Seattle historic hotels...
 

I used to stay at the Arctic Club, but it's either permanently closed or under renovation (I've received different info depending on who I've spoken with at Hilton)... that was my favorite in terms of decor and location. I'll be using Seattle as a jump off for ONP next month; one night stay. I'm looking at the Fairmont Olympic Club, Mayflower Park, Sorrento, and the Palihotel. Any recommendations or suggestions?

There is some history in the Edgewater Hotel, if you are a music or art fan. Aside from that, the waterfront suites are nice and the food is great.

The Olympic was and remains the "grand dame" of Seattle hotels, but for a one-night stay I'd go with the Mayflower. Assuming you won't have a car until you leave for ONP, the Mayflower's location, basically next door to the Westlake light rail station is a major plus (direct train to/from the airport) and it's also closer to places like the Pike Place market, monorail to Seattle Center, etc. The hotel itself is lovely, with excellent service, and the on-site restaurant, Andaluca, is very good if you want to limit your wandering about.

Going to Olympic National Park next month? Yikes. Bring your Wellies and a brolly.

Meant to add, the hotel's bar is called "Oliver's."

Thanks! I booked the Olympic Club, but I might switch... it's pretty expensive and parking is absurd at $70/night (and I'm from the Bay Area!)

I'm bummed about the Arctic Club, it was such a cool hotel and seemed fitting for point of departure for the Olympic Peninsula... I passed over the Mayflower because it looked more 1997 than 1927, but I might reconsider because the Fairmont's way overpriced. Unfortunately, we'll have a car - I'm renting from SeaTac when we arrive on 10/19 because we're crossing the Bainbridge ferry early morning on 10/20.

We're planning to make a lot of stops along the way - the whiskey distillery in Bainbridge and the seafood place in Squamash for smoked salmon, fresh oysters, cooked Dungeness and other good stuff to pack into our cabin... there's a country store somewhere under the rain shadow where we could prob stock up on other supplies. There's also supposed to be a microwave in our cabin, and I want to try to avoid the monopoly concessionaire monsters in the forest by picking up whatever good fresh produce, eggs, bacon, coffee, snacks - anything to not contribute to the coffers of slumlord corporations exploiting prison labor & poor children in Chicago public schools with countless labor violations! ;)

Plus we're gonna try to drive up to Hurricane Ridge and explore a bit of Port Angeles and maybe drive along the Elwha River to Madison Creek Falls... it looks like the days are short and the two morning ferries (9:35, 10:40) are quite popular and fill up, so we're hoping to get a head start. Renting at the airport was easiest and cost offset somewhat by not dealing with taxis.

Anyhow, I'm looking forward to the ONP rainy season... I just bought a pair of full grain leather hiking boots that I hope will hold up to the elements!

We're spending 3 nights in one of the Roosevelt cabins at Lake Crescent, 3 more nights in the lodge at Lake Quinault, then flying out of PDX. Plus lots of stops between, incl. all around the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge. I've been wanting to do this forever.

I wouldn't worry at all about the ferries filling up; this is seldom the case westbound on weekdays.

Are you planning to travel from Lake Quinault to PDX, including touring the Gorge, all on one day? I don't think that's very practical. If you have two days to accomplish this, then I'd try to follow this route if possible. It includes Cape Disappointment at the (awesome) mouth of the Columbia, then follows the north shore of the river eastbound. The drive along the north shore is considerably more pleasant than the alternate routes through Oregon, or back to I-5 via US 12. https://goo.gl/maps/LaogFR9Yu5y4mVs57

Thanks so much for the route suggestion -- we're spending a night at McMenamins Olympic Club in Centralia between Quinault and PDX. We were originally planning to fly into SeaTac and drive directly there on our way to ONP (doing the reverse of our existing plans: Centralia to Quinault to Crescent and skipping Seattle altogether), but we've changed our itinerary a number of times for various reasons and ended up switching this to the back end of the trip and taking the ferry through Bainbridge instead.

Tangential to your bigger-picture question, but the Arctic Club was sold out of foreclosure this summer. Buyer was the group that owns the Oxford Suites brand on the west coast, which includes a great property in downtown Bend.

Do you know about the fire? I lost track of it last month when I cruised to Alaska. Air quality has been terrible in Seattle. Let me see if I can remember the name of the fire.

Bolt creek fire. Fire map https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/maps/8417

It’s been this bad for a month, was like this last month when I was there. Heads up and plan accordingly. It also hasn't rained.
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The forecast is for rain in Seattle by Friday: it will likely come sooner on the peninsula. Westerly winds should also help clean out the crud.

Yikes, that's awful about the fire... I'm hopeful that it'll clear up by next month and it sounds like we should be fine. Sad to see that happening more frequently all over the place though.

Hmmm... according to various job postings I've seen online, the reopening is projected for November. It seems unlikely, but who knows, I might luck out...

Rain arrived today and the air quality index is back in the good range. We are all enjoying the cool wet weather we are accustomed to this time of year

rainy season has started so the air should be cleaned up.

hurticane ridge is a steep climb from sea level to 5000 feet. This road gets snow if it’s raining. Chains will be required. The rest of the trip is at low elevation so it should be all rain.

should check out Port Townsend on this trip.

you can do Victoria as just a passenger on co ho ferry from port angeles. The ferry ends in downtown Victoria and it’s walkable. Have not looked at the schedule for a day trip. I’ve regularly done overnight trips in the summer. From PA to Victoria There is a lot to park and some hotels allow park and “fly” rates for the ferry.

You living in the Bay Area you should know some bad storms come inland on the coast. Every year there are 1-2 systems that hit the coast with 75+ winds during the rainy season. The strong ones are remains of west pacific typhoons