Before heading off to Chiang Mai late this December, I’m locking in the final details for my 7-night, 8-day Seattle itinerary.
The highlights of my trip will be the Boeing Everett Factory tour and a whale watching tour. Here is how I lined up my hotel stays to save big while keeping the whole trip convenient and walkable.
My Priorities & Planning Rules
Maximum walkability: Aside from the Boeing tour, whale watching, and a quick scenic drive, I plan to get everywhere on foot.
Using expiring perks: I needed to redeem my annual free night certificates and statement credits across Marriott, Hilton, IHG, and Delta before the year ended.
Smart hotel-hopping: Since my credits are spread across different chains, switching hotels was non-negotiable. To keep things manageable with rolling luggage, I mapped out short walks between hotels and kept two multi-night stays.
Easy transit connections: Being close to King Street Station (for the Amtrak to Edmonds) and Link Light Rail stations was essential.
Winter Tour Availability & Scheduling
Finding a winter whale watching tour can be tricky, but Puget Sound Express out of Edmonds runs almost daily right after Christmas week.
While the Boeing Factory tour hasn’t released its exact schedule yet, they typically only close on major holidays (12/24, 12/25, and 12/31). I booked both tours on weekdays with a rest day in between, then built my hotel stays around them.
7-Night Seattle Hotel Cost Breakdown
Hotel rates in downtown Seattle jump significantly over the holidays. By pairing specific hotel rates with card perks—like using my Amex Delta Gold $150 credit—I kept out-of-pocket costs extremely low.
Here is my exact 7-night line-up:
Day 1: Kimpton Palladian — $0 (Used IHG Free Night Award)
Day 2: The Sound Hotel Seattle Belltown — $97.69 (After $50 Amex Hilton credit – Q3)
Day 3: The Sound Hotel Seattle Belltown — (Boeing Tour Day; booking with Q4 $50 Amex Hilton credit)
Day 4: The Alexis Royal Sonesta Hotel — $141.03 total for Days 4–5 (After $150 Amex Delta Gold credit)
Day 5: The Alexis Royal Sonesta Hotel — (Whale Watching Tour Day)
Day 6: Courtyard Seattle Downtown/Pioneer Square — $0 (Used Marriott Bonvoy Award)
Day 7: Courtyard Seattle SeaTac Airport — $20.57 (After $100 Chase Sapphire credit)
Tour Days & Final Logistics
Day 3: Boeing Factory Tour
Day 5: Whale Watching Tour
Day 7: Rent a car to check out a few scenic spots outside the city, return it directly at SeaTac, relax at the airport hotel, and walk over to departures the next morning.
The distance between these properties on the map looks super manageable. Since we’re traveling light with just one backpack and one rolling suitcase each, moving around shouldn’t be an issue at all.
Now, I’m just crossing my fingers for good Seattle weather! I’ll update this post with full reviews after the trip.