Trendy and Hip Hotels Enliven Downtown Portland
Published Feb 13, 2009
The Nines hotel occupies a historic building.
The Meier & Frank Building in downtown Portland was once a store where Portland residents shopped when they needed to dress “to the nines.”
Today, the 101-year-old building is home to the Nines, a nine-story, 331-room hotel that sits atop a five-story Macy’s department store.
“This interesting building has been completely recreated to blend the legacy of its architectural heritage with a world-class hotel,” says Walter Isenberg, president and chief executive officer of Sage Hospitality, which manages the hotel. “The recent $115 million renovation represents a significant development milestone for downtown Portland.”
Trendy and hip hotels around downtown Portland are becoming the norm, featuring luxurious guest rooms along with an array of amenities. Such is the case at Hotel deLuxe, housed in a 1912 building and adorned with 400 black-and-white cinema photographs from the 1930s to the 1950s.
“The architecture here has influences from the French and American art deco movement, art moderne movement and the 1940s, giving the hotel an elegant and timeless feel,” says Howard Jacobs, president and chief operating officer of Provenance Hotels, owner of Hotel deLuxe. Yet each room also has modern guest services such as 24-hour room service, iPod docking stations and high-definition flat-screen televisions, Jacobs says. “In fact, we are the first hotel in Portland to offer full HDTV capabilities.”
Attracting Hipsters and Christian Groups
Elsewhere downtown, a massive renovation in 2007 and 2008 turned a one-time Days Inn into Hotel Modera – a first-class destination for business travelers during the week and for leisure visitors on the weekend.
Ace Hotel, another downtown destination that opened in 2008, has a boutique look that emphasizes natural materials. In 2008, The New York Times billed the Ace as the most original hotel in the country. Among its offerings are on-site eateries including Clyde Common, Kenny & Zuke’s Delicatessen and Stumptown Coffee.
“Creative professionals stay overnight with us as well as traditional business travelers, tourists, hipsters, Christian youth groups, lots of families and touring bands,” says Shoshanna Cohen, media relations representative with Ace Hotel. “Downtown Portland has a lot going on in terms of music, art, graphic design and so forth, and using interesting vintage elements and reclaimed building materials was key when we developed this hotel.”
Hotel Fifty (formerly Four Points by Sheraton) received a $7 million renovation in 2008 to its 140 guestrooms – 36 of which are river view suites.
“Hotel Fifty is at the gateway to Portland, directly across the street from Tom McCall Waterfront Park,” says Christy Luther of Richmond Public Relations, which represents the hotel. “Hotel Fifty caters primarily to business travelers looking for a comfortable yet sophisticated retreat in the city. But we are also an ideal location for girlfriends’ getaways, shopping trips, and couples looking to enjoy a weekend in beautiful downtown Portland.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Jeff Adkins
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