A Unique Hotel Near Seattle Before an Alaska Cruise: McMenamins Elks Temple

What if the night before your Alaska cruise felt like part of the vacation instead of simply a place to sleep?

If you’re arriving early for a cruise departing from Seattle and want something a little out of the box, I have a place for you: McMenamins Elks Temple in Tacoma.

And when I say this hotel is unique, I mean really unique.

This Is Not Just a Hotel

McMenamins Elks Temple began as Tacoma’s grand Elks Lodge. Built in 1915–16 and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the seven-story building has been restored and reimagined as a hotel filled with restaurants, bars, artwork, history and all sorts of surprises tucked into unexpected places.

From the minute Mom and I started exploring, there was something new to notice around every corner.

There are carved wooden figures, unusual artwork and little faces—sometimes called “smoke men”—painted onto pipes. Even the elevators get in on the fun. Look at the doors.

Look inside. Look up.

Actually, that’s probably the best advice I can give you here: look everywhere.

This isn’t a hotel where you check in, walk directly to your room and call it a night. Half the fun is wandering around wondering, “What in the world is behind that corner?”

Every Floor Has Its Own Personality

There are several completely different places to eat and have a drink inside the building, and none of them feel exactly alike.

Doc’s is a casual games bar with pinball, shuffleboard and the Elks’ original pool tables.

The main pub serves Northwest-style fare with views toward Foss Waterway. Then you wander into The Old Hangout, which is almost impossible to describe adequately.

Imagine a grotto with a little tiki influence, carved wooden figures, cave-like walls and touches inspired by travel around the world.

It shouldn’t make sense.

Somehow, it does.

Even Your Room Has a Story

Our room felt completely different from a standard hotel room. Walking in almost felt like stepping into a little European getaway.

The bed was comfortable, the room felt warm and inviting and the history of the building followed us right through the door.

Elks Temple has 45 king guest rooms, and each one is connected to local history through artwork and written stories. Our room introduced us to Emmett Anderson.

And apparently, Emmett may still be checking on his guests.

At one point, Mom and I both responded to someone knocking.

Nothing.

I looked down the hall.

Nobody.

I even looked out the window.

Still nobody.

Mom and I looked at each other, laughed and then looked over at the picture on the wall.

“Emmett Anderson…are you here?”

I’ll let you decide what happened.

And Then Someone Told Us About the Hidden Bar

Later, we met a couple of fun guys in the hallway outside our room.

“Have you found the hidden bar?”

Our ears perked right up.

Hidden bar?

We had been heading back into our room, but suddenly that plan changed. Room key went back into my pocket. U-turn. Level three, here we come.

Mom headed down the hall with her walker, and I was hot on her heels.

We found the wall we thought they were talking about, but we weren’t exactly sure what to do with it.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Next thing I knew, Mom had that wall cracked open.

Behind it was a whimsical hallway filled with color, stickers and artwork leading us into The Vault.

Inside, it felt like we had stumbled into a tiny secret speakeasy from the Prohibition era. Concrete walls, lots of character, a lively atmosphere and that wonderful feeling that you had discovered something you weren’t supposed to know about.

That little adventure may have been my favorite part of the stay.

Is Tacoma a Good Place to Stay Before a Seattle Cruise?

Here’s the important travel-advisor part: McMenamins Elks Temple is in downtown Tacoma, not at the Seattle cruise port.

I wouldn’t choose this hotel simply because you need the closest possible place to your ship. I would choose it because you’re arriving a day or two early and want that extra time to become part of your vacation.

You’ll need transportation from Tacoma to your Seattle cruise terminal. I would absolutely plan that in advance and leave generous time for traffic on cruise morning.

This is a particularly fun choice for someone who enjoys:

• Historic buildings with personality

• Art and quirky details

• Exploring instead of sitting in a hotel room

• Having restaurants and bars inside the property

• Staying somewhere they’ll actually remember

For travelers with mobility concerns, I was visiting with Mom and her walker, and we were able to explore the hotel together. The property currently lists an accessible main entrance, ADA parking and elevators. Still, every traveler’s needs are different, so check directly with the hotel about the right room and route before booking.

Make a Day of Tacoma

Another reason I like this idea is that you don’t necessarily have to head straight into Seattle to find something to do.

The Museum of Glass is in Tacoma and is known for glass art and live glassmaking in its Hot Shop. Because exhibitions and renovation work can affect what is open, check the museum’s current schedule before visiting.

Car lovers can visit LeMay – America’s Car Museum, which features hundreds of vehicles and rotating exhibits.

You could also explore Tacoma’s waterfront or spend time at Point Defiance Park.

If you have more time and want the classic Seattle experience, you can still head into the city for Pike Place Market and sightseeing.

Sometimes the Hotel Becomes Part of the Trip

That’s what I loved most about McMenamins Elks Temple.

We weren’t even on our Alaska cruise yet, and we already had stories.

We explored strange hallways. We looked for hidden doors. Mom discovered a secret bar. We may or may not have met a ghost named Emmett.

A pre-cruise hotel doesn’t always need to be the place closest to the ship. Sometimes it makes more sense to arrive early, slow down and choose someplace that gives you another experience before the cruise even begins.

McMenamins Elks Temple definitely gave us an experience.

Ready to Plan Your Alaska Cruise?

If you’re planning an Alaska cruise from Seattle and want help figuring out when to arrive, where to stay, transportation to the ship and all the little details that make the trip easier,

I’d be happy to help.

Fill out my travel inquiry form at www.goodtrip.biz/bookwithdana and tell me a little about the trip you have in mind. We’ll start from there.

You can also reach me at dana@goodtrip.biz.