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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.
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.
A mile from Mt. Rainier's Nisqually entrance, this ideally located lodging comprises a grand 1912 building with vintage furnishings and two adjacent guesthouses. Rates include a hearty breakfast. Stroll out back to view verdant gardens and the deck extending over the trout pond.
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 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.
At this relaxing, contemporary inn, wellness is the name of the game—there's a small but well-designed spa, reasonably priced packages include massage or other treatments, and a healthy breakfast buffet is served every morning. Accommodations range from simple and economical rooms with queen beds to spacious suites with gas fireplaces and deep jetted soaking tubs.
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.
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.
A young Ukrainian couple bought and completely revamped this older motel-style lodging in the center of Ashford, giving it a fresh, distinctive look and an upbeat energy. The unique hot tub—a bubbling cauldron over an open flame—is a particularly fun touch. Guest rooms have an inviting rustic-chic aesthetic, with timber ceilings, rough-hewn wood beds, and stylish bathrooms with heated floors.
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.
Fans of Twin Peaks will recognize the exterior of this rambling two-story tavern and inn (although interior scenes were shot elsewhere), but you needn't have watched the show to appreciate the clean, comfy, and affordable guest rooms. Located beside the Snoqualmie River in the hamlet of Fall City, the inn dates to 1916, and its guest rooms have been tastefully updated.
On 3½ acres above the Snoqualmie River, this secluded B&B a few miles east of North Bend has unbeatable mountain and wilderness views, and the guest rooms, with wainscoting and fireplaces, have private entrances and decks. The Mountain Room has a whirlpool tub; the Bear Iris Room has a feather bed and a two-person Japanese soaking tub. Herb's Place is a hunting cabin with a kitchen and loft, and the Rock & Rose Room has its own sauna—behind a giant boulder.
This modern casino hotel just outside the small town of Ferndale—10 miles northwest of Bellingham—has spacious and well-maintained rooms and a slew of amenities that include a full-service spa, an indoor pool, slots and table games, a showroom, and nearly a dozen restaurants and bars. Accommodations have brightly colored Native American–inspired prints and fabrics, and good-sized bathrooms. Among the dining options, the Steak House serves lavishly prepared filet mignon, veal chops, and seafood.
Whether you're interested in gaming or not, this large contemporary resort just across the bridge to Bainbridge Island offers some of the region's most attractive, well-equipped guest rooms, especially considering the reasonable rates and the views from many rooms of Puget Sound's Agate Pass strait. Rooms are outfitted with 42-inch flat-screen TVs, refrigerators, and microwaves, and guests can also enjoy the indoor pool, book treatments in Angeline Spa, dine and mingle at several restaurants and bars, and shoot a round of golf a short drive away at White Horse Golf Club.
The grand foyer of this gorgeously appointed Italianate mansion in Tacoma's historic Stadium District has lovely Palladian windows, and public areas are painted in soft hues of lime, fuchsia, and coral. A wood staircase framed by white colonnaded archways leads to the guest suites, all of which have bay or mountain views; three have fireplaces. Subdued paintings, glass art, and international textiles adorn the walls. Garden spaces invite relaxation with Adirondack chairs and hammocks; romance brews around the Salon Piazza's fountain and gardens.
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.
