HomeTowne Studios Tacoma - Hosmer

The towels were nice, and the shower got warm with good water pressure. That’s about all I can say in its favor. Our room had trash in it when we arrived, and the floor looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in ages. Smoke smell was everywhere, people smoked right by the building despite the 25-foot rule, and there was a lot of shouting outside our room late at night. We’re usually easygoing about where we stay, but this place was a bit too much for us. I wouldn’t recommend it if you have another option.

I was there for a little over a month, and the room was clean and comfortable enough to feel like home. The area wasn’t great, though it’s improved a lot from how it used to be, which was nice to see. Everyone on staff was welcoming and respectful, and the managers were kind and helpful. I only remember Raymond’s name. Eileen checked me in when I was tired and stressed, and even though I wasn’t pleasant with her, she stayed patient, professional, and attentive to what I needed. Most of the housekeepers were a joy to be around, though one seemed not to know her place. I’ve stayed at a lot of hotels, and this was a great stay. Four stars for hometown studios on Hosmer.

The room was clean and the heater worked well, and that full-size fridge was nice to have in such a tiny space. Still, the experience had some issues. I was on the third floor, and the outside door to the stairs and elevator usually took at least 12 tries with my key before it opened. I started wedging it open with a rock when I needed to run to my car. In the morning, someone on the first floor yelled at me for warming up my car. I first thought I’d woken him and apologized, but then noticed holiday stickers on his window and shells and rocks lined up on the sill, so it looked like he’d been there a while. Maybe he works on site, but that wasn’t a good way to treat a paying customer. I was only there one night for business, and it was the smallest room I’ve ever seen.

We didn’t end up staying, but the staff handled everything with a lot of courtesy. On the phone, I spoke with several people, and each one was professional and kind. When we arrived, there seemed to be a serious incident just outside, with police cars and some unsavory characters nearby. We knew we had valuable equipment in our vehicles, and even after the desk told us there was overnight security, we didn’t feel comfortable. The front desk attendant understood why we wanted to cancel and ask for a refund, though she couldn’t issue one on the spot and said she’d check with the manager. Once home, I saw the full night’s charge had been refunded, even though we canceled at the very last minute. They could have kept the money, but doing the right thing showed real ethics. Under different circumstances, we probably would have stayed. I’d trust the management at HomeTowne Studios and wouldn’t hesitate to deal with them again.