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Seattle Family Vacation at Staybridge Suites (Review)

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Last weekend, we set off on an adventure to Seattle to celebrate the opening of our sponsored post partner, Staybridge Suites Seattle – South Lake Union. We hope you enjoy this review!

We have been to Seattle once before, last fall, and this visit was completely different. We love the rain and Seattle delivered last time, but this time we got glorious sunshine and warm weather. It was like seeing the city with completely different eyes, well at least not from below an umbrella. That is close enough, right?

Our home away from home for the two nights we were in town was in the South Union Lake area. The hotel itself is a really cool concept. One half is a Staybridge Suites Seattle – South Lake Union and the other half an EVEN Hotel Seattle. They are in the same building and share many of the same amenities, but their lobbies are on different floors and have completely different vibes.

Even is a wellness hotel with in-room exercise amenities, a more social bar area, and a full-service restaurant. Staybridge Suites is an all suite hotel that is styled more for extended stay business travelers and families like ours.

We had two suites, one for the girls and a separate one for Pete and I. Both had kitchens and sitting areas in addition to bed(s) and bathrooms. They were spacious, comfortable and well appointed with everything we could have ever needed.

Another bonus was the location. It was minutes from Lake Union and the local tech companies. The area is packed full with delicious dining options. Since we had the kitchens in our rooms, we didn’t have to leave leftovers at the restaurants and instead brought them back to the hotel for later. The girls and I love leftover pizza and we might have enjoyed a few pies while in town!

The hotel was also stocked with one of my favorite toiletries, J.R. Watkin’s!

Because EVEN has a restaurant in it, we were able to really maximize our time in Seattle. We woke up at a comfortable time and then headed down for breakfast. The menu had fresh eggs, fruit, hash browns, and more. The freshly squeezed juice was divine!

After breakfast on our first full day, we walked over to Lake Union to go kayaking. Pete took the girls out with the rest of our new friends and I stayed on the dock as the official family photographer. I love kayaking, but I was willing to make a sacrifice for the greater good.

That was until they all got back and told me they saw a Bald Eagle. Seriously… they saw one of those beauties! They also saw a mama and baby ducks, so you know Emmy was thrilled about that! You can see more about it in our video (above)!

We made some new friends too!

Later on, we headed to Pike Place Market. I even took this mandatory tourist picture. I’d like to pretend that I don’t already have this same picture from our last visit, but I totally do. I couldn’t help myself.

That market is so fun to visit, even for the second time. The first Starbucks is right there too. If you decide to visit, make sure to go really early in the morning, like 6 am early, or you will be hanging out in a line with others wanting to see the original coffee shop.

Starbucks Reserve

Speaking of Starbucks, you can also visit a Starbucks Reserve in Seattle. It is multiple times bigger than a traditional Starbucks and has coffee, a bar, and then different food stations. Emmy had a focaccia square. There were at least 10 to choose from and they all looked pretty fancy and delicious. She said it was excellent… and you know Emmy knows her focaccia!

Back to Pike Place Market…

We also headed down to the waterfront area below the market and we would definitely recommend doing so. There are games for everyone, food, a carousel and more.

We hopped in and out of the hotel when we needed a break, to snack and to recharge. Then we set off to explore more. Both hotels have little pantries and markets to purchase food and drinks.

We especially loved getting out at night!

I gushed about the beds and how comfortable they were on Instagram, but I have to say it again. We all slept so well!

Pete and I still had to get some work done on our trip, so while we were typing away on the computer, the girls went to the courtyard and had fun. The courtyard feels more like a rooftop with that open-air, relaxing feeling you get at the top of a building. It felt like it was made for families since we all know that little ones need a good place to get their energy out.

I can’t finish this without a big shout out to the amazing restaurants in the area. Look at all we had to enjoy. This doesn’t even include the great grocery stores close by like Whole Foods and Amazon Go!

Speaking of Amazon… we headed over to their campus to see the Amazon Sphere area. It was pretty cool. It wasn’t open when we were there, but they do offer tours so be sure to book on ahead of time.

This backdrop wasn’t in a forest or park, this was in the EVEN Hotel! 

We all had such a great time at the Staybridge Suites, South Lake Union. The girls really liked the fireplace in the lobby too and thought it would be a great place to relax during the colder months.

You can learn more about this perfect family-friendly hotel in Seattle, Staybridge Suites Seattle – South Lake Union, and book a room or two here.

Heather Reese
the authorHeather Reese
Heather Delaney Reese is the storyteller and photographer behind the lifestyle and family travel blog, It's a Lovely Life®! For the past decade, she has vacationed over 150 days a year with her family. She is a vegan, and loves being by the water, spending time with her children, husband, 2 Shih Tzus and Cat.