I haven't stayed there either, but I've just started traveling to Seattle and will be there about once a month over the course of the fall, and all of my colleagues are in agreement: the Hilton Seattle is to be avoided.

They suggest sticking with Kimptons, Starwoods, or Marriotts. Pick any of those and you are set. The Kimptons (3 of them) are nearly always at 100% capacity, so I've chosen Marriott. I sometimes book these trips last minute, and the Renaissance - a very nice hotel in perched atop the hill - always has rooms. I get the sense that its slightly-inconvenient location works in my favor in this case.

Should would be nice if HH would upgrade its presence in downtown Seattle. With only two Marriotts down there, I wish I had more good backups. And I don't feel like slogging through ten lousy stays at the W to get to Starwood Gold.