Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
Settled comfortably into Elliot Bay and the Salish Sea that flows out of it, Seattle is the seaport city of a gay traveler’s dreams – incorporating strong aspects of nature and old-time architecture into an already progressive and intuitive culture that makes the city a truly special destination.
Finding the top-tier gay hotels in Seattle is more of an art of finding which one is the best for you rather than finding one at all, and as such, this city is perfect for holidayers looking for a relaxed trip and ample opportunities.
Seattle is famous for its expansive number of parks, open spaces, and museums, including the lush Seward Park, the Museum of Flight, and the unique Chihuly Garden and Glass. There’s also quite a bit to see out on the water, including the iconic Bainbridge Island, which provides a much-needed reprieve from the hustle and bustle of Seattle’s otherwise skyscraper-lined skyline.
Seattle is also very walkable in general and laced by a competent public transport system, and this means that no matter where you stay in the city or which gay hotel you pick for yourself, the city and everything it has to offer is open for you!
One of the main hotspots for queer activity and businesses in the city of Seattle is the district known as Capital Hill, and it is here that you’re likely to find the greatest of international and national travelers as well.
If you’re looking for a neighborhood that truly seizes and uses that relaxed West Coast vibe, this is the place for you – filled to the brim with coffee shops, eateries, and indie stores that transform into gay bars and clubs as the night falls.
Once you’ve dipped your toes into Seattle’s gay scene, you’re unlikely to ever want to leave, thanks to the sheer energy, inclusivity, and enthusiasm that the various businesses and community spaces dedicated to both guests and locals.
Even with all this said, however, and even with how truly excellent the city is for queer travelers, it’s time for our usual disclaimer. Obviously – and unfortunately – it’s uncommon for hotels in Seattle to be marketed directly towards gay people or queer people in general. We know that, and therefore we’d like to note that the hotels on this list follow the same logic.
Most of them have been listed as accommodating, friendly, and unjudgmental to, for, and by queer people in general, as well as being highly rated in general. The most important points for queer travelers are not having to fear discrimination and worry for one’s safety, which are marks that Seattle hits with certainty.
So, if you’re ready to spread out your wings and give the lively streets of Seattle a good try, then prepare your tickets, pack your luggage, and let’s get ready to jet off for a truly unique experience in going through the top eight gay hotels in Seattle and seeing what each has to offer!
In this article we will cover...
The Sound Hotel Seattle, Tapestry Collection
Proud and strong in the fact that it belongs to the Tapestry Collection and, therefore, also to the internationally-famous Hilton brand, the South Hotel may only have three stars, but what truly matters is the sheer quality of service that guests, both queer and straight can expect to experience while staying here.
The Sound Hotel serves as a perfect springboard for travelers looking to explore Seattle for the first time – combining available airport shuttle services with a decent connection to public transport and a central location to form the perfect mix of practicality and efficiency.
That isn’t to say that the Sound Hotel isn’t fancy and luxurious, however. Reviewers across all major platforms agree that this location’s rooms are fabulous and that its service and in-house meals are worth coming for on their own.
The Sound Hotel may not be explicitly labeled as queer-friendly, but this does nothing to take away from the fact that it is a strong, sound foundation for gay travelers to build their Seattle holiday on top.
The location’s in-house fitness center, bar, and restaurant ensemble make for the perfect accompaniment to nights or evenings when you’d rather stay at the hotel and relax a bit, and the attached event center allows for the hosting of birthdays, weddings, and other get-togethers as needed. After all, what better place to house a meeting or a family pow-wow than in Seattle?
There’s also laundry and room service readily available, as well as a morning breakfast buffet if you’d like to grab something quick to eat before a day on the streets getting to know Seattle better or a day in your room relaxing and enjoying those time off vibes instead of stressing yourself about having to find a café outside.
Hotel 1000
Although it’s one of the more pricey locations on this list, the Hotel 1000 is a location that has truly earned every single one of its four stars and positive reviews posted online. Not only is the Hotel 1000 an extremely luxurious place of accommodation, but its location is hot and practical, its architecture and fashion are on point, and its service is one of the most commended in the entire city.
In truth, the Hotel 1000 is more of a resort-style location than a hotel – despite the clarity of its title – and this kind of experience is exactly what guests can expect from the Hotel 1000. Relaxation, tranquility, much-needed time to yourself, and a prime position in the city.
The Hotel 1000 is famed for its in-house spa facility, and as such, if you’re someone who loves relaxing in a spa environment and if you’re fond of long periods spent doing nothing but absorbing your environment, then this is the perfect gay hotel for you to use to explore Seattle.
Continuing the water-based theme is the aptly named All Water Seafood & Oyster Bar, which – allergies permitting – is the perfect location to put your mind at ease and have a salty bite to eat.
Not into wet and laid back? No problem! Not only are the rooms contained within the Hotel 1000 their form of relaxation paradise, but it is also highly commended for its location within Seattle’s cityscape and the fact that it is within easy walking distance of the city’s entire central business district and the wide range of retail and cultural opportunities that the area has to offer.
The central business district surrounding Hotel 1000 is full of fashion chains, making it the perfect destination to find your next outfit.
MarQueen Hotel
Adorned generously with a regal-looking front and an even more splendid interior, the MarQueen Hotel has three well-earned stars with the potential for much, much more under its belt, proving both a luxury appearance and service without much ado and without too large of a price tag attached.
Built up in one of the oldest buildings in its neighborhood and surrounded by a historic tale of success and legacy, this hotel is surely one of the most aristocratic locations in the entirety of Seattle, even if it does focus on maintaining an old-world charm rather than a modern dazzle.
On top of its other benefits, such as location and attention to detail when it comes to service, the MarQueen is also home to a literal buffet of choices when it comes to the culinary arts, and no matter what kind of eating preferences you have, you are sure to find something to tickle your fancy here.
There’s the Sal Y Limón bar and grill on the first floor, the Racha Noodles and Thai right next to it, and the Caffe Ladro loosely attached if a quick sip of caffeine is all you’re looking for rather than a real meal.
But now for a little bit of a deeper dive into the MarQueen’s location. This hotel finds itself right in the center of the connection between the mainland section of the city and the Magnolia semi-island and is overlooked closely by the world-famous Space Needle and the rest of the Queen Anne district.
This particular area of Seattle is certainly one of the more old-timey and gentle, but if you’re looking for a strong connection to the city’s nightlife and more exciting functions, you’ll be happy to learn that there is a bus stop just a minute’s walk away.
Warwick Seattle
The Warwick! Kitted out with an attentive, accepting mindset when it comes to its staff and a high review standard to prove it, this three-star hotel surprises time and time again thanks to the fact that it possesses not only amazingly designed rooms and common spaces, an excellent location, and an indoor pool, but also due to its location and connections to the heart of the city.
The Warwick’s impressive array of amenities makes it one of the most fundamentally useful and economical hotels on this list, even though it isn’t the cheapest on paper when one considers some of the more no-frills options.
This hotel is also one of the only hotels on this list to be explicitly marked as LGBTQ+ friendly, which – as always – is a massive vote of confidence for the location’s staff in the direction of their way of handling queer travelers and respecting their needs and comfort.
Another thing that the Warwick has that the majority of the other gay hotels in Seattle don’t have is an indoor pool, which means that if even the Hotel 1000’s spa facilities weren’t enough for you, you’ve got another excellent option right here for the taking with this hotel’s broad swimming area.
Rooms at the Warwick also have hot tubs within their bathrooms, and there’s a fitness center in the house if you’re interested in working out and maintaining your regime rather than sitting around and relaxing.
Long story short, the sheer appearance and quality of the Warwick Seattle is nothing short of amazing for the price and the number of stars that it has, and as such, this location is as good of a candidate for your gay hotel in Seattle as any of the others wonderful places of accommodation here.
Sheraton Grand Seattle
Although it means a bit of a step up in price, it’s about time that we saw another four-star or higher hotel on this list, and that is a call that the Sheraton Grand answers to a tee, much like many of the other locations in its franchise.
This massive high-rise location is a sheer tower of luxury and access to the Seattle skyline and the city’s dynamic, allowing its guests to experience and enjoy almost everything that it has to do, eat, visit, and walk through.
Most prominent among the Sheraton Grand’s nearby locations is the world-famous Seattle Art Museum, and if art isn’t your thing, there’s also the Pike Place Market within just another two minutes. Even if you’re looking to visit something further away than that, you are set to be blessed by the sheer overarching connectivity of the city’s public transport network.
Everything is within reach for those staying in the Seattle Central Business District – the heart of the commercial and historic center of the city and a wonderful hub for tourist locations.
The Sheraton Grand is home to a trendy French restaurant that excels in delivering the very upper shelf of food varieties and cuisine blends, and if you’re looking for a space to relax or something light to eat, there’s also the hotel’s bar and lounge on one of the upper floors.
Views and tranquility are what the Sheraton Grand does best, and no matter where your room is located within the hotel, you are sure to have stunning views out over Seattle and the water on either side of it. There’s even an indoor pool for putting up your feet beside and enjoying the true essence of the relaxed Seattle holiday lifestyle.
Kimpton Hotel Monaco
Sitting comfortably as a highly-rated and commended location and also as our second four-star hotel in a row now, the Kimpton Hotel Monaco may have a bit of a confusing name that brings you to think that it is located in Europe rather than amongst the rest of Seattle’s skyline, but it is certainly clear about one thing – luxury, comfort, and a dedication to its customers.
This fact is confirmed to a point without doubt by the hotel’s extensive positive reputation on all major platforms, including nearly solid 100% ratings and too many Positive reviews to count.
The Kimpton Hotel Monaco is also the second hotel on this list to be marked as queer-friendly online, which propels it to the top of the rankings when this list is concerned, making it an excellent choice for travelers searching for a gay hotel.
But what about its services? What does Kimpton have to offer guests who are looking to make the most of the gay hotel that they’re choosing to stay in while exploring Seattle? Well – the list begins strong with the hotel’s very own golf course, and this over-the-top yet affordable and practical luxury continues onwards to the hotel’s restaurant, fitness center, and lavish rooms.
The Seattle Public Library-Central Library is within a few minutes walk of Kimpton’s footprint in the city’s central business district, as is the Seattle Art Museum, just a few more blocks away.
Coming to Seattle on business rather than pleasure? No worries! The Kimpton also has ample business and event facilities for that important meeting, or – if you’re a family kind of person – birthdays, get-togethers, and even weddings if your special day is just around the corner and you’re looking to use Seattle as the setting to begin your new future together.
The Ace Seattle
The Ace Seattle is a top-shelf trend hotel located in the same part of the Belltown district as the Kasa Oxford Apartments; later on, this list uses that positional advantage perfectly with its modern atmosphere and themed décor.
While The Ace may only have two official stars to its name, aiming for high commercial accolades was never this hotel’s specialty, and as such, it tries to remain on a more relatable and comfortable level with its guests and community rather than aiming for the skies of overpriced luxury and franchising.
The Ace is perfect for those looking to save a little extra money along the way thanks to its free breakfast offerings every morning, open parking lot, and concise connection to the rest of the city, so if your wallet is a little light for this holiday, it’s worth taking a good look at.
Pet owners will also be glad to hear that this hotel is entirely friendly to and open for our four-legged companions, and this accepting nature also continues over to the hotel’s attitude towards families and couples looking to spend their time here.
Each kind of traveling party, be it a single person, a couple, or multiple holidayers, has its own specific needs, and guests can be thankful that diversity is precisely what the Ace is here to provide.
Suppose you’re looking for casual socialization or something to sip on during the night. In that case, there’s a bar downstairs frequented by both the hotel’s guests and locals, and evening bites are easily available in the hotel’s restaurant ensemble.
This hotel is an absolute hit with modern travelers and those with all kinds of lifestyles, and it serves as a perfect gay hotel thanks to its friendly image.
Kasa – The Oxford Apartments
Located right up against the seafront, Centennial Park, and Seattle’s key to Elliot Bay, the Kasa Oxford Apartments are known for nothing if not their reliability, sound maintenance, and surprisingly exquisite spaces.
This hotel may not have a fancy five-star rating or be part of a major, world-spanning brand, but what it does with what it has is truly phenomenal – transforming what could have been an average hotel space into something that competes both in price and practice with some of the highest-tier luxury hotels in the entire city.
Those looking for accommodation on a budget will still be able to stay here, and happily so!
The Belltown district is Seattle’s answer to everything shopping- and retail-related, so if you’re a spending-spree fanatic who loves to spend hours checking out new fashion trends and fancy knick-knacks, this is the perfect place for you!
Otherwise, even if you’re not into that scene, Kasa’s case is still strong and ready thanks to the fact that several famous bars and clubs are within walking distance, as well as the Olympic Sculpture Park for those more artistically inclined.
As this location’s name might imply, the Kasa Oxford Apartments are more of a complex of individual rooms and private spaces than a true hotel with connected lobbies and common halls, and as such, one can expect both an elevated amount of privacy and several amenities while staying here.
This is especially true when it comes to kitchens – one of which is in every room, from head to tail of the hotel. The beds are large and comfortable, and the views out over the city are stunning more often than not, showing the bay or the skyline of Seattle as it fades up into the distance.
Gay Hotel Map Of Seattle
Feeling a bit lost while planning your journey to Seattle? No worries, darling! Our detailed LGBTQ+ tailored map is here to guide you. We’ve pinpointed all the vibrant gay-friendly bars, exhilarating clubs, extravagant parties, cozy hotels, relaxing saunas, and soothing massage parlors to ensure you find the perfect spot.
And these aren’t just any spots; we’re talking about the creme de la creme of locations in the heart of the city’s vibrant gay scene. Think panoramic views, easy access to nightlife, and all the amenities to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
But hold on to your feather boas! These hot spots are fabulous; they vanish quicker than a drag queen’s five o’clock shadow. Don’t delay; book now to secure the best deals and locations. Remember, the early bird catches the best deals in Seattle! So, pack your rainbow flag, and get ready to experience the ultimate gay-friendly holiday in Seattle.
