Is Bellevue a good place to stay in Seattle?

Bellevue is a good base if you're working on the Eastside or want a calm, polished place to stay. Its compact downtown has the hotels, the Bellevue Collection's shops and restaurants and plenty of office towers, and Microsoft's campus in Redmond is close by. Seattle is across Lake Washington by bus or car.

The city is modern, clean and orderly. Bellevue Square, Lincoln Square and Bellevue Place are linked shopping centres with department stores, restaurants and a cinema, and Downtown Park has a waterfall and a big lawn in the middle of it all. The Bellevue Botanical Garden is a short drive east, and Meydenbauer Bay Park is on the lake.

The downside is that you're not in Seattle. Pike Place Market, the waterfront and the Space Needle mean a trip across the lake every day, evenings are quiet, and hotel prices can be high when tech companies have big events. It can feel more corporate than characterful.

What makes Bellevue worth considering is comfort and calm. The hotels are new and smart, the streets are safe and easy to walk, and the Eastside's offices are on the doorstep. For business trips, or families who want an easy, quiet base with Seattle in reach, it's a very good option.