16 Best Hotels in Seattle, From Downtown to University District | Condé Nast Traveler

"Designed by original owner Debera Riggle, the lovely lobby here features custom furnishings in shades of cream and gold, and a rather arresting oil painting of a lion, along with some rabbits, behind the polished concierge desk. (Riggle and her husband sold their shares of the hotel in 2020 to formerly silent partner John Lowrance and his wife, Adele Maruo.) Though it's small in size, it provides plenty of comforts and a sense of calm that’s unmatched in the city. Oh and it’s also in Ballard (hence the name), a restaurant-lined neighborhood in North Seattle, where the city’s best farmer’s market takes over every Sunday." - Jessica Voelker, Naomi Tomky