Seattle's lodging options reflect the region's unique personality, welcoming charm

The Sound Hotel, which pays homage to the city's music-centric personality and neighboring Puget Sound, proves a prime downtown hub with especially appealing perks for Hilton Honors members. With an ideal address in happening Belltown, The Sound places you near the Amazon HQ (you can glimpse the Spheres from some guest rooms), the city's best attractions (Pike Place Market, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Seattle Art Museum), as well as near an impressive lineup of bars, restaurants and music venues. The contemporary hotel features spacious rooms showcasing a sleek palette of gray, beige, navy and pops of mustard, plus amenities like Keurig machines, small fridges, robes and slippers, lighted mirrors and dreamy showers. Enjoy delicious, locally-sourced food from The Market at Currant or delightful onsite restaurant Currant Bistro. Hilton Gold and Diamond members savor complimentary breakfast each morning, served in The Sound Bite, a seventh-floor oasis with sensational Space Needle views.

This downtown hotel encourages guests "to adventure, to go forth and explore" by offering maps and curated itineraries as suggested by "Seattle's most in-the-know tastemakers." Highlights at The Charter Hotel Seattle, Curio Collection by Hilton, include a city-center location (just blocks from Pike Place Market), luxury guest rooms with fabulous city and water views, an indoor-outdoor rooftop lounge (Fog Room) and Argentine-inspired restaurant Patagōn (do not miss the empanaditas or Gaucho Rib Eye). Enjoy a romantic getaway in a sleek yet elegant guest room that features warm wood finishes, luxurious bedding, a 50-inch HDTV, a mini-fridge, desk, plush robes, slippers, a marble bathroom, local brew and snacks from Seattle-area companies like Theo Chocolate, Erin Baker's and Bavarian Meats.

The Grand Hyatt Seattle is conveniently located in downtown Seattle near the Washington State Convention Center, Pike Place Market, Paramount Theatre and other alluring attractions. Especially ideal for those on the road for business, Grand Hyatt Seattle's accommodations aim to feel more like a residence (think condo) versus a standard hotel room. Find residential design touches, oversized bathrooms with free-standing showers and soaking tubs, plus plush beds, along with other luxury touches and sensational city views. Business travelers enjoy mesmerizing panoramas from the special-access 27th-floor lounge as well as the sleek and well-equipped fitness center. While some enjoy a solid meal at The Ruth's Chris steakhouse, located inside the hotel, we recommend heading across the street for a delightful brunch (or lunch, dinner, drink or dessert!) at Urbaneâ€"a sleek, light-filled space with, especially cordial servers.

The hotel's redesigned boutique hotel accommodations have been transformed into urban havens "finessed with the style and substance of Washington wine country." Inspired by some of the region's most notable wineries, guestrooms combine vineyard hues of burgundy, taupe and green with sleek, contemporary furnishings. Despite any design changes, this Kimpton outpost continues to showcase an award-winning boutique ambiance and attentive service. Guests can still expect all the extras and amenities that make up the Kimpton experience--think perks like complimentary coffee and tea morning and a hosted wine hour each evening, complimentary bikes to borrow, a yoga mat in each room, access to 24-hour in-room dining and the latest guestroom technologies. Kimpton's pet-friendly policy means dogs can tag along on romantic getaways, too.

In a prime downtown location directly across from Pike Place, the brand-new State Hotel celebrates the "soul of Seattle" and the people who collectively tell its story. Inside a historic building (1904), you'll find 91 guest rooms that feature locally-made premium beds, custom-designed closets, desks and portraits of well-known Seattleites (from Brandi Carlile to Jim Whittaker). The entire venue honors a sense of community felt from the bustling Ben Paris dining room to the beautifully-curated lobby-lounge area (that also offers full service from the restaurant). Ben Paris features an invigorating ambiance, an incredible wall painting done by a local tattoo artist, delicious fare sourced from local farmers and the neighboring Market and an adventurous cocktail menu. (Tip: If four from a table order the same drink, you get to experience the magic of a visit from the cocktail cart.) The 8th-floor rooftop deck is open to guests year-round.

Located in rural Woodinville, this luxury inn accommodates visitors to the greater Seattle area who are ready for ultimate pampering. Situated on five landscaped acres that border the scenic Sammamish River, the lodge is approximately 25 miles from the Seattle-Tacoma International airport. It is also conveniently located right next to the new site of Teatro ZinZanni dinner theatre and dozens of tasting rooms. Decor in the 86 rooms of the quaint lodge is rustic yet upscale, with features including stone fireplaces, soaking tubs and Italian Frette linens. The lodge's Spa and Health Club features fitness facilities, a sauna, outdoor jacuzzi, massage therapy and spa treatments. Additional amenities include morning newspapers, CD and DVD libraries, bike rentals and concierge services. Attached to the lodge is the Barking Frog, or treat yourself the extensive tasting menu offered at neighboring The Herbfarm. Each evening the lodge hosts cocktails and wine tasting, too.

The most recent addition to the Kimpton Seattle line-up, the Palladian hotel finds a home in a renovated, 97-room property located on the edge of Seattle's Belltown neighborhood (2000 2nd Avenue). Inside the historic 1910 building, the transformed hotel boasts "an edgy, masculine style and a touch of whimsy with celebrity-emblazoned lobby art, and a pillow in each room, including the regal-garbed likenesses of David Bowie, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Selleck, Dave Grohl and others." On-site culinary gem Shaker + Spear (which seats 65 and has a 12-person bar) features a seafood-centric menu paired with fresh, regional ingredients with celebrated chef Carolynn Spence at the helm.

In downtown Seattle, Hotel Theodore entered the scene as a "landmark reborn." In a historic 1929 building, the luxury hotel, consisting of 153 guest rooms, 12 of which are spacious studio suites with soaking tubs and loaner rain jackets," honors the city's longstanding tradition of makers, builders and doers. The hotel, proud to provide guests "with an authentic, genuine experience," values the hand-crafted and custom-tailored over the mass-produced. Alluring draws range from intriguing artwork (provided by the Museum of History and Industry) that celebrates Seattle's pioneering spirit. Guests also enjoy "a renowned sleep experience," curated local amenities, welcoming and detail-oriented staff, a festive aperitivo hour in the beautifully revamped atrium lobby and an on-site restaurant (Rider) that boats one of the most happening happy hours in town.

Seattle's only true waterfront hotel, this rustic-modern lodge on Elliot Bay proved a favorite of traveling international rock bands playing Seattle in the 1960s and 1970s (like the Beatles, for example!). The hotel actually juts over Elliot Bay, and some stars were said to fish right from its windows. Check out the new Rock N' Roll suites to truly get in the spirit. Roughly half of the hotel's 223 rooms offer stunning Olympic Mountain and sunset views; the remainder face the iconic Seattle skyline. Each room has its own gas fireplace and custom luxury bedding. Eco- and pet-friendly, the hotel has a boutique featuring eco-chic Pacific Northwest-inspired items, and it's coffee bar brews, naturally, fair-trade espresso and coffee by Starbucks. Other amenities include 24-hour fitness and business centers (with a daily amenity fee). Valet parking is $49 per night. Dining is available on-site at the hotel's famed seafood restaurant Six Seven.

The Four Seasons Hotel Seattle is widely considered to be the top luxury hotel in the city. It is conveniently located near both the Seattle Art Museum, Pike Place Market and ever-evolving downtown waterfront. Guests love the recently-revamped, sumptuous rooms and suites, which are immaculately furnished and come with modern amenities. The fitness center, decadent spa, hot tubs and infinity pool also draw rave reviews. Enjoy delicious fare at Goldfinch Tavern, a collaboration between Ethan Stowell Restaurants and Four Seasons Hotel Seattle. Named for the state bird of Washington, the American goldfinch, the bustling restaurant serves "approachable sophisticated Pacific Northwest cuisine" from Chef Joe Ritchie.