I stayed at Corporate Suites for 28 days in September/October of 2010 while rotating in the Madigan Emergency Department as a student. This is not a traditional hotel so much as a cluster of houses which have been divided into 3-4 suites each, with a bedroom, living room, bathroom, and kitchenette. There is minimal staff, with the front office only open 9-5 and housekeeping only coming once/week. Despite this, the staff is very accommodating - I was at a meeting ~ 45 mins away and had left an important piece of paper behind and the staff were willing to come into my room and read off the information I needed over the phone.

Location - Corporate Suites is in a quiet, lower-middle class neighborhood about 1/2-1 mile outside of the Tacoma city center. It felt a little sketchy when I first drove in but after 4 weeks, it has been perfectly safe. Within walking distance there is a small strip mall with a grocery store, a Subway, a Little Cesar's, and a chinese restaurant. Stanley and Seaforts, one of the higher rated local restaurants on this and other sites, is a long walk/short drive away. That's about it though - anything else (more interesting restaurants, a mall, night life) is a drive. In terms of access, you are <3 minutes from I-5, so you can get anywhere very quickly. For those looking to get to Madigan/Fort Lewis, it's about 15 mins away with minimal traffic most times of the day.

Amenities - again, this is not a traditional hotel. However, they are kind enough to offer free wireless internet and free laundry (small assortment of detergents available for free as well). The TV options are reasonable, consistent with a typical basic cable package. The phones are local-only, to the point that they will actually fine you on top of any long distance charges, so bring your cell phone.

The biggest reason I picked this place, and my only real complaint about it, is the kitchenette. Since I was staying for 4 weeks, eating out would have been prohibitively expensive, so I had hoped the kitchenette would allow me to eat-in most nights. The refrigerator is certainly large enough to accommodate this, but the equipment in the kitchen is sub-optimal. The range looks like it's from about the 70s and smoked heavily when I first turned it on (after several uses it stopped doing this). There is a small but reasonable assortment of pots/pans, flatware, and plates/bowls. The biggest thing that is missing is useful knives. There is a great cutting board, but the only knives available are the table knives, which are so dull that I had trouble even cutting a tomato or a chicken breast. Beyond this, there are many items I wish were there but are obviously impractical to expect from a hotel kitchenette (seasonings, oil, etc). I was able to adjust my cooking patterns, but a better equipped kitchen would have made the stay perfect.

Summary - All in all, this is a good option for longer stays and for low-maintenance travelers who don't need fresh towels every day. If you are looking for a quick weekend, for a vacation, for great night life, or to be right in the heart of Seattle then look elsewhere. I would be willing to come back again on a future trip to Tacoma.