Where to stay · Seattle · United States
Where to stay in Seattle
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: M.O. Stevens, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Downtown and Pike Place. Hotels, shopping and the market above the waterfront. Best alternatives — budget: Capitol Hill; nightlife: Belltown.
Key facts
- First visit
- Downtown and Pike Place
- Families
- Downtown and Pike Place
- Budget
- Capitol Hill
- Nightlife
- Belltown
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Downtown and Pike Place | Hotels, shopping and the market above the waterfront |
| Families | Downtown and Pike Place | Hotels, shopping and the market above the waterfront |
| Couples | Belltown | Bars, restaurants and condo towers between Pike Place and Seattle Center |
| Budget | Capitol Hill | Bars, independent restaurants and the city's LGBTQ+ heart around Broadway and Pike/Pine |
| Nightlife | Belltown | Bars, restaurants and condo towers between Pike Place and Seattle Center |
| Food lovers | Downtown and Pike Place | Hotels, shopping and the market above the waterfront |
| Solo travellers | Belltown | Bars, restaurants and condo towers between Pike Place and Seattle Center |
| Shopping | Downtown and Pike Place | Hotels, shopping and the market above the waterfront |
| Quiet stays | South Lake Union | Tech offices, new hotels and the lake's houseboats and seaplanes |
Seattle neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, families and food lovers
Downtown and Pike Place
Downtown is the most practical base, with Pike Place Market, the waterfront promenade, the Seattle Art Museum and the main shopping streets around Pine Street and Westlake Center all within a few blocks. The Link light rail from the airport stops at Westlake and University Street, and the monorail to Seattle Center leaves from Westlake Center.
- Good
- Walk to the main sights; Direct light rail from the airport; Wide choice of hotels
- Watch out
- Expensive hotels and parking; Some blocks around Third Avenue feel rough at night
- Nearby
- Pike Place Market, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Aquarium, Westlake Center
$$$ · Best for nightlife, couples and solo travellers
Belltown
Belltown runs north of Pike Place along First, Second and Third Avenues, with cocktail bars, restaurants and music venues, plus the Olympic Sculpture Park on its waterfront edge. It is walkable both to the market and to the Space Needle, which makes it a useful compromise base.
- Good
- Between the market and Seattle Center; Good bars and restaurants; Waterfront walks
- Watch out
- Noisy on weekend nights; Some street disorder on the inland blocks
- Nearby
- Olympic Sculpture Park, Pike Place Market, Seattle Center
$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, solo travellers and budget
Capitol Hill
Capitol Hill is Seattle's densest nightlife and dining district, with bars, clubs and restaurants packed into the Pike/Pine corridor and along Broadway. Volunteer Park, with its Victorian conservatory and the Seattle Asian Art Museum, is at the quieter north end, and the Capitol Hill light-rail station links to downtown and the airport.
- Good
- Best nightlife in the city; Light-rail station; Excellent coffee and food
- Watch out
- Few hotels; mostly rentals; Loud on weekends; Steep walk up from downtown
- Nearby
- Volunteer Park, Starbucks Reserve Roastery, Cal Anderson Park
$$ · Best for culture, budget and first-timers
Pioneer Square
Seattle's original downtown was rebuilt in brick after the Great Fire of 1889 and keeps its iron pergola, galleries and First Thursday art walks. The Klondike Gold Rush museum, the Underground Tour and the stadiums for the Mariners and Seahawks are here, and the Chinatown-International District is next door.
- Good
- Historic architecture; Next to the ferry terminal and stadiums; Good-value hotels
- Watch out
- Visible homelessness and street disorder; Quiet after dark except on game days
- Nearby
- Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Smith Tower, Lumen Field, Chinatown-International District
$$$ · Best for families, first-timers and couples
Queen Anne and Seattle Center
Lower Queen Anne surrounds Seattle Center, home to the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Museum of Pop Culture and Climate Pledge Arena. Upper Queen Anne is a quiet residential hilltop of early-20th-century houses with Kerry Park's view across the skyline to Mount Rainier.
- Good
- Walking distance to Seattle Center; Monorail to downtown; Quiet residential streets
- Watch out
- Upper Queen Anne is very steep; Event nights at the arena fill restaurants
- Nearby
- Space Needle, Kerry Park, Museum of Pop Culture, Chihuly Garden and Glass
$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife and solo travellers
Ballard
Founded by Scandinavian fishermen and mill workers, Ballard keeps its maritime character around the Ballard Locks and Fishermen's Terminal. Ballard Avenue's historic blocks are lined with bars, oyster bars and boutiques, there are a dozen-plus breweries in the old industrial area, and the year-round Sunday farmers' market is one of the city's best.
- Good
- Strong local food and brewery scene; Close to Golden Gardens beach; Calmer than Capitol Hill
- Watch out
- About 25 minutes by bus from downtown; No light rail yet
- Nearby
- Ballard Locks, Golden Gardens Park, National Nordic Museum
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and food lovers
Fremont
Fremont calls itself the 'Center of the Universe', and its public art — the Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge, a Lenin statue and the Waiting for the Interurban sculpture — reflects that. It sits on the Lake Washington Ship Canal, with the Burke-Gilman Trail running past breweries and Gas Works Park a short walk east.
- Good
- Relaxed local feel; Canal-side walking and cycling; Good breweries
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Bus rides to downtown sights
- Nearby
- Fremont Troll, Gas Works Park, Burke-Gilman Trail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and quiet stays
South Lake Union
Once a warehouse district, South Lake Union is now dominated by tech campuses, with newer hotels and restaurants around Lake Union Park, the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) and the seaplane dock. The South Lake Union Streetcar runs to Westlake.
- Good
- Modern hotels; Lake views and kayak rentals; Calm in the evenings
- Watch out
- Feels corporate; Hotel rates rise with business travel midweek
- Nearby
- MOHAI, Lake Union Park, Seattle Center
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown and Pike Place | $$$ | Pike Place Market, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Aquarium, Westlake Center |
| Belltown | $$$ | Olympic Sculpture Park, Pike Place Market, Seattle Center |
| Capitol Hill | $$ | Volunteer Park, Starbucks Reserve Roastery, Cal Anderson Park |
| Pioneer Square | $$ | Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Smith Tower, Lumen Field, Chinatown-International District |
| Queen Anne and Seattle Center | $$$ | Space Needle, Kerry Park, Museum of Pop Culture, Chihuly Garden and Glass |
| Ballard | $$ | Ballard Locks, Golden Gardens Park, National Nordic Museum |
| Fremont | $$ | Fremont Troll, Gas Works Park, Burke-Gilman Trail |
| South Lake Union | $$$ | MOHAI, Lake Union Park, Seattle Center |
Getting to your hotel
Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) is about 20 km south of downtown. Link light rail runs from the airport station to downtown in about 40 minutes; taxis and rideshares take 25–45 minutes depending on traffic. Paine Field (PAE), north of the city, has a small passenger terminal with some domestic flights.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Seattle for first-time visitors?
Downtown and Pike Place. Downtown is the most practical base, with Pike Place Market, the waterfront promenade, the Seattle Art Museum and the main shopping streets around Pine Street and Westlake Center all within a few blocks.
+Where should families stay in Seattle?
Downtown and Pike Place: Walk to the main sights.
+Which area of Seattle is best for a budget stay?
Capitol Hill ($$): Bars, independent restaurants and the city's LGBTQ+ heart around Broadway and Pike/Pine.