Staycation in Seattle
Kaleb and I were lucky enough to receive the gift of a one night stay at The W Hotel which is a beautiful hotel located right in the heart of downtown Seattle so we decided to take a staycation. After our weekend stay here in our backyard of Seattle, we found ourselves falling in love with our city all over again.
Daytime Activities before check-in
Rachel’s Ginger Beer
If you’re staying at The W then you’re lucky enough to be located just a few blocks from Pike Place Market. We frequent the market many times a year but don’t always have a chance to sit down and enjoy our time because it’s always packed with out of town visitors. But, today was different. It was our staycation and we weren’t in a hurry to be anywhere. We always wanted to try Rachel’s Ginger Beer (RGB) but the line tends to get a bit crazy. Well, today it was crazy but we hopped in anyways.
RGB opened it’s doors in the Summer of 2013 with their Flagship Pike Place location. Guests can pop in to enjoy a moscow mule, devour a rgb ice cream float, or pick up a growler to go. The hype is for real. RGB is made using fresh water, fresh lemons, strong ginger root and organic cane sugar. They believe in partnering with local markets, attention to detail and variety which is why they offer rotating seasonal varietals as well.
Frolik
I don’t know about you but I love the idea of rooftop bars. Frolik is just that, one of Seattle’s few rooftop bars. The day was sunny so we made our way up the elevator and enjoyed a lovely lunch and glass of wine here. Located at 1415 5th Avenue Seattle WA, 98101 on the 5th Floor of Motif Seattle, Frolik promises a social experience set amidst the Seattle skyline.
Check In: The W Hotel
Check in time was 4pm but we called ahead and asked if we could check in earlier. The concierge was nice enough to let us know that the 4pm check in time was just another way of saying our room would be guaranteed to us by 4pm but we could actually check in sooner. The more you know!
Pro Tip: Always ask if you can check in early
The W in Seattle has valet service, and luckily it was included with our room. If it hadn’t been included we would have parked elsewhere because the valet service at the W will run you $68/ night . Note, this is incredibly steep for downtown overnight parking.
Our Room: The Spectacular Room
Was it spectacular? Of course.
- Pillow-top King Bed
- High Floor
- Air Conditioned
- Robe & Slippers
- Toiletries
- 350 Square Feet
- Room Service
- Mini-Refrigerator
- Iron & Board
- Safe
Happy Hour at Trace
After checking in, head downstairs for a happy hour drink at Trace.
Trace is the bar and restaurant located on the first floor, also known as The Living Room. It’s comfy, cool and exactly where you want to be to enjoy a drink. Happy hour runs daily from 3pm-8pm
Pro Tip: If you miss Happy Hour then come back after 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays for live music in the Trace living room.
Dinner at Purple
Purple is one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. Purple lives up to it’s name: it is all about the wine. Well it’s about the food too, but man oh man they sure do know their wine.
Their promise:
“Every dish on our menu has been paired through a daily collaboration between our team of Chefs and Sommeliers.”
Their wine menu is 118 pages and it is full of sassy information. Seriously, whoever wrote their wine menu is a hilarious genius who I would love to meet. You could honestly read it as a book; I’ve linked it for you here just because it is that entertaining. Purple Wine Menu
What to order
- Appetizer Baked Brie: apricot, carmelized onion, candied walnut, grape, house cracker
I opted for the wine pairing which was the Clos de Nouys Demi-Sec: Vouvray, France ’14. Our waiter warned me that it was a sweet white wine and he wasn’t joking. It was incredibly sweet, but it did pair perfectly with the brie.
- Mains
- Maine Lobster Baked Mac and Cheese mafaldine pasta|creamy truffle sauce|parmegiano crisp
- Bucatini and Meatballs bucatini|marinara|house-made meatballs|parmegiano
Goodnight Seattle
After a busy day of wandering Pike Place Market, taking in the views of the city from Frolik’s rooftop bar, checking into our beautiful room at The W, and eating far too much delicious food at Purple, it was time for a good night’s rest.
Good morning Seattle
Our last stop in our 24 hour Seattle Staycation? Coffee. But not just any coffee. Storyville Coffee.
Storyville is small, it’s local, it’s perfect. They have 4 locations but my favorite location is their Pike Place cafe. While it’s a bit tricky to find and many people never do find it, i’ll let you in on the directions. Once you find the Corner market building on first and pike, you’ll see that famous “Public Market Center” sign. Good news, you’re close! From there look at the sign, then just turn to your right and you’ll walk in the double doors into that building. Walk up the stairs or take the elevator and you’ll find Storyville on the top floor. Welcome to your next favorite coffee shop. Overlooking the hustle and bustle of the market below, sit back, relax and unwind with a mocha or pastry.
And there you have it, friends!
A 24 hour Seattle staycation.
The baked Brie at Purple is life changing! Love the staycation idea!
I’m so glad you’ve had the baked brie experience at Purple; truly so good!
Looks like a great time! We love Rachel’s Ginger Beer!
Sometimes it’s fun to just act like a tourist in your own city! RGB is simply the best; I don’t even like Ginger Beer but their flavors always have me coming back for more!