Homewood Suites by Hilton Seattle Downtown

This branch of Hilton's Homewood Suites chain is situated in a six-story building with a bright, rust-red and yellow facade that looks a lot like the condos in the surrounding area. Indeed, the "condo vibe" is appropriate for a hotel that includes only suites and apartments and often caters to long term guests, in addition to those in town for a concert at Key Arena or a cruise departing from Pier 91. Decor inside is fresh from the hotel's extensive mid-2017 renovations, with sleek wood laminate flooring in the lobby and modern sitting areas that pair splashy blue-beige carpeting with matching button-tufted couches and high-backed upholstered armchairs in chevron and velvety blue. The lobby gives way to a homey kitchen area and dining space, where guests gather for free breakfasts and manager's receptions, a Homewood Suites-brand staple.

This Homewood is situated on a busy main road but has views over the bay and the strip of park that runs parallel to the water. The immediate neighborhood is mostly condos, but there are restaurants close by, including a restaurant and beer hall on the opposite side of the hotel. Guests can walk to Mercer Street, lined with restaurants, in about 10 minutes or to Seattle Center in about 12 minutes. The latter is home to many of Seattle's famed attractions, including the Space Needle, the Museum of Pop Culture, and Chihuly Gardens. Guests can also walk to Olympic Sculpture Park (seven minutes) and Key Arena (nine minutes). The Pier 91 cruise ship terminal is about 12 minutes away via bus or a four-minute drive, while Pike Place Market is about 15 minutes by bus. The bus stops right outside the hotel. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is about a 20-minute drive or one hour away via public transit. On-site parking costs an extra daily fee. 

Guest rooms, which were included in the 2017 renovations, feature fresh, modern, if vaguely generic decor in that standard chain-hotel way. The color palette is a bold blue and soft gray, with blue wall-to-wall carpeting, gray walls, and, in many rooms, tufted gray couches that pull out into beds. Rooms available include suites plus one- or two-bedroom apartments, all with kitchenettes. Kitchenettes are fully equipped with full-sized refrigerators, granite counter tops, dishwashers, two-burner stoves, plus microwaves, coffeemakers, cookware, and dishes. Other standard amenities include flat-screen TVs (27-inch to 40-inch plasmas) with premium channels like HBO, free Wi-Fi, work desks and/or dining tables, and roomy bathrooms with hairdryers and Neutrogena toiletries. Rooms on higher floors facing the water offer the best views. 

Typical of the Homewood brand, this hotel throws in some very nice food-related freebies. A daily breakfast buffet is included with the room rate, featuring the standard showing of hot and cold chain-hotel fare. There's also a free manager's reception offered Monday through Thursday evenings, which includes free wine, beer, and themed dishes that guests say are substantial enough for dinner and varied enough to please longer-stay guests. There is no full-service restaurant, though the hotel does have a 24-hour mini market with snack options.

This Homewood also has a modest fitness center with six cardio machines with individual screens, a bench, and free weights, but there's no pool on the premises. There's also coin-operated laundry facilities, especially helpful for guests on longer stays. For guests traveling with children, high chairs and cribs can be borrowed. A small business center holds two computers and a printer for guest use and Wi-Fi throughout the hotel is free. On-site, underground parking costs an extra daily fee. Pets are allowed for a nightly extra fee as well.