Home Suite Home
February 28th, 2011After three days in Seattle for my daughter’s volleyball tournament last weekend, it was good to be home. But travel tournaments like these are also nice mini-vacations for our family.
When we travel, we prefer to stay at suite hotels. After the first day, we all need a little space. For friends with family visiting us in Portland, my recommendations are always the Embassy Suites Downtown, Residence Inn Portland Downtown - Riverplace, and Inn at Northrup Station.
Embassy Suites Downtown - grand lobby
All three hotels offer suite rooms and complimentary breakfast. Depending on your preference and budget, these hotels offer a wonderful stay. The Embassy Suites Downtown is a grand historic hotel with the Embassy’s signature offerings. It’s within walking distance of Old Town / Chinatown and downtown shopping. This hotel is the best of both worlds with history and modern features. It opened as the ”Multnomah Hotel” in 1912 and has housed a king (Elvis), a queen (Elizabeth) and a president (Ike) — some facts for the young’uns. They also have a fabulous pool – a must for family stays.
Portland Aerial Tram
The Residence Inn by Marriott - Riverplace is the only downtown hotel with suite kitchens. Great for extended visits with complimentary breakfast and evening reception – if only home could be like this. It’s located by the waterfront with bike paths (so bring your scooters) and offers complimentary shuttle service within a 5-mile radius and convenient access to the aerial tram and streetcar lines. I highly recommend riding the Aerial Tram and Portland Streetcar – they are like Disneyland rides for little ones and a great way to see Portland on public transit. After a day of sightseeing, come back and soak in the hot tub while kids splash around in the pool.
Inn at Northrup Station - colorful & fun
The Inn at Northrup is an all-suites boutique hotel. It’s located in the Nob Hill neighborhood, known for hip boutique shops, restaurant row on 23rd Ave., and where “the Inn crowd” goes. This hotel is a lot of fun and definitely a unique Portland experience. If you want to stay where locals dine and shop, this is the place to be.
Hmmm … the next time our family need a mini-vacation, I’ll make a reservation in Portland. It’ll be ”home suite home” with breakfast and housekeeping included. That’s music to any Mom’s ears.
Tags: Downtown, hotel, Hotels, lodging, nob hill, northwest, suites
