Had to find a hotel within government per diem rates in Port Arthur at the last minute and Mainstay Suites was only one available. As Chase71 says the smell in the second floor hallway was unbearable. The smell entering the room was worse. I had to run out and purchase Air Freshener. My room was directly behind the elevators although when I booked I requested a room away from the elevators, its as if they didn't even look at the booking. When I complained the person at the front desk didn't seem to care too much. So I called my travel agent and had them find anything under per diem in the area. I even considered Beaumont, 15 miles away, even though I was working less than 1/4 mile from the Mainstay suites.
The suite is large, although sparesly furnished without enough lights. The bathroom was very clean considering the smell of the room and the run down appearance of the hotel, especially the hallway.

In 2009 I spent a total of 4 months at this hotel.
I stumbled across this place due to another Extended type hotel not being available.
Every room has a kitchen W/dishwasher and fridge.
Staff is friendly, Housekeeping everyday...
I feel like Family at this hotel.
When ever I am in the Port Arthur area working this is the place I stay BAR NONE.
If you do refinery work, like to stay in a nice clean and quiet place with a Kitchen, this IS the place.
If your more into LOUD PARTYING, please stay somewhere else...

I dislike knocking a property from the start of a review but everyone considering this hotel needs to be aware. I stayed on the second floor. When you exit the elevator the entire 2nd floor hallway smells like it's a smoking floor. But it's not over yet. Once you exit the hallway to enter your room the smell is instantly replaced by an equally strong musky mildew odor. I changed rooms on the second floor and both rooms had the same strong order. So when I would return to the hotel after work and exit the elevator the double tap was too much for me. I had to go to another hotel.

Otherwise, if you stay on the 1st floor, or the 3rd floor is better and the rooms don't smell the hotel is decent. The "continental" breakfast is pretty basic, the cable line up is good and the internet service is fair. But I'd be cautious before you commit to this hotel.

We arrived as a small group. Then we grew to a large crew, each immensely different in personalities but that didn't mean a thing to the staff at the Port Arthur Mainstay. From day one, and I was the sixth arrival of a later group of 60, we had a home. A safe home! The area was devasted by Hurricane Ike but we never knew it, the maintenance staff was amazing. Many of the desk and housekeeping crew had lost their own beds, homes and property but it was a shameful afterthought to stop and ask them how THEY were doing, while we slept in warm, clean, very comfortable and spacious rooms lacking nothing. The
I was lead secretary, I know just about every type of room layout our team was in. All were really nice! The kitchenette was stocked, the bathroom modern, the bed large and pillows were awesome.
We had security. We saw families, laughing & happy. We saw pets. We were there for Halloween (fun staff!!) and Thanksgiving (and let me tell you, if you're there for Thanksgiving, you'll have a home away from home, with friends & guests all enjoying and appreciating a loving spread of Giving) and a full determination by the crew to make you feel better. And this crew did this every day.
Would I recommend others at this hotel. You bet. Would I return? Yup, you Bet.
The personal respect and professionalism is plenty, but the caring was unbeatable.