Last Updated on April 7, 2025
The cheerful fireplace in the lobby provided the first delightful surprise when I walked in the door of the Silver Cloud Hotel Tacoma at Point Ruston Waterfront on a dark and rainy night. The second, jaw-dropping surprise? The expansive view of Commencement Bay from my room.
Dozens of lights, distant beacons in the gloom, shone from neighboring Vashon Island. Their reflections shimmered in streaks across the water. Across the way, the twinkling lights of the small ferry that runs between Point Defiance and the island danced through the dark. At bedtime, I left the curtains open so that nothing would come between me and the incredible watery views.
Floor-to-ceiling windows framing panoramic views of Puget Sound and the cloud-shrouded Olympic Mountains are just one of the perks of the Silver Cloud Hotel Tacoma at Point Ruston Waterfront. Located 30 miles south of Seattle, the Silver Cloud Hotel offers a luxury retreat with an onsite spa and restaurant.
There are two Silver Cloud Hotels in Tacoma. Make certain when you use a map app or rideshare app that you specify Silver Cloud Hotel Tacoma at Point Ruston Waterfront. Don’t confuse it with Silver Cloud Hotel Tacoma Waterfront, which is east of Point Ruston and not near Point Defiance Park.
The hotel’s location near the end of the peninsula makes a convenient base for exploring Tacoma’s wilder side. Point Defiance Park is next door with its zoo, aquarium, Fort Nisqually, hiking trails and beaches. Restaurants, shops, and entertainment options are steps away. The museum district, more restaurants, and downtown Tacoma are about a 15-minute drive from the hotel.
Silver Cloud Hotel Rooms
Each of the hotel’s 194 spacious rooms offers queen or king Signature Silver Cloud Collection beds, which I found balanced cloud-soft comfort with just the right amount of back support. As in the rest of the hotel, tranquil shades of silver and black create a relaxing atmosphere. The muted color scheme draws attention to the views of either Commencement Bay or the Point Ruston shops.
The king rooms provide more space, plus a wet bar and workspace. Some rooms and suites also feature a sofa that converts to a queen bed. The suites offer 700 square feet of space, a roomy bathroom, and a separate bedroom and living room.
All rooms include:
- Coffee maker
- Refrigerator
- TV
- WiFi
- Aveda bath products
- Hair dryer
- Iron & ironing board
- Signature luxury bedding
- Room safe
I especially liked the reading lamps that fit neatly into the headboard. Even better, nearly every light switch is clearly labeled — something I wish all hotels did! Outlets and USB ports are conveniently located at the nightstands and workspaces.
Another handy feature is the open wardrobe with hanging space, multi-level shelves and a drawer instead of the typical closet that only accommodates hanging clothes, leaving everything else to land on the floor. The hotel also provided a spare blanket.
The Silver Cloud’s Restaurant
Copper & Salt Northwest Kitchen dishes up Pacific Northwest-inspired Italian cuisine in an airy restaurant that makes the most of its Commencement Bay views. Open from breakfast to late night, the restaurant also offers a patio with views of the waterfront and Point Ruston’s Grand Plaza.
I sampled breakfast at Copper & Salt and enjoyed views of the bay with my biscuits and surprisingly spicy gravy. Cocktails are served all day, including breakfast. Hotel guests enjoy complimentary espresso and coffee at the bar in the mornings.
Sourcing local ingredients as much as possible, the restaurant offers a seasonal menu with a handful of salads, sandwiches (including a Wagyu burger), and house made pasta for lunch. Dinner features antipasti, salads, pasta (such as pork bolognese, seafood bucatini and chicken pesto), and entrees highlighting regional flavors, including Pacific Northwest scallops and venison with mushrooms.
Menus also include a children’s section.
The restaurant has a full bar and a handful of nonalcoholic cocktails. The lengthy wine list primarily features wines from Oregon and Washington.
Spa Serein
Spa Serein, the onsite spa at Silver Cloud Hotel Tacoma at Point Ruston Waterfront, provides various pampering and revitalizing services and treatments. The spa offers an array of massages, facials and body cocoon treatments, as well as waxing and nail services.
Guests are encouraged to arrive early, snuggle into a luxurious robe and relax in the infrared sauna and spa lounge before their appointment. The relaxation lounge offers complimentary beverages and light snacks.
Silver Cloud Hotel Amenities
Unlike most outdoor hotel pools in the Pacific Northwest, the Silver Cloud’s rooftop pool is open year-round and heated, as is the separate jacuzzi. Lounge chairs invite relaxation on warmer days.
The hotel makes it easy to stay fit with a spacious, well-equipped fitness center that includes treadmills, exercise bikes, weight machines, free weights and other strength-building equipment.
A small gift and snack shop in the lobby provides an array of snacks and beverages, including wine and champagne. Games, adorable stuffed animals, sunglasses and other essentials round out the selection.
Playing outside at Silver Cloud Hotel Tacoma
One of the best features of the Silver Cloud’s location is the waterfront path that runs past the hotel. Wide and paved, it follows the waterfront for more than two miles. The waterfront path also connects to the trails in Point Defiance Park.
The path is the perfect place for a morning jog, evening stroll or admiring the scenery by bike. Wheel Fun Rentals, located across the plaza from the hotel, can send you pedaling on an e-bike, 4-wheeled surrey or other style of bike.
Point Ruston Shops and Restaurants
The hotel sits steps away from the Grand Plaza of Point Ruston, where free summer concerts and other events take place. The plaza also becomes a ‘sprayground’ for kids to play in during summer.
Restaurants, coffee shops, salons and a movie theatre provide entertainment steps from the hotel at Point Ruston. The Point Ruston Public Market contains 40 small restaurants and shops that sell everything from fresh meats, olive oil, jewelry, fresh flowers, local produce, bath products and sweets. Day stall vendors add to the variety. The market also hosts the Tacoma Farmers Market on Sundays from June through September.
With so much to do, I wish I’d had more time to explore Point Defiance Park by e-bike and on foot. The Silver Cloud Hotel Tacoma at Point Ruston Waterfront makes a fun home base for discovering Tacoma’s museums and parks.
