Portland Airport - best hotel choice
 

Will be arriving in Portland late afternoon to spend night, then fly out of PDX at noon. I have researched on line to find a good hotel w/breakfast and have narrowed it down to these: Country Inn and Suites, Staybridge Suites, Shiloh Inn Suites Hotel, and Hampton Inn. (Embassy Suites is booked solid). Also, Phoenix Inn Suites in Vancouver, WA. If you have any advice re: any of these please let me know. Thank you for any info. gg

Will you have a car? If not, I would recommend you stay in downtown Portland and take the MAX train back to the airport. It's only a 30 minute ride or so, and since you will be arriving late afternoon you'd still have plenty of time to enjoy Portland in the evening. (What time of year?) And a plane leaving at noon doesn't really require you to stay at the airport for an early-morning flight.

You can still stay in downtown Portland if you have a car of course, but you must pay the extra cost to park it.

There's an Embassy Suites downtown which presumably has free breakfast, but naturally if you are downtown you would be able to eat on your own. Many people recommend the 5th Avenue Suites.

I don't have much insight into the airport hotels you mention; I'd check TripAdvisor.com for reviews of all of them, if you're determined to stay at the airport.

Andrew

I have stayed at the Radisson at the airport and it was fine- their is transportation to the airport and a restaurant.
If you book through Portland Visiters Assoc ( POVA) breakfast will be included in package - standard rooms run $89.

If you have a car you might consider the Edgefield in Troutdale - plenty to keep you occupied there while waiting for flight and not a bad drive to the airport.

I stayed at Silver cloud inn, free shuttle to the airport, we took it to the airport, then MAX to the city (convention).

They have a good buffet breakfast, you can even make your own belgian waffles, and it was for every guest, not just for our group.

They also had fruit and coffee all day in the lobby. And through the lobby you can exit to the lake.

Interior halls and elevators. Don't remember what they had in rooms, but you can find it on-line.

But after saying all that, I agree with Andrew - it's better to tax MAX light rail to the city from the airport. Cheap and easy. And you'll see at least part of the city.

Use Priceline -- you will get a nicer hotel for a bargain price. Check www.biddingfortravel.com. Last time I stayed in Portland, I got the Hilton downtown for $35 a night.

gg3 didn't mention a desire to save money - that's why I didn't mention using Priceline. I originally suggested being downtown instead of at the airport. If you bid for a 3-star hotel "downtown" on Priceline, you could actually wind up on the east side of the Willamette River - not "downtown" at all, sort of defeating the purpose. If you are willing to bid more for a 4-start hotel, though, you are pretty much assured of being downtown.

Andrew

Ya'll are so kind to reply so quickly. We will have a rental car until we go to PDX to check in. We had mentioned staying close to airport because we are not familiar w/Portland at all and since we won't get into town until around 6 pm, thought it made sense to stay close. We have to be at airport by 10am. How long does it take to go from downtown to PDX on a weekday? I will check out POVA, also. Again, many thanks from hot, too darn hot, Texas. gg

It couldn't be much hotter in Texas today than it was in Portland. Officially it hit 104 today but my car said it was 108 and that's while I was moving on the freeway (111 when stuck in traffic). Hope it cools down by the time you get here - ugh! We just aren't used to it!

It takes about 35 minutes to get from downtown Portland to the airport via the MAX train. Give yourself 45 to account for waiting. It's very easy - all you need to remember is get on the Red Line (it says Airport) on Yamhill Street. I live in NE Portland and rely on the airport MAX whenever I take an early flight - it has never let me down.

You might be able to drop your rental car off in downtown Portland instead of at the airport the night before without an extra charge - depends on the company.

Andrew

I agree with Andrew. No need to stay at the airport. The MAX runs directly from the airport to downtown. It may be a couple of blocks walk to the hotel but if you have a bag with wheels it is easily done.

Downtown has so much to offer that it would be a shame to stay out at the airport. There is nothing out there.

Portland has oodles of great restaurants and a lively scene at Pioneer Square; great for people watching. They call it Portland's living room, although I wouldn't want most of the people there in MY living room. :-)

The MAX will run you $2 each way.