Where to Stay in Seattle by Neighborhood

From SEA, Sound Transit’s 1 Line reaches Westlake, the heart of downtown, in 39 minutes, and the adult one-way fare is $3.00. A hotel by that line keeps the airport a single ride away, so you won’t need a transfer. The 1 Line runs between Federal Way and Lynnwood.

Which stop puts you where

The 1 Line timetable gives a ride time from SeaTac/Airport to each city stop.

Westlake is the downtown stop and the start of the Monorail to Seattle Center. Pioneer Square comes three minutes sooner, and it’s the older end of downtown.

Hotel Theodore, at 1531 Seventh Avenue, names Westlake as its station.

Train, taxi or rideshare into town

Taxis from SEA carry a $20 minimum fare, and downtown hotels are about 25 minutes away by road. Travis Ridgen’s video reports a $70 Uber ride as the alternative to the $3 train. Camden David’s video calls Uber and Lyft outrageously expensive.

Our light rail guide walks the route from carousel 16, and a free Train-to-Plane cart runs between the terminal and the station from 5 a.m. to midnight. Weekday trains leave the airport every 8 to 16 minutes. Our taxi page and rideshare page list the pickup spots.

Downtown and Belltown: the default first base

Worth It Wanders picks downtown or Belltown for anyone who wants to be in the center of everything, with Pike Place Market and the waterfront close and other neighborhoods easy to reach. The video also warns that it can feel touristy and very urban.

Camden David’s video felt safe downtown the whole time and found the city clean. The video says the neighborhoods around downtown hold more of the appeal. One commenter on the Jay Influencer hotel video told visitors to wear solid shoes and watch for needles and human waste on the street.

The downtown hotels in our directory are Hotel Theodore, Mayflower Park Hotel at 405 Olive Way (which runs scheduled shuttles to the Pier 66 and Pier 91 cruise terminals at $15 per guest for the season) and Hotel Sorrento at 900 Madison Street. A commenter on Camden David’s video suggests sleeping near a light rail station if you have no car, and says the trains climb Seattle’s hills for you. That commenter names downtown, Capitol Hill, the U District, Roosevelt and Northgate.

Pioneer Square, the older end of downtown

Expedia’s video calls Pioneer Square one of Seattle’s oldest neighborhoods and puts it minutes from the waterfront. Travis Ridgen’s video points to a free Klondike Gold Rush museum near it. Best Hotels and Resorts places Loews Hotel 1000 near the square. Jay Influencer places the Renaissance Seattle near the square and near Lumen Field.

Capitol Hill for bars, coffee and late nights

Camden David’s video calls Capitol Hill young, lively and a bit grittier than the other areas, with good bars and restaurants and great access to the heart of downtown. Worth It Wanders adds coffee shops and a walkable layout.

Lower Queen Anne and South Lake Union, near the Space Needle

Expedia’s video describes the Seattle Monorail from Westlake Center to Seattle Center, one hop from the train. Worth It Wanders puts Lower Queen Anne near the Space Needle and museums, with a more residential feel. It’s more affordable than downtown and less trendy than Capitol Hill or Ballard, the video says. South Lake Union is modern, it adds, with new high-rise apartments and Lake Union’s waterfront.

Worth It Wanders stayed at a Travelodge by Wyndham near the Space Needle, where downtown, Lower Queen Anne and South Lake Union meet. The travelers called it dated but well located, two blocks from the Museum of Pop Culture and Chihuly Garden and Glass. Kerry Park is a 25-minute walk or a quick drive from Lower Queen Anne, per Expedia.

Ballard, Fremont and West Seattle, off the line

In Ballard, Camden David’s video found a safe, residential area close to a couple of beaches, with okay access to downtown. The same video found Fremont young and artsy, with all right access to downtown. Expedia’s video reaches West Seattle by water taxi from downtown.

The airport strip, beside the trains

Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center is beside the SeaTac/Airport station, and Hilton says it is about a five-minute walk from the terminals. Radisson Hotel Seattle Airport puts the train within walking distance, and Comfort Inn & Suites Sea-Tac Airport and Sleep Inn Sea Tac Airport are near Angle Lake station. Shuttles pick up at the courtesy islands on garage Level 3, listed on our courtesy shuttles page, and our hotels page lists every airport-area hotel.

Shuttle hours differ by hotel. Days Inn by Wyndham SeaTac Airport and Coast Gateway Hotel list around-the-clock shuttles. Red Roof Inn Seattle Airport lists one every 20 minutes from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to midnight. Worth It Wanders stayed there and called the shuttle free and 24-hour, but the hotel lists no shuttle from 1 to 4 p.m. or from midnight to 5 a.m.

Landing after the trains thin out

The times below are departures from SeaTac/Airport.

After the last train, Sound Transit’s Night Bus runs about every 30 minutes, starting about 15 minutes later. It stops near the Link station on International Boulevard, and our Sound Transit Express page has its stops and times.

Sources

Our pages:

• Link light rail from SEA airport into Seattle
• Link light rail
• Train-to-Plane cart
• Taxis
• App-based rideshare
• Hotel and off-site courtesy shuttles
• Sound Transit Express buses
• Hotels

Official pages: Sound Transit’s 1 Line schedule and timetable, Sound Transit’s fares page, Sound Transit’s Night Bus page, and the Port of Seattle’s Link light rail page.

Traveler videos:

• Best Hotels in Seattle Washington, Best Hotels and Resorts
• 23 Tips I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Seattle, Camden David
• The ULTIMATE Seattle Guide, Expedia
• The Top 10 BEST Hotels in Seattle, Jay Influencer
• I Spent 3 Days in Seattle, Travis Ridgen
• How to Plan a Trip to SEATTLE, Worth It Wanders