hotels, pacific NW

After a late arrival into Seattle last night, we checked into Seattle's Edgewater Hotel.  They say this is the only waterfront hotel in Seattle.  The hotel is located on the far west side of downtown Seattle, literally built on a pier over Puget Sound. 

Hotel Rating:
Overall: Good (3 out of 5)
Amenities: Very Good (4 out of 5) – beautiful views of Puget Sound and west seattle from this hotel’s lobby – intimate cocktail bar and dining room also overlooking Puget Sound.
Location: Very Good (4 out of 5)
Room: Good (3 out of 5)- our city view room was a fairly standard business accommodation, two double beds a desk, a couple of easy chairs and a corner fireplace
Service: Good (3 out of 5) – we were in the hotel for such a short time, the service aspect really wasn’t an issue.
Value: Very Good (4 out of 5) compared with newer, taller downtown properties, the Edgewater seems like a good value.

Enjoying great views of the Sound and West Seattle, the hotel is located within easy walking distance of Pike Street Market, Seattle Center and other Belltown attractions.  If you are arriving or departing on a cruise, NCL's and Celebrity's pier is directly next to the hotel.  The Victoria Clipper is also right next door.

First stop this beautiful Friday morning will be the Pike Street Market.  We do a bit of wandering through the booths, then stop at the Athenian Inn for brunch.  The Athenian, opened by three Greek brothers in 1909 was issued Seattle's first liquor license, offers over 200 different beers and a huge menu that is best experienced. 

After having our fill of brunch, we decided to try to add one more form of transportation to our list - the Seattle Center monorail.  But, no go - upon arriving at the downtown terminus, we found the monorail wasn't running.  We hiked the 10 or so blocks to the Seattle Center, picked up a ticket for the viewing platform on the Space Needle and joined the line for the elevator ride to the top.  The clear, sunny, dry weather made viewing from the top fantastic!

On Friday evening, we met several friends for a dinner at Ray’s Boathouse.  Ray’s is a Seattle institution, located near the Ballard locks about 20 minutes from the downtown Edgewater hotel.  The restaurant features an inside dining room and a more casual outside deck (called the Cafe).  With Seattle experiencing warm, dry weather this weekend, we opted for the more casual outside dining experience and weren’t disappointed.

Restaurant Rating:
Overall: 5 out of 5 – Excellent!
Ambience: 5 out of 5 – Excellent Offering both the inside dinning room and the outside deck, Ray’s has something for everyone.
Food: 5 out of 5 Excellent
Location: 5 out of 5 – Excellent  In the northern suburb of Ballard, this location might be a bit expensive if taxi’s are your only option or you are located further south of Seattle’s downtown.
Service: 5 out of 5 – Excellent – Very attentive and personable
Value: 5 out of 5 – Excellent – The dining room has a different, more extensive and expensive menu that is also available on the deck – which offers items at a slightly lower price.