Hotels in Chambers Bay Golf Course
Chambers Bay is the public links course on Puget Sound that hosted the 2015 U.S. Open, its fescue fairways and walking-only routing set below the bluffs of University Place. Group bases sit a short drive north in Tacoma and Lakewood, close to Joint Base Lewis-McChord and Sea-Tac.
Golfers who plan a trip around Chambers Bay are booking a walk, not a cart ride: Robert Trent Jones II routed this former sand-and-gravel quarry as a single, dune-like links along the water, and the 2015 U.S. Open only confirmed what regulars already knew about its width and its wind. Most groups stay north in Tacoma or Lakewood, fifteen to twenty-five minutes by car, where hotel choice runs from casino resorts and downtown business hotels to a converted Tudor-Gothic mansion and a handful of home stays. Sea-Tac sits roughly half an hour up I-5, close enough that a buddies trip can fly in, play Chambers Bay, and pair it with Washington's other Robert Trent Jones II courses without adding a travel day.
Chambers Bay Golf Course in numbers
Golf ResortAbove the Sound Bed & Breakfast
A tiny, perfectly-rated South Sound bed and breakfast
Golf ResortCentral Tacoma Homestay -private room-
A budget homestay with a kitchen and laundry included
Luxury GolfCandlewood Suites Tacoma Mall by IHG
Suite kitchens and a bar in one extended-stay address
Golf ResortThornewood Castle
A Tudor-Gothic mansion with a Golf tag of its own
Spa & WellnessComfort Inn & Suites Lakewood by JBLM
A Golf tag and a spa in the same Lakewood address
Golf ResortInn At Saltar's Point
A small, well-reviewed inn near Fort Steilacoom Park
Golf ResortSilver Cloud Hotel - Tacoma Waterfront
A Tacoma waterfront base with a deep review record
Spa & WellnessHotel Murano
Downtown Tacoma polish with a Golf tag of its own
Golf ResortHoliday Inn Express & Suites Tacoma South - Lakewood by IHG
An indoor pool and hot tub in the Lakewood corridor
Golf ResortTownePlace Suites by Marriott Tacoma Lakewood
Marriott suites with kitchens for a multi-round trip
Golf ResortHoliday Inn Express Rainier Inn & Rainier Complex
A no-fuss JBLM-area base with breakfast built in
Golf ResortBest Western Lakewood
A Golf-tagged Lakewood base with its own restaurant
Golf ResortEmerald Queen Casino and Hotel
A well-reviewed casino address near central Tacoma
Golf ResortHoliday Inn Express & Suites
A Golf-tagged pool-and-hot-tub base at a fair price
Golf ResortHampton Inn & Suites Tacoma
Indoor pool and hot tub after the walking round
Golf ResortEmerald Queen Hotel & Casino
On-site casino floor, restaurants and one of the area's deepest review counts
Golf ResortBest Western Plus Downtown Tacoma
A downtown Tacoma address at a fair rate
What to expect
- Walking-only links routing on Puget Sound
- Host of the 2015 U.S. Open Championship
- Fescue fairways that firm up through the summer
- Tacoma and Lakewood bases 15-25 minutes away
- Sea-Tac roughly 30 minutes north on I-5
- Easy pairing with other South Sound courses
Local tips
- ✓Book a caddie or a push-cart in advance — Chambers Bay carries no golf carts, and the routing covers real elevation across the old quarry.
- ✓Play mid-summer for the firmest, fastest fescue conditions; spring rounds run softer and considerably greener underfoot, with a higher chance of rain.
- ✓Base yourself in Lakewood if your group wants a quieter, more residential feel between rounds, closer to Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
- ✓Base yourself in downtown Tacoma if you want restaurants and a waterfront walk within reach on foot after the round.
- ✓Confirm shuttle or rideshare timing to the course early — several South Sound hotels list an airport shuttle but not a course shuttle.
- ✓Layer for wind off the Sound even in summer; the exposed back nine holds weather the sheltered front nine simply doesn't see.
Where to stay
FAQ
Is Chambers Bay walkable, or do I need a cart?
Chambers Bay is walking-only — there are no golf carts anywhere on the course. Most groups hire a caddie or rent a push-cart, and the routing includes meaningful elevation change across the old sand-and-gravel quarry site it was built on.
Where should a golf group stay for Chambers Bay?
Tacoma and Lakewood are the two practical bases, both roughly 15 to 25 minutes from the course by car. Tacoma suits groups who want restaurants and a walkable waterfront downtown; Lakewood suits groups who prefer a quieter, more residential stay.
How far is Chambers Bay from Sea-Tac Airport?
Sea-Tac sits roughly 30 to 45 minutes north on I-5, depending on traffic and which South Sound hotel you're leaving from. It's close enough that a fly-in, play, fly-out trip is realistic over a long weekend.
Did Chambers Bay really host a major championship?
Yes — Chambers Bay hosted the 2015 U.S. Open Championship, won by Jordan Spieth. The course was purpose-built as a championship-caliber links on a former sand-and-gravel quarry above Puget Sound, designed by Robert Trent Jones II.
What's the best season to play Chambers Bay?
Mid-to-late summer brings the firmest, fastest fescue fairways the course is known for among regulars. Spring rounds are playable but noticeably softer and greener, with a meaningfully higher chance of wind and rain coming off the Sound.
Can I combine Chambers Bay with other Washington courses?
Yes — its South Sound base near Tacoma and Sea-Tac makes it straightforward to pair Chambers Bay with other Robert Trent Jones II designs in the region without adding an extra travel day to a multi-course trip.