Lodging near UW in Seattle

September 4, 2012 10:17 PM

Please suggest a place to stay in Seattle near the University of Washington. More details follow.

My significant other (female, mid 20s) is headed to Seattle to visit a lab at the University of Washington in about two weeks. She will be there for four days from Sunday night through Thursday. It would be incredibly helpful if anyone local could suggest a place for her to stay, be it a hotel, something like you'd find on www.homeaway.com, a hostel, etc. Ideally, the location would be walking distance from campus (Guthrie Hall in particular). Her budget it up to about $200/night, but less expensive is better. Safety is important as she'll be walking around. Shared bathrooms are dispreferred (ruling out most hostels, I realize). Thanks in advance!

posted by anaphoric to travel & transportation around Seattle, WA (11 answers total)

She could try the Hotel Deca, which is a boutique hotel on NE 45th, about 2 blocks off campus. I checked the rates on expedia, and I saw $127/night. I stayed there once several years ago and it was nice. It's two blocks from a Trader Joe's, and there are a million restaurants nearby, too.
posted by MoonOrb at 10:33 PM on September 4, 2012 [2 favorites]

Hotel Hotel is a hostel with private bathrooms available. I think Fremont is pretty safe at night — much safer than U. District, by far, but then that's probably not saying much. The 31 bus goes between Fremont and U. District but stops running after 7 pm. Don't know if that's an issue for you/her. But Fremont has great pubs, restaurants and general nightlife.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:45 PM on September 4, 2012

The College Inn is cheap (as low as $65/night) and two blocks away from Guthrie Hall. You won't find anything closer (it is closer than any of the dorms) but it has shared bathrooms.

The University Inn is nice but can cost $199 or more (don't forget to add tax!).

If the University Inn is full, my lab puts its guests up at the Silver Cloud Inn ($159) but it is a bit of a trek through some dimly lit poorly trafficked parts of the university. I wouldn't want to walk there at night if I were unfamiliar with the area. There's also a Travelodge up there ($125).

I'd probably stay at the Deca. It seems kind of dingy from the outside so I wouldn't have considered it before, but MoonOrb says it was nice and the interior photos look good too.

The 31 bus goes between Fremont and U. District but stops running after 7 pm.

The 30 runs the same route until after midnight. I'd probably stay in the U-District though.
posted by grouse at 10:54 PM on September 4, 2012

Grad-student friend says some visiting students stay at the University Inn (4140 Roosevelt Way). Not sure what the prices are like. Both there and the Deca are within walking distance to Guthrie (or a short bus ride if you're tired/laden). Or if the College Inn is acceptable, it's about two blocks from Guthrie— you won't get much closer.

Hotel Deca has more character— the last few owners have restored a bunch of its original art-deco look. University Inn is a modern hotel building. I have no idea what the inside of College Inn looks like (other than the pub in the basement). Maybe someone else can speak to the quality of their rooms.

The whole area is kinda grubby in that student-businesses-and-student-housing way, it's definitely a higher crime area, but I wouldn't generally be worried walking around at night. (Don't let an iphone or bicycle out of your sight though.) On the upside, plenty of restaurants and cafes along University Way ("the Ave"). I generally like the area.

Farther away, there are a handful of hotels and motels in the University Village area; it'd be a bit of a hike from there to Guthrie but you could take a bus. That area feels a lot cleaner and more upscale, if that's important.

I think Fremont is far enough away that busing back and forth would be annoying, but it isn't unreasonable.
posted by hattifattener at 11:01 PM on September 4, 2012

(Oh, I got the University Inn and the Watertown confused: they're about a block apart from each other on Roosevelt. Pay me no mind.)
posted by hattifattener at 11:05 PM on September 4, 2012

The University Inn and Watertown Hotel are both owned by Pineapple Hospitality, and are very similar in most respects. The Watertown is a bit nicer and more expensive.
posted by grouse at 11:10 PM on September 4, 2012 [1 favorite]

You folks are awesome! It's pretty sweet to check back here and see many helpful responses. (More feedback later.)
posted by anaphoric at 5:26 AM on September 5, 2012

I've stayed at Quaker House before - donation based simple housing, but clean and close, no religious affiliation required.
posted by Apropos of Something at 12:56 PM on September 5, 2012

Hello folks. Based on your suggestions and my own poking around on the web, I recommended the Hotel Deca to my SO, although she'll look through this thread as well before making any decisions. Wherever she winds up staying, I'm envious of her being able to go to Seattle at all. I've been to visit only twice for a few days each time, and would love to go back.
posted by anaphoric at 4:00 PM on September 5, 2012

There's so much good, cheap food in the U-District too! You're only a couple of blocks away from U:Don, Thai Tom, and Bratz, and a few more from Chili's Deli, Portage Bay Cafe, Samurai Noodle, and Korean Tofu House. Mmmm.
posted by grouse at 5:04 PM on September 5, 2012

A room at the Hotel Deca has been reserved. Thank you again!
posted by anaphoric at 9:52 AM on September 7, 2012