Planning to book inexpensive hotel in Portland - which one should I choose?
May 26th, 2006, 03:00 PM
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Planning to book inexpensive hotel in Portland - which one should I choose?
Planning to stop off in Portland with the family this summer for 2 nights. I wanted something inexpensive and was considering one of the following hotels: La Quinta Inn (near the Mall), Holiday Inn Express downtown or the Park Lane Suites.
We will be travelling with 2 boys so I was considering the first 2 choices because they have a swimming pool.
Does anyone have an opinion on which one I should choose? Or should we consider any other hotels? We will have a car to get around.
We will be travelling with 2 boys so I was considering the first 2 choices because they have a swimming pool.
Does anyone have an opinion on which one I should choose? Or should we consider any other hotels? We will have a car to get around.
May 26th, 2006, 03:23 PM
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I think it's Oregon, sunbum.
Judging only by location, I think you'd like the Holiday Inn (if it's the one on Vaughn) or Park Lane Suites the best, and would probably give the nod to Park Lane Suites. It's in a nice, mostly residential area, within a few blocks of a MAX stop, not to mention Washington Park, where the test rose gardens are.
Holiday Inn Express is at the end of one of Portland's favorite shopping streets, NW 23rd. Not too much going on at that end of the street, but it's only a couple blocks from St. Honore Boulangerie & Patisserie, the closest we've got to a French bakery this side of the Willamette River. ;-)
La Quinta is near Lloyd Center, right? It's an okay location, on the opposite side of the river from downtown center, but I think you'd feel less comfortable around there at night. (I expect I'll get flamed for that comment
)
Judging only by location, I think you'd like the Holiday Inn (if it's the one on Vaughn) or Park Lane Suites the best, and would probably give the nod to Park Lane Suites. It's in a nice, mostly residential area, within a few blocks of a MAX stop, not to mention Washington Park, where the test rose gardens are.
Holiday Inn Express is at the end of one of Portland's favorite shopping streets, NW 23rd. Not too much going on at that end of the street, but it's only a couple blocks from St. Honore Boulangerie & Patisserie, the closest we've got to a French bakery this side of the Willamette River. ;-)
La Quinta is near Lloyd Center, right? It's an okay location, on the opposite side of the river from downtown center, but I think you'd feel less comfortable around there at night. (I expect I'll get flamed for that comment
)
May 26th, 2006, 03:49 PM
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No flames - but I live near the La Quinta near Lloyd Center and I don't think you would feel any less safe there than at the Holiday Inn Express in NW. Plenty of homeless people wandering around NW23rd, you know.
I happen to be sitting at a Starbucks a block away from the La Quinta - I can see it out my window. The location is OK, very close to the MAX train (even though you will have a car to get around, it's still sometimes easier to take the free train downtown and not worry about parking). Very close to the freeways. But - kind of dull at night (not unsafe). This is very close to Portland's convention center, so from a local neighborhood standpoint, it's a tad on the boring side. Plenty of fast food and chain restaurants and even the mall as you note are nearby. Street parking may be tough as some streets near the convention center charge for parking until 10PM (other streets, 7PM) so I would take the cost of parking into account. The hotel is right on MLK Blvd which is a busy street.
Holiday Inn Express is just across the street from NW 23rd, which I agree is a very desirable area. But, the HI Express is also at the edge of the NW Industrial District. I know trains go through there - I do wonder what the noise is like at night? Maybe it's nothing to worry about or you don't care - in that case, I'd give the nod to the HI Express for sure. It is near two bus lines (not free) and about nine blocks from the Portland Streetcar (not free but no one really checks). Probably free street parking and perhaps free parking in the lot? I know they have free wireless internet - I've seen it on their sign.
I am not familiar with Park Lane Suites at all - but it appears to be at the opposite end of NW23rd Ave. Probably more quiet than the HI Express. NW 23rd is trendy, but W. Burnside, which you have to cross to get there from the hotel, can be seedy in that part of town. A few bus lines (not free) take you downtown also. Street parking near the hotel may be difficult.
Andrew
I happen to be sitting at a Starbucks a block away from the La Quinta - I can see it out my window. The location is OK, very close to the MAX train (even though you will have a car to get around, it's still sometimes easier to take the free train downtown and not worry about parking). Very close to the freeways. But - kind of dull at night (not unsafe). This is very close to Portland's convention center, so from a local neighborhood standpoint, it's a tad on the boring side. Plenty of fast food and chain restaurants and even the mall as you note are nearby. Street parking may be tough as some streets near the convention center charge for parking until 10PM (other streets, 7PM) so I would take the cost of parking into account. The hotel is right on MLK Blvd which is a busy street.
Holiday Inn Express is just across the street from NW 23rd, which I agree is a very desirable area. But, the HI Express is also at the edge of the NW Industrial District. I know trains go through there - I do wonder what the noise is like at night? Maybe it's nothing to worry about or you don't care - in that case, I'd give the nod to the HI Express for sure. It is near two bus lines (not free) and about nine blocks from the Portland Streetcar (not free but no one really checks). Probably free street parking and perhaps free parking in the lot? I know they have free wireless internet - I've seen it on their sign.
I am not familiar with Park Lane Suites at all - but it appears to be at the opposite end of NW23rd Ave. Probably more quiet than the HI Express. NW 23rd is trendy, but W. Burnside, which you have to cross to get there from the hotel, can be seedy in that part of town. A few bus lines (not free) take you downtown also. Street parking near the hotel may be difficult.
Andrew
May 26th, 2006, 04:06 PM
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I agree with everything Andrew wrote. So Babalu, you've got a couple different perspectives on the same hotels. Toss a coin! ;-)
Park Lane Suites is just a couple blocks above PGE Park, where there's a MAX stop (for transportation to downtown center, or west to the Portland Zoo). It would definitely be more quiet than either of the other two, and like Andrew wrote, a short walk to NW 23rd and 21st streets. And I wouldn't be too worried about crossing Burnside.
Good luck making a decision! Regardless, I hope you enjoy your stay.
Park Lane Suites is just a couple blocks above PGE Park, where there's a MAX stop (for transportation to downtown center, or west to the Portland Zoo). It would definitely be more quiet than either of the other two, and like Andrew wrote, a short walk to NW 23rd and 21st streets. And I wouldn't be too worried about crossing Burnside.
Good luck making a decision! Regardless, I hope you enjoy your stay.
May 30th, 2006, 11:12 AM
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Thanks for all your replys! They've been most helpful. I'm leaning towards HI Express because they have a pool and I have 2 boys, otherwise I probably would have chosen Park Lane.
HI Express has parking available but I'm assuming that the car will be safe there overnight? Mind you, I'm from Vancouver, BC - the capital of car thefts and we have our share of panhandlers and homeless too.
HI Express has parking available but I'm assuming that the car will be safe there overnight? Mind you, I'm from Vancouver, BC - the capital of car thefts and we have our share of panhandlers and homeless too.
Jul 1st, 2008, 01:08 PM
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Helping a relative. He asked me to ask "my computer people" about La Quinta - they are looking to be as close as possible to a MAX stop in as cheap as possible hotel.
I stayed at Lloyd Center a couple of years ago, and didn't like the area in the evening - too popular among the questionably looking youth. Or maybe just the shopping mall attraction?
How is NE Multnomah @ NE MLK immediate area? I stayed a couple of MAX stops away, and don't really remember.
I stayed at Lloyd Center a couple of years ago, and didn't like the area in the evening - too popular among the questionably looking youth. Or maybe just the shopping mall attraction?
How is NE Multnomah @ NE MLK immediate area? I stayed a couple of MAX stops away, and don't really remember.
Jul 1st, 2008, 01:18 PM
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Multnomah @ MLK is only a few blocks from the Lloyd Center. I live about a half mile north and walk through that area all the time, at all hours, and find it quite safe. For a woman alone late at night it might be different, but the area isn't bad. It may not be the Pearl with upscale people on the streets all the time, but it's probably safe especially on MLK, a very busy street. (Which might make me reluctant to get a room right on MLK or Grand, the opposite one-way street going north, because I'm sensitive to street noise.)
I think you will have the problem of "questionable youth" all over Portland, really, even near the nicest hotels downtown, where there are some fairly aggressive homeless people.
If it were me, I would be using Priceline to get something nicer than the La Quinta (which probably isn't horrible - I haven't been inside) for less money, probably $60/night-ish in that area, and you can now use the Convention Center zone on Priceline so you know you'll be nearby.
You can also check the POVA (travelportland.com) website and see if they have any hotel deals for your relative's dates. The Holiday Inn near the La Quinta is decent and only a few blocks from the MAX or a free bus downtown (any bus in the Lloyd Center area running on Multnomah Street toward downtown is part of fareless square, just like the MAX around there).
I think you will have the problem of "questionable youth" all over Portland, really, even near the nicest hotels downtown, where there are some fairly aggressive homeless people.
If it were me, I would be using Priceline to get something nicer than the La Quinta (which probably isn't horrible - I haven't been inside) for less money, probably $60/night-ish in that area, and you can now use the Convention Center zone on Priceline so you know you'll be nearby.
You can also check the POVA (travelportland.com) website and see if they have any hotel deals for your relative's dates. The Holiday Inn near the La Quinta is decent and only a few blocks from the MAX or a free bus downtown (any bus in the Lloyd Center area running on Multnomah Street toward downtown is part of fareless square, just like the MAX around there).
