Business took me to Seattle in July, and my client provided me with excellent and convenient accommodations at the Courtyard Seattle Downtown/Pioneer Square.

The hotel, located within the historic 1904 Alaska Building, sits within what is known as Seattle’s first neighborhood, Pioneer Square. Within walking distance or a streetcar ride of Safeco Field, Century Link stadium, the waterfront (and the ferries), Pike Place Market and the Central Business District, this Marriott property boasts an ideal location for both business and leisure travelers.

We arrived around 8 p.m. on a Wednesday evening, and the valets immediately greeted us, helped unload our car and directed us inside while whisking our car to off-site parking. Check-in was accomplished swiftly, and we made our way to our 13th-floor Queen Bay View room, offering us a slightly obstructed view of Elliott Bay and the sunset over the Olympic Mountains to the west.

The room offered a mini fridge (unstocked), a generous desk and ergonomic work chair,   a roomy closet with iron and ironing board and plenty of hangers,  a comfortable armchair and two pillow-top queen beds bracketed by side tables. The flat-panel TV streams Netflix, Hulu and more and sits atop a dresser offering several deep drawers. Wireless internet is complimentary. My one quibble with the room was the lighting: I could have wished for a little more direct, strong lighting over the work area. The bath offered a roomy, single-sink vanity and shower/tub combo with Paul Mitchell bath amenities. Again, stronger lighting over the vanity would have been welcome.

The hotel offers an onsite Bistro featuring Starbucks coffee, evening cocktails and breakfast and dinner offerings. Dinner my second night there was uneven: a not-quite-done salmon filet, fresh green beans and crunchy roasted potatoes. The manager apologized and offered a gratis dessert, so I finished with a lovely crème brûlée. Really, though, there are so many great dining options in the blocks surrounding the hotel, one isn’t limited to the on-site option. The lobby area also offers a bar, quiet sitting areas, a Market (snacks and sundries) and media pods. Guests have access to a business center, and a fitness center and indoor pool reside in the basement. Meeting rooms and boardrooms as well as a ballroom are available for a variety of functions.

All in all, we found our stay at the Courtyard comfortable and extremely convenient for our business needs as well as our after-business rambles in the city.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor