Our stay at the Seattle Marriott Redmond made us feel like we were on vacation somewhere far away when we were in fact only 2 hours away from home.
Our short Seattle/Redmond trip was decided last-minute so I only booked our hotel the night before. After much Google search, I decided on the Seattle Marriott Redmond as it was priced lower than Archer Redmond in the same area for that weekend and much more reasonable than hotels in Seattle Downtown & Bellevue. Also, due to our itinerary this trip being closer to Redmond, it only made sense that we would stay in that area for the first time. This turned out to be a wise decision as Redmond was very nice.
Read all of my hotel reviews here
Check-In
As mentioned, I booked the room only the night before so I was able to check-in using the Marriott Bonvoy app right away (you can use the app to check-in after 48 hours prior to your check-in day). I let the hotel know that I will be arriving around 10:30 AM.
Shortly after 8 AM, I received a notification from the app saying my room was upgraded and ready. My Titanium Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy would normally give me an upgrade to a suite (*based on availability) but since suites are not available at Seattle Marriott Redmond, my upgrade was a room on the top floor.
Room – High Floor, 1 King
The Seattle Marriott Redmond renovated their guestrooms to a minimalist and modern style in 2017. Our room on the top floor was spacious, clean and bright. It has a view of the Redmond Town Centre downstairs and since the mall closed at 9 PM, noisiness was not a concern in the room.
Location
The Seattle Marriott Redmond is located right in the center of Redmond Town Center with shops and dining all within walking distance.
If you plan on visiting Bellevue or Seattle Downtown, they are about 20- and 30-minute drive away respectively. Public transit is also available to take you to the major tourist spots (Pike Place Market, Space Needle, Bellevue Botanical Garden) in about an hour’s time.
Read all of my hotel reviews here
Dining Options
There is an onsite full-service restaurant called Brown’s next to the check-in desk in the lobby serving American comfort food. Room service is also available from this restaurant but if you prefer grabbing a quick bite, Fresh Bites is on the other side of the lobby with a selection of to-go meals and travel necessities.
The welcome amenity for Titanium Elite was either points or $10 food & beverage credit and I chose the latter. It was just enough for a small breakfast for one person at Brown’s so compared to a full breakfast buffet for two daily (like what we got at Civic Hotel in Surrey, BC) offered at some Marriott properties, this definitely was not the most valuable.
Outside of the hotel, there are plenty of options within walking distance. We tried Tipsy Cow, Molly Moon’s & El Toreador. If you plan on staying for an extended period of time, Trader Joe’s, my favourite grocery store in the States, is also just a 10-minute walk away.
Amenities
Even though the lobby and the guest rooms were modernized, I did not think the outdoor pool area was included. It was empty when I visited and unfortunately, the water looked a little cloudy so I opted out on pool time. However, in addition to the pool, there was also a small fitness centre next to it.
The M Lounge was undergoing renovation (Aug 2019) so we helped ourselves to pop and juices in the boardgame room on the ground floor. The location of the M Lounge will be on the top floor once construction has been completed. To gain access to the lounge, you can purchase a room on the club floor, purchase the lounge access separately or become a Platinum or above Marriott Bonvoy member.
Conclusion
I enjoyed the common areas and the renovated modern rooms as they were clean and spacious. It was nice that it had an outdoor pool onsite but a modernization or closer attention to its cleanliness would have made it more appealing.
The location of the hotel was ideal for us as we had plans to visit Snoqualmie Falls, Lake Sammamish and Woodland Park Zoo (trip report here, here). The location was also very convenient as all you will need is within walking distance. The City of Redmond does not have the busy and rushed vibes like Seattle Downtown and we enjoyed it very much.
