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Many of the towns listed are easy day trips from Seattle, so staying there is always an option. On the other hand, hotel rates are nearly always lower outside Seattle. Tacoma, Olympia, and Bellingham have the widest variety of accommodations, with pricey hotels, midrange chains, and bed-and-breakfasts. Almost all but the smallest rural towns have midrange chain motels; towns lacking those, like Port Gamble, have at least one B&B. The only truly great luxury resort in the region is the Salish Lodge in Snoqualmie. There are a few other noteworthy hotels in these parts—the Murano in Tacoma, the Chrysalis Inn in Bellingham, and some fine B&Bs elsewhere—but relatively prosaic chains dominate the lodging landscape.
Most of the cheerfully furnished contemporary rooms at this chalet-style inn, trimmed with honey-colored wood and warmed with gas fireplaces, overlook the picturesque Swinomish Channel. The vast majority of the rooms have private balconies or patios, and some have jetted tubs. A sister property, La Conner Country Inn, is just a couple of blocks away and also has nice rooms, but it isn't on the waterfront.
Overlooking Fairhaven Village Green, this charming, historic inn overlooks Bellingham Bay; bay-view rooms have balconies and gas fireplaces, and a suite has French doors dividing a bedroom and sitting area. On a clear day the view ranges all the way to the San Juan Islands. It's steps from Fairhaven's restaurants and galleries, and a trail running from downtown Bellingham to the waterfront and Padden Creek passes in front of the inn.
With reasonable rates, considering the smartly appointed rooms and thoughtful amenities, this small mid-century modern motel in a quiet neighborhood a mile west of downtown has been artfully updated with custom-built wood furniture and tiled bathrooms. You can pull your car right up to the door of your room. Common areas include a bright lobby where coffee is available in the morning.
Inside a strikingly converted apartment tower dating from the 1880s, this chic boutique hotel offers rooms and suites (which have full kitchens) in a newer section with a sleek mid-century modern vibe, as well as cozy and more economical rooms in the original building. All accommodations feature pleasing touches like original local art, French presses with gourmet coffee, Bluetooth speakers, and Italian linens. Beyond the grand lobby, the intimate Amendment 21 bar serves craft cocktails and well-prepared gastropub fare.
Named for the Venetian island where some of the world's best glass is created, this handsome high-rise hotel with an intimate ambience centers around exhibits by world-famous glass artists. Bold colors and sleek metals infuse public spaces with style and energy, and each floor exhibits a different glass artist's pieces. Amenities include minibars stocked with local beverages, Bluetooth radios, and plush robes. The stark, chrome-and-glass Bite Restaurant sits spectacularly above glass creations in the hotel atrium and serves refined contemporary Pacific Northwest fare.
The stunning, chalet-style lodge—which you may recognize from the opening credits of Twin Peaks—sits dramatically over Snoqualmie Falls and offers a slew of creature comforts, including plush rooms with gas fireplaces, window seats or balconies, and a first-rate spa with sauna, steam room, and soaking tubs. Several rooms have partial or full views of the gorgeous cascades, while others have a river panorama. The elegant Dining Room has an eclectic menu (lamb shank ragout, pan-seared Columbia River steelhead, and many dishes using honey produced by on-site bees) and sumptuous breakfasts, and the cozy yet stylish Attic bistro offers fine Northwest wines, craft cocktails, and wood-fired pizzas.
Opened in 2021 in the city's dynamic and newly developed waterfront neighborhood just south of Point Defiance Park, this upscale mid-rise with spacious contemporary rooms and an excellent restaurant offers seaside relaxation and views yet proximity to a large city. Rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, wet bars, and large walk-in showers. Copper & Salt Northwest Kitchen serves well-crafted regional fare, and Spa Serein offers a full slate of soothing body treatments. Don't confuse this property with the older, but still quite nice, Silver Cloud Hotel Tacoma Waterfront, which is a couple of miles southeast, closer to downtown.
Tacoma's lone waterfront hotel juts out into the bay along picturesque Ruston Way and the historic Old Town. Contemporary rooms and even swankier suites with plush carpets, overstuffed chairs, cozy fireplaces, and corner hot tubs look out over Commencement Bay and the boardwalk marina area. Aside from glossy bay vistas, rooms have microwaves, refrigerators, 55-inch flat-screen TVs, and Aveda bath products.
With an appealing, scenic setting on a marina 4 miles north of downtown Bellevue, this contemporary boutique spa hotel is a popular roost for those seeking a relaxing waterfront getaway close to Seattle, Woodinville, and the Cascade foothills. Rooms are spacious and have soothing earth-tone color schemes and top-of-the-line bath amenities. Three very good restaurants are in or adjacent to the hotel, including the popular waterfront French bistro, Le Grand, and you can rent kayaks, Jet Skis, and other boats from the on-site marina.
Near the downtown Edmonds waterfront, this well-maintained mid-range hotel has a more upscale vibe than a typical Best Western, with comfortable country-style rooms, many with fireplaces, kitchens, or oversize jetted bathtubs. Standard amenities include flat-screen TVs, refrigerators, and pillow-top mattresses.
Minutes from Boeing Future of Flight and Paine Field, this nicely maintained Best Western is a step up from many of the other chains in the area, especially considering the reasonable rates. The modern rooms have sitting areas with aviation-theme art, and many have full kitchens. There's a very good hot buffet breakfast.
In a gabled building rising above the waterfront between downtown and Fairhaven, this cushy boutique hotel with an outstanding spa and fantastic views out toward the San Juan Islands contains light-filled, contemporary rooms with fireplaces, plush down comforters, double baths, and window seats. Artwork enlivens the walls of the popular restaurant, Keenan's at the Pier, and picture windows frame views of Bellingham Bay.
In the late-19th-century Waddell Building, this reliable chain hotel in the center of downtown's museum district has spacious, modern rooms outfitted in bright Northwest colors with lots of 21st-century touches. You don't have to leave the premises to visit the popular restaurant, Stanford's Steak.
A large stone fireplace in the great room adds some character at this lodge—a good thing, since guest rooms have updated but fairly standard motel furniture. You can't beat the location of this comfortable two-story family motel: it's just off the highway in Packwood, the gateway to Mount Rainier National Park and within striking distance of Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.
This reliable chain property has an ideal location steps from Percival Landing Park and the Budd Inlet waterfront, and it's just a couple of blocks from several excellent restaurants and the Olympia Farmers Market. The polished rooms are decorated in neutral tones, and the suites have splashy bonuses like corner jetted tubs and chaise lounges. The lobby is a comfy spot with antler chandeliers and a gas fireplace. Perks include complimentary bottled water and fresh-baked cookies, and there's a full-service bar and restaurant.
Its splashy waterfront location—right in the center of the marina and just a block from the ferry terminal—makes this large, modern hotel a bit more interesting than your usual midrange chain property. Inside you'll find plush furnishings, plenty of in-room amenities, and pure comfort all the way. A daily hot breakfast is included.
This luxurious, modern waterfront hotel overlooks the entrance to bustling Squalicum Harbor, and its dapper rooms have gas fireplaces, plush bathrooms with jetted tubs and separate glassed-in showers, and private balconies for lounging and dining. The contemporary Lighthouse Grill has grand views across Bellingham Bay and plenty of outdoor seating. The adjacent Zazen Spa offers a full slate of pampering products and services.
This sleek, nautically themed chain hotel on northern Everett's bustling, attractive Port Gardner waterfront offers a number of pleasing features, including a pretty indoor pool, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and well-designed rooms with high-tech entertainment and work amenities. There's a 3½-mile multiuse trail just outside front door, along with kayak rentals, and the ferry to Jetty Island is nearby.
While it may look like a cookie-cutter chain hotel, many of the rooms at this midrange property set among tall trees have Mt. Rainier views, and suites have fireplaces or jetted tubs. Browse through the little shop, which is jam-packed with good-quality regional crafts and local beers and wines.
At this rambling motel-style property all the spacious rooms have private outdoor entrances, vaulted ceilings, gas fireplaces, refrigerators, and pleasant country-style furnishings; several have whirlpool baths. The lodge hosts weekend wine receptions and movie gatherings, and massage services are available in the privacy of your room or in the inn's treatment room. The on-site Oyster & Thistle restaurant and pub is one of the top dining spots in town.
On a slight bluff across from Skansie Brothers Park and the harbor, this intimate property has individually decorated and themed rooms with unfussy, contemporary furnishings and gas fireplaces, and nearly every one overlooks the water; several have decks. Rooms are named for historic boats—The Genius, The Victory, The Skansonia, and so on. Units along the back of the hill afford privacy and quiet; street-side rooms have the better views.
The notably quirky McMenamins company runs this offbeat boutique hotel inside a dramatically refurbished 1916 Renaissance Revival landmark set high on a hill on the north side of downtown and adjacent to Tacoma's famous Spanish Steps. With its five bars, the hotel is a favorite among fans of nightlife and historic restoration. The variety of social venues—from the brewery tasting room to the game room to the tapas bar—means you have ample drinking and dining options, all under one roof.
When it opened in 1908, the Olympic Club was an exclusive gentlemen's resort; now it's owned by microbrewery moguls the McMenamin brothers, and has European-style rooms with shared bathrooms down the hall, a restaurant, a bar, a pool hall, and a vintage movie theater. Tiffany chandeliers and various signage ("women's patronage not solicited" hangs above the entrance) remain almost as they were when the club opened. This place not only brews beer but also bottles its own wine, distills spirits, and has a line of coffee.
On the north side of the tiny town of Packwood, this quiet motel is 40 miles from both Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens, and 17 miles from White Pass Ski Resort. Rooms here have pine paneling, hardwood floors, and in many cases log furniture, microwaves, and refrigerators; family suites have fireplaces and sleep six. There's also a picnic area.
Overlooking Dyes Inlet, this contemporary five-story hotel in suburban Silverdale has spacious suites with nautical designs, some with balconies facing the water, and plenty of thoughtful extras, including a full breakfast. Although the surrounding area isn't terribly exciting, the waterfront location is pretty, and it's a good base for visiting Poulsbo and Bremerton. Several extended-stay suites have kitchenettes.
Adjacent to the S’Klallam Tribe's Point Casino, this contemporary hotel has spacious rooms brightly decorated in patterns, colors, and materials consistent with the tribe's aesthetic, and the four-story building's cedar-plank exterior recalls an ancient longhouse. Amenities include a fitness center, a restaurant, and an outdoor patio with a firepit.
On the shore of the charming village of Mukilteo, which looks across Possession Sound toward Whidbey Island and lies midway between Everett and Edmonds, this cheerfully decorated two-story hotel is ideal for a seaside getaway without having to leave metro Seattle. Accommodations have armchairs, premium linens, huge flat-screen TVs, and other modern perks, and most have water views.
Though these brightly updated accommodations a few miles west of Mount Rainier National Park are of the standard motel-room variety, crackling flames from the massive stone fireplace lend warmth and cheer to the great room. Some rooms have a balcony and all have microwaves and refrigerators.
