Where to stay between Seattle SEATAC and Portland?

We are flying into Seattle from the UK in May arriving around 17:00 and then hiring a car to drive down into Oregon. Is there anywhere worthwhile staying on the way down to break the journey and perhaps take a look at Mt St Helens the following day? Any recommendations gratefully received.

Where to stay between Seattle SEATAC and Portland?

You will be pretty tired after the long flight, so I wouldn%26#39;t suggest going too far. And if you are coming during the week, you arrive during rush hour, which can be pretty brutal around Seattle. Anyway, just over an hour from SEATAC is the town of Centralia which is right on the main freeway, I-5. There is a McMenamins property there that would be fun and definitely different. It is called the Olympic Club Hotel. The McMenamins brothers buy old buildings with interesting history and restore them and turn them into hotels/restaurants/theaters/breweries and are a real hit here in OR and WA. You can check their website at www.mcmenamins.com. Some rooms have private baths, but most are shared. Don%26#39;t worry though, there are plenty and they are kept very clean.

Where to stay between Seattle SEATAC and Portland?

From what I read in the forum, you must book well ahead for McMenamins lodging, so plan accordingly if that is your thought.

Are you looking for somewhere ';different';, or just a motel for the night? If the latter, there are a lot sprinkled all along I-5.

With McMenamins, it depends. The big draw locations like Edgefield, yes they fill up further in advance. The others though are pretty easy to get into, and we have stayed at four of their locations.

You could just stay in the greater Seattle area (hotels near airport not recommended), go up into the city that evening, then drive down the next morning to see Mt. St H and move on to Portland. You could eat dinner in West Seattle at Salty%26#39;s on Alki, for example. It has a great view of downtown Seattle.

The area around SouthCenter Mall has some better hotels, such as Embassy Suites. It is just over the hill from the airport along I-5.

McMenamin%26#39;s places are really fun, though. By the time you get your bags and car (not sure if you have a direct flight and thus, customs), and find some dinner, rush hour will be over.

I would stay somewhere not too distant from the airport. South Center area (Renton) has some nice hotels or continue a little further south to the Federal Way or Fife area, but not further than Tacoma.

The traffic in the area between Seattle and Tacoma is nearly always bad, just a little worse that time of day.

You are likely to be tired after the long flight, so I would not recommend driving as far south as Centralia. (That takes over an hour on a good day).

You can make the drive from most anywhere south of the airport to Mt. St. Helens and on to Portland quite easily in one day.

Thanks all for the helpful suggestions. I will take a look and see what suits best.