Motif Seattle

[momof1son]

I got some great advice on my previous thread about neighborhoods, proximity to public transportation, etc.

 

I decided to suck it up and book two hotel rooms at what seems to be a really good hotel. (Bonus: I can cancel for free up to the day before arrival, if I start reading reviews and find out it's a dive!) We can apparently walk to Pike Place Market (my main attraction).

 

Does anybody know anything about this hotel? It has 4.2/5.0 on hotels.com.

[Gardyloo]

It's the former Red Lion, located in the middle of everything. By all accounts they've done a fine job of renovating it, and the rooftop Frolik restaurant/bar is very popular with the happy hour set. I think it will be great for your group.

 

Yes, it's quite walkable to the PPM, also to any number of restaurants and retail outlets.

 

ETA - why don't you mention this in your other thread so people don't keep offering opinion on that one?

Edited July 13, 2015 by Gardyloo

[rnargo]

I have not been to the Motif (or the Red Lion), but as the above poster mentioned- you are in the center of the action at that location! You certainly won't have a hard time finding a place to eat or shop! You are also very close to the South Lake Union Streetcar if you want to check out Lake Union, the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), and some of the restaurants down there. Also right around there is where you can catch the Monorail at the top of Westlake Center to head to Seattle Center, Space Needle, EMP, and my absolute favorite- the Chihuly Garden and Glass.

 

Also it would be easy to get an Uber or walk to catch a bus to anywhere in the city you want to go. It really is nice checking out some of our other neighborhoods (Fremont and Ballard especially come to mind). Where your hotel is, you definitely do not need to rent a car unless you are wanting to check out something outside of the city.

 

As a lifelong Seattlelite, there were a couple things on your other thread I wanted to address.

 

One poster mentioned the PPM is the only worthwhile thing to see in Downtown. I understand that is the poster's opinion, but I would say most people find TONS of things to do. Seattle is one of the best cities I know of to be a tourist in because there is so much to do. I still love being a tourist in my own city and finding new things that I haven't done before or haven't for a long time. I would be happy to answer questions you have about certain places to visit, etc.

 

Finally, another poster made our transit system seem like a really scary place. It's not! Are there "interesting" people on the bus? Yes...but I would dare say that you will pretty much find that in any city. Have I ever felt unsafe taking the bus? No! When I was 14 years old I had to take the bus across town everyday to my high school in a "bad "neighborhood." I was much more nervous standing on the street by myself waiting for the bus than I ever was on the bus.

 

I would say most people who work downtown take the bus, ride their bike, use a car sharing service (like Car2Go), or UberX. Parking downtown on an everyday basis would cost a lot of money. Seattle is a city in which a lot of people don't have cars at all and rely on transit. This is my long way of saying don't be scared of our transit system. People use it every single day.

 

Seattle is a great city...I think you will have a wonderful time!

 

 

 

 

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[Casagordita]

I've also heard that they did a very nice job with the renovations. And it kind of had to be an improvement, by my way of thinking!

 

I've been pretty disappointed in Red Lion hotels in general in the past ten years or so. They used to be a perfectly good, mid-range chain, but they seemed to have slid into a niche in the market where they were taking over worn and faded properties unloaded by other hotel chains, and not doing very much to upgrade or spiff them up. I've stayed in two or three Red Lions in the past few years that I wouldn't go back to. I'd never been inside that particular one, but hearing that it has gone in the other direction--somebody else took it over and reportedly put a lot of money into renovating it--sounds like a step in the right direction!

 

And as others have said--you can't beat the location. It's about as central as you can get for Pike Place Market, the waterfront, Pioneer Square, downtown shopping, restaurants, transit, and other places on the usual visitor agenda. It sounds like a good choice.

[SusieKIslandGirl]

Not sure when you'll be in Seattle but right across the street from the hotel is the 5th Avenue Theater which has premiered several of the latest Broadway hits including Hairspray and Memphis. Check out their website. There are also harbor tours that include the Ballard Locks and Lake Union-you see the Sleepless in Seattle houseboat and many others too or you can ride the Duck. Lastly, if you have an entire day and a rental car you can visit the Mt. St. Helens Volcano area, south of Seattle.

[Kohara]

What is your opinion on walking from the Motif to cruise port 66?

[Gardyloo]

What is your opinion on walking from the Motif to cruise port 66?

It's around a mile by foot, along busy city streets, then downhill to the Bell Street overpass. With rollers, maybe a 20-30 min. walk. Or it's around a $10 cab ride door to door. Pick 'em.