Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites North Seattle – Shoreline

This modern chain hotel hosts a diverse mix of guests, from families in town for sightseeing to business travelers. The modest lobby has low ceilings but the space is inviting thanks to decor with bright orange accents. Contemporary art, a double-sided gas fireplace, and ultra-modern furniture make a cheerful and classy statement. It’s a generally quiet hotel, but the dining area that adjoins the lobby can get crowded at times when guests arrive en masse to take advantage of the free breakfast. The indoor pool also is quite popular, especially when lots of families or youth groups are staying overnight.

The Holiday Inn Express is located north of downtown in a commercial area of Shoreline. A few restaurants are within a brief walk along busy Aurora Avenue, but reaching most of the area’s top attractions will require a car. It’s approximately a 20- to 25-minute drive to downtown Seattle’s attractions, such as the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Safeco Field, and Washington State Convention & Trade Center. It’s about a five-minute drive from Interstate 5, and a nine-minute drive to the numerous shopping and dining options at Northgate Mall. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is approximately 45 minutes by car, depending on traffic. 

Guest rooms were last renovated in 2012, and they remain tidy and generally well-maintained. The simple and tasteful decor includes gold walls and bed skirts, patterned carpeting with brown and blue hues, and matching wood furniture with a espresso finish. There are padded headboards, glass-topped desks with office chairs, armchairs, and white duvets covering beds that many guests have praised for their comfort. Units are average in size, and Suites offer enough extra space for kitchenettes with wet bars and separate seating areas with sleeper sofas and small dining tables with chairs. Standard amenities include microwaves, mini-fridges, flat-screen TVs, and coffeemakers (suites have Keurig coffeemakers). Free bottled water and Wi-Fi are also provided. Bathrooms have shower/tub combos framed by standard-issue white tile, but there are roomy granite vanities and the lighting is excellent. Some ambient noise can be heard from the busy road, but the rooms are acceptably quiet. Views are generally nondescript glimpses of the roadway or parking lot. 

This mid-range property has amenities that many leisure and business travelers seek, including a free hot breakfast with eggs and breakfast meats. Free coffee is available all day, and free cookies are offered every afternoon. However, there's no bar or full-service restaurant on-site.

There's an average-size heated indoor pool that's open 24/7 with a whirlpool, plus a well-equipped fitness center with Precor treadmills, ellipticals, and bicycles, along with free weights and shower facilities. For business travelers, there's a 24-hour business center that has one computer and a printer, and there's a meeting room that can accommodate up to 45 people. 

The guest laundry room only has one washer/dryer, but it’s also open 24/7, and the hotel offers valet dry cleaning and laundry services. USA Today newspapers are free on weekdays, and there's free on-site parking with park-and-cruise packages available. Wi-Fi is free throughout.