Spent 3 nights here about 10 days ago, and since it's been 5 years since the hotel was reviewed, I thought I'd share the details of my stay. About the location - this hotel is across the freeway from the main downtown Bellevue area. Since parking in downtown Bellevue is at a premium, it's really more convenient to walk. Unless, of course, it's raining. Which does occasionally happen in the Seattle area. So, other hotels would be more convenient, but it's certainly not a long distance to walk. The hotel does offer a "complimentary shuttle" anywhere within 5 miles - every half-hour one of the desk clerks drives anyone requesting a shuttle around in the hotel van. About the hotel - the overall feeling I got from this hotel was that someone had come through with a checklist of what a 3 to 3.5 star hotel should offer in the way of amenities. The hotel meets these standards in form but misses the mark in spirit. It seems more like a 2-star trying to put on a good act. The exterior is dated and stained, and while the lobby appears to have had a recent (and very stylish) makeover, the lobby/lounge areas are small and unwelcoming. During my stay there were never any other guests spending time in the lobby, a marked difference from most hotels I've stayed in. Part of the problem is that the hotel's wireless doesn't appear to work; during my 3-day stay it functioned for a single 15-minute period. The "bar and grill" serves bar/diner food at higher prices and lower quality than the Denny's next door. They do offer a few higher-priced options, but if I wanted a $25 steak I'd be getting it at a decent restaurant, not here. The complimentary continental breakfast was just OK - danishes, muffins, cereal, coffee and orange/apple juices. They had bagels but no toast or English muffins. No fresh fruit or yogurt. They also offer a hot breakfast. However, the last morning I was there, they didn't have a cook and one of the servers was making the food. This restaurant is really more of a bar, and I did notice some guests congregating there in the evenings to drink, not to dine. There's a nice fireside area and they light the fire in the evenings. About the room - at check-in, Priceline was mentioned, but it seemed to just be the clerk talking to herself under her breath. I was given a double-double room facing the side parking lot. Just outside the door were the ice & vending machines so it was not the quietest room; however I have come to expect that when booking via Priceline - most hotels will give you a "noisy" room near the elevator or vending. The in-room wired internet was slightly faster than dialup. It was so slow I couldn't watch a YouTube clip. The room decor was nice, carpet appeared new, but the room was far too small for the two armchairs and table that were squeezed in by the window. This is probably less of a problem in their king rooms, but the room was seriously cramped. The worst problem in terms of decor was that the closet didn't have a door - that just looked cheap. Both the closet and the sink/counter facing it were very narrow, there wasn't enough room on the counter for all my toiletries. Under the sink was a mini fridge, and the room did have a hairdryer and iron. So again, the hotel checked off all the 3-star amenities, but the room felt shabby and cramped. The worst thing about my stay was the bed. It was like a cube of Jello. I literally could not sit or lie too close to the edge or I would roll off. The entire bed wobbled at the slightest movement. Also, while the linens were nice, I could tell that the bedspread/duvet was dirty. But again, this is something I've come to expect, since hotels seem to rarely wash their bedspreads. In short, if I ever want to stay in Bellevue again, I'll bid a little more to get a 4-star and assure myself of being able to avoid this hotel.
