The Bellevue center point is around the area of Meydenbauer Center and 2 miles northeast of Mercer Island.
Bellevue and the greater Seattle area have a reputation for being rainy, but if you plan your visit right, you'll get to experience the city at its best. Summer is the sunniest and warmest season in Bellevue, with temperatures in the mid 70s throughout July and August. As the most pleasant season, however, summer is also the busiest and most expensive time to visit.
If you'd rather spend less on hotel rooms and enjoy a quieter city, plan your visit in late spring or early fall. You'll generally experience a mix of sun and rain during the shoulder seasons, so be sure to pack a raincoat.
For the lowest room rates, plan your visit in the winter and enjoy having the attractions to yourself. Be prepared for gray skies and plenty of rain, and don't forget to pack layers.
Get even more value out of your stay with discounts at Bellevue area hotels. AAA members save at The Westin Bellevue, while military members and government employees get guaranteed rates at the Red Lion Hotel Bellevue. AARP members and senior travelers save 5 to 10 percent at the Coast Bellevue Hotel and the Larkspur Landing Bellevue - An All-Suite Hotel.
Get all the amenities you want without breaking your budget at these four best value options in Bellevue.
Just a few blocks from Bellevue City Hall and the Meydenbauer Center, the Sheraton Bellevue Hotel is also convenient to a number of shopping and dining options. All of the nearly 200 rooms at this mid-range hotel feature plasma TVs and video game consoles to keep you entertained. You'll also find a fully equipped fitness center, a restaurant, and a bar at the hotel. Though several attractions are within easy walking distance, you can take the complimentary area shuttle to explore further afield.
If you're looking for a spacious suite on a budget, set your sights on the Larkspur Landing Bellevue - An All-Suite Hotel. Here you can choose from studios, executive rooms, and one-bedroom suites equipped with kitchens, refrigerators, and microwaves. Watch your favorite movies or shows on the DVD player and cable channels in each room, and squeeze in some work using the complimentary Wi-Fi. The Larkspur Landing doesn't have an on-site restaurant, but you can ride the complimentary shuttle to get to a number of nearby restaurants.
Located just north of Interstate 90, the Hyatt House Seattle/Bellevue provides a range of studios and one-bedroom suites with a king bed and a sofa bed. All 160 rooms include comforts like free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and pillow-top beds. You'll love the indoor pool and fitness center, as well as the complimentary buffet breakfast in the morning.
Right around the corner from Bellevue City Hall, Hotel Bellevue offers boutique accommodations in the center of the city. All 67 rooms feature welcome extras like minibars and premium TV channels. With services like facials and massages and facilities like a spa tub and a hair salon, you'll feel unbelievably relaxed throughout your stay. At Hotel Bellevue, you can enjoy a meal at the restaurant, dine in your room around the clock, and sip on a drink in the hotel lounge.
Most Bellevue visitors jump at the chance to explore the coastline, forests, and mountains that define this scenic city. Take a cruise on Lake Washington or the Puget Sound, and learn about the history of the area while taking in stunning panoramic views of the area. For more coastal exploration, take a short trip to San Juan Island, where you can go whale watching and spot wildlife. Go for a hike and a picnic at Snoqualmie Falls, one of the most popular destinations near Bellevue. For the full Snoqualmie experience, don't miss the casino and the candy factory.
Take a stroll through downtown Bellevue, where you'll find plenty of dining and shopping. Art lovers won't want to miss the Bellevue Arts Museum or the many public art sites throughout the downtown area. Throughout the year, The Theatre at Meydenbauer Center hosts plays and performances.
If you're a fan of wine, beer, or spirits, you'll love seeing where your favorite beverage is made in the Bellevue area. Take a tour of up to 90 wineries in nearby Woodinville Wine Country. In Bellevue and neighboring communities, you can also visit a number of small craft breweries and distilleries.
Whether you want to explore the great outdoors, discover art and culture, or do business in style, you'll appreciate the opportunities that await in Bellevue. No matter your budget or your hotel preference, you'll find the ideal place to stay in the City in a Park.
Also known by many other names like satellite city, business city, boomberg and Windows city, Bellevue has, in a short span of three decades, turned its fortunes on heads while transforming itself from a modest Seattle suburb to a fully-recognized city that houses over 100,000 people. The growth and prosperity have come to Bellevue, much thanks to the presence of Microsoft in Seattle. But what Microsoft started has been taken up and forward by many other companies. The overall business ambiance in Bellevue ranks among the best in the world. Bellevue often ranks at the top of lists that collate best American cities to set up a start-up in.
As an extension of its excellent infrastructure and wholly modern outlook, Bellevue is also a hot-favorite settlement destination among new graduates and professionals from around the country. In fact, a wide survey by USA Today concluded that Bellevue was the best place in the United States to live in for the year 2012-13.
For tourists who are making plans to visit and get to know the city of Bellevue from up and close, a short guide about staying in Bellevue presented below would offer some measure of help.
Being so close to Seattle “ one of the costliest cities in the US “ has had a significant impact on real estate prices in Bellevue. Add to it excellent infrastructure and proximity to many good places of sightseeing and relaxation and high hotel prices in Bellevue become pretty much self-explanatory. That's precisely why, finding cheap hotels is a rather steep cliff to climb.
This does not, however, mean that Bellevue is without a single hotel that tourists can find remotely affordable, far from it. There are a number of hotels in Bellevue “ particularly in the older parts of the city (Bellecrest, Factoria etc.) “ that can offer comfortable accommodation to tourists, without setting them back by much. The only point to note here is that the par level of affordability in Bellevue is higher than the rest of the country, making cheap hotels here comparable with rather expensive ones everywhere else!
The name Bellevue is a French term signifying the sight that people entering the paradise for the very first time are greeted with (belle “ beauty/beautiful, vue “ view, sight). And there's no denying that Bellevue dons this name more gracefully than many other cities could. Vast expanses of tranquil waters of Lake Seattle on the west make Bellevue a true waterfront city with amazing views, no matter which direction you turn your head to.
To go with the splendor, luxury hotels in Bellevue have come up with various original ideas like Rooftop Waterview lounges and glass walled suites that provide unparalleled views of the wild North West.
Among the dozens of Bellevue hotels of luxury kind, most notable ones are:
Seattle Marriott Bellevue, Westin Bellevue, Hotel Bellevue, Hyatt Maritime Bellevue, Hilton Embassy Suites at Lake Seattle Bellevue etc.
Let's face it. Living in a cheap hotel with intermittent supply of water and no security is not everyone's idea of a holiday. On the other hand, living in a posh, stately resort by Hilton or Sofitel doesn't fall under the realm of affordability for many, as well. What, then, are tourists who wish to strike some semblance of balance supposed to do?
Well, there are options. Alternative accommodation options available in Bellevue include: independent and boutique hotel units, short term studio apartment rentals, holiday homes, summer houses and even boat houses!
So, if neither of the traditional options strike your fancy, just let them drift, and look a little deeper under the surface. There are many great alternative accommodation options with great deals just waiting to be discovered by you!
Bellevue offers a number of sights for tourists to explore. Most of these fall under ˜nature and exploration' categories, while others like spas and massage therapy centers can best be counted among ˜health and wellness' category. Not having a long history of occupation means that Bellevue is rather short on historical sites that tourists can hope to include in their sightseeing itinerary. However, other natural attractions “ especially the scenery around the whole region “ is a reason enough for the explorer in you to pack your backpacks and catch the next flight to Seattle!
While sightseeing in Bellevue, however, you need to be aware of some small things that can easily slip off your mind.
The nearest domestic airport for tourists to reach Bellevue is the Kenmore Harbor Air Base. This, however, is a defence base, and is not regularly serviced by many airliners. For most tourists, the best way to get to Bellevue is to fly straight to Seattle Int. and Domestic Airport (Seattle-Tacoma Int. Airport) and take a cab from there to Bellevue, a short 20 minute ride.
Along the way, one can find a number of hotel establishments. But most of them are Seattle based, and hence, can be even more expensive in comparison.
Below are reviews of the city of Bellevue, WA from an actual visitor's perspective.
A little classy!
Loved Bellevue Farmer's Market and Botanical Garden!
My daughter is moving up that way so we were apartment hunting. It wasn't really a pleasure trip. But I liked Bellevue
Very nice city.
Staff was friendly and kind.
I love Bellevue!
The room was clean, comfortable. The staff was friendly. Clean
Safe place.
Wintergrass Festival!
Bellevue is awesome!
Bellevue is awesome!
Close freeway access and under 10 minute drive to Lake Sammamish.
Staff at the hotel was wonderful.
Bellevue was excellent - quiet and I felt safe there!
I like it!
This area was a new place to explore and it's so pretty!
Clean hotel. Plenty to do and see.
Clean and safe. Great shopping and dining.
It is a wonderful calm place to stay.
Bellevue is a lovely city and very easy to get around in.
Nice clean town. I would visit again.
Vibrant atmosphere, excellent amenities, great shopping and amazing restaurants.
Close to everything.
It's such a well-planned city with natural area right within housing areas. Lots of green. Planted meridians, and parks tucked in everywhere. Lovely.
Lots of places to shop.
The City of Bellevue is much cleaner than Seattle and with Bell Square right across the street, my wife loves it.
Great shopping areas, the Downtown Park was nice, and the various nature trails are a must.