There are a variety of nearby parking options. Our recommendation: the Third and Stewart Garage (AKA the Macy's Garage), located on Stewart Street between Third and Second avenues. This is a secure, well-lighted parking structure, with in and out privileges, just a few short blocks from the pensione.

COZILY SITUATED on the second and third floors of a 100+ year-old building in the historic Smith Block on First Avenue, Pensione Nichols features eclectic antique furnishings (many straight from antique shops in Sussex, England), lots of warm light (as the seasons dictate, of course) and spectacular bay and mountain views (in its inviting breakfast, reading, entertaining room and two suites). It’s a welcome escape from a busy day, or lifestyle, when you need to “get off the grid” a bit or just slow down, kick your feet up and simply plan an evening of fun.

LINDSEY NICHOLS, irrepressible in her enthusiasm for all things Seattle, opened Pensione Nichols in 1989 with her mother who ran a nearby English antique shop — travel abroad, as well as "right place, right time," spawned the initial idea. Lindsey, who has a communications degree from nearby University of Washington, worked in the food, beverage, hospitality industry throughout college, and brought this expertise to the pensione, helping build the business. She took a hiatus from 1997-2005, during which time she worked as a restaurant manager with Noble House Hotels, owners of the historic Seattle waterfront Edgewater Hotel. In 2005, it was time to come back and, as she puts it, “take Pensione Nichols to a new level of comfort while keeping the same feel and genuine quality that’s worked so well — and that our regulars have come to expect.”

If you see the sweet critter who’s a fixture on the sofa or under the lobby’s reception desk, don’t hesitate to say a gentle “hello,” as it’s TINA, Lindsey’s shy 10-year-old boxer/pit-bull mix. She, a rescue dog with a heart of gold, excels at keeping an eye on stored luggage and greeting visitors at the top of the stairs when they arrive. The practically inseparable duo has been together for 9+ years now.