If it was gas, we must be drinking the same zins, Kal. I know if it were either of my kids, they'd want to be as close to the middle of the action as possible. Anyway, welcome to the "older" crowd. Where's my glass?

((D)) "ching ching"
;)

cahterine, the Northrup Station definitely meets your need of a place that won't break the bank. I don't think anyone (excuse the rudeness, please!) can argue that $109/night is a moderately priced hotel.

With that being said, we also love the River Place as we are avid bikers. It's great to be able to hop on our bikes and ride all over the riverfront. Riding downtown is just too stop and go for us so that's another added plus to that location for our needs.

Will you have much free time? I know that when we travel for wrestling and water polo tournaments, they're pretty intense, especially if they keep advancing to championships. A drive over to the coast would be very fun!

Tournaments can be tiring sometimes for both athlete and parents, so I hope you find some time to relax and enjoy Portland. Check out the Chowhound board, I've posted many food reports there on our recent Portland and Oregon Coast meals. Let us know how it goes and which ever hotel you choose, have a wonderful time & best of luck to your daughter in her competitions! (We're in between sports right now, so we get a little lull before Varstiy swim season starts. The break is kind of nice, sometimes!) Go for the Gold! ***kim*** :)

thought i might have to remove my shoes... by my count, kimamom, you've recommended riverplace in six separate posts on this thread....

then a couple more posts recommending the northrup station, about which you know nothing more than you read on their website....

then all these recommendations for restaurants, drives to the coast, shopping, wine, bicycle rides (i know i'll be sure to pack my bike next time i go to portland), none of which catherine asked about....

i think it get it.... not only is yours the only opinion that counts, you need to have the last word...

i can play that game....

catherine, let me know how you like the Hilton Garden Suites, I have clients going to Beaverton and would like to know how it is.

We stop there to go to their great mall but always stay in Portland on our way over to the coast. Tho boring, it's probably a nice place to stay for a night. ***kim*** :)

uuhhhh..... i think she already opined on the hilton garden suites, kim....

"It's clean and functional but a bit on the boring side. More for a business stay."

you might want to check in with your optometrist.

I was looking for some details. BTW, are you catherine, uhhhh? catherine, is there a pool/spa area or a restaurant on-site there? Are all of the rooms suites and are they nice and roomy? I know this sounds picky, but are the mattreses firm or soft and is there room service at the Hilton? Is the staff friendly and helpful? Jacuzzi tubs in the rooms or standard bathtubs? Robes?

Any info would be appreciated, they leave in a few days. ***kim*** :)

get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, uhhhh? What's wrong with someone mentioning bikes when the original poster says she and her 14 year old are looking for fun?

What makes you upset about kinnamom's attempts to be helpful -- or do you just have some personal problem here?

what..... you can check out northrup station's website, but not the hilton's?

http://online.hilton-reservation.com...land/Beaverton

or is it still that last word thing?

and Patrick, read the whole thread....

I did. So??

Hi Patrick, if you click on uhhhh's screen name, you'll see a pattern here. Very interesting.

Patrick, have you stayed at Northrup Station or do you know anyone who has? I think the website looks very funky and staying in the Pearl District sounds fun.

catherine, check out the Moonstruck Chocolate shop. My DD loves their chocolate milkshakes. Yummy! ***kim*** :)

"So??" so, why six separate posts recommending the same place? and why trash other posters' opinions? and why all the stuff that is absolutely in no way responsive to anything the op asked? santa barbara for pete's sake!

i think it's an ego thing.... much more to impress than to inform. you can say i got up on the wrong side of the bed, but i'm just callin it as i see it.

Hi catherine,
I figure I would join in and help you get even more confused that you probably are by now :D
We stayed at the 5th Avenue Suites at the end of September, for 10 days.
We loved it for all the reasons stated here, suites, clean, beautiful, great staff, and not that expensive for what you are getting. Which includes the best of locations!
You are steps from the Pioneer Place Mall, which has every store you and your daughter would want .. plus movie theaters and plenty of good restaurants.
You are steps from all the bus stops, the train and I think it was 4 blocks from the Free Trolly, in that FreeZone.
We really did like the Pearl District and loved NW 23rd street, but we liked them to GO to rather than to STAY in.
The 5th Ave Suites is a Kimpton hotel, you can google them and see the rooms and lobby.
(as far as the Riverplace..we walked there one day from our hotel. I wanted to see it since kimamom does tout the place quite frequently.. This was a waaaay too far walk. You really have to use cabs if you stay there. It is probably a nice hotel inside, although nothing as nice as what I saw elsewhere, but it does restrict you as far as getting around to the shops and all and feeling safe. I have heard negative reviews on the hotel as far as security concerns there at night.)

Is the 5th Ave. Suites "moderately" priced? I would consider $109 moderate, but I know 5th Ave. Suite rates are higher than that and probably the River Place even more pricey.

We paid $229/night for a deluxe riverview room with the romance package. Each day we received champagne and chocolate covered strawberries, valet parking and a complimentary breakfast each am at the restaurant.

I don't know what specials the Suites offer, but you could check their website. I was concerned that you could hear all of the downtown traffic noise, that's why I prefer a more quiet area. It's all personal preference.

One more thought, the River Place does upgrade your room upon check-in which I thought was very nice. I don't know if Northrup does that. I think 5th Ave. Suites would appeal to an older crowd, Northrup would more funky and fun!! ***kim*** :)

kimamom, *no offense but * todays travelers stay in all sorts of hotels, regardless of age.
Since you have grown children and talk about a particular hotel, one would assume you are not extremely young, therefore does your hotel cater to the " older crowd "?
I think that thinking itself is a little "old" fashioned.
We paid less than the prices you quoted for our stay at the 5th Ave. But catherine can find that out herself, we are just suggesting a hotel..right?

<i>Catherine,
we have a fencer in our family too! What fun to go to those tournaments :D how good all the kids look ~
</i>

catherine, I just read that 5th Ave. Suites does allow pets. Sleeping in someone else's dog drool doesn't appeal to me as much as I love dogs! LOL ***kim*** :)

Give it a rest, Kimamom.

Seriously consider Priceline for Portland. We stayed at 5th Ave Suites last May for $55/night (though we would have been happy in any downtown four star used by Priceline).

I agree that RiverPlace is too far away from everything.

Kim you must be forgetting how much you loved that your dogs were welcome at the Columbia Gorge Hotel:)