Seattle neighborhood/s to avoid when looking for hotel

A key piece of information from you would be the dates that they need. Cruise Season (May-October) finds Seattle Hotels skyrocketing to ridiculous prices. Fall and winter are a little better, but even then this budget is not realistic.

Anything with parking in the downtown area will have additional charges for that as well.

You also don't mention where they are coming from. Flying and renting a car? Driving in?

If driving in from the south, I'd target the airport area and look at parking their car at the hotel there and taking the light rail downtown.
The least expensive one that I would even consider recommending is Red Roof Inn at $104. A disclaimer is that I wouldn't stay there myself. It is safe, just a step below the type of hotel I usually choose.

Another option North of the city might be the Hampton Inn and Suites at Northgate and take the light rail in from there. A quick look at the rates for a random weeknight in May is $199.

Driving in from Oregon and it's this Sunday night only.

Consider the Silvercloud Inn in South Lake Union. It's on the light rail that will take them to downtown. https://www.silvercloud.com/seattlelakeunion/. It looks like a standard room without parking is running at $140/night. I don't know how much parking is. I would guess it's around $35-40/night.

Edit to add: Staybridge Suites, South Lake Union. Near Amazon and Google offices. Running at $199/night with parking. Right off the freeway at Mercer and Fairview. https://www.ihg.com/staybridge/hotels/us/en/seattle/seamf/hoteldetail

Trotter beat me to it. The Silvercloud is good. I think parking is $35. It is $50 or more downtown and often in crowded, old garages difficult to get into and out of.

Where is the appointment?

Did the business not have a suggestion that is convenient?

Where is the appointment?
Did the business not have a suggestion that is convenient?

Actually it turns out their appointment is at the USCIS office by Tukwila and they have found a place to stay.

Thanks though to those with suggestions since I may be going to Seattle for a few days this summer or fall myself. I will check out the places mentioned. I know about the high $$ during peak tourist season and that's not really an issue but knowing which areas NOT to look at for a place helps. I have been to Seattle a few times but not for a while and I know it's changed (as all places have) so I no longer know where to avoid if I'm staying as a solo female that values safe areas.

Any other suggestions for a senior woman visiting Seattle by myself are appreciated.

Safety is of course a relative term. I work in downtown Seattle five days a week and I feel safe the majority of the time. Of course, given the high number of homeless people in Seattle, many of them mentally ill, things can and do happen, but it can be random and happen anywhere, really. For a senior tourist, I would say that the area near Pike Place Market extending up Pine Street to the big Nordstrom and other shops is generally fine as it always tends to be busy, also the walk from Pike Place to the Seattle Art Museum. There are a number of big, nice hotels around there including the Grand Hyatt and Sheraton Grand. Places you may feel uncomfortable include the Pioneer Square area (lots of homeless) as well as Third Avenue downtown (drug dealing activity and occasional violence), and finally Belltown can feel deserted and seedy at times, especially at night.

Thanks kblur9, that is helpful. In the distant past I have stayed near Pioneer Sq but I will skp that area this time. Usually I have stayed in the downtown hotels. One time I stayed at a motel near the Space Needle - what is that area like now?

The area itself is fine, but I would check Tripadvisor to make sure that any motel has good reviews.

I've stayed twice recently at the Mediterranean Inn on the northwest corner of the Seattle Center Park. Reason was to go to the Seattle Opera. Favorite restaurant, Toulouse Petit Kitchen is on the next block and the D Line Express Busses to downtown on that street. There is an underground garage and parking was not outrageous if I recall. Nice rooftop deck for your takeaway meals.
https://www.mediterranean-inn.com/