During a recent trip to Seattle, I spent a night at the 152-room Thompson Seattle, which opened in 2016. Not to go on a tangent right out the gate, but the hotel markets itself as being a boutique hotel — Thompson properties regularly do this, but is a hotel of this size really boutique?!
Anyway, this hotel has some stuff going for it, like a central location, panoramic views, friendly staff, delicious breakfast, a popular rooftop bar, and reasonable rates. However, I wouldn’t return to this property, as there were just too many things I didn’t like (and admittedly we’re all looking for different things in a hotel).
For example, the hotel has a tiny gym, and on top of that, it’s shared with the adjacent apartment building. Furthermore, while the hotel’s rooftop bar is popular, that’s kind of an issue. There’s a line out the door 10 minutes after opening, and a ton of elevator traffic because of the people heading there. Also, as someone who cares about coffee, the hotel has undrinkable instant coffee in the rooms, which seems like it should be a crime in a city like Seattle.
On top of that, the hotel feels a bit past its prime, and is definitely getting to the point where it needs a renovation. There was also attention to detail that was missing with housekeeping — the room service breakfast card in my card had been filled out by another guest who stayed over a month prior to me.
Anyway, let’s get into the review…
In this post:
Booking the Thompson Seattle
We paid cash for our stay at the Thompson Seattle, and the rate was a very reasonable $236 for the night (outside of summer, Seattle hotel rates are typically reasonable, especially with the drop in business travel). Ford booked us through the Hyatt Privé program. Hyatt Privé rates cost the same as standard flexible rates (not member rates, advance purchase rates, AAA rates, etc.), and include the following additional perks:
- Daily full breakfast for two in the hotel’s restaurant
- A $100 property credit per room per stay
- A one category room upgrade confirmed within 24 hours of booking (room-to-room or suite-to-suite) — based on availability at the time of booking
- Early check-in (as early as 9AM) and late check-out (as late as 4PM), subject to availability
- A welcome gift and letter
Admittedly some of these benefits overlap with my World of Hyatt Globalist perks, but getting an extra $100 credit was a nice extra benefit.
For those looking to redeem points, the Thompson Seattle is a Category 5 World of Hyatt property, meaning that a standard room free night redemption costs 17,000-23,000 points. For what it’s worth, I value World of Hyatt points at 1.5 cents each, so paying cash was the better value during my stay.
Thompson Seattle location
The Thompson Seattle is at 110 Stewart Street, and has a great location. This is right in the heart of downtown, and also just a short walk to many tourist sites, from Pike Place Market to the Space Needle. The hotel has a cool, modern exterior — I like how the floors are “staggered” a bit.
Thompson Seattle lobby & check-in
Upon pulling up to the hotel, there was no one to greet us. It’s not that we needed help with our bags, but it just seems like post-pandemic, having someone at the door is no longer a standard feature outside of luxury hotels. The Thompson’s lobby is quite intimate, and just has a few seating areas.
During our visit there was a tour group staying at the property, so they basically repurposed the lobby area as their meeting and registration point.
On the plus side, the check-in process was friendly, efficient, and thorough. The check-in agent thanked me for being a lifetime Globalist member, and informed us that we had been upgraded to a water view studio suite. That was appreciated, as this is a property where you can’t redeem suite upgrade awards, so there’s no way to guarantee a suite short of paying.
We were also given a letter outlining the Hyatt Privé perks. Interestingly the daily breakfast credit through Hyatt Privé was $25 per person, while we were told that Globalist members receive one main course, one coffee, and one juice.
Thompson Seattle water view studio suite
With keys in hand, we headed up to the eighth floor, where our room was located. The whole lobby area felt compact, and the area with the elevators felt super dark.
This Thompson opened before Hyatt acquired the brand, and it gave me very strong W Hotel vibes, down to the floor mats in the elevator greeting you based on the time of day. I didn’t like the decor as much as some of the newer properties belonging to the brand, like the Thompson Dallas.
The guest room hallways were really dimly lit. Credit to my iPhone for somehow making them seem much brighter than they actually were. At first I wondered if the lights just weren’t turned up correctly… I’m probably just getting older.
We were assigned from 811, just a short walk from the elevator.
The water view studio suites are marketed as being 696 square feet, and in many ways I’d say this is more of a proper suite than a studio suite, since there’s a separate living room and bedroom, plus two full bathrooms.
The room had a very long entryway leading into the living room. While the room has floor-to-ceiling windows along the hallway, there are curtains here that seem to be closed by default, presumably because there’s a building right across the street, so there’s little privacy.
The room’s living area featured a dining table with two chairs, a couch, a coffee table, and a wall-mounted TV.
There was also a minibar setup, including a bar cart, with drinks and snacks for purchase.
Then there were sliding doors separating the living room from the bedroom. The bedroom had a king size bed, a desk with a chair, and another TV.
On the desk was a breakfast room service card, which had been filled out with the information of the guest who stayed in the room more than a month before my stay. It’s one thing for housekeeping to miss that once, but for over a month? Yow.
Past the bedroom was a closet area.
This is also where the coffee setup was. As someone who gets up early and values good coffee, this setup really annoyed me. For one, the kettle was nowhere near any sort of a plug, so you had to move the entire tray around.
On top of that, this instant coffee tasted awful. C’mon, the hotel should do better than this. For that matter, the hotel only offers room service at breakfast (not for lunch, dinner, or any other time), so you couldn’t even get a decent cup of coffee at 5AM, even at a high cost. Unfortunately no nearby coffee shops were open before 6AM either.
The main bathroom was then off the closet, and featured a single sink, a walk-in shower, and a toilet.
Toiletries were from D.S. & DURGA, as is standard at Thompson properties.
I was impressed that the suite had a whole second full bathroom near the entrance, which was ADA accessible.
The highlight of the room, no doubt, was the view. This property has stunning views of the waterfront, and I’d say that’s the biggest selling point of this hotel.
For booking through Hyatt Privé you receive a welcome amenity, and that consisted of four chocolates, which were delivered a few hours after check-in.
I really appreciated the upgrade and the amount of space we had. I loved the views, though I couldn’t help but feel like this property is definitely getting to the point where it needs a refresh. It’s funny, I think the property actually looks better in pictures than it does in person. For example, I don’t know what’s going on with the bed frame, but it doesn’t exactly feel luxurious.
Thompson Seattle gym
The Thompson Seattle doesn’t have a spa or pool, but it does have a gym on the third floor. While the gym has modern equipment, it’s very small, and machines are just packed into the room so tightly that it almost feels like a gym equipment storage room. There’s a decent amount of cardio equipment, while the strength training equipment is limited.
This would be a small gym for a 150+ room hotel, but it gets worse than that, as this gym is also shared with the adjacent apartment building. A decent gym is one of the facilities I most value in a hotel, and this one disappointed.
Thompson Seattle Conversation Kitchen & Bar
Conversation Kitchen & Bar is the Thompson’s primary restaurant, located on the ground level. It serves breakfast, happy hour, and dinner on weekdays, and brunch and dinner on weekends. Specifically, breakfast is served from 7AM until 11AM on weekdays, brunch is served from 8AM until 1PM on weekends, happy hour is available weekdays from 4PM until 6PM, and dinner is served nightly from 5PM until 10PM.
The restaurant is pretty cute when you consider it’s just off the lobby of a hotel.
We had breakfast here, and you can find the menu below.
To drink, I enjoyed a tasty cappuccino, which was much needed after the awful in-room instant coffee (though 7AM is basically midday for me, in terms of my strange schedule!).
I ordered the avocado toast, while Ford had the two egg breakfast.
Both dishes were excellent, so I very much enjoyed this part of the experience.
Thompson Seattle The Nest Rooftop Bar
The Nest is the Thompson Seattle’s rooftop bar (you must be 21+ to enter), and it’s open from 3PM until 11PM on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 4PM until 10PM on Sundays through Thursdays. Okay, so I’m conflicted about this place, and sort of like it, but also strongly dislike it.
The Nest isn’t very big, but it’s very popular with locals. As y’all know, I always like to get pictures of places when they’re empty, so I headed up right at 4PM on a Sunday afternoon. While The Nest uses the same elevators as the ones that go to the guest rooms, you need to actually go to the lobby level first, because only a “bouncer” in the lobby can “unlock” the elevator to go up to the rooftop.
I went down at 4PM on the dot, and there must have been nearly two dozen people ahead of me. We’re lucky, as we were among the last people to be seated, and then there was a queue for dozens of people just standing there the entire time we had drinks. The whole experience gave very strong Delta Sky Club vibes.
The place had pretty good drinks and nice views, but personally I’m not a fan of “hotspot” hotels, especially when it interferes with the guest experience (in this case, very full elevators and noise).
Here’s the menu and drink list for The Nest, if you’re interested.
Bottom line
Personally I wouldn’t return to the Thompson Seattle, but that’s not to say that I’d recommend everyone avoid this property.
On the plus side, the hotel has some things going for it, including great views, a central location, friendly staff, and a good breakfast. I also appreciate the good upgrade, plus the attractive rate. If you just want a central Hyatt property with a good breakfast, great views, and you’re fine with few amenities, this place is probably good.
Unfortunately there were also many things I didn’t like about this property, but that comes down to personal preferences. I wasn’t a fan of the instant coffee in the room, and I didn’t like the small gym. Furthermore, this hotel just has too much of a W Hotel vibe for me, from the dimmed lighting, to the rooftop bar with a line.
The next time I’m in Seattle and want a hotel in a similar price range, I’d probably stay at Hotel 1000, a Hilton LXR property, as I think that might be more my vibe.
What’s your take on the Thompson Seattle?
They have a Fellow pullover kettle, which is not cheap stuff for coffee.
They should have some pre-grounded packs, or drip bag coffees. Could be a perm cost down, or just one time stocking fluke.
I’d call to ask about the coffee situation.
Good job booking the Thompson for $236. I've been to Seattle 4 times this winter/spring and have been trying to stay at the Thompson for my brand explorer credit. It's never been under $300. When the Olive 8 has been $200, I can't justify the extra $100-$150 for the Thompson to turn in for the expense report.
"A TAXABLE 20% GRATUITY WILL BE ADDED TO YOUR BILL IN WHICH 17% WILL BE RETAINED BY THE TEAM MEMBERS WHO SERVED YOU TODAY AND THE REMAINING 3% WILL GO TO THE HOTEL ADDITIONAL GRATUITY CAN BE ADDED"
That is so sleazy that not all of the gratuity even goes to the restaurant staff. Gratuity, by definition, is a tip given to a service worker, not additional margin collected by a company...
It shouldn’t be taxed either. This money grab alone would stop me from ever eating at the hotel.
And sales tax in Seattle is 10.35%.
How is booking a rate that included full breakfast but then receiving a breakfast credit that doesn't even cover the cost of breakfast not fraud? The Prive full breakfast benefit should, at the minimum, be the same as Globalist. Buffet or main entree, orange juice, water, and coffee plus tip and tax.
Outside of the stocked mini-bar, the rest of the room looked on par with a Delta, Sheraton, Crowne Plaza, etc. And, frankly, the...
How is booking a rate that included full breakfast but then receiving a breakfast credit that doesn't even cover the cost of breakfast not fraud? The Prive full breakfast benefit should, at the minimum, be the same as Globalist. Buffet or main entree, orange juice, water, and coffee plus tip and tax.
Outside of the stocked mini-bar, the rest of the room looked on par with a Delta, Sheraton, Crowne Plaza, etc. And, frankly, the decor looked more like a residential apartment than a hotel.
On a “fraud” bender today? I just saw your comment on Gary Leff’s post about Priceline.
A $25 credit covers enough of a breakfast. Orange juice is unhealthy; it’s not the same as eating a whole orange.
I made Partner at my firm without any caffeine, or any other drugs. If I can do it, you can too. Abstain from coffee.
For Hyatt properties in Seattle, I prefer to stay in Olive 8. It may not be as modern as Thomspon but I enjoy a much better workout and more attentive customer service (their staff take care of Globalists very well based on my past experience).
Olive 8 is the way to go in downtown Seattle!
Oh yay - avacodo toast, again.......................
I know iPhone pictures are notoriously good at either making things look good or bad but I agree from some of the pictures it does look tired, the carpet in the corridor to your room is very worn in the high traffic area, same as the couches in the lobby, those deep scratches on the laminate flooring in your room too need attention.
Quick reality check: most people aren't up at 5am.
While this is true, a hotel that apparently considers itself more or less a luxury property (although based on the pics, I do wonder how) should be able to serve coffee and snacks 24/7.
On short business trips to the West Coast, I'd always stay on east coast time. Easier to deal with emerging work issues coming from home before leaving for whatever meeting I was attending.
I live just a couple blocks away. Seems like you didn’t need a reservation to get into The Nest?In the summer, reservations are essential. You have to start looking on the website at least 2-3 weeks out and hope you can find a date and time opening that will work with your schedule. And hope the weather holds out.
Wow, Ben, I've never disagreed with you on a review as much as this one. My take is colored by the fact that this was my home away from home from 2018-2022 (during the travel-allowed times). The staff were warm and wonderful and always greeted me by name, starting with my first visit.
This was the first Thompson I ever stayed at, and I have sought them out ever since, though none of them...
Wow, Ben, I've never disagreed with you on a review as much as this one. My take is colored by the fact that this was my home away from home from 2018-2022 (during the travel-allowed times). The staff were warm and wonderful and always greeted me by name, starting with my first visit.
This was the first Thompson I ever stayed at, and I have sought them out ever since, though none of them have risen to the level of Seattle in my experience. I don't know what's up with the instant coffee, that's new since the last time I stayed in that room (which I have done more than once), it used to be a pod espresso machine (which I like about as much as instant coffee, so not a huge loss for me).
There are still doormen/valet parkers, don't know where they were when you checked in. I agree the the hotspot vibe on the Nest makes it less attractive, I only go up there during quiet times, the. bartenders know what they're doing. I dream about the avocado toast, and love the service and the food in the lobby restaurant. I like the finishes in the the room, I appreciate the stocked mini bar (a rarity these days), and I particularly like the decor and finishes in the bathroom. The gym is small, but I have only ever shared it with one other person and I appreciate the bands and pulley machine, which is not terribly common in hotels in my experience. I also love that I am two blocks from one of the best running routes in the world, along the bay.
The thing we agree on is the view. And it gets better with each higher floor. I have turned down suite upgrades (I'm a Globalist) for rooms on a higher floor. The one time a last minute booking put me in a room without a view was bad, there would be no reason to return to the hotel if that's what the rooms were.
Ben, your review really resonates with me; had similar feelings about our stay there in the summer of 2022. The hotel is very dark and a bit cold and depressing, and although the staff was friendly, I also felt like they were mailing it in a bit. Your comparison to a W is spot on. I prefer the Hyatt Regency to the Thompson, even though it is farther away from the waterfront and huge; it's...
Ben, your review really resonates with me; had similar feelings about our stay there in the summer of 2022. The hotel is very dark and a bit cold and depressing, and although the staff was friendly, I also felt like they were mailing it in a bit. Your comparison to a W is spot on. I prefer the Hyatt Regency to the Thompson, even though it is farther away from the waterfront and huge; it's brighter, at least. We're staying at Hotel 1000 for the first time this August (on points); I hope I enjoy it as much as you do. I've stayed in a lot of hotels in Seattle, and the Four Seasons is still my favorite by a large margin, although the bold pricing others mention has kept me from returning post-pandemic. I know, not a points hotel.
Good review, Ben. The Thompson is a decent hotel and definitely a fun place to stay if you're new to Seattle since the location is perfect for tourist things, but if you're willing to do a bit more walking and/or pay for Uber rides, it's definitely worth spending just a tad extra for Lotte, which -- in addition to easily being the nicest hotel in the PNW -- is probably one of the best properties...
Good review, Ben. The Thompson is a decent hotel and definitely a fun place to stay if you're new to Seattle since the location is perfect for tourist things, but if you're willing to do a bit more walking and/or pay for Uber rides, it's definitely worth spending just a tad extra for Lotte, which -- in addition to easily being the nicest hotel in the PNW -- is probably one of the best properties in the USA period.
I also find the elevator access "area"(?) to be a bit awkward at the Thompson. Sounds like an odd thing to complain about but it's just not well designed.
One quick thing I should add -- since Thompsons are fairly rare, this hotel is easily worth one night if you're trying to climb the Hyatt brand explorer ladder.
Tried it twice in the past few months as well and came to the same conclusion. It misses and is just not at all in the same league as the Texas properties. I won't return again. This one and the DC property are the two weakest in the Thompson portfolio in my opinion. Both feel very cramped and thrown together to me.
I agree with this review. That lobby is so cramped and when there's all these after-workers waiting in line, it takes forever to get to your kinda-boring room. One note, one of Seattle's BEST restaurants, Le Pichet, is half a block away.
Hotel 1000 is nice, but it's too far away from everything. Doing anything will require a long walk. I usually end up staying at the Hyatt Regency - sure it's HUGE, but the...
I agree with this review. That lobby is so cramped and when there's all these after-workers waiting in line, it takes forever to get to your kinda-boring room. One note, one of Seattle's BEST restaurants, Le Pichet, is half a block away.
Hotel 1000 is nice, but it's too far away from everything. Doing anything will require a long walk. I usually end up staying at the Hyatt Regency - sure it's HUGE, but the room's are well designed, it's immaculate and close to everything. Inn At The Market used to be nice, but it's DESPERATEY in need of a refresh. DESPERATELY. The Pan Pacific Hotel is about to be redone and turn into a Kimpton property, so that's exciting. Hotel Andra is boring. Four Seasons is SO OVERPRICED for Seattle it's hard to wrap my head around. Sorento is fun - but then you're up on Capital Hill far away from downtown.
Honestly, I think Citizen M is well done in Seattle. I don't love it other places - but the public spaces are well designed and it has a fun location: SLU. Avoid the Westin - it's TRAGIC.
Good tip about Citizen M -- I'll check that out. Four Seasons Seattle is shockingly overpriced even on a Tuesday night in the middle of February... it baffles me how anyone can justify staying there when there is such great competition in Seattle.
You nailed all of the essentials in Seattle. My go to is the Pan Pacific and has been for years. I have tried all the others and also the new Lotte (felt too impersonal and valet parking is a nightmare). SLU is honestly the best area of the city for hotel stays...totally agree.
Actually just talked to the doorman at Pan Pacific. It’s going to become a 1Hotel. Not a Kimpton. Renovations and name change take place in late September.
I had a similarly lackluster experience at this hotel. Feels very dingy and run down.
Given the breakfast prices, how is the $25 credit applied ? Is it $25 worth of items before tax/tip ? Essentially one entree and one drink ends up at $25. That’s quite a stretch to offer this little as a Prive breakfast benefit.
Your review confirmed that I made the right choice to stay at the Grand Hyatt during my last Seattle visit. I was undecided between the Thomson and Grand Hyatt Seattle. We...
Given the breakfast prices, how is the $25 credit applied ? Is it $25 worth of items before tax/tip ? Essentially one entree and one drink ends up at $25. That’s quite a stretch to offer this little as a Prive breakfast benefit.
Your review confirmed that I made the right choice to stay at the Grand Hyatt during my last Seattle visit. I was undecided between the Thomson and Grand Hyatt Seattle. We also had a nice stay with lovely service at the Fairmont Olympic Seattle - very much recommend.
There is a lot to like here but that bed looks kind of tragic. And why are hotels increasingly moving from carpeted floors to cheap laminate flooring, with no rugs under beds (as pictured here) or tables?
Rugs trap dust. Hard surface flooring is easier to clean and very much welcome in all hotels.
I'd strongly prefer the hotel provide disposable slippers and wrapped, sterile cups in the bathroom for toothbrushing. There's just too high of a chance that cups like the ones pictured were wiped down with the same rag that just cleaned the floor and the toilet. I'm writing this as someone who has been battling a bacterial infection for...
Rugs trap dust. Hard surface flooring is easier to clean and very much welcome in all hotels.
I'd strongly prefer the hotel provide disposable slippers and wrapped, sterile cups in the bathroom for toothbrushing. There's just too high of a chance that cups like the ones pictured were wiped down with the same rag that just cleaned the floor and the toilet. I'm writing this as someone who has been battling a bacterial infection for the last 3 weeks (and my doctor refuses to prescribe antibiotics).
Wrapped sterile cups for toothbrushing?? And where are these supplied?? How about putting your mouth under faucet like most people do
Glasses are replaced by cleaners, not touched with a rag. What is your point about 3 week infection that your doctor won't treat?? Sounds like you have paranoia issues.
Mouth under faucet? I’m afraid at 6’5” that’s a physical impossibility. I’m surprised nobody has come here to tell me that some dentists recommend not rinsing at all to keep fluoride on the teeth for longer. Those dentists are misguided, by the way.
I don’t have paranoia issues. Bacteria and fungi may cause infections in humans that last 3+ weeks. That’s simple science.