Thanksgiving in Portland, OR
 

Hello All-
I have always had such good luck posting on Fodors for sound advice, so I am hoping that will happen again. My family and I decided to spend Thanksgiving in one of our favorite cites, Portland! We usually stay at the Westin on Alder, but we can't get a room there for the dates we need. So, we are considering the following choices. Please let me know what you think (other suggestions are welcome):

The Paramount Hotel
5th Avenue Suites
Hotel Vintage Plaza

We usually stay at the Westin because we have found it to be quiet, has a great location, but is still tucked away a bit, and we can park on-site.

Also, any recommendations for restaurants for the following would be VERY appreciated:

Dinner --> casual to fancy (we do like Wildwood)
Breakfast
Thanksgiving Dinner

Thank you so much!!!!

Our favorite (and only hotel we have stayed in) is the 5th Avenue Suites.
The Vintage is their sister hotel..right up the block from the 5th Ave.
Breakfast-Mothers
Pearl Bakery
Dinners- Henrys Tavern NW 12th
Tuscany Grill NW 21st
Piazza Italia NW Johnson
Pho Van NW Johnson

Thanksgiving : Paleys Place or Wildwood :)

I have stayed at all the hotels listed and liked all of them - no complaints

I ususally book hotels through the Portland Visitors Association - when you book through them you get a room with free parking and a breakfast for 2 plus a coupon book that gives you $$$ off several of the restaurants in the area - although coupons may not be valid over Thanksgiving - dont know

Good suggestions from Scarlett and Sunbum. Even though we live here, we have stayed at the 5th Avenue Suites a few times and really enjoy it. The location is great, as are the rooms and the staff. I have not stayed at the other places, so cannot comment, except that they look nice.

Mother's is a must for breakfast! Henry's is also a favorite of mine. St. Honore is also awfully good.

I can't help much with a Thanksgiving meal, since we always have it with family at someones home. Years ago we had a few holiday meals at the Heathman, so that might be an option.

Hi there! We like the Riverplace Hotel down by the gorgeous river. Very nice hotel with great service. :)

Wildwood and Paley's Place are both excellent. (Right across the street from one another.) Higgins in downtown Portland is also very yummy. Check their website to see if they are serving on Thanksgiving Day. Enjoy your time in Portland! ***kim*** ((f))

It was only a matter of time...
~sigh~
R5

R5--LOL! It is tame here...you should check out the escapades at Trip Advisor! You never know what name it will appear under, lol!

I don't know how many were considered, but I agree with Gayot.com's recommendations of Paley's, The Heathman, and Higgins as top choices for Thanksgiving dinner in Portland. They're all great for any other dinner too.

How long are you going to be here, kattravel? We locals can give you a list a mile long of great places to eat, but we don't want to confuse you!

***kim***, you really need to visit more often. The same recommendations to every Portland post are getting quite stale, just like on TripAdvisor.

:))beachbum !
R5

Well, at least we always know what to expect, LOL!! ;;)

Thanks so much everyone for the suggestions. We just booked dinner at Wildwood for Thanksgiving, but truly look forward to trying the other restaurants you suggest for the other nights we will be there...FYI we will be there for 5 nights Thanksgiving week.

We have not yet decided on the hotel. The family is still split across the three I posted originally...I would be truly grateful if anyone has any other opinions to post on those three hotels. They are all of comparative price and offer "Portland's Big Deal".

Thanks again everyone!

You may want to call the hotels directly and see what rate you can get that way. Then see how it compares to the POVA rates. I have called the GM at hotels before and received excellent rates that substantially beat all others. If you can get that, it may make up for parking and breakfast.

kattravel,
we had dinner tonight at Piazza Italia and I really recommend it for one of the other nights.
Sinatra and Perry Como sing while you have real Italian food served by the owners sons/relatives and the owner (Gino) comes around and makes sure everyone is happy.
I am too happy right now, I cannot eat again until Thanksgiving :)
We did not see one single Trick or Treater but Queen Elizabeth the First and Sir Walter Raleigh and Pocohantas were sitting at a bar by our apt (~~)

Hi again, Kat. You also may want to check out Gotham Bld. Tavern and clarklewis. Park Kitchen is also very good as is Hurley's. Bluehour and Pho Van Bistro in the Pearl are some more of our favorites in the area. Cheers! ***kim*** ((f))

Kat, I'd listen to scarlet, when it comes to eating.

LOL, yes, listen to me. I eat every day.

LOL Scarlett, I thought most of us ate every day, well unless we were in a third world country where the dear people are starving.

Piazza Italia sounds great! There is nothing like a good restaurant to make the evening pleasant is there? Take care.

... take it you're joshing about thanksgiving, lol ... you'd be a lean cuisine! chow.

I've stayed at lots of Portland hotels, but always rate 5th Ave Suites at the top. a couple of months ago, I went into the Paramount since I do like the location, and my friend and I were just curious.

They were very nice and they showed us one of their rooms. Not bad, but really not quite as nice as 5th. There was something else we also felt was not "as nice", but i checked with her and neither one of us can remember what it was...restaurant? Parking? Sorry.

I'd definitely plead the 5th, but the other two wouldn't be slumming.

I stayed at the Hotel Vintage Plaza earlier this year and did enjoy it quite a bit. I get the Kimpton rewards, so I try to stay at one of their properties as much as possible. Saw the lobby of the 5th Avenue Suites next door and it looked just as good.

I agree, Mother's is always good for breakfast. But, also try Red Star Tavern - they serve really good breakfast, too. It's also in downtown or PDX as the locals call it.

Last time I was there I had dinner at Harrison - it's a great place and the bar was a happening scene - even on a Sunday night. I think entrees were $25-35 for dinner. I have a girlfriend who lives near the Pearl Distrist and she took me to Manzana Grille (I think I'm spelling it right) and I had one of the best salads for lunch. I also did Papa Hayden (sp?) for a late lunch one day, too. I guess it's known for its fabulous desserts. Also in the Pearl District.

Have you ever eaten at Portland City Grille? The food is nothing special, IMO, but the view is of course to die for. Have fun.