Critique my hotel thoughts for Emeryville and Seattle

[PaunchyPirate]

First time poster, so be gentle. I searched the forum and read quite a bit on various hotel options for my destinations and I think I have devised a plan that might work for me (it's not that much of a challenge, really). Does this plan make sense?

Background: This will be my first Amtrak trip. The trip is all about the experience of the train ride and has nothing to do with sightseeing in San Francisco or Seattle.

I'm taking the California Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville and then taking the Coast Starlight the next day to Seattle. I think I will stay at the Emeryville Hyatt House hotel just across the tracks from the station. Since the CS doesn't depart the next day until 9:47pm, I'm thinking I might even pay for 2 nights of the hotel even though I won't spend the second night there. While I may venture into San Francisco for part of the day prior to the CS, I don't feel compelled to spend all day there. I've been to SF many, many times and don't really feel the need to explore it on this trip. I'm thinking it's very possible that I may wish to return to the hotel say at 4pm and relax in my room (maybe even take a nap) until 8:30pm or so and then venture back to the station to catch the CS. Yes, it's money to do that. But in the big picture of this trip, it's not all that out of line to pay for this.

In Seattle, it looks like there is an Embassy Suites right next door to the train station, so I figure I might as well stay there as well. As with SF, I have been to Seattle many, many times and it is not a priority to explore it on this trip. I am leaving the next day on the Empire Builder at 4:40pm to return to Chicago. I don't think I would pay for 2 nights here. I will just hang out in my hotel as long as I can, lunch, etc. and then head to the station and wait there until departure.

I can ask for late departures at the hotels, but that doesn't always work out.

What do you guys think? Am I missing something that I haven't thought of? Any tips appreciated on this plan.

 

[pennyk]

Welcome to Amtrak Unlimited. I think your hotel choices are great. I have not stayed at the Hyatt in EMY, but I know the location and it is great. (I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn, which is a bit further away. I have Hilton status).
The last time I was in Seattle (2019), I stayed at the Embassy Suites. You cannot beat the location and the hotel was new and very nice. The photos below were taken from my hotel room at the Embassy Suites (overlooking King Street Station).

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

947pm could easily be 11:47 so the extra night is a good idea If it’s in your budget.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

947pm could easily be 11:47 so the extra night is a good idea If it’s in your budget.

I wondered about that. I assume I will be getting on a Coast Starlight that is coming in from a day of travel from the south.

 

[GAT]

I don't know if this still pertains, but some hotels used to offer half-day rates to accommodate business meetings, etc. I would suggest you call the Hyatt Emeryville to see if they can offer you some sort of deal at reduced price. They should be used to accommodating train passengers since they are so close to the station, and perhaps not so fully booked these days.

 

[TinCan782]

We've stayed in both hotels you mentioned...the Emeryville Hyatt House and the Seattle Embassy Suites. Both were just overnights between trains and both were good experiences for us.
The Embassy Suites is not necessarily a budget hotel.
The "13 Coins" there was pretty good eating.
Mentioned above was a "half-day"rate. Probably similiar would be seting up a late check out if they will.

 

[GAT]

Since you know San Francisco well, perhaps you also know Oakland and Berkeley. There are good restaurants in both locations and not too costly a cab or Uber ride away. There are also good restaurants in Emeryville, including Trader Vic's, although it might be wise to check to see that it's still open after Covid.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Since you know San Francisco well, perhaps you also know Oakland and Berkeley. There are good restaurants in both locations and not too costly a cab or Uber ride away. There are also good restaurants in Emeryville, including Trader Vic's, although it might be wise to check to see that it's still open after Covid.

Oh yes! Eating is something I will be looking to do. I actually don’t know the Oakland side of the bay as well as The City side. I may very well just stick to the local area. I’ve used Uber and will likely do that to get away from the hotel areas.

 

[jebr]

Oh yes! Eating is something I will be looking to do. I actually don’t know the Oakland side of the bay as well as The City side. I may very well just stick to the local area. I’ve used Uber and will likely do that to get away from the hotel areas.

One other thought if you want to stay super-local is use the Emery Go-Round service. It's a free bus that connects a fair amount of shops and restaurants, and also goes to the nearby BART station.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

One other thought if you want to stay super-local is use the Emery Go-Round service. It's a free bus that connects a fair amount of shops and restaurants, and also goes to the nearby BART station.

This is great info. Thanks for sharing. I’m sure I will use this. I’m fine using BART to, especially if I go over to SF.

 

[HenryK]

Your hotel choices are excellent. I have stayed in both, and have made a reservation at the Seattle Embassy Suites for June, when I will be busing from Seattle to Vancouver and an Alaskan cruise. Both hotels have been very accommodating to my service dog.

 

[mlanoue]

Sounds like a great trip for train-riding!

 

[ScottR]

I regularly stay at these two hotels. There is nothing like walking right off the train and into a hotel 5 minutes later which you will be able to do at both the Hyatt House in Emeryville and the Embassy Suites in Seattle. Now, the pedestrian bridge across the tracks there in Emeryville could use a good cleaning…but it’s there and it’s super convenient, and the Hyatt House had a great free breakfast buffet back in the pre Covid so hopefully that has returned.

and the “Three Coins” in Seattle is pretty well known and a great spot while the high floors there have a great view

 

[Maglev]

I have stayed at both hotels, and think they are good choices. Here's a couple views from my room in Seattle, and a seafood restaurant recommendation for Emeryville.







http://hkeo.us/

 

[ScottR]

Awesome pictures. I’ll try the restaurant next time. Seattle is a great town I’ve had the joy to live in before, and taking the Coast Starlight up from LA is an iconic trip that never gets old….just more expensive

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Thanks everyone. I booked all the hotels for my trip today and am really excited to get going! The prices of all hotels these days is somewhat high, but such is life.

 

[ScottR]

I regularly stay at these two hotels. There is nothing like walking right off the train and into a hotel 5 minutes later which you will be able to do at both the Hyatt House in Emeryville and the Embassy Suites in Seattle. Now, the pedestrian bridge across the tracks there in Emeryville could use a good cleaning…but it’s there and it’s super convenient, and the Hyatt House had a great free breakfast buffet back in the pre Covid so hopefully that has returned.

and the “Three Coins” in Seattle is pretty well known and a great spot while the high floors there have a great view

Oops I’m missing about 10 coins!

 

[tomfuller]

Unless you want to be able to say you took the CZ for its entire length, I would get off the CZ in Sacramento and see the California Railroad Museum and then have a good meal in Old Town Sacramento and then maybe a movie at the multiplex theater before returning to the SAC station for the midnight train.
Either way you will be on an overnight train out of SAC.

 

[Chatter163]

Someone mentioned late checkouts. In my experience in recent years, most hotels will only give a late checkout of two hours, no more. They want to be sure that the housekeeping day staff is still there to clean and turn the room over.

Someone else mentioned day rates. This past Christmas my wife and i stayed in a lovely hotel that has a Christmas day brunch 10AM-4PM. Since we wanted to go to Mass on Christmas morning, have time to freshen up, and not have to rush through the brunch, I asked about a day rate until 6PM. It was given me for half of the nightly rate, which I thought reasonable, since the room would not be cleaned until the next day.

In the OP's case, paying for a second night is probably a good plan, to get a nap in before the late departure, which as been pointed out, could be an even later departure.