Seattle Post- Article
“Fun, funky or luxury in Portland hotels
Quirky or classic, these establishments say come on down
Quirky or classic, these establishments say come on down
Part of the fun of visiting a different city is being able to stay in a hotel that reflects the region’s character and is central to the activities you want to experience. People who relish travel learn to avoid the cookiecutter creations often found in the suburbs or out by the airport.
Fortunately, Portland has a fun, funky and fancy selection of downtown lodgings, from quirky to classic in a variety of price ranges, featuring impressive collections of local and national art, memorable cuisine and proximity to theaters, museums and river recreation. “While there are lots of similarities to Seattle in terms of weather and ambience, Portland is smaller, more accessible, and it’s so easy for Seattleites to zip down for a couple of days,” said Shoshanna Cohen, spokeswoman for the Ace Hotel, which attracts travelers seeking economical lodging options. “Portland has so many creative juices flowing in terms of our film festivals, First Thursdays art gallery walks and worldclass art right here in our hotels.”
Here is a wide range of lodging choices:
Ace Hotel
The Ace Hotel is in Portland’s West End, next to the popular, eclectic Pearl District and famous Powell’s Books. The Ace’s lobby is a casual hangout for those who want to slouch on the couch and take advantage of the wireless Internet, or to finish sipping their cup of fresh-brewed from neighboring Stumptown Coffee. The hotel has one creaky, slow elevator that you’re not encouraged to take, because the stairs are faster — something to keep in mind. A flophouse years ago, the building has been transformed into an immaculately clean but casual, affordable hotel. The rooms are aligned on a long hallway, with a choice between brighter-but-noisier street views, or darker and quieter rooms on the other side of the hall. It’s a definite consideration since sounds from the lively neighborhood have been known to keep rocking into the wee hours. The rooms have the building’s original woodwork and tile, and local artists have unleashed their talents on the walls themselves, or have their art installed throughout. Some rooms have clawfoot tubs, army canvas door coverings and turntables — with instructions on how to use them (a bit of a giveaway to the youth of many of the lodgers). However, Cohen insisted that guests include families and visitors in all age ranges. “Our affordability means that people can spend their money on food and shops, rather than on hotel things you don’t need,” she said.
Off of the lobby is the Clyde Common restaurant with an expansive cocktail menu and communal-style seating, serving organic, rustic American cuisine. On the other side of Stumptown Coffee is Kenny & Zuke’s Deli, which offers delicious, in-house smoked and cured meats, freshly made bagels and amazing breakfasts. The Rueben is terrific, but the side of fries covered with melted Swiss and chunks of pastrami is an artery-clogging immersion into delicious decadence. “A lot of our visitors stop off at Kenny & Zuke’s for breakfast before heading up to nearby Mount Hood for a day of skiing,” Cohen said.
Hotel Modera
For a more polished flavor in lodging, the midcentury modern Modera is at the opposite end of downtown, a block or so from the Keller Auditorium and down the street from the Portland Performing Arts Center.
The recipe for creating the Modera was straightforward: An old Day’s Inn was gutted, its modern lines kept and it was refurbished with luxury amenities and local art. A stunning portrait — “Venus in Wax” by Tyler Marchus — dominates the lobby and rises over embracing chairs modeled after Italian handbags. Along the Modera’s hallways are soothing infrared photos of natural settings, and in each room is a faux fur bed covering and an original nude done in charcoal. The engaging room colors are louder than any sounds from outside as the wellinsulated windows keep street noises at bay. Valet parking on-site resolves another headache.
The outdoor patio is dwarfed by a large, vertically planted garden wall. Visitors can relax around the fire pits and enjoy wine tasting Monday through Saturday, and the hotel’s new restaurant, Nel Centro, opens in April. David Machado, who created the popular fish eatery South Park, and the Italian Pazzo’s, is designing Nel Centro, with a menu inspired by cuisine from Nice and Genoa. Another terrific choice nearby for a meal is Higgins, which has French bistro-style offerings using Northwest ingredients. Since you won’t want to stay in the hotel the whole time, the quickest way to gain an appreciation for Portland’s outdoor beauty is to walk a few blocks toward the river and stroll along the Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park — a flat, 1.5-mile stretch of lawn that hugs the west bank of the Willamette River. It’s home to many nationally renowned festivals, including the upcoming Cinco de Mayo event in which about 300,000 people celebrate along the waterfront during a three-day multicultural collage of music and dance. Next, walk across the Steel Bridge and take the pathway along the Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade. This 1,200-foot floating walkway is the longest one of its kind in the United States. Walkers can return to the west side using the Hawthorne Bridge. This loop allows the best glimpse of the city’s riverfront skyline, as well as breathtaking views of Mount Hood to the east and the still-active volcano, Mount St. Helens, to the north. To get even closer to the Willamette River, take a paddle around Ross Island with Portland Kayak Co., situated on the docks at RiverPlace. The tour is a pleasant float under Portland’s soaring Marquam Bridge and through a nature preserve.
Hotel Lucia
A stunning and popular lodging choice is the Hotel Lucia. I was wowed by its lobby’s collection of art, its friendly staff and the cozy library, where I found a warm fire and a guest knitting. Throughout the hotel is a vast collection of David Hume Kennerly’s photos of the Kennedy family and other world leaders, such as Leonid Brezhnev and … “Seinfeld’s” Kramer. In the relaxing, elegantly furnished rooms, guests can choose different pillows or even select from a spiritual menu, with texts for followers of many of the most popular religions and spiritual pathways — or you can just watch TV. Just off the lobby is Typhoon!, one of the city’s finest Thai restaurants. Even better, it provides room service.
Hotel deLuxe
Just a few blocks away is the Hotel Lucia’s sister property, the newly renovated Hotel deLuxe, which takes the shimmering elegance of Hollywood’s golden era and runs with it. In this rainy city, the deLuxe brightens the mood with light, alligatortextured hallway wallpaper, and buttery yellows and lime-sherbet-colored rooms. Each floor has a classic film theme: The Rebels (adorned with photos of Ford, Wells, Kazan), the Immigrants (Wyler, Preminger and Lang) and others. In the lobby is Gracie’s restaurant, as well as the Driftwood Bar, in case you don’t feel like venturing out. The Hotel deLuxe is a few blocks off Broadway, but Portland’s public transit makes it easy to enjoy local foods, festivals and fun. While Portland is easy to navigate, it’s friendlier to pedestrians and bicycles. So unless you enjoy circling one-way blocks looking for elusive parking spaces, at most Portland hotels it’s best to throw your keys to the valet for the duration of your stay and take the easy-to-use Max light rail and street car. Or, just take the train from Seattle. If you fly, the Max light rail goes from Portland International to downtown.
The Nines
Portland’s newest hotel on the scene also is one of its most upscale. The Nines was built atop the Meier & Frank building kitty corner from Portland’s living room: Pioneer Courthouse Square. The Nines has a wealth of meeting and celebration space (13,000 square feet), a roomy and well-kept fitness center and a world-class, 419-piece art collection. Its 331 guestrooms receive twice-daily maid service, 42-inch highdefinition TVs and the amenities one would expect from a luxury hotel. Urban Farmer, the restaurant in its lobby, is dedicated to local farm-totable fare. The bar menu spreads its wings pretty far, featuring an absinthe menu, moonshine and a large selection of barrel-aged whiskey. This April marks the opening of its new, Asian-cuisine rooftop restaurant, Departure.
if you go
ACE HOTEL –
1022 S.W. Stark St.; 503-228-2277; acehotel.com/Portland
Clyde Common restaurant — Southwest 11th Avenue and Stark Street; 503-228-3333;
clydecommon.com
Kenny & Zuke’s Deli — 1038 S.W. Stark St.; 503-222-3354;
nnyandzukes.com
HOTEL MODERA –
515 S.W. Clay St.; 503-484-1084; hotelmodera.com
Higgins Restaurant and Bar — 1239 S.W. Broadway; 503-222-9070;
higgins.ypguides.net
Portland Kayak Co. — RiverPlace Marina; 503-459-4050;
portlandrivercompany.com
HOTEL LUCIA —
400 S.W. Broadway; 866-986-8086 or 503-225-1717; hotellucia.com
HOTEL DELUXE –
729 S.W. 15th Ave.; 866-895-2094 or 503-219-2094; hoteldeluxeportland.com
THE NINES –
525 S.W. Morrison; 877-229-9995; thenines.com
WHAT THEY COST
Rates for these hotels vary greatly, and each frequently runs specials, so it would pay to explore online or call each hotel to find out about the latest promotions. Using the Web, the writer recently searched for a room for two adults, checking in Friday, March 27, and checking out Sunday, March 29. These rates, ranging from lowest to highest, were per night and did notinclude taxes. Ace Hotel — basic, with shared bath, $95; superior corner deluxe, $250
Hotel Modera — premier city king, $198; premier Modera suite, $538
Hotel Lucia — deluxe queen, $123; junior suite, $264
Hotel deLuxe — queen deluxe, $129; Marlene Dietrich suite, $209
The Nines — king, $129; Club Floor king or two queens, $409″
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Quirky or classic, these establishments say come on down
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