# Seattle Late May - Where to Stay? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** vacation-travel\ **Created:** [February 8, 2025, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-late-may-where-to-stay/1014041 "2025-02-08T04:17:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2025, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-late-may-where-to-stay/1014041/21 "2025-02-12T00:30:39Z")
> [@Raza](#): > > I like the detailed reviews by @Smapti and I’ve researched a couple of them (comments below); also thank you @Cervaise for the tip about the Monorail (_monorail! monorail! monorail!_ goes through my head; was it the inspiration for the Simpsons episode?). It comes up now and then whenever there is a discussion on what to do with the monorail. [_Seattle Times_ - **Springfield’s advice to Seattle on Monorail: D’oh!** - July 8, 2005](https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/tv/springfields-advice-to-seattle-on-monorail-doh/) However, it’s doubtful that Conan O’Brien had Seattle in mind when he came up with the episode. He claims that he got it from seeing some random billboard that just said “monorail” on it. Since Conan was living in LA when he was a writer for the Simpsons, it was probably a billboard there in town. As to what it meant: > He doesn’t remember the exact details of it, but one word stuck out: “It just said ‘monorail.’ I don’t even know why.” Funny enough, Conan did eventually marry a woman from Seattle (Liza Powel, who is still his wife), but he didn’t meet her until years later, in 1999. Long after he stopped working at _The Simpsons_ and had his own talk show. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2025, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-late-may-where-to-stay/1014041/22 "2025-02-12T03:34:03Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > I wouldn’t do this. It’s been many years since I left Seattle, but at the time traffic was awful and I’ve heard it’s only gotten worse. Ride share between the Seattle Center and Pike Place Market isn’t a big deal. We essentially did this last weekend (stayed at a hotel close to the market, used Lyft to get to the Seattle Rep theatre and back). Good times. We stayed at the Alexis Royal Sonesta hotel, which was pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2025, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-late-may-where-to-stay/1014041/23 "2025-02-12T03:38:09Z")
IIRC, the Seattle Monorail is one of only two Alweg monorails still in use today. The other one is at Disneyland, which might be why Conan had it in mind when he was living in LA. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2025, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-late-may-where-to-stay/1014041/24 "2025-02-12T03:58:16Z")
> [@Raza](#): > > We ended up booking at the Mediterranean Inn. Make sure you go up to the rooftop deck if the weather is good. The view is great. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2025, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-late-may-where-to-stay/1014041/25 "2025-02-12T14:14:54Z")
Has anyone mentioned the Fremont Troll? It’s an actual troll under a bridge. A great piece of public art, well worth checking out if you have the time. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2025, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-late-may-where-to-stay/1014041/26 "2025-02-12T16:36:44Z")
The trolls have started to breed… there are a few new ones every year. A sculptor has been making large ones out of junk, and they’re impressive. We happened across one just walking along the beach (just north of Colman Pool… a public saltwater pool). ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-late-may-where-to-stay/1014041/27 "2025-02-13T01:18:37Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Has anyone mentioned the Fremont Troll? It’s an actual troll under a bridge. A great piece of public art, well worth checking out if you have the time Yeah, but you don’t want to spend the night there. The hillside’s too steep and you’re apt to roll out onto the street. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-late-may-where-to-stay/1014041/28 "2025-05-31T23:26:56Z")
EPILOGUE: Our two night stay at the Mediterranean Inn was good. The location worked out perfectly for us: lots of restaurants in walking distance; an easy walk to the Space Needle, glass museum, and other points of interest. The room was clean and recently renovated on the fifth floor. Not a great view, but we could see the top 1/4 of the Space Needle. The staff were EXCELLENT; I can’t praise them enough, and there were a lot of them (often 4 or 5 people at the counter). Downsides: - $50-70 more expensive than hotels, particularly those a mile further out - elevators on busy (ship-departing guests) mornings can be very problematic, with wait times of 20+ minutes noted - if you have a vehicle, parking is expensive (in my view), and there is essentially no “temporary” or guest parking, if that matters to one’s situation I would certainly consider staying there again, but I would also look at cheaper options if that specific location wasn’t critical. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-late-may-where-to-stay/1014041.md?page=1)