Where to Stay in Queen Anne and Seattle Center: Best Picks
The best places to stay in Queen Anne and Seattle Center are Staypineapple The Maxwell Hotel, Marqueen Hotel and Hyatt Place Seattle Downtown for top ratings, and Mediterranean Inn for budget. There is no Link station on the hill, but the monorail links Seattle Center to Westlake in about two minutes.
In this article
Queen Anne is really two neighborhoods stacked on top of each other: a lively Lower Queen Anne around Seattle Center and a quiet hilltop of historic homes above it. This guide covers top-rated and budget hotels, kitchen suites and what is near each pick, with the booking site behind every rating.
The best places to stay in Queen Anne and Seattle Center are Staypineapple The Maxwell Hotel, Marqueen Hotel and Hyatt Place Seattle Downtown for top ratings, and Mediterranean Inn for budget. There is no Link station on the hill, but the monorail links Seattle Center to Westlake in about two minutes.
Where to stay in Queen Anne comes down to which half of the neighborhood you want. Lower Queen Anne, around Seattle Center and the Space Needle, is the urban part, with most of the hotels, restaurants and theaters. Upper Queen Anne, on the hill, is quieter, with Victorian-era mansions and views from Kerry Park, and it has very few hotels. Most travelers who search for hotels near Seattle Center end up choosing among the Lower Queen Anne hotels. To plan your days first, read our Queen Anne itinerary.
This post lists up to three of the highest-rated places and three budget picks for each type of stay, and it names the booking site behind every number. Sites use different scales and change often, so all ratings and prices here are as of October 21, 2026. Prices are "from" rates for the sample dates shown on each site, not quotes. Check the live price and your dates before you book. For hotels in the next neighborhood south, see our guide to where to stay in Belltown.
By the Numbers: 0 Link stations on Queen Anne, 1 monorail that connects Seattle Center to Westlake Center in about two minutes, and 20 hotels and rentals on Kayak's Queen Anne list rated between 6.5 and 10.0 out of 10.
Quick Picks
| If you want... | Pick | Why (ratings and prices as of October 21, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| The best-rated hotel | Staypineapple, The Maxwell Hotel | 9.1 out of 10 from 2,228 reviews on Kayak; from about $233 |
| A bigger hotel with a strong score | Marqueen Hotel | 8.7 out of 10 from 2,378 reviews on Kayak; from about $244 |
| A budget hotel with a big review count | Mediterranean Inn | 9.4 out of 10 from 6,228 reviews on Expedia; about $136 a night |
| A kitchen for a longer stay | Residence Inn Downtown/Convention Center | 9.4 out of 10 from 1,612 reviews on Expedia; confirm kitchens |
| The cheapest beds | Sweet Suites near Seattle Center | From about $94 to $102 on Kayak, with small review counts |
| Light rail | No Link station on Queen Anne | The monorail runs from Seattle Center to Westlake Center, where Link stops |
| A hotel close to a landmark | Hyatt Place Seattle Downtown | 0.4 km from the Space Needle on Kayak |
| A stay close to a grocery chain | Lower Queen Anne | An "Uptown QFC" is at 5th Ave N and Mercer St, per a 2014 local report; confirm it is open |
| Near nightlife | Lower Queen Anne | Peso's Kitchen and Lounge is known for its all-day happy hour, per Compass |
| Near a park | Hilltop stays | Kerry Park, at 211 W Highland Dr, is a favorite sunset view |
How to Read the Ratings
All ratings and prices below are as of October 21, 2026, and each one names its booking site. Kayak and Expedia guest scores are out of 10, and Travelocity shows a star level out of 5. Compare scores within a list, not across sites. We show review counts and treat a high score from only a few reviews as thin. Kayak's distances are from the center of Queen Anne or from the Space Needle, and the list names which. We looked for a Hey Hotels list for this area and did not find one, so the hotel lists use Kayak, Expedia and Travelocity.
Neighborhood Vibes
Queen Anne is two places in one. Upper Queen Anne, on the hilltop, is quiet and residential, with historic mansions on Highland Drive and views of the skyline, Elliott Bay and, on clear days, Mount Rainier from Kerry Park. Lower Queen Anne is a dense entertainment district built around Seattle Center, which was created for the 1962 World's Fair. The International Fountain is free, and the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass and the Museum of Pop Culture charge admission. McCaw Hall hosts the Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet, according to Compass.
Compass describes the neighborhood as friendly and highly walkable, with a Walk Score of 92 and plenty of groceries and coffee shops nearby. The catch is the hill. Queen Anne Avenue is the steepest stretch, at roughly a 20 percent grade at its worst, and it is nicknamed the Counterbalance after the cable system that helped streetcars climb it from 1901 to 1940. Street parking can be scarce.
Living or staying here means a choice. Lower Queen Anne has more hotels, more food and more event crowds near the arena and theaters. Upper Queen Anne is peaceful but has few places to stay and requires a bus or a climb.
Getting Around
- Link light rail: there is no Link station on Queen Anne. The Seattle Center Monorail connects to Westlake Center, where Link stops, in about two minutes. The adult one-way fare is $4 per Wikipedia, and it accepts ORCA cards. See our guide to getting from SeaTac to downtown Seattle for the airport ride.
- Bus: the RapidRide D Line runs up Queen Anne Avenue from downtown, and other Metro routes serve the hilltop and Seattle Center. Confirm routes for your address.
- Walking: Lower Queen Anne is walkable from Belltown and Seattle Center. The hilltop is a long, steep climb, so plan on the bus.
- Parking: Seattle Center has paid garage parking. If you are driving downtown, see our guide to cheap parking downtown Seattle.
Top Rated Hotels
Scores are out of 10 from Kayak. The first two use Kayak's Queen Anne list, with "from" prices and distances from the center of Queen Anne. The third uses Kayak's Space Needle list.
- Staypineapple, The Maxwell Hotel, Seattle Center: 9.1/10 (Kayak), 2,228 reviews, from about $233. About 0.5 miles from Queen Anne.
- Marqueen Hotel: 8.7/10 (Kayak), 2,378 reviews, from about $244. About 0.5 miles from Queen Anne.
- Hyatt Place Seattle Downtown: 8.4/10 (Kayak), 1,988 reviews. About 0.4 km from the Space Needle, the closest hotel on Kayak's Space Needle list. We did not collect a USD price, so check the live rate.
Also rated well: Element Seattle Downtown at 9.0/10 from only 49 reviews on Kayak (from about $230), and citizenM Seattle South Lake at 8.7 to 8.8 from about 1,700 to 1,800 reviews on Kayak, about 0.5 miles from the Space Needle.
Budget Pick Hotels
Scores and prices come from the site named on each pick.
- Mediterranean Inn: 9.4/10 (Expedia), 6,228 reviews, about $136 a night ($161 with taxes and fees). At 425 Queen Anne Ave N. Travelocity lists it at 3 stars and about $136, though its Pike Place Market distance of 1.14 miles is farther than Belltown stays.
- La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Seattle Downtown: 8.3/10 (Kayak), 2,792 reviews, from about $132 to $140. About 0.8 km from the Space Needle, per Kayak.
- Back to The Future Sweet Suites: 8.0/10 (Kayak), 74 reviews, from about $102. About 0.5 miles from Queen Anne. It is one of several themed "Sweet Suites" rentals on Kayak, priced from about $94 to $111 with 3 to 74 reviews and scores from 6.5 to 8.5, so read recent reviews carefully.
Hostels
We did not find a hostel on Queen Anne or at Seattle Center, so the list stops here rather than padding it. The nearest we could confirm is Hostel Fish in Belltown, covered in the Belltown guide linked above.
Top Rated Apartments and Kitchen Stays
These scores are out of 10 from Expedia's list of kitchen-equipped stays, and totals include taxes and fees for the sample dates. Expedia's pages did not confirm kitchens for most hotels, so ask before you book.
- Residence Inn by Marriott Seattle Downtown/Convention Center: 9.4/10 (Expedia), 1,612 reviews, about $190 total.
- Element Seattle Downtown: 9.4/10 (Expedia), 603 reviews, about $190 total. Kayak lists the same hotel at 9.0 from only 49 reviews.
- Hyatt House Seattle/Downtown: 9.2/10 (Expedia), 2,208 reviews, about $194 total.
Budget Picks: Apartments and Kitchen Stays
- Hampton Inn & Suites Seattle Downtown: 9.0/10 (Expedia), 1,735 reviews, about $154 total ($130 before taxes and fees). Kayak lists it at 8.4 from 1,400 reviews.
- Homewood Suites by Hilton Seattle Downtown: 8.8/10 (Expedia), 1,001 reviews, about $159 total ($135 before taxes and fees). Kayak lists it at 8.1 from 1,050 reviews and from about $207.
- Sunny Westlake Suites By Metro: 8.4/10 (Kayak), 14 reviews, from about $80. About 0.5 miles from Queen Anne. The review count is small, and we did not confirm a kitchen.
If you stay a month or more, ask each property about weekly and monthly rates, which sites often hide.
What Is Near Each Pick
Distances come from the sources named, as of October 21, 2026. Confirm walking times on a map.
| Pick | Distance and landmark | Nightlife and dining | Park |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Maxwell Hotel | 0.5 mi from Queen Anne (Kayak); Seattle Center is in the hotel's name | Lower Queen Anne restaurants and theaters | Seattle Center grounds |
| Marqueen Hotel | 0.5 mi from Queen Anne (Kayak) | Lower Queen Anne | Seattle Center grounds |
| Hyatt Place Seattle Downtown | 0.4 km from the Space Needle (Kayak) | Lower Queen Anne | Seattle Center grounds |
| Mediterranean Inn (425 Queen Anne Ave N) | On Queen Anne Ave, the RapidRide D route | Queen Anne Ave | Check the hilltop for Kerry Park |
| La Quinta Downtown | 0.8 km from the Space Needle (Kayak) | Belltown and Lower Queen Anne | Seattle Center grounds |
Groceries. Compass says Metropolitan Market, Whole Foods, QFC and Trader Joe's are found on nearly every block, but that is a real estate guide's general claim, so confirm the nearest store for your hotel. A local news report from 2014 puts an "Uptown QFC" at 5th Ave N and Mercer St, so confirm it is still open.
Nightlife. Compass names Peso's Kitchen and Lounge for its all-day happy hour, and performances at McCaw Hall draw an evening crowd. We did not find sourced bar names beyond that.
Parks. Seattle Center has free grounds and the International Fountain. Kerry Park (211 W Highland Dr) sits on the hilltop and is a favorite for sunsets. The Queen Anne itinerary recommends sunrise for thinner crowds.
What Is Near Where You Stay
- Landmarks: the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Museum of Pop Culture and the monorail terminal at Seattle Center
- Eating: Lower Queen Anne and Belltown both have restaurants, and we will cover where to eat in a separate guide
- Viewpoints: Kerry Park and Betty Bowen Viewpoint on the hilltop, per our itinerary
- Malls: we did not find a large mall on Queen Anne, so for department stores head to nearby downtown
Which Type Should You Choose?
- First-time visitors with a short stay: a Lower Queen Anne hotel near Seattle Center.
- Budget travelers: Mediterranean Inn or La Quinta, or Hostel Fish in Belltown.
- Families and longer stays: a suite with a kitchen, such as Residence Inn or Hampton Inn & Suites.
- Quiet seekers: the hilltop, though there are very few places to stay.
- Comparing areas: see our Seattle neighborhood guide.
Tips Before You Book
- Check event dates: concerts, games and Seattle Center events can raise prices, so compare a few dates if you are flexible.
- Compare sites: ratings and prices differ by site, so check at least two.
- Look at cancellation rules: pick free cancellation if your plans may change.
- Plan for the hill: if you stay on the hilltop, expect a bus ride or a steep climb.
- Ask about parking and fees: we did not collect parking rates for each pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Queen Anne a good place to stay in Seattle? Lower Queen Anne is a convenient base near Seattle Center, with the monorail to Westlake. The hilltop is quieter but has few hotels.
Is there light rail on Queen Anne? No. The monorail connects Seattle Center to Westlake Center, where Link stops.
What are the best hotels near the Space Needle? Kayak lists Hyatt Place Seattle Downtown about 0.4 km away, and Staypineapple The Maxwell Hotel is the top-rated pick on its Queen Anne list.
Is Queen Anne walkable? Lower Queen Anne is, though the hill is steep. Compass lists a Walk Score of 92 for the neighborhood.
Is there a hostel on Queen Anne? We did not find one. The nearest we confirmed is in Belltown.
Conclusion
For Queen Anne and Seattle Center, pick a Lower Queen Anne hotel for convenience, Mediterranean Inn for budget or a kitchen suite for a longer stay. Check current ratings, prices, fees and cancellation rules before you book.
Seattle on a Budget may earn a commission if you book through some links on this page, at no extra cost to you.
References
- Hotels in Queen Anne, Kayak: https://www.kayak.com/Seattle-Hotels_Queen-Anne.N208601.7054.hotel.ksp
- Seattle hotels near Space Needle, Kayak: https://www.il.kayak.com/Seattle-Hotels_Space-Needle.L5485.7054.hotel.ksp
- Hotels near Pike Place Market, Travelocity: https://www.travelocity.com/Pike-Place-Market-Hotels.0-l502709-0.Travel-Guide-Filter-Hotels
- Extended stay hotels in Downtown Seattle, Expedia: https://www.expedia.com/cn/Downtown-Seattle-Seattle-Hotels-Apartment-Hotel.0-n800130-0-tApartmentHotel.Travel-Guide-Filter-Hotels
- Welcome to Queen Anne, Compass: https://compass.com/neighborhood-guides/seattle/queen-anne
- New QFC opens, replaces old store in Lower QA, Queen Anne News: https://queenannenews.com/news/2014/mar/03/new-qfc-opens-replaces-old-store-in-lower-qa/
- Seattle Center Monorail, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Center_Monorail
