Notes from the Road: Bellevue

City in a park

Bellevue, Washington, is one of those rare places where all the convenience and innovation of a large city blends perfectly with small town charm. Its “City in a Park” nickname comes to life upon visiting, when you discover that, with over 100 parks throughout, it almost feels like one big park with a city worked in.

After my visit, I would imagine that meeting in Bellevue feels like gathering in your own hometown, with its welcoming energy and peaceful atmosphere, plus no shortage of fun activities and outstanding dining. I’m an avid traveler, and I think it’s fair to say that, at this point, I’ve been all over the world; and I have rarely felt as comfortable and at home as I did when I visited Bellevue.

Meet and Stay

If you’re looking to stay right in the center of the action, Hyatt Regency Bellevue on Seattle’s Eastside is a perfect option, with a direct connection to the Bellevue Collection, the city’s sprawling shopping, dining and entertainment destination. The hotel offers 732 guest rooms and over 70,000 sq. ft. of elegant meeting space. With my corner suite, it was hard not to just cuddle up in my hotel room and enjoy my expansive view of the foliage across Bellevue, Lake Washington and the Seattle skyline.

The Bellevue Collection is home to a kaleidoscope of hotels, with sizes ranging from fit for a big trade show to a small group of VIPs. Options include the chic, unique W Bellevue, with 245 guest rooms, and the sleek Westin Bellevue, with 337 guest rooms.

Bellevue’s newest pride and joy is InterContinental Bellevue at the Avenue, standing within its own developing luxury complex, Avenue Bellevue. The property marks IHG’s debut in the Pacific Northwest and brings an additional 208 guest rooms and 11,756 sq. ft. of well-appointed meeting space to the city.

All of these properties stand within walking distance of Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue’s convention center, offering 53,390 sq. ft. of meeting space at the heart of the city. There, you’ll find an easy-to-navigate space with ample meeting and event room offerings, including the 36,000-square-foot divisible Center Hall, ideal for anything from a trade show to a gala celebration, plus nine individual meeting rooms and a theater, all spread across four sunlit floors.

Explore

Bellevue is a beautiful city, so your attendees, honestly, probably wouldn’t hesitate to walk around. But their BikeHop and Bellhop programs made it even easier. From Hyatt Regency Bellevue, I was able to secure an electric bike at the concierge desk and take it for a spin around the city (and it’s free for guests at participating hotels!). And when I had less time to cycle around, I accessed BellHop, a 100% on-demand, free, electric shuttle service that visitors can use to get around downtown. All you need is the Circuit app.

Use either program to explore the city, if you’re not wandering through the Bellevue Collection, all connected via skybridge, and getting your shop on or enjoying a meal at one of the many restaurants. I sat down for lunch in the middle of my exploring at Cantina Monarca, a beautiful Mexican restaurant that transported me to a tropical wonderland while I enjoyed gourmet tacos and a tasting flight of some of their creative, seriously delicious margaritas.

Bellevue is home to so many more restaurants that you really don’t want to miss out on, and I wish I could go back to—including Monsoon Bellevue, where you’ll find contemporary Vietnamese cuisine in charming Old Bellevue on Main Street. You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but if you have the chance, I highly recommend the Catfish Claypot; it was the perfect meal to rejuvenate me after a travel day, and I’ll certainly be heading straight back there the next time I find myself in Bellevue.