TL;DR

Water views: Every room overlooks Commencement Bay.
Local chain: Silver Cloud’s standout property in the Pacific Northwest.
Mix of styles: Traditional hotel feel with touches of modern swank.
Relaxing vibe: Known for elegance, service, and stunning seascapes.
Check prices here

Beautifully situated and perfectly comfortable, this Old Town Tacoma boutique hotel is a perfect place to enjoy Puget Sound.

With every room sporting views of Commencement Bay, anyone who likes to watch the waves will be perfectly happy here.

Silver Cloud is a small local chain responsible for a handful of hotels around Seattle and the Pacific Northwest hotels, and we’d venture to claim this is its best iteration.

There’s a funny sort of play between typical hotel and new money swank, and we kind of like that it hasn’t gone one way or the other.

The entrance has chain hotel written all over, and once you get in, it’s all Horatio Hornblower’s grandmother’s living room off of Lake Erie.

To be fair, we bet this hotel could probably get by on views alone. The easy elegance and impeccable service is mostly just a way to make enjoying the seascapes more comfortable.

What are the rooms like?

Number of rooms: 90
Waterfront guarantee: All rooms face Commencement Bay.
Room types: Double Queens, King Singles, varied Suites.
Special feature: Some King Rooms include jacuzzis with bay views.
Amenities: HDTVs, mini-fridges, microwaves, coffeemakers, plus options with fireplaces and wet bars.

The main idea: all rooms have waterfront views. Hotel architect, we salute you.

Decor is pretty typical – neutral carpeting and furniture with a lot of corners set off by a comfy chair in the corner where you can stay until lunchtime.

Room types are many and varied, Double Queens, King Singles with different variations, Suites with sofa beds and mountain views or no mountain views.

Our advice centers around the window-side jacuzzi in select King Rooms. If you’re not watching seagulls from a vat of bubbles, are you really enjoying the Bay?

Even those who are a little too shy for a seaside bath will enjoy the basic amenities, which include HDTVs, mini-fridges, microwaves, and coffeemakers. Some options have wet bars and fireplaces as well.

What are prices like?

Check prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

Breakfast: Complimentary full buffet with hot options.
No onsite restaurant: Encourages exploring Tacoma’s food scene.
Fitness center: Small gym available to guests.
Outdoor perks: Pier strolls and picnic areas nearby.

The complimentary breakfast is a full buffet, if you need hot food in the morning you’ll be set up.

Unfortunately (or not, if you wanted to get out and explore Tacoma), there’s no onsite restaurant.

You’ll have to check out Tacoma’s culinary scene, or take a jaunt up to the foodie enclaves of Seattle.

There is a fitness center for those who need to move, and the pier around the hotel is a must-stroll.

Picnic areas nearby can make for a nice market lunch.

How is the neighborhood? Anything interesting nearby?

Secluded feel: Freight railroad runs between hotel and city.
North Tacoma: Close to Ruston Way parks and restaurants.
Nearby attractions: Point Defiance Zoo, beaches, and markets within 10 minutes.
City access: Tacoma Night Market, museums, and downtown about 5 minutes away.
Ferries: Connections to Seattle and Vashon Island.

The good/bad news is that the freight railroad runs between the hotel and the rest of the city. This is very quaint, and gives the hotel a secluded feel.

It can also get a bit noisy. If you’re a super early and light sleeper, it might be worth requesting a room further out towards the water.

Other than that, there’s not very little bad about the location. You’re in the older area of North Tacoma, right next to Ruston Way and all the parks (and restaurants!) along the waterfront.

Point Defiance, with lots of a good walking area, a zoo, and a beach, is a ten-minute drive. It’s near many food options around Point Ruston, making it a great outing.

In the other direction is the center of town, where you’ll find plenty to do. The Tacoma Night Market at the Tacoma Armory is about 5 minutes away, near the Convention Center.

Also close by are the Washington State History Museum and the Children’s Museum, with farmer’s, craft and vintage markets open each day.

You can catch a ferry to Seattle for a sea adventure, or to Vashon Island for the nature parks and the outside-of-the-city vibes.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

“Beautiful location right on the water in the Port of Tacoma. Clean room and facilities. The bed was comfy with soft sheets and nice pillows. The fireplace is a relaxing addition. We stayed on the 3rd floor in a King room….”

“Loved the beautiful water view of the bay, the professional staff, the hot breakfast, the clean room, and comfortable bed. I felt like we were in luxury the moment we entered the hotel lobby through our clean and comfortable room, and amazing views. The breakfast was great, with lots of healthy and yummy choices of waffles, egg scrambles, sides, and drinks. They even wrap up the baked goods so you can have a treat for later throughout the day….”