# Some new RCI availability in the Seattle area



## Karen G (Aug 25, 2009)

I just stumbled on something very interesting while playing around with RCI.  There are three Red Lion Hotels that show up as exchanges in downtown Seattle, Bellevue, and near the airport. They aren't timeshares, of course, but they do offer an option when looking for accommodations in that area.  The RCI numbers are C171, C173, & C174.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Aug 25, 2009)

A note of advice for some who may have some past (~10 years ago) experience with Red Lion in the western US. 

The Red Lion chain was acquired by Doubletree about 10 years ago.  The best of the Red Lion properties were rebranded as Doubletree Hotels. The lower end properties held the Red Lion name for awhile, but then the Red Lion name was retired and Doubletree dropped the affiliations with those properties.  Sometime along the way, Doubletree was also acquired by Hilton.

The rights to the Red Lion name were subsequently acquired by West Coast Hotels, and West Coast Hotels renamed itself Red Lion.

The upshot is that what is Red Lion now is not at all the same as what Red Lion was 10 to 15 years ago.

For example, when I moved to Bellevue in 1993 there were two Red Lion properties in downtown Bellevue, one decidedly more upscale than the other.  The upscale property became the Doubletree, and has recently reopened as the Belleuve Hilton. The lower end property was a Red Lion for awhile, then it became a Ramada Inn, and more recently an independent property, and has now been torn down.

Meantime, the new Red Lion has acquired yet another property in the same hotel strip in Bellevue (on 112th Ave), which currently carries the Red Lion name.  The current property is not as nice as the original upscale Red Lion, but is decidedly better than the downscale (now demolished) old Red Lion.

In general, I would class the current incarnation of Red Lion as being gnerally equivalent to a Sheraton Four Points operation, but occasionally a bit better.  Other hotels operated by Red Lion, particularly those in downtown settngs such as the Roosevelt in downtown Seattle, are often nice old-fashioned boutique hotels that are less elegant (and less expensive) than some of the fully refurbished and equipped urban boutique hotels.


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## ricoba (Aug 25, 2009)

I saw those units a few weeks ago.

While I know like Steve says that Red Lion is not the chain it once was, I took a gander over to TripAdvisor and saw that the downtown Seattle Red Lion got some pretty good reviews.  I didn't take the time to look at the Bellevue location.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Aug 25, 2009)

ricoba said:


> I saw those units a few weeks ago.
> 
> While I know like Steve says that Red Lion is not the chain it once was, I took a gander over to TripAdvisor and saw that the downtown Seattle Red Lion got some pretty good reviews.  I didn't take the time to look at the Bellevue location.



I don't know what that property was before it became a Red Lion. It's certainly in a good location.  

***
At SeaTac, the Red Lion SeaTac - which is now the Doubletree - has been an institution for many years.  I can easily see someone reserving a place at the Red Lion SeaTac, thinking they were getting what is now the Doubletree, and being quite surprised to find that they were actually staying at the West Coast SeaTac hotel (which is now the Red Lion SeaTac).


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## Karen G (Aug 25, 2009)

What seems curious to me is how do these properties end up as RCI exchanges?


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## sun starved Gayle (Aug 25, 2009)

The Red Lion in Vancouver Washington is showing up as a trade  also (Red Lion Inn at the Quay).  Portland also has some Red Lions, don't know if they are showing up as trades or not.

Gayle


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## ricoba (Aug 25, 2009)

Karen G said:


> What seems curious to me is how do these properties end up as RCI exchanges?



Some Hyatt hotels have been showing up too.


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## LLW (Aug 25, 2009)

Karen G said:


> What seems curious to me is how do these properties end up as RCI exchanges?



Some Coast Hotels (e.g. the Portland Paramount) have long been available for booking in the Worldmark system on a nightly basis. The nightly rates are much more expensive than a regular WM:

http://www.worldmarktheclub.com/resorts/wp/


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## MuranoJo (Aug 27, 2009)

I used to travel to Bellevue for business quite often about 10-15 years ago and always stayed at a Red Lion not too far from a mall with Nordstrom's.    I'm not sure which Red Lion it was, but I really loved the beds.  Have been on a mission ever since to get the same bed and am not sure I've completely succeeded.  

I am also surprised about all the hotel chain hotel rooms ending up in the exchange pool.  What are the hotel chains getting in return?  I'm trying to tell my poor skeptical mind to be still and ignore what cannot be controlled.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Aug 27, 2009)

muranojo said:


> I used to travel to Bellevue for business quite often about 10-15 years ago and always stayed at a Red Lion not too far from a mall with Nordstrom's.    I'm not sure which Red Lion it was, but I really loved the beds.  Have been on a mission ever since to get the same bed and am not sure I've completely succeeded.
> 
> I am also surprised about all the hotel chain hotel rooms ending up in the exchange pool.  What are the hotel chains getting in return?  I'm trying to tell my poor skeptical mind to be still and ignore what cannot be controlled.



Jo - your post illustrates *precisely* the point I tried to make above.  The Red Lion Bellevue is *not* the same hotel you are remembering, and if you reserved a place at the Red Lion Bellevue expecting that hotel, you would be disappointed.


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## Elan (Sep 2, 2009)

I've stayed at the Red Lion on 5th Avenue a couple of times.  I believe it was a Coast Hotel at the time.  It was a nice place (not overly plush, but certainly nice enough).  Very centrally located to Pike St and downtown shopping.   I'd stay there again.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Sep 2, 2009)

Elan said:


> I've stayed at the Red Lion on 5th Avenue a couple of times.  I believe it was a Coast Hotel at the time.



As I mentioned above, Coast Hotels bought the rights to the Red Lion name and renamed itself as Red Lion.  At the same time they rebranded some of the Coast Hotels as Red Lions.


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## Elan (Sep 2, 2009)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> As I mentioned above, Coast Hotels bought the rights to the Red Lion name and renamed itself as Red Lion.  At the same time they rebranded some of the Coast Hotels as Red Lions.



  Right.  I was just trying to convey that it's a nice enuf place in case anyone's interested in exchanging in.


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## MuranoJo (Sep 3, 2009)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> Jo - your post illustrates *precisely* the point I tried to make above.  The Red Lion Bellevue is *not* the same hotel you are remembering, and if you reserved a place at the Red Lion Bellevue expecting that hotel, you would be disappointed.



Got it.  But what about my second paragraph?  Maybe not a good place to post comments on the hotel rooms showing up on RCI while true timeshare units diminish.  Oh well, I'm going on vacation to one of my few t/s exchanges lately.  Enjoy while you can!


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## LLW (Sep 3, 2009)

muranojo said:


> I used to travel to Bellevue for business quite often about 10-15 years ago and always stayed at a Red Lion not too far from a mall with Nordstrom's.    I'm not sure which Red Lion it was, but I really loved the beds.  Have been on a mission ever since to get the same bed and am not sure I've completely succeeded.



Is this it, from the pictures?
http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/LION-HF-Hilton-Bellevue-Washington/index.do


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## LLW (Sep 3, 2009)

This is the current Red Lion Bellevue:

http://redlion.rdln.com/HotelLocator/PhotoGallery.aspx?metaID=14&photoIndex=0&photoType=Image
(Picture looking north on 114th Ave with downtown as a backdrop)

My friends, who used to stay at the high-rise Red Lion (now Hilton), commented that the beds at the current Red Lion were also good.

It used to be a Holiday Inn for a long time, then a Best Western.

What was the Bellevue Hilton for a long time is now a Sheraton.


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## Cyndi (Sep 14, 2009)

I stayed at the Bellevue Red Lion for a week in June 2006 while I was waiting to move to our new home. It was very nice. The beds were great and the room very comfortable. I would put it in the same catagory as Hilton and only a tad lower than Hyatt for room comfort and quality. Service was excellent as well. I didn't want to leave 

Interesting idea that some hotel rooms would be available to rent to timeshare owners. Is is because RCI is renting out our units? Part of the class action thing? Are they replacing our lost inventory with hotel rooms?


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Sep 14, 2009)

Cyndi said:


> Interesting idea that some hotel rooms would be available to rent to timeshare owners. Is is because RCI is renting out our units? Part of the class action thing? Are they replacing our lost inventory with hotel rooms?



It's curious to me that when II makes nightly inventory at hotels available for exchange, virtually nobody here gets upset.


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## deejay (Sep 14, 2009)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> It's curious to me that when II makes nightly inventory at hotels available for exchange, virtually nobody here gets upset.



Curious to me as well. Although I am beginning to see a few more negative comments on II.


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## Rent_Share (Sep 14, 2009)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> Sometime along the way, Doubletree was also acquired by Hilton.


 
And Hilton was acquired by the Blackstone Group (LaQuinta Hotels) in 2008


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## Rent_Share (Sep 14, 2009)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> It's curious to me that when II makes nightly inventory at hotels available for exchange, virtually nobody here gets upset.


 

Adding access to hotel accomodations foor exchange where there is not enough T/S properties is hardly the same as taking properties deposited fore exchange and renting to the public with no investment in the infrastructure


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## MuranoJo (Sep 15, 2009)

LLW said:


> Is this it, from the pictures?
> http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/LION-HF-Hilton-Bellevue-Washington/index.do



Yes, I think that's it!  Although it appears to have undergone some improvements since I was there.  Can't mistake that the mall is close-by.  :whoopie: 

Thanks for sharing the pics!


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