Red Lion Hotel Bellevue050

The Red Lion Bellevue Inn caters mainly to business travelers, but the professional, helpful staff, clean, nicely appointed rooms, availability of cribs (free) and rollaway beds ($10), and in-room entertainment such as pay-per-view movies and Nintendo 64 make the hotel a solid choice for families too. Children under the age of 18 stay free with a paying adult.

Active families can take advantage of the outdoor pool, open from June through September, and an exercise room. While relaxing in the guest rooms, children can choose from many kid-friendly television stations (Animal Planet, Cartoon Network, Disney, Nickelodeon, the Family Network, etc.), and parents appreciate the parental controls on the television to limit the availability of late night movies and/or games.

Some other amenities at the hotel include guest laundry service, free local calls, free wireless internet access, small in-room refrigerators, wall-mounted hairdryers, and free transportation to destinations within three miles of the hotel (Bellevue Square, the Meydenbauer Convention Center, Bellevue Community College, the Mercer Slough Nature Park, etc.)

The front desk is staffed around the clock.

The on-site restaurant, Jonah's, was updated in November 2007 and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A full service bar was also added in 2007. No kids' menu is offered, and guests ordering half portions for their children can expect to pay full price - which isn't cheap! The restaurant does have high chairs, but loud or unruly children can make a visit quite unpleasant. The food is okay, and the staff is professional.

No free breakfast is offered to the guests of the hotel, which is a little disappointing, but Guest Room Packages that include breakfast are available; ask the front desk agent or check the website for details. The hotel doesn't have elevators, which can make things a little more difficult for families with kids in tow, but a bell staff person is always available to carry luggage up the stairs if needed. Microwaves ovens are available in the guest rooms upon request.

Pets under 25 pounds are welcome in the rooms for a small non-refundable fee.