This city must have a hotel shortage...what a nightmare this has been!

[CruisingUSA]

Originally Posted by franklin42

$109 for the Marriott downtown is a STEAL. Especially in mid July.

No..that was the Mariott near the south center mall. It was boring as hell around that area and even the mall didn't have anything I really seen worth buying except one of my favorite colognes.

Originally Posted by bisjoe

Tourist season, cruise ships, Bite of Seattle and other events, lots of construction going on. Oh, and the tourists that came for a vacation because we lied and told them that July and August were sunny and dry.

Seriously, coming to Seattle in July or August you really need a reservation months ahead of time. They are not going to build more hotels, because the
other 9-10 months they are pretty empty.

Man...I'm never coming to this city again around this time of year, if ever which mostly likely I will not be. I'm sure it's great and all but it just hasn't been a good experience for me. I been planning this for 2 months now...so imagine going someplace for the 1st time, spending hundreds of dollars only to be miserable. I had better fun in the city opposite of here; Boston in JULY 4th of July weekend in 2009. I booked a hotel a week or 2 in advance for 3 nights, but then I decided to stay longer and found a hotel the day before on the 4th, 5th and 6th of July right in downtown.

I did end up just staying at a pretty nice hotel by the SEATAC for a decent deal but I was upset I didn't get anything in downtown. I don't wanna be way out here I probably could have done more research but I'm so used to just showing up in a city, booking a hotel a few minutes before I arrive and going on about my day.

Seattle goes on my **** list alongside Chicago...big city, lots of hype...but ****ty weather and stupidly expensive. I don't know who designed this place but it makes no sense. The airport is way the heck out here, it should be centralized with the city.

[Jalhop]

If the airport was centralized you'd hear jet noise all the time. The suggestion to take the light rail train to downtown Seattle from an airport hotel was a good one. My friend visits frequently and never has a hard time getting a decent last-minute room in/near downtown Bellevue using Hotwire; bus transport from there to downtown Seattle is easy and dependable.

I wouldn't want to be coming to Seattle for the first time in the summer and get this weather either. I remember taking friends to Mt. Rainier in the summer and saying "can't you see it, it's right there!". It's usually sunny this time of year. Summer started then vanished a week ago.

[Hemlock140]

Centralized airport? As it is there are constant complaints about the jet noise from people silly enough to buy homes in the flight paths. Not to mention the cost of land for runways in a city. Your problems are from your lack of planning, you cannot blame Seattle for that. Seattle does have it's faults, but you should do a little research before spending money on a trip anywhere.

[tobester]

Originally Posted by CruisingUSA

The airport is way the heck out here, it should be centralized with the city.

Name a city with such an airport ... the airport is 20 minutes from downtown!

[Verio]

Originally Posted by tobester

Name a city with such an airport ... the airport is 20 minutes from downtown!

San Antonio's airport is about 5 minutes from Downtown. Not saying each other is right, but there are quite a few.

To be honest, I work about 15 minutes from the Airport, and the jet noise in our office building sucks. Does allow for nice viewing of the airport going-ons though.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by franklin42

$109 for the Marriott downtown is a STEAL. Especially in mid July.

Exactly what I was thinking. Seriously, those are the same prices at the airport!

[Woof]

I remember telling my brother that he should make hotel reservations well in advance of going to Seattle, as the hotels have a very high occupancy rate.

He didn't ...... he said something like that they could always find something open whenever they traveled anywhere ...... it took them many hours to find anything (I don't think they had an internet connection in the car), and then it was some hotel out in the University District that was charging $300 per night.

They learned from that to some extent, but many people don't learn from unpleasant experiences. It's like those Gulf Coast residents who keep getting battered by hurricanes and have to live for days without food, potable water, flashlight, or a functioning toilet. They just refuse to be bothered by preparing in the least way. I don't understand that, but it's their life, maybe they need the adrenaline rush of a challenge or something.

[eskercurve]

Some cities have ample hotel space. Seattle is one of them MOST of the year. But not during holiday season. Learn to make reservations. You say you had been planning this two months ago. Why not make a reservation then??? It sounds to me like you have a case of bad planning. This is the real world, better learn how to take responsibility.

Chicago on your s- list? WTF? You can take the blue line downtown and be IN THE HEART OF IT within 45 minutes. For $2.50. There's at least two dozen hotels WITHIN WALKING OR A FREE SHUTTLE RIDE TO THE LINE so you can get downtown. It was hot and sunny when I was there for the 4th. Just like how I remember them. I stayed at the Four Points for $140 a night which is a bargain, given it is TWO BLOCKS FROM THE MAGNIFICENT MILE. Planning and reserving.

To me I see a common theme here: lack of planning. Even the most basic of skills in planning a vacation is doing so. Chicago is one of the biggest tourist destinations in the USA. Seattle has a rush of people during the summer for the simple reason it has everything: from Hempfest and other festivals to cruise ships, to easy access to Canada and the Olympic Peninsula, to Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Rainier and stunning hiking and outdoors activities, to Boeing (yes Boeing is a tourist pull at least for aviation enthusiasts) and Pike Place Market, birthplace of Starbucks, Microsoft, Amazon.com and other Fortune 500 companies.

If I were you, I would take this advice like a man and learn how to plan. Otherwise I guarantee you will have heartbreak again and again in other places. Just try going anywhere in Japan without a reservation. I guarantee you will be sleeping with the bums in the capsule hotels, or in a dodgy area of Tokyo where Nigerians will try to rob you and/or drug you in their bars in Roppongi. Just try going to Italy. You'll be forced to go to hostels with drugged up young people drinking and shouting at all hours of the night. Just try to find a campsite at Sunrise or someplace near Mt. Rainier with no reservations. You'll be forced to camp in a makeshift campsite at risk of discovery by park wardens or worse, bears. Planning and reserving. Good luck.

[sekhmet1974]

You have been planning this trip for months??? But you didn't research how the city is this time of year (events that go on) and you didn't book a hotel? I'm sorry but that is just plain stupid. The only blame you can point the finger is at yourself. Live and hopefully learn.


I mean seriously---WOW!!!!! Unreal.

[evergraystate]

Originally Posted by Jalhop

If the airport was centralized you'd hear jet noise all the time.

Seattle is sandwiched between Paine field and Boeing field with lots of low level over flights every day. Thankfully its not directly underneath the takeoff track of either airport you can hear jet engines all day long.