Ave
  Immediately adjacent to the convention center.

• W Seattle

  phone: +1 206 264-6000
  address: 1112 4th Ave
  For the terminally hip traveler. Decorated in a stunning palette of black, black, silver, cream, and black.

• The Westin Seattle

  phone: +1 206 728-1000
  address: 1900 5th Ave
  Perhaps the hotel that has the most rooms in the city. Standard luxurious Westin-style hospitality. It is linked by a skybridge that connects with Westlake Center.

Cellphone signals are strong throughout Downtown, save for in the Downtown Transit Tunnel. Wi-Fi connectivity is available at most coffee shops. The Seattle Central Library has lightning-speed plug-in and wireless internet connections.

• Seattle Public LibraryAll branches of the Seattle Public Library have open wireless, using the SSID spl-public. Public computers with Internet access and basic office software are available for up to 90 minutes at a time, but require either a SPL library card or a temporary pass available from the circulation desk.

• Central Branch

  phone: +1 206 386-4636
  address: 1000 4th Ave
  Several hundred public computers, and blazing-fast wired and wireless Internet.

• A short ride by rail or bus takes you to Pioneer Square and International District, the Georgetown neighborhood, and South Seattle.
• A ride by the South Lake Union Streetcar or the monorail will take you to the districts of Queen Anne and South Lake Union
• A short walk away to the other side of the Interstate 5 is the hip district of Capitol Hill.

• Blake Island State ParkArgosy Cruises offers regular service from Pier 55 to this island state park visible from downtown that was the birthplace of Chief Seattle and still offers guests Native American style dinners and dancing.