Kitschy and Oh-So-Portland Hotel Rose

In my defense, it was my first visit to Portland. Our flight arrived late evening, and the 30 minute drive from the airport to Hotel Rose was rainy (surprise, surprise!). What my daughter called quaint, I immediately designated it as kitschy when I arrived at the colorful lobby of the waterfront Hotel Rose Portland. Located across the Tom McCall Waterfront Park on the Williamette River, this boutique Portland hotel would be the base for my family to explore Portlandia.

Arrival

The nondescript cement office building turned hotel had little character in the evening, or for that matter in the light of day. But as I mentioned, the lobby of the fun and kitschy Hotel Rose Portland set the stage for exploring this unique Pacific Northwest city. The hotel is part of the Pineapple Hospitality group, which may explain the bright colors, and tendency toward yellow — or maybe that’s just a “Keep Portland Weird” thing?

We were greeted almost at the moment we stepped into the lobby by Chrystal at the front desk. She was chatty, friendly, yet professional. We were in the elevator and whisked to the 4^th floor within 5 minutes. Once we set our bags down, my husband’s first move is to the temperature control. It was too hot, no doubt, and we were unable to adjust anything.

We met our family for a late night snack in the lobby and chatted with Chrystal who informed us that this was an old building, and the temperature controls were, in fact, not individually controlled in the rooms but by hotel maintenance. She apologized for the issue, offered to personally bring a fan to our room.

Later when we returned to the hotel, not only had she placed a fan in our room, but she’d opened the windows to allow cool air inside, and left us a note to inform us that the noise from the street might be too loud. Wow, over and beyond the call of duty, kudos to Chrystal for keeping us comfortable during our 3 night stay!

Accommodations at Hotel Rose

The Hotel Rose Portland offers 140 guest rooms and suites at 330 square feet, so cozy but not huge. The older model elevator moved to the 4^th floor slowly but safely. When the doors opened, we were greeted by a foyer table made out of bark….interesting and kitschy. The brightly colored carpet led us to our room down a long hallway. I admit – I wasn’t sure if we could actually sleep in a room if the color scheme remained consistent.

We were pleasantly surprised to have an upscale modernly decorated room (Metro View with a glimpse of the waterfront to the right) with unobtrusive colors. Our king size bed (Simmons© Beautyrest Black™ Beverly Hills™ Plush memory foam bedding to be exact) was oh-so-comfortable, another surprise.

The bathroom contained a 1-sink combination, and the walk-in shower was European style (half door and open) with rainhead fixtures. The bathroom door doubled as a sliding door for the entry closet, either enclosing the bathroom or the closet. The closet was tiny, but it did include an umbrella, which we needed 2 out of the 3 days we were in Portland.

Work space is always important for me as I’m often traveling on business. The desk was tucked in the corner by the large paned window and next to the 42” flat screen TV with plenty of room to spread out. The WiFi was complimentary and the signal was always strong, no matter the time of day.

On-Site Restaurant

We spent a lot of time at the hotel bar and restaurant, Bottle + Kitchen, serving 3 globally inspired and local meals a day with a full bar. Yes, it was convenient, and our blended family of 7 adults always sat in the 10-top rectangular table adjacent to the bar and in front of the floor-to-ceiling fireplace. The restaurant staff was at our table within minutes, always friendly, and at the end of our visit, knew what we wanted.

The Happy Hour pricing was amazing – and we loved the $2 oysters. My favorite breakfast was the shareable) Eggs Benedict paired with a Mimosa. (Hey I was on vacation!)

Family with members under 21 are not allowed to sit in the bar, but there is a full dining room available.

Room service is also offered in the guest rooms.

Amenities

Parking is available. Self-park was $15, but considering we were literally steps from downtown, that was a bargain. The valet also offered umbrellas to guests.

No fitness center or pool is available. However, complimentary bicycle checkouts are offered, which we didn’t use, but we did walk across the street to the 37 acre Tom MCcall Waterfront Park.

Summary

Sure, the kitschy-ness of the décor may be a bit overwhelming, but the budget-friendly Hotel Rose Portland kicks the Portland competition on location (in my opinion), with quick access to the Oregon interstates. It’s also minutes from public transportation. Pack your walking shoes as this boutique hotel gives you the perfect home base to explore the amazing downtown, from shopping to dining to the outrageous, as only Portland can offer.

Rates start at $150. Book directly with the hotel or at an online booking site such as Booking.com.

TravelPortland provided accommodations at Hotel Rose; opinions expressed are my own. Photos courtesy of Hotel Rose Portland and Diana Rowe.