I had a great stay a the El Gaucho. Before I get to what I consider to be down-sides, I'll give you the high notes.

The bed was wonderful, probably best I've ever slept in, certainly better than any chain hotel, Kimpton properties and the Westin/W included. The towels and bathrobe were very soft (although the towel didn't absorb water as well as I expected it would). The high definition television with loads of hi-def and premium channels was a nice perk. In general, you can tell the hotel put a lot of considerations into the furniture in the room. There is also free wireless. There was a great shower head in the shower. Lastly, the hotel has arranged for free use of the Seattle Athletic Club (although this is not very close to the hotel). The wine glasses and water glasses (with corkscrew) was a nice touch.

On the downside:

I'd consider the bathroom average. Nothing was wrong with it, but it came across as an afterthought compared to the rest of the room. The ironing board was miniature - I had to sit down to iron my shirt. For the price of a nights stay, I would expect a full-size ironing board. Lastly, while the staff was very professional and personable, they were apparently stretched thin. I called the front desk three times in ten minutes to set up a wakeup call and got the hotel voice mail every time. I ended up leaving a voice mail but never got the wakeup call I requested. There's also a long flight of stairs to the hotel lobby. I guess there's supposed to be a bellman to carry up luggage, but that didn't happen when I arrived.

I guess the bottom ine is that while this is an excellent boutique property, it is small to the point of not being able to cater to the guests as much as a larger luxury/ boutique hotel. With only 18 rooms, the staff will call you by name and establish a rapport with you, but they may not be able to pick up the phone when you call.

I stayed at The Inn at El Gaucho for two nights during a weekend trip to Seattle. I was pleasantly surprised by the intimacy of the room. A complementary bottle of Evian water, a fresh cookie, and cd of local artist sat on the dresser. the room was adorn with fresh cut flowers, leather furniture and one of the most comfortable beds I’ve yet to sleep on in a hotel. The staff was amazing even at 3 in the morning there was someone at the desk. My only complaint was valet parking. at 25 dollars for 24 hours(a moderate price) we were surprised to find our car was parked on the street overnight I was hoping for something a little more secure. Also, because there wasn’t a permanent attendant on duty, we had to track down the receptionist to locate and bring our car. This was hardly a problem though because she always made it a priority to meet our needs.

we stayed three nights at the inn at el gaucho. we booked the cheapest room, ranging from $175 to $195 per night, and had a view of the street. my request for a room with a bath tub was honored. the room was comfortable, and we enjoyed our time there.

we particularly liked: the super-soft bath robes, the high quality towels (not regular scratchy hotel towels), the l'occitane and philip b. bath products, the books about seattle and the area on the table in the room, and the endless supply of hot water coming from the shower.

i didn't like that there was no mini bar because exploring it is one of my favorite parts of staying in a hotel (coke in a glass harmonica, anyone?) but there's a convenience store across the street for late-night snacks.

nobody bothered us for anything during our entire stay. we saw another guest only one time, and he was on his way out. the concierge helped us find places to eat when we asked. maid service was quick and efficient. we left the room for 30 minutes and returned to find it completely spotless.

they have free wi-fi, but to log in i would've had to call the concierge for a password, and it was easier to use the unlocked wi-fi from the ace hotel across the street.

also, it's true: they give you cookies. really good cookies.

My husband and I stayed one night at the Inn at El Gaucho during an overnight trip to Seattle. We were thrilled. Our room (Sound view) was beautifully decorated, even better than described on the website, and incredibly comfortable to spend time in. The location of the Inn is also ideal—an easy walk to Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, and countless restaurants. We also walked to the pier to watch the sunset—beautiful! We had an excellent dinner at the Frontier Room just down the street—highly recommended for those who might enjoy a cold beer, hot plate of ribs, and very cool atmosphere (and seriously the best fries ever). The service at the Inn was excellent—everyone was extremely helpful. We truly had a wonderful experience and will DEFINITELY stay at the Inn at El Gaucho the next time we visit Seattle.