9 Best Hotels in Portland, Oregon

Hi-Lo Hotel's concrete and wood modernist guest rooms have all the high-tech elements we've come to expect (radiant headed floors, flatscreen LED TVs) with Portland-esque touches like Pendleton Woolen Mills throw pillows and bath amenities by homegrown label Maak Lab. We love the location, just a few blocks walk from both the waterfront and Pioneer Square, and the hotel's on-site Oaxacan restaurant, which serves standout marionberry churros.

The millennial-focused European chain hotel AC Hotel (now owned by Marriott) has become the go-to spot for the young professional set in Southwest Portland. Among the highlights: an Alpha Dominche Steampunk espresso maker in the on-site coffee shop, complimentary craft cocktails every evening, and Netflix and Hulu-ready Smart TV's in each room. Don't miss a cup of Portland's own Water Avenue Coffee at the lobby coffee shop, where bean are roasted in a French-built 1974 Samiac roaster.

One of the most loved hotels in Portland, Kimpton RiverPlace Hotel sits on a verdant park along the Willamette, so if your idea of a relaxing time is watching yachts bobbing in the water this is the spot. Wine and local beer receptions, along with yoga mats, are all gratis; the hotel is very dog-friendly; and the $15 facility fee covers things like loaner bikes, in-room Starbucks, and a complimentary welcome cocktail at King Tide Fish & Shell. Order the Tide Toddy, made with Jim Beam Rye and Amaro Ciociaro.

Housed in the upper floors of the former Meier & Frank department store building, The Nines is a favorite among locals who gather at the 9,000-square-foot rooftop bar Departure which overlooks the cityscape and Mt. Hood beyond. The guest rooms are done up in neutrals and Tiffany-esque blues and the walls are decorated with works by students from the Pacific Northwest College of Art.

Although Ace Hotels was founded in Seattle, the brand is practically synonymous with Portland where it has its global headquarters. Ace Portland, in the formerly seedy Clyde Hotel, has everything you'd expect from the chain, including beyond hip rooms with murals and turntables, plus hoody robes, and a highly 'grammable lobby with a black and white photo booth. To get around town, rent one of the hotel's custom bikes, made by local builder Jordan Hufnagel, but don't stray too far—you'll want to be back at the hotel's restaurant Clyde Common for happy hour (the $6 cocktails include the Southbound Suarez, with tequila, agave and housemade horchata.)

The Old Hollywood inspired Hotel deLuxe, an Art Deco hideaway where glamorous black and white film stills grace the walls (movie buffs will want to wander the halls on each and every floor—the second story is lined in Hitchcock shots, the third, classic beauties like Grace Kelly). Amenities include local Salt & Straw ice cream, pillow menus, Spotify, and even room service for your pets. Don't miss the hotel's pop-up cinema, held bi-monthly in the gilded screening room.

One of Portland's grandest hotels since 1909, the rebranded and renovated Sentinel has a glazed terra cotta Italian Renaissance exterior and a storied past—it was once a gathering spot for bigwigs in the timber and mining industries, was home to the Atiyeh & Bros. carpet store in the 50s, and became a National Historic Landmark in the '80s. Book a room on the top floor of the west wing (formerly an Elks Lodge) for easy access to The Room at The End of The Hall, a hangout place with a library-like interior designed by Portland's Boy's Fort, and free snacks, coffee, and tea throughout the day.

If you've ever wanted to snooze in class, McMenamins Kennedy School is the place to do it: the 1915 former schoolhouse in Northeast Portland was transformed into a hotel in the late 90s and has 57 Ivy League-worthy rooms, many still outfitted with original classroom chalkboards. Play hooky and catch a move at the on-site movie theater, where you can have local Tillamook cheddar topped burgers and McMenamins cider delivered to your seat.

Named after the champion of women's rights Abigail Scott Duniway, The Duniway Portland, a Hilton Hotel intent on capturing Portland's pioneer spirit. That's evident in Jackrabbit, the on-site restaurant by Top Chef Masters winner Chris Cosentino, where dishes include tripe in a can (yes, really) and ash roasted yukon potatoes with dungeness crab cream. But the most unusual--and appealing--hotel perk might well be the hotel's pool—a rarity in this town.