Civic Hotel

The bed was fine and the room looked great after a nice remodel, but there were lots of little annoyances. My room had a constant knocking from water running in the walls. I could hear the neighbors showering or flushing as the water rushed through the pipes. I wanted to mask it by setting the AC fan to run continuously, but that wasn’t possible. I could leave it on Auto and crank the heat or AC way up to make it run, or lie in silence and listen to the pipes. It was about 35 degrees outside, and the bathroom floors felt almost as cold. There was also a $27 amenity fee, including taxes, added at checkout. It felt like a way to advertise a lower price and then charge more later. It supposedly covered things like a small Keurig in the lobby, no breakfast, and an unfiltered refrigerated water fountain or bottle-refilling station in the hallway instead of bottled water in the room. I thought I’d found a low-cost place, but with that fee it probably wasn’t the cheapest option. The guy in front of me was surprised by it too, so guests clearly aren’t being told or expecting it.

There’s a good group of people living here right now, and I’m glad the Civic is here. I hope it stays and keeps evolving. Staff are mostly not very communicative, and getting answers or issues resolved usually takes patience. Stick with it, though, and it’ll be worth it in the end.

The blackout shade was the best I’ve ever had anywhere. I’d love one for my house. The newly renovated hotel even smelled new, and the room was huge, with chic design and a fantastic rain shower. It’s in a great spot just down the hill from the Space Needle. Both people at the desk were personable and gave us good places to eat. I left my phone charger in the Dave and he called to let me know. We went straight to the airport after our cruise, and Dave mailed it to my house. Props to the whole staff. I’d definitely stay again.

I stayed at two hotels in Seattle, and both had modern decor, friendly staff, and great locations. One showed its pricing upfront and was completely transparent. Civic Hotel, though, added an “amenities” fee after checkout on top of an already less-than-modest room price. Keep that in mind, because it left such a bitter aftertaste that I’d avoid staying there in the future.