Safe place to stay outside of Seattle? (Bellevue, Ellensburg: where to stay, apartment)

[NewinSeattle]

My husband and I are currently in the process of moving to Seattle, and we've been driving cross country with our belongings. We felt this was the best option for us since we're also traveling with three cats. Anyway, we've had great experiences with out overnight stops along the way, but we're looking for input about where to stay outside of Seattle. Unfortunately, we arrived slightly ahead of schedule, and our apartment won't be ready until late Wednesday afternoon. Currently, we're only about five hours (approx.) from Seattle in Coeur d'Alene, but we'd like to move a bit closer tonight. Our appointment to move in Wednesday is at 2:00, and I understand that traffic can cause delays.

Our main concern is that we have all of our belongings with us. I've read that car break-ins are an issue in the Seattle area, and we want to avoid that at all costs. Any suggestions of where to stay would be greatly appreciated.

[leastprime]

Leavenworth

[tobester]

Ellensburg or Cle Elum are more convenient than Leavenworth - two hours from Seattle.

[leastprime]

But Leavenworth is more interesting.

[robrath]

You didn't mention what part of Seattle or what you are driving. I assume you are towing a trailer or driving a uhaul? Some hotels have underground garages that have controlled or monitored accesses which would be good for you. You can also request a room that is near your vehicle.


The following is a bit extreme but has been mentioned in other forums.
1. Pull the starter relay or fuel pump fuse from your fuse box in your vehicle, if you know where that is.
2. Remove lug nuts.
3. Get a hotel that is not easily visible off main roads, preferably with an easily observable parking lot from the check-in desk or a controlled/monitored underground garage. Park you car/trailer as close to the front door as possible. You can always ask the front desk person to keep an eye on your vehicle.
4. Get a strong lock for your trailer.
5. If you are getting a hotel room somewhere, move all of your belongings from the car into your room (yes its a pain but there's nothing to tempt someone walking by).

[Thom52]

Originally Posted by leastprime

But Leavenworth is more interesting.

Good luck finding parking for a trailer in Leavenworth! It could be fun though, if you can find parking.

It will be a lot pricier to stay in Leavenworth, and don't roll into town assuming there will be a vacancy.

Ellensburg or Cle Elum would be less expensive, and more likely to have a vacancy. But not nearly as fun. Much easier pulling a trailer over I90 than Stevens pass too.

[robrath]

Another option to stay may be Snoqualmie Casino, there are always people around. If you're coming from Coeur d'Alene to Seattle I assume you're taking 90 into Bellevue? If so, no reason to detour north to go through Stevens Pass. Just stick with 90 and go through Snoqualmie, stay in Snoqualmie or Issaquah, you'll be so much closer to your destination. After you've settled in, drive around and explore Ellensburg, Leavenworth, Stevens Pass, etc.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by Thom52

Good luck finding parking for a trailer in Leavenworth! It could be fun though, if you can find parking.

It will be a lot pricier to stay in Leavenworth, and don't roll into town assuming there will be a vacancy.

Ellensburg or Cle Elum would be less expensive, and more likely to have a vacancy. But not nearly as fun. Much easier pulling a trailer over I90 than Stevens pass too.

It's not peak tourist season yet, but it could be busy in Leavenworth. If you get into Issaquah there are not many places to stay, I would go a bit farther to the Eastgate area of Bellevue, where there are several right off of I90.

[carroll4628]

There's a Holiday Inn, a Motel 6 and a Hilton Garden Inn in Issaquah right off of I-90 and WA900. It can be a busy little area, but it's not CRAZY traffic like you'll find on 405.

[CrazyDonkey]

Realize that the closer you stay to Seattle, the higher the chance of having your stuff stolen or hijacked. I'd look for lodging with secure/monitored parking, not just a spot in a lot, from which you can drive straight-through to your destination.