The Best Hotels to Book Near the Port of Seattle, USA

The Inn at the Market is the perfect place to bed down for the night before your cruise
The Inn at the Market is the perfect place to bed down for the night before your cruise | Courtesy of Inn at the Market / Expedia.com
Julie Fanselow

Taking a cruise to Alaska? It’s likely that your ship will be sailing out of Seattle. Find a downtown hotel that will help you make the most of your shore time in the Emerald City, and book your stay now with Culture Trip.

Seattle is the top port for cruises to Alaska. In a typical year – granted, 2020 and 2021 have been anything but normal – about 1.2m people board Alaska-bound ships annually from this gritty, glittering Pacific Northwest city in Washington State. Both cruise terminals are close to downtown, making it easy for seafarers to maximize their time exploring Seattle before or after their voyage. Here are our top picks for where to stay.

1. The Alexis Royal Sonesta Hotel Seattle

Boutique Hotel, Hotel

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Courtesy of The Alexis Royal Sonesta Hotel Seattle / Expedia.com

You may feel as if you can reach out and touch Puget Sound from this updated historic inn near the waterfront. Room decor blends the hues of the Pacific Northwest, and amenities worthy of a cruise ship include the Chroma Spa – with in-room services – and a fitness center complete with a rock-climbing wall. The library-themed Bookstore restaurant and bar is as cozy as it sounds.

2. Lotte Hotel Seattle

Spa Hotel

Lotte Hotel Seattle
Courtesy of Lotte Hotel Seattle / Expedia.com

This unusual luxury hotel takes up the bottom third of the angular F5 Tower, one of the most striking new skyscrapers in Seattle. Room amenities include lots of natural light, Bose speakers and electric kettles alongside a selection of local coffee and tea. Head next door to the Sky View Observatory at Columbia Center, where the Space Needle looks like a tiny toy far below.

4. Hotel 1000

Spa Hotel

Courtesy of Loews Hotel 1000, Seattle / Expedia

The one-time Loews Hotel has joined Hilton’s LXR portfolio, offering luxurious rooms with the option of city and water views mere blocks from the waterfront. All Water Seafood & Oyster Bar is an ideal place to sample the flavors of the Pacific Northwest, plus there’s a golf simulator and game room, just in case you run into foul weather – unlikely during cruise season.

5. W Seattle

Hotel

Courtesy of W Seattle / Expedia

With spacious, upper-floor rooms affording Puget Sound vistas – and even some bathtubs with a view – the W Seattle is convenient to the cruise ship terminals and the rest of Downtown Seattle. Mix with the locals at the high-energy Living Room lobby bar, where there’s a DJ or live music most evenings. The space doubles as a marketplace for breakfast and lunch.

6. Kimpton Hotel Monaco Seattle, an IHG Hotel

Boutique Hotel

The lobby at Kimpton Hotel Monaco Seattle with shark wallpaper and large sofas
© David Phelps / Courtesy of Kimpton Hotel Monaco Seattle

Start your vacation early at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco, which offers a hosted wine hour each evening. The gorgeous lobby has a playful marine mural, while rooms are comfortable and posh – with unexpected touches such as books and a yoga mat. An amenities fee includes food credit and even jewelry cleaning at a shop next door so your baubles can look their best on the boat.

7. Inn at the Market

Boutique Hotel, Inn

Inn at the Market
Courtesy of Inn at the Market / Expedia.com

Just steps away from the famous Pike Place Market, Inn at the Market is a smart base camp for your pre- or post-cruise adventure. Spacious rooms have lots of natural light and gleaming bathrooms. No time for a new hairdo before your trip? There’s a salon right at the hotel, along with three restaurants, in-room massages and a rooftop deck.

8. The State Hotel

Hotel

Outdoor seating area at The State Hotel overlooking the water
Courtesy of The State Hotel / Expedia

A convivial spot with a living-room-like lobby and the bustling Ben Paris bar and restaurant, the State Hotel will have you rubbing elbows with the locals in an enviable location near the waterfront and Pike Place Market. Sleep well in a locally made bed with premium sheets, and enjoy the spacious white-tiled walk-in shower. A guests-only rooftop deck is a perfect spot to watch a Seattle sunset.

For those wanting something a little more special, discover the best luxury hotels in Seattle or where to stay for a romantic getaway, and book your stay with Culture Trip. If time is of the essence, see how best to spend a weekend in the Emerald City. Nature lovers can also get their fix in Seattle, with several beaches nearby.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

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