21 Best Hotels in Portland, Oregon

Bright colors, bold patterns, and retro designs create a cheerful vibe at this hotel, which contains upscale apartment-style suites with full kitchens or kitchenettes as well as patios (or balconies) adjoining most units, and a garden terrace for all guests to use. All suites have two TVs, an iHome and USB ports, and large sitting areas, and the complimentary continental breakfast is quite good.

In a renovated elementary school near Northeast Portland's trendy Alberta District, Oregon's famously creative McMenamin brothers hoteliers created a quirky and fantastical multiuse facility with guest rooms that feature original schoolhouse touches like chalkboards and cloakrooms and literature-inspired themes, a movie theater, a restaurant, a warm outdoor soaking pool, a brewery, and several small bars. This may be one of the most unusual (and fun) hotels you'll ever encounter—the casual Courtyard restaurant, "a school cafeteria like no other," has mahogany booths, an outdoor space for warmer days, decent pub food, and ales brewed in-house, and you can enjoy cocktails and classical music in Honors Bar, or play billiards and shuffleboard in the Boiler Room Bar—depending on your mood. Guest rooms occupy former classrooms, and each has tall windows and a hand-painted mural depicting a nursery rhyme or teacher.

The quintessential Portland hipster lodging, this flagship location of the buzzy Ace Hotels brand contains a Stumptown Coffee café, is a block from Powell's Books and the Pearl District, and is right in the heart of Downtown's ever-trendy West End neighborhood. The minimalist-chic rooms are outfitted with comfortable, futon-style mattresses, locally made furniture, flat-screen TVs, and original wall murals—some have vintage accessories like turntables and vintage vinyl collections; others have iPod docks. Some rooms have private bath/showers, the less expensive rooms share. The cool common areas have large comfy couches and well-stocked bookshelves.

Portland's venerable grande dame may now be overshadowed by several other upscale properties in town in terms of chic design, but the Benson has hosted countless presidents and celebrities since it opened in 1913, and its guest rooms both capture the hotel's storied legacy while offering plenty of modern comforts, like fluffy organic bathrooms and slippers and super-plush modern beds. The hand-carved Circassian walnut paneling from Russia and the Italian white-marble staircase are among the noteworthy design touches in the gracious lobby, which is home to the swanky Palm Court lounge. The old-school restaurant, El Gaucho steak house, is a favorite of local power brokers.

This well-maintained six-story Marriott inn is designed for business travelers. Rooms are brightly decorated and have sitting areas and work desks. It's ¾ mile east of I–205 and 3 miles east of the airport.

This modern, upscale, chain hotel is popular with business travelers but makes a good base for leisure visitors, too, as it's just a short MAX or streetcar ride across from downtown and within walking distance of the Rose Quarter, the Coliseum, the convention center, and the Lloyd Center mall. Rooms are attractive if standard-issue, with microwaves, refrigerators, DVD players, and large flat-screen HDTVs.

Just a block from the trendy dining along Southeast Portland's hip Division Street, this beautifully restored, 1909 Arts and Crafts–style mansion contains spacious, light-filled rooms, some with private balconies, claw-foot soaking tubs, and good-size sitting areas; one detached suite has a full kitchen, and a cozy and romantic third-floor room has skylights and pitched ceilings. Guests can relax and mingle in the large common areas, which include a guest kitchen. The owners also operate the smaller and simpler Bluebird Guesthouse a few blocks away at 3517 S.E. Division Street, in the heart of the neighborhood's restaurant row.

The choice of countless celebs and dignitaries since it opened in 1927, this wonderfully atmospheric, art-filled hotel has undergone a stylish and contemporary redesign but is still filled with regal touches, including the high-ceilinged library with more than 2,700 signed volumes (many of which come from past Heathman guests). Although the restaurant was closed as of this writing, there are plenty of excellent dining options nearby.

This retro-glam 1912 boutique hotel with its original chandeliers, gilded ceilings, black-and-white photography (arranged by movie themes), heavy drapes, and hip cocktail lounge evokes Hollywood's Golden Era, from the elegant rooms to the cozy 1950s-style Driftwood Room bar and swanky Gracie's restaurant. Rooms are appropriately luxe for a hotel named "deLuxe," with sumptuous beds, an extensive pillow menu, and bluetooth speakers. For the epitome of luxe, try the Marlene Dietrich Suite, with its 8-foot circular bed, crystal lamps, and gorgeous views.

This mid-20th-century Lloyd District/Convention Center property with a handy location on the MAX line offers quick access across the river to Downtown, and stylish rooms outfitted with California king beds, smart-technology gadgetry, and airy bathrooms with smoked-glass walk-in showers. The convivial restaurant, Met Tavern, has dramatic city skyline views, and there's also an excellent coffeehouse (Cafe Eastlund) and bar (Amphora Wine Merchant) at street level.

Black-and-white celebrity photos from Pulitzer Prize–winner and native Oregonian David Hume Kennerly, comfy leather chairs, and stylish low-slung furniture adorn the rooms of this nine-story, 1909 European-style boutique hotel in the heart of Downtown. This service-oriented hotel has a number of much-appreciated perks, including morning coffee and tea, and evening craft-beer hour. The inviting, warmly furnished lobby is a great spot to relax with a book or get work done. 

This funky boutique property overlooking the Willamette River affords stellar views of the water, easy access to the waterfront park and the events that take place there (Rose Festival, Blues Festival, Gay Pride, and so on), and—as part of the Pineapple Hospitality chain—complimentary pineapple cupcakes during the daily afternoon reception. The hotel has a clean and modern interior style, and the guest rooms—decorated with bold color schemes—contain wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, ample work space, top-of-the-line memory-foam beds, iHomes, mini-refrigerators, Keurig coffeemakers, and oversized walk-in showers.

Decorated with local artwork, contemporary furnishings, and wood-and-marble accents, this boutique property is both upscale and accessible, and offers a location convenient to the Southwest Park Blocks and Portland State University. Each well-appointed room is equipped with a flat-screen HDTV, smart-phone docks, eco-friendly bath products, spa robes, and Italian Carrara marble counters. The light-filled lobby leads to a pretty outdoor courtyard—equipped with several fire pits and bounded by a garden wall—and a casually inviting restaurant and bar.

This historic landmark hotel with a stylish two-story lobby takes its theme from Oregon vineyards, with rooms named after local wineries, complimentary wine served every evening, and an extensive collection of Oregon vintages served in the superb Bacchus wine bar and Il Solito restaurant. Specialty rooms offer such features as balcony hot tubs, huge two-story town-house-style layouts, and, on the top floor, large, angled, conservatory-style windows that enable guests to fall asleep counting stars. 

Travelers who appreciate good music and good beer—especially together—love this West End branch of the McMenamin brothers' unorthodox empire, which is home to three bars and a restaurant and is affiliated with the Crystal Ballroom concert venue a block away. Built in 1911, the old and creaky building is full of character, having housed everything from a glove factory to an old-time speakeasy to a gay bathhouse, and these days original art and song lyrics are hand-painted on walls, and the rock-star vibe extends to rooms, which are each decorated in honor of a musician who has played at the Crystal, including James Brown, Patti Smith, and Portland's very own Decemberists. Reserving a room, in fact, affords ticket availability to sold-out shows at the Crystal Ballroom.

The closest hotel in town to Washington Park, this comfortable if not especially fancy apartment-style hotel is one of the city's better-kept secrets; it's on the southern edge of the Nob Hill shopping district, and about a 15-minute walk from downtown. Suites have one or two bedrooms and come with spacious, work-friendly living areas and kitchens stocked with dishware, lots of cabinet space, and a full-size refrigerator, stovetop, microwave, and dishwasher. Standard rooms, which are in a motel-style building across the street, have bamboo floors and a simple midcentury-modern aesthetic.

Hardwood floors with Oriental rugs, chandeliers, antiques, and fountains create a warm and romantic mood at this lavish 1910 Greek Revival mansion in the historic Irvington District, where guests can gather in several common areas and stroll the landscaped gardens. Rooms have private baths, flat-screen TVs, and mahogany canopy or four-poster beds—complimentary fresh-baked cookies or chocolates are served, plus champagne in the deluxe rooms, and the full breakfast uses fresh, local ingredients.

The beige-and-red rooms in this four-story hotel on the Columbia River have balconies and excellent views of the river and Vancouver, Washington. The big-box retail and chain restaurants of Jantzen Beach are nearby, and the airport is fairly close (there's a free shuttle to the terminal) but the location is otherwise not especially convenient or interesting.

A short walk both to the Lloyd Center mall and MAX station, this three-level apartment-style complex with large, fully equipped suites is perfect for extended-stay visitors and families. Rooms come equipped with full kitchens and ample room to spread out, and many have wood-burning fireplaces. There's a large complimentary breakfast buffet each morning and regular hors d'oeuvres receptions. Pets are allowed with a deposit, and there's a pet area outside.

Each room in this large, four-level all-suites inn is spacious (500 square feet) and bright, and has a fridge, microwave, wet bar, and three TVs (including one in the bathroom). The indoor pool and hot tub are open 24 hours.

The sole Portland branch of a small, Seattle-area, mid-priced hotel chain is just a block from the lively upper end of N.W. 23rd Avenue and a great alternative to the bustle of Downtown. The spacious, contemporary rooms—including standards and minisuites—have large HDTVs, microwaves and refrigerators, and premium bath products. It's a pleasant 10-minute walk to the streetcar. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served in the quite good Urban Steel Kitchen + Bar.