Whether visiting from afar, or enjoying a staycation in your own hometown, there’s a Downtown Seattle hotel that checks all the boxes. Specifically when it comes to luxury accommodations, top notch dining, amenities, and location (make that location, location, location!).
Honestly, it’d be difficult to find a hotel better situated than the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle. Although you might not want to leave the comfort of your room, the best of Seattle sits just outside the hotel entrance.
Let’s be honest, sometimes “luxury” and “family” don’t align, but we discovered that Seattle’s finest luxury hotel is actually perfect for families. Heck, even your pet can be pampered here!
Accommodations at Four Seasons Hotel Seattle
The Four Seasons Seattle is in a coveted location, walking distance from some of the best places in Seattle. With just 147 rooms, you’ll feel like you’re staying in a boutique hotel. Some of the rooms offer a city view, while others have a bay view.
For family travelers, accommodations range from double rooms to 2-bedroom suites. The furnishings are spacious and modern, with large bathrooms, and generous in-room amenities. Your room will come stocked with L’Occitane bath products and gourmet coffee.
If traveling with kids, expect to see a welcome amenity for little ones. There’s always a junior sized robe and slippers because kids like to lounge, too. My kids were excited about their Four Seasons Seattle beanies, a perfect souvenir for the Pacific NW. Four Seasons does a great job catering to kids. There’s always a welcome gift in the room for the kiddos, but it varies by location and season.
Your furry family members are welcome here, too. Cats and dogs are allowed, but a cleaning fee is required. It’s $50 for pets 1-20 pounds, and $100 for pets 21 pounds and above.
KidTripster Tip: Don’t forget to pack a swimsuit! When we heard the hotel had an outdoor pool, open year-round, we were a bit baffled. In case you weren’t aware, it rains a lot in Seattle and it’s chilly, too. But Pacific Northwesterners are hearty and undeterred by wet weather. The pool is heated to 84 degrees. It’s a gorgeous infinity pool with views of the Seattle waterfront including the Seattle Great Wheel. There’s also a large hot tub.
Dining at Four Seasons Hotel Seattle
Often hotels have several restaurants. At first the variety seems nice, until you realize they’re all just ok, serving a variation of the same items. In the case of Four Seasons Seattle, there’s just one restaurant and it’s so good.
Goldfinch Tavern offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, which works out great because you may want to eat all of your meals here. We had an amazing dinner at Goldfinch Tavern. There are lots of seafood items on the dinner menu. For starters, we had half shell oysters, octopus, and a beet salad topped with Dungeness crab. My teenage daughter loves seafood, so this meal was right up her alley. For dinner, we each ordered something different. I tried the catch of the day, my daughter ordered the seafood pasta and my husband had steak.
The picky eater of the bunch, my nine-year-old son, was content with chicken tenders. If the food seems too fancy (or expensive) for your kids, rest assured that there’s a robust kids menu that covers all of the basics.
I splurged on the “Smoked Manhattan” cocktail. I thought “smoked” was just the flavor, but it arrived at the table actually smoking. The server removed the top and smoke billowed out. It was dramatic and memorable. And, yes, I ordered two of these! There were a variety of non-alcoholic specialty drinks, too. My daughter ordered a “Purple Rain” which was a concoction of blackberry, pineapple, lemon and vanilla served in a cocktail glass.
KidTripster Tip: I have a food allergy. The menu was clearly marked with allergens. The servers did a great job answering my questions and helping me figure out what I could safely order.
[Related: Top 10 Eats in Seattle]
If you prefer to dine in your room, room service is available around the clock. Rather than rush out the door for breakfast, we ordered from the in-room bistro menu and dined in our bathrobes.
KidTripster Tip: We also enjoyed the services of the Coffee Concierge who, upon request, delivers complimentary coffee to your door. It’s Seattle, after all where coffee is life. The Coffee Concierge is on duty from 6-10am.
Activities Near Four Seasons Hotel Seattle
Within a five minute walk in any direction, there’s plenty to do. Here’s what we recommend:
Pike Place Market
We probably don’t need to tell you this, but Pike Place Market (85 Pike Street) is a must-do. It’s one of the oldest public markets in the United States, a fixture since 1907. In addition to fresh fish, produce and flowers, there are dozens of shops and restaurants. We make a stop at Pike Place Market whenever we visit Seattle. There’s always an old favorite to go back to, and inevitably the discovery of something new. Cost: Free
This time we stumbled upon the Giant Shoe Museum, something we’d somehow missed on previous visits. It’s a single exhibit wall showcasing giant shoes. No admission is required. You’ll just need to have a few quarters in your pocket. Drop them into coin boxes and peer through viewing slots. Inside one of them is a size 37 shoe worn by the world’s tallest man.
While I find it kind of gross, my kids always insist on a walk past The Gum Wall, which is adjacent to Pike Place Market. If you aren’t familiar, this is an alley where people stick their used gum. It’s both artful and disgusting. This is a popular spot for tourist selfies. My teen especially gets a thrill out of visiting the gum wall. We’ve learned our lesson and always remember to bring a pack of gum with us to Seattle. (One time we forgot and bought a ridiculously overpriced package from an alley bar.) Cost: Free
Selfie Museum
Looking to snap more selfies in Seattle? Just steps from The Gum Wall, sits the Seattle Selfie Museum (92 Union Street). This is not so much a “museum” as it is a fun photo studio. The location spans two floors, offering more than a dozen fun backdrops for selfies. Spaces are set up with props and lighting. There are opportunities to take fun, silly and even glamorous selfies. If you’re traveling with a teen, they’ll probably enjoy stopping here, but my nine-year-old had plenty of fun, too, especially using a selfie stick. Cost: $29-$34 depending on the day of the week. Tickets are timed and you’ll have an hour inside to take photos.
KidTripster Tip: If you don’t have your own selfie stick, borrow one during your visit. The selfie stick syncs to your phone via bluetooth and has a little remote control to make taking photos really simple.
Seattle Aquarium
Just across the street is the Seattle Aquarium (1483 Alaskan Way at Pier 59). Upon entering the aquarium, you’ll see a huge floor to ceiling aquarium called Window on Washington Waters that’s teeming with all kinds of colorful fish. Scuba divers will appear during the day and talk to guests (from inside of the tank!) about the creatures swimming around them.
During our visit, we saw a variety of animals like giant pacific octopus, moon jellies and mammals like seals and otters. We had fun watching the seals eat lunch. It’s amazing what kind of tricks they’ll do for a fish! My kids particularly enjoyed the large touch tanks, which are a centerpiece of the aquarium. They were able to touch sea cucumber and sea urchins that live in the tide pools around Puget Sound. Cost: Starting $27.95 for adults; $19.70 for ages 4-12. Discounts available depending on day; and for residents of Washington state
Miner’s Landing
By this point in your Seattle adventure, your kids have no doubt spotted the Seattle Great Wheel (1301 Alaskan Way at Pier 57-Miner’s Landing). It’s the largest observation wheel on the West Coast. There are 42 gondolas, each holding up to 8 people. The ride lasts between 10-20 minutes depending on the seasons. Cost: $16 for those over age 12; $11 for youth ages 3-11.
[Related: 5 Things To Do in Seattle with Tweens & Teens ]
Also located at Miner’s Landing is Wings Over Washington. It’s a “flying theater” that takes riders on a fly-over tour of Washington’s natural landmarks, like Mt. Rainier and Snoqualmie Falls. (It reminds me of Disney’s Soarin’) It’s about a 15-minute ride. Cost: $17 for adults; $13 for kids. Kids must be 42” tall.
Seattle Art Museum
Just down the block from the hotel is the Seattle Art Museum (1300 First Avenue). The SAM is an innovative museum with exciting and new exhibitions each quarter. It takes a thoughtful approach to how children can interact and enjoy all aspects of the museum. When visiting SAM, make sure to go to the Knudsen Family Room on the third floor. This area is a perfect place for adults to take a seat and relax while kids have a chance for some hands-on fun. Cost: $22.99 for adults; $15.99 for ages 15-18; free for 14 & under. Save $3 per ticket by purchasing online in advance.
There’s so much more to do in Seattle. We’ve just covered what’s in the immediate vicinity of the Four Seasons. Venture just a little father and there’s the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden & Glass, Amazon’s Seattle Spheres and more! Be sure to hop aboard the classic Seattle Monorail to get between downtown and Seattle Center.
[Related: Top 10 Family Activities in Seattle]
Getting to Four Seasons Hotel Seattle
The Four Seasons Hotel Seattle (99 Union Street) is centrally located in downtown. It’s approximately 20-minutes from Sea-Tac Airport. Airport transfers are available.
If you’re in need of a ride during your stay, car service may be available to locations in the immediate downtown area.
If you’re driving in, parking at the hotel is valet only, at a cost of $55 per night.
The author received a complimentary stay and meal. All opinions are her own.
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