A well-run historic place close to Pike Place Market, Moore Hotel (1926 2nd Ave., 206/448-4851 or 800/421-5508, www.moorehotel.com, $39 s or $49 d shared bath, $59 s or $67 d private bath) offers bath-down-the-hall rooms, but it also has rooms with private baths; all contain TVs and phones. Parking is available in local lots for $12 per day.

Seattle’s only private hostel, Green Tortoise Backpacker’s Guest House (1525 2nd Ave., 206/282-1222 or 888/424-6873, www.greentortoise.com, $32–36 pp, $90 d private room) has 38 rooms right in the center of town. It’s near Pike Place, but the neighborhood also has its share of sleaze. The hostel itself is clean, well managed, and friendly. The hostel has storage lockers, a full kitchen, free Internet access, and daily walking tours.

There is no curfew, and alcohol is permitted; there is even free beer on Fridays! Parking is available in local parking garages for around $14 per day. As with other Seattle lodging places, the Green Tortoise fills up quickly in the summer; call ahead for reservations.

For longer-term lodging, Green Tortoise offers A Backpacker’s Garden Apartments (715 2nd Ave. N, 206/340-1222), where you can stay in four-bed dorms for $300 a month; it’s a popular place for young folks relocating to Seattle. The hostel is connected with the Green Tortoise Bus (415/956-7500 or 800/867-8647), a great and inexpensive way to explore the country. Trips run all over the continent, even north to Alaska or south to Central America.