Tucked away on a side street of a strange triangle of downtown Seattle streets, the Mayflower Park Hotel is often overlooked. You’ve got to dig to find this value priced, understated elegance, but it’s worth the effort.
The historic hotel opened in 1927, about the time aviator Charles Lindbergh was passing through town promoting his transatlantic flights, and has been open ever since. That’s nearly 90 years of hospitality, making it the longest continuously operating hotel in Seattle. Take a look at what the lobby looked like when it opened.
Walking into the antique filled lobby of the Mayflower Park was reminiscent of walking into a historic European hotel, with chandeliers gracing the seating area. The reception desk is small, meaning there will be waiting during the busiest times, however the staff is gracious and makes you feel like they appreciate your business – and your patience.
The hotel has 189 guestrooms/suites, each full of classically-styled furniture pieces. The room ambiance continues the gracious European style with luxurious colors and fabrics, and a nice surprise is the rooms are larger than might be expected in a historic hotel. Complementing the historic are the modern conveniences of a flat screen television, in-room coffee maker, signature bath products, robes, and free wifi. A complimentary wine reception is offered on Wednesdays, 4:30-5:30 pm.
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Two restaurants are on property, both also operating as stand alone venues. Mediterranan-styled Andaluca is open for breakfast daily and dinner on Tuesday-Saturday. Menu tip: Try the Liquid Chocolate Cake. Oliver’s Lounge is open daily for lunch, and features small plates until its 2 am closing. The weekday happy hour, 4:30-6 pm, featured a plentiful selection of both hot and cold appetizers. Menu tip: Martinis are the house specialty, they’ve won numerous awards for their concoctions.
One of the big advantages of staying at the Mayflower Park is its proximity to everything in the downtown core. You are within easy walking distance to shopping, the Pike Place Market, museums, and downtown offices. Valet parking is available at the hotel for a pretty steep fee, so forget the rental car.
If you’re staying close to the downtown area, you can rely on public transportation to get around. The monorail, built for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, is located around the corner from the hotel at Westlake Center and provides direct transportation to the Seattle Center campus. Sound Transit is also at Westlake Center and provides light rail access in the downtown area as well as numerous stops en route to the airport. Currently, the light rail runs between the airport as the south terminus and Westlake Center as the north terminus. If you’re going farther out from the city you’ll need a car.
The Mayflower Park Hotel is located at 405 Olive Way in Seattle, Washington. Room rates start at around $189/night. Promotional packages that combine sightseeing with a hotel stay are usually available. You can also book through all the normal booking sites such as Expedia, Hotels.com and others.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the hotel.
Disclosure: The author received a complimentary stay at the hotel.
