Inn at the Market          Seattle, Washington

Opening the floral drapes of my room, the neon-red Public Market sign illuminates the weather—rain, fog, sometimes even sunshine. And even when the view of Elliott Bay and the islands beyond are shrouded by the fog, there is still only one place in the world I could be—downtown Seattle. I love a hotel that lets me know exactly where I am. The Inn at the Market is literally steps away from the Pike Place Market with the original Starbucks.

The Inn at the Market itself is pleasantly secluded inside a red-bricked, vine-covered, water-fountained courtyard. On Pine Street, the unassuming Inn has only two ever-ready valets—one a friendly sign, the other a lively chap with a brain and a heart. Mindlessly, I’d left my cell phone in the car. The live valet came to my rescue. Noticing it, he called the front desk to see if I meant to leave it in the car and was then back in a flash with the phone. Thanks, again.

Inside, a fire’s glow, Washington State apples, coast-to-coast newspapers and more exemplary staff met me. Easing back into the golden-yellow velvet chairs, I enjoyed the Pacific Rim objets d’art as I ate my Granny Smith.

Fine taste and classic comfort describes my room as well—nothing over the top—except the view and a wicked-comfortable bed. The bathroom is huge with soaps I snuck into my suitcase. The techy stuff is up to Seattle’s rep. But what I loved most about my room is the ample amount of any city’s rarest virtues—space and quiet.

The afternoon I arrived, I gazed down longingly at the rain-glazed roof top deck with its extraordinary view. Never mind, even if the sun had been out, I was still on my way to bed. Somehow, I’d carved out time for the most wicked weekday pleasures—a nap. And urban nap nirvana was right behind me. I drew the drapes and snuggled down for a snooze.

When I was ready to roll I discovered that the Inn at the Market was the place to be. First, you don’t have to do anything silly—like drive. Hong Kong is probably the next closest place to find this much sipping, noshing and shopping in walking distance of your front door.

Starting with the "soul of Seattle," the market, I noshed my way through fresh-from-the-farm mozzarella, right-from-the-bing cherries and a just-caught oyster shooter. I topped that off with a Mandelfläta, cardamom yeast bread with almond paste.

There are tiny ethnic restaurants and large white-table cloth extravaganzas. There are wine bars, boutique beer bars and martini bars. There is even Beecher’s where you can watch them make the cheddar cheese and eat it, too. Beecher’s mac and cheese is the recipe Martha Stewart uses. Need I say more? Take that, Hong Kong!

From Bach to Magic to Rock, the buskars provide backup to fishmongers who really do sling their salmon. While I was at The Inn at the Market, they had a Catch and Relax special where you could earn a commemorative Masters Degree in Fish Flight (MDFF.)

By my next visit, I hope it will be possible to earn a MDNN—a Masters Degree in Nipper Naps. I hereby offer my services for curriculum development.

 Kate Crawford     June 2009

LINKS WITH ATTITUDE   
                        
Inn at the Market on the web.

Public Market on the web.