- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Ace Hotel
Rating Details »
Neighborhoods: Southwest Portland, Downtown
1022 SW Stark St
Portland, OR 97253
(503) 228-2277
1022 SW Stark St
Portland, OR 97253
(503) 228-2277
- Price Range:
-
$$
95 reviews for Ace Hotel
Yeah, it really was effing cooler than thou, cooler than a Ritz, cooler than New York, cooler than Lady Gaga. It's ust really cool. It has that perfect vintage-yet-super-comfy-bc-it-done-gots-itself-red one (much like the fab wedding gowns at The English Dept. in the same overly cool city) feel.
Walking in, past the old glass doors -- even the sign "PULL" on them feels lived in and comes in a old-times font -- and on the lived on vintage tile and around the nearly-always occupied with ppl on their macs drinking Stumptown couches, you get to the elevator.
Take the stairs, and take them all the way up to see the mural on the top floor of the stairwell. Yessir, every single detail feels vintage or handmade, and while it's all done very consciously, I don't think that takes anything away. The design is great. And all the rooms are different. We spent the first nights in the sweet supertramp suite with lyrics all over the walls. FAB-BOO.
And while the couches and the colors, the cleanliness and the service were all top-notch, it really is the aesthetic that makes (or might break, for some) the Ace.
This is not gonna be short.. but please read me!
I've stayed in some of the best hotels around and this hotel has them beat! The 5 stars I'm giving them are for hospitality, cleanliness, creativity, location ... heck - I'd give them 6 stars if I could!
Upon entering the hotel I was already aware that it was hip and unique. There is a photo booth in the lobby, wifi, bookshelves, relaxed seating (as if you were in a coffee shop), a great bar attached, and a really awesome vintage elevator.
I get the key to my room and see that it's ... a... KEY! Oh how I miss those. You get an actual key with a really cool metal tag identifying your room number.
Let's start with the most important part of a hotel stay. The room.
There are two types. Ones without showers, and ones WITH showers. If you're game for sharing a shower at the end of the hall - I'm sure they're just as cool and clean as the showers in the rooms.
I selected the upgraded room and fell in love with it. My friend and I were sharing stories about our unique rooms here and both agree that it feels like their hotel rooms are like NYC flats. Instead of a hotel stay, you feel like your friend lent you his/her keys while they were out of town. The vibe in the hotel is sort of like industrial/military/vintage classroom.
In my room I have these awesome old school chairs, an orange steel towel rack, hardwood floors, pipes for towel racks ... I can go on and on. It's the most creative, functional yet simple hotel room I've ever had!
Best yet - the bed is in the MIDDLE of the room. (and so is the shower!)
Apart from the rooms though, I just have to reiterate that the service is top notch. Everyone has been friendly and helpful thus far. I intend on staying at this hotel each and every time I'm in Portland from now on!
This review is a work in progress - because I've booked myself to stay in the Ace for two nights - and tonight is just my first evening here.
But as of now I am thoroughly impressed.
I feel like I'm chilling in a super chic friend's pad - as I type this.
The heating is set on high.
I have David Letterman playing on a tiny flat screen TV. I'm seated low on a soft futon style bed with a comforting brown blanket atop of it. And the pillows are downright - where it's at. Padded heaven.
The small touches like a record player right by my bed, Maln and Goetz shampoo and conditioner, a unique bar food stock - including maple waffle-like cookies (I'm considering going for it), a cactus, and hip local magazines - briefing me on where to go - all make the Ace hotel -just that Ace.
It's not only hip - but it has genuine warm character.
There's an adorable black and white photo booth in the lobby - beside a trendy, but inviting lounge area.The guy at the desk was beyond friendly. And the location is beyond ideal. Located right across from Powell's and situated right between a popping bar/restaurant and one of the best coffee spots in the city. You can't go wrong.
Oh yeah - and if you're a coffee fiend - you can get Stumptown coffee room service....unreal.
Yeah - this review is a work in progress - because I'm going to continue to elaborate on the pure fabulosity of this place....
Trust.
This hotel is filled to the brim with AMAZING-NESS!!
We went to Portland for our honeymoon and stayed here. Super classy rooms with a modern vibe. Very creative- kinda like staying in a room you only see in magazines.
We got a single delux room for $100 a night, and though thats a tad pricey it was worth it. Quiet and clean for sure.
As for location- can you say SUPERB?? A block away from Powell's city of books, half and half, a few blocks away from the rail cars that can take you almost everywhere in portland for free or cheap.
Moral of the story....if you are looking for the perfect hotel look no further- ACE IS THE PLACE!
Ok ok, the rooms are super cool and have a smart, hip aesthetic blah blah blah etc etc. Let's get down to business:
A) Photobooth (an "original" B&W one - not a shitty digital one, that takes Visa and has a nice yet believable compliment etched into the mirror outside)
B) In the lobby
C) Photobooth in the lobby
thanks, ace, for not keeping track of the reservation i made two months before coming to portland, then giving my boyfriend attitude about how we should have written down a confirmation number. how about you should learn how to book a room properly?
we stayed at the hotel modera, which was probably better anyway.
Several weeks late writing this review, but I really do need to express my love for the Ace. Probably the coolest hotel I've ever stayed in in my life... aside from the place I stayed in Paris, though that'd be tough to beat.
A massive room with a bathroom (clawfoot tub) Main bath products, a sitting area, a turntable and a flat screen... great art on the walls. I feel like a badass staying here. Like I'm in a rock band; like I should be throwing parties in my room!
They had Fleetwood Mac Tusk! and Camera Obscura in the collection of vinyl in my room, which also made me very happy.
I will definitely be staying here again. The Superior Deluxe somethin' rather (thanks for the upgrade) is totally the way to go. LOVE it.
Loving the Ace. From the stacked vintage suitcases as side tables to the sweatshirt robes with hoods and sliding barn-door like doors/window coverings. Lots of bravado. The bar/restuarant off one side of lobby plus the stumptown coffee/deli off the other were hopping the entire time we were here. Great loft area overlooking the lobby. Everyone with laptops lounging in the mosh-pit like lobby making use of the free wifi. Just blocks from Powell's, Blue Hour restaurant, Yoga Pearl, Lucy, and Cargo.
If you travel a lot-- and I do-- it's really nice to have a place that doesn't feel so much like a hotel. The rooms are really simple and comfortable. Stumptown serves some of the best coffee anywhere. Clyde Common is open late, which is great if you happen to arrive late into town.
As an urban nerd, it's cool to see an old building with great bones re-invented to bring out the charector of the building and bring life to an area that used to be sketch.
Right on the edge of the Pearl and a block from Powells, this is a perfect jumping off point to explore the city.
While the rooms in the back of the hotel tend to be a little smaller than the ones in the front, they're also a little more quiet some times. Well worth a repeat visit.
It was determined that I did not stay here through the cryptic nature of my last review, hence it was removed.
So let me say: my room had all the charm of a prison cell, done up in various shades of grey with little adornment. The hallways reminded me of its life former tenement housing, replete with bathroom down the hall. This is where the indigent stayed; now it's populated by the so-called hip. Not that there's anything wrong with being poor--a more honest fate than hipsterism.
The guy behind the counter was derisive, not listening, and a simpleton. Plates for earrings.
The only way this hotel could resemble cool is if Iggy Pop threw up in the lobby.
From the minute I walked into our room and saw "FRIEND" painted on the wall over the bed, I knew I was going to like the Ace Hotel.
Though my fiancee and I felt a little too unhip to be staying in a hotel as achingly hip as this one, we still really enjoyed our stay. The hotel itself is a perfect size, and is in perfect proximity to a lot of cool stuff in downtown Portland and the Pearl District.
The room itself was designed nicely, with a nice, large bed with lots of nice cushions. The bathoom was in the corner of the room, and the door to it was actually really cool, as it blends in to the wall and makes you feel like you're entering the Batcave when you go to use the shower (which had an awesome bathtub setup, the kind you'd see in the 40s and 50s). The walls are a bit thin, though, so when there was a drunken wedding on the Saturday that we stayed there, I was able to hear people making a shitton of noise out in the hall.
The negatives, for me, were largely staff related. The staff bounced between surly and helpful, friendly and standoffish. I'm sure my decidedly uncool Mega Man and Bomber Man shirts rendered me powerless in a hipster center such as this, but still, it wouldn't hurt to smile, would it?
Had none of the problems faced by other reviewers. All the staff were very pleasant. The room was small, but interesting. Best pillows I've ever slept on. Great soap on a rope and nice robes. Stumptown Coffee downstairs was delicious. Warning: if you want to be in uniform, wear a tight-fitting flannel.
Modern, comfortable, clean, and in a great location. To be honest, I noticed a lot more boomers staying here than hipsters.
My room was large with an amazingly comfortable bed. There were a lot of nice touches in the room, including a huge deep tub and a record player.
The coffee shop in the lobby was nice (though the coffee was only okay), and I enjoyed eating at Clyde Common on my last evening there.
The biggest downside about Ace Hotel had to be the street noise. The surrounding area is extremely loud at night, and it's hard to sleep through.
Also, a lot of people seemed to be smoking in rooms and halls (both cigarettes and pot), and the smell ended up seeping into my room.
One final little thing is that housekeeping took forever to clean my room. I arrived back when they had just started, and it took them like an hour to finish. Not the biggest deal, but it was weird and inconvenient.
I'd definitely stay here again, but I would probably book one of their quieter rooms away from the street.
The fact that the decor is awesome and the rooms are fun/funky has been repeated many times. I'd prefer to emphasize the detail that was most welcome to my husband and I on our hectic trip: comfortable palette style beds. Not those saggy spring jobs and flaccid pillows common in hotels. Nice, firm, flat bed with generous pillows and nice blankets. Thank you.
I've yet to stay in one of the $150/night rooms, but it makes for a cute little hang-out. One of my favourites to stop by in between Powell's Books and wherever else I'm headed. The adjacent Stumptown has charming baristos and a fair selection of coffees and teas, and the Clyde is attached on the other side. The photobooth on the first floor lounge is always fun, it just has its on and off days and no longer accepts cash (card only). Walk upstairs to the half-story and find yourself in yet another lounge.
Tough place to study if that's your intent. The street noise and music does not make for just some petty "background" noise, being in the middle of town. Despite its most trivial of downfalls, it is an ideal place to kill time. Get some writing done, spending some time alone with a book of poems, or spending some time alone and people watching between newspaper articles. And you never know who you'll meet there next!
The Ace is alright. I ended up staying here by accident because of allergies to a cat at the home I was staying at. The good thing is that if you check in after 12 (or 11pm?), you can get a price break in your room.
The bed was kind of hard and the hotel overall seemed like old 70s apartments refurbished to be a more urban, 'hip' hotel for the younger crowd. The room decoration was very sparse and minimalist which was okay, it was kind of tacky to me though.
I've stayed at a variety of hotels in my life (from luxe hotels in Hawaii to standard city hotels in Tokyo) and I'd pass on the Ace, just because when I'm traveling, I want comfort (as in nice sheets, heavy robes, comfortable beds) over hip decor.
I really like the way this hotel feels. I always get a little intimated when I walk into a place full of super hipters, but it was really chill and the staff was really cool and helpful. The location is fantastic as it's just a block away from all the taco/food trucks. I forgot the name of the truck, but they serve amazing fish tacos. (Will find name to edit later)
I had the 2 double bed room with private bathroom (I'm not in a hostel) and it was clean with an industrial hip look to it. Nice, but small bathroom and the sink is in the main room. They provide super comfortable Wings + Horns robes and great Malin Goetz shampoo and soap. Also this really cool old school postal service bag provided for laundry, which may or may not have carried my laundry home with me.
This hotel isn't a place for my parents, but young 20somethings who just want a cool comfortable place to stay.
Like the Ace. But something went wrong with our reservation, so slightly turned off. We showed up at eleven p.m. to check in and no reservation showed up. Front desk staffer was super-awesome, helped find us a room (which they keep for emergencies) and stayed calm. Unfortunately, we had to vamoose for the second night, no openings.
So, if you book online, call ahead to confirm. And lock your door in the morning. They thought the room was empty so tried to enter. (Partially my fault for not putting out 'do not disturb'.) Rooms are functional and the beds are outta this world.
Stumptown is adjacent to lobby, which is a boon. Sweet, strong espresso and delicious pastries (blackberry puff pastry was delicious). Their staffers were chatty, answered all my questions about weather, running routes, nearby restaurants. (Clyde Commons is also right off the Ace lobby.)
This hotel is way too cool for its own good. That was my first thought when entering the photo booth-equipped lobby. Still, my husband and I had a very comfortable stay here our first night in Portland (our first choice, the Bluebird Guesthouse across town, was fully booked our first night). For $95 we got a perfectly comfortable, albeit small, room with hip travel trunks for a nightstand. I was concerned about the shared bathroom situation, but never had to wait as I think most of the other rooms on the floor had their own. I'm adding a star for the fab toiletries, but I wouldn't expect anything less from a place where you get a whiff if Stumptown coffee every time you enter the lobby. Location, right near the Pearl district and a block from Powells, is A+.
20/20 has forever tainted my view of hotels. I don't see sheets without thinking stain. I sleep in hoodies, long pants and socks rather than risk my skin touching an unwashed comforter or another's hair on the pillow case. I can barely bring myself to step in the shower without flip flops and wouldn't dream of not hovering. So, oftentimes, vacations are marred by the very place I'm supposed to rest. (And yes, I know, I'm paranoid).
So, when I booked a room at the Ace Hotel, I was not expecting for it to live up to its hype. But, it did.
We were exhausted, hungry and unshowered when we arrived outside the Ace Hotel at noon. As we were unloading our bags, I looked at our email confirmation and saw that check in was not until 4pm. Um, oops. Lacking any energy and in need of both a nap and a shower, this was bad news. We decided to check with the front desk and see if they'd permit an early check in. And wouldn't you know it, they did!
We grabbed our bags and headed up three flights of stairs (slow elevator) to the room. On our way upstairs we passed a small lounge/ computer hub with various hotel guests reading and puttering about online. People were actually lounging in the lounge, it made sense. Once we entered the room, I immediately felt at ease. I fell in love with the minimalist, hip and modern decor. And everything was clean! Clean clean. No need to wear a hood or socks clean. To make the room even more inviting, it was outfitted with reading material, an ipod port and flat screen tv.
With a Stumptown just downstairs and tasty offerings on the room service menu, it was hard to find a reason to leave the room. However, if you do leave the room, the hotel is in a prime spot. Close to Powell's, shopping, the water front and downtown.
I'd highly recommend The Ace to anyone. Finally, The Ace has helped restore some faith in hotels.
I found this hotel via Yelp (searching and from getting advice from Portland Yelpers on Talk--ya'll rock!!). I must admit I tripped out on the hotel, because I had a bit of déjà vu looking at the photos of this hotel. I actually stayed here 10 years ago when it was the old Clyde Hotel--back then, it was a bit of a decrepit & cheap hotel (with character)--a scene from Drugstore Cowboy was also filmed here. Ok, out with the old, in with the new....
Upon entering the hotel you are overwhelmed by the coffee-scented lobby (due to the cool-looking Stump Town Coffee Shop which is adjacent). The lobby was filled with people chilling on the couches. There is an old and new feel to the lobby, and I liked it.
I had a Standard Back Room. I thought I wasn't going to have a window, but my room did--I was on the 4th floor, and I overlooked Downtown South and the Goose Hollow hills. A "Front Room" would look onto the action on Stark St. below (which can be a good/bad thing). The room was decorated retro and minimalistic with some cool artwork throughout. I liked the linens---Ace Hotel had Pendelton Woolen Mills make custom blankets for them, & they look good enough to steal! Aieee!!! ;)
When I walked in, I first thought I didn't have a bathroom, but the entrance to the bathroom was a wall-looking door--very cool. So, you pull this wooden wall out, and voila--you have a nice-sized bathroom with an old bathtub/shower (looks like what I remember in '98, but much nicer!).
The rooms are a bit bare-bones....but bare-bones stylishly. The LCD is tiny, but who needs it when there are so many places to explore around the neighborhood.
As for parking, you can park at a nearby lot for $20 (Ace gives you a parking permit), but I ended up parking on the street (next to the lot where other Ace-ers parked!). I arrived on Sat afternoon, and from Sat. at 7pm until Monday morning, parking is free on the street where I was. So, I ended up only needing to pay for about 3-hrs of parking (about $2.50) that first day.
One of the only negatives for me, was the lack of hot water for my shower. I called the front desk, and they had a maintenance person up in a jiff, and he totally took care of it (had to put some Thread Lock inside the fixturing). So, I was good to go in no time.
Oh, and another cool feature here is they are pet-friendly. This is good to know for next time. This hotel served as an excellent home base during my awesome time in Portland over the weekend.
I have mix feelings about this hotel. You got a great restaurant to the left and a great coffee shop to the right smacked in a very hip lively area of Portland with a decent pricing per night. The room size is okay but it needed a dresser. I have to deduct some one star for:
*allowing dog- I got some bug bites on both of my ankles. Also, I am a bit allergic to dogs.
*we were on the second floor and it was loud at night....people were still out until 3AM. Maybe Ace needs to install sound proof windows and walls on the street side.
I stayed in the "cheap seats" room: at triple with a shared bath. It reminded me of an upscale hostel, but my roommates *affectionately* referred to it as prison. Definitely it was minimalist, no art work in our room, a single bed and a bunk bed, a small space, sink in room and shower/toilet down the hall. That said there were some positives to this room, most importantly the price point. $95 per night for a downtown/Pearl District hotel in the center of everything (40 minutes from the airport on the MAX, get off at the SW10th Galleria stop and walk three short blocks). Also they make the shared bath thing really work, the most effort I had to make was to one time (and I stayed here 5 nights) go up a flight of stairs to find an available one. And they provide comfy robes in room for your use. Plus I loved the Goetz bath products, especially the rum hand soap. In keeping with the hipster theme, even in this minimalist environment we had a flat screened TV in our room and convenient outlets within an arm's reach for every person to plug in their IPods and/or computer (even the guy on the top bunk).
LOVES:
The location is great. Stumptown coffee and Clyde Commons are both attached to the lobby area. I just loved ambling down the stairs each morning to the wonderful aroma of fresh coffee brewing and knowing a nice big cup would soon be in my hands. Clyde Commons is a great place to dine, perhaps one of the best representations of Portland coolness. Powell's Books (you have to visit this bookstore!) in one block away. Tired one night? A cool living room theater is located across the street.
Hipster Haven. Loved it! It felt like a tourist attraction in itself. Some of my favorite moments are viewing the lounge area below from my vantage point in the upstairs mini lounge area. Filled with natural light from the big window looking out at the street, the lounge consists of a square of comfy sofas, a large table in the middle with a group of air plants as a centerpiece, and Mac bearing skinny jeaned/scarf and cap bearing eclectic hipsters. Guests spend their time here casually conversing, sipping their Stumptown coffees, adoring their dogs, or pounding away furiously on their keyboards.
Free Wi-Fi for everyone and even a MAC available for use in the upstairs mini lounge. Also in the mini lounge a chest of small drawers that you should explore. Go ahead and open a few up and read the notes inside, and leave behind one for someone else to be "inspired."
I did mention the bath products right? They're available for sale at the front desk, so really you don't have to steal them like someone obviously did in one of our shared baths (because it was missing from the holder).
HATED:
Why does an advertised "triple room" only get two sets of keys? Obviously there is more than likely going to be three singles staying in the room by its very nature, and they may be arriving at different times (as was the case with us). Our third person just in from the airport had to wait in the lobby for one of us to come fetch him. Plus, one of those two keys per set unlocks the bathroom and thus is quite necessary. Come on; give us an extra key, how expensive can they be?
All in all, I felt a bit like I was leaving an old friend when I departed for my next hotel (a soulless La Quinta).
this place rocked my socks off! it's only 3 blocks north of the 10th street/galleria station off the red line. it's an easy trip from the airport, about 40 mins. what convenience!
ok, on to the good stuff. so i called to confirm our reservation the night before, and i must say she was a little rude! but sometimes first impressions aren't the greatest, so i let it slide. anyway, we get there, and the customer service as pretty good! now, we're not as hip as all the hipsters around, but they weren't snooty or anything.
our room, upon entering, had a painting of a boombox with "friend" written right above it. immediately, we were impressed! our bathroom was wonderful, with those feet (clawfoot tub, it says) and a rainfall-like shower head thing. so nice. also, they have shampoo, conditioner, and body wash installed in there, so don't bother bringing yours. we felt more hip just being there.
anyway, the bed was comfortable, there was soap on a rope for the sink, and soft carpeting. it's also connected to stumptown coffee roasters, and clyde common restaurant. it can get a little crowded in the lobby, but since everyone in portland was so nice, we didn't mind.
there's a private parking lot one block down, for $20/night. and a really cool indy theatre right across the street, not to mention powell's bookstore 2 blocks north, whole foods, restaurants, and food carts....among other attractions just a few blocks away. there's always the free street car nearby, and the lightrail too.
oh yeah. bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper. and don't be afraid of the hipster staff. they're really nice and accommodating :)
Great rates in a boutique hotel with tons of style! Only $110 for a standard room in an easily 4.5 star hotel (granted, it's a Weds night in rainy February).
Great minimalist/modern design, cool lounge, computer lab, and flavor up the wazoo.
To top it off, the Ace is pet-friendly..
The Ace Hotel is a laid back hotel with character in a great location. It's smack in the middle of the pearl district and within a stone's throw from Powell's bookstore. I did some research online prior to booking and I was happy with the selection after staying there for 2 nights. It was comfy, chic in a bohemian way and lived up to my expectation. The room was very clean. I loved the bath tub and the shampoo & bath products. I liked the fact that each room has its own unique decoration. The bed was not the most comfortable, but hey, I didn't go to Portland to sleep!
I like all the "amenities" -- the photo booth (how cool's that?!), the Stumptown cafe, and the Clyde Common (had a very enjoyable meal there). The lobby is kind of like a airy coffee shop where people come, chat a bit and read magazines. Very relaxed atmosphere.
I would definitely stay at Ace Hotel again.
Ace Hotel gets 4 stars. It is 5-star-worthy, but the windows are single pane and it can get noisy in your room with the outside nightlife on the street side. Bring ear plugs or book a room away from the street.
That said, and ear plugs were worn, it's a great hotel. Right in the center of what's happening. The rooms are huge and wonderful. Very hip, complete with record player, records, and a couch that covered half the room. One of the best hotel rooms I've been in.
The staff are very accommodating and there is free wi-fi. Stumptown coffee (amazing) and Clyde Common are right next door. More hotels should be like this.
Ace Hotel is like Hotel Monaco's younger, hipper, more interesting brother. Stay here, you'll like it.
This hotel is very, very "Portland" - down to earth, nice, a little on the "hipster" side. A year and a half ago, when I was poor, I had to stay at the Hilton in a god-knows-where suburb of Portland. Now that I am exceedingly rich I can afford $150 a night for something that probably cost the hotel $20 dollars to do.
Honestly, the decor is good. They did a good job. But it looks fucking cheap, still. The unique paintings in each room is cutesy and whatever. The tv is really cool and watching your lover take a shower right out in the open is HOT.
But yeah, it was way too fucking loud at night - some car was towed and the recycling truck came at like 7 in the morning. The people staying in the room above us got angry because we were talking "too loud" at like...9 in the evening. WTF?
I'd stay here again because of the location and the cute waiter that works in the restaurant down below. They'd also have to put me in a hotel room that was far away from any assholes that complain about people having fun.
this place screams hipster... SCREAMS... but what's interesting is there are many parents of hipsters staying in this very cool hotel.
the decor of the individual rooms is great. while in san francisco clawfoot tub means you're getting a dumpy old motel room, the Ace is quite clean and was remodeled very nicely. it's an old building and as such the walls are particularly thin so if you're making a reservation, do get a rear room if you want some good sleep.
and a stumptown connected to the lobby... this is the life.
I'm a sucker for any hotel that isn't decorated with overly done floral patterns and tacky furniture. This hotel was great in its ascetics. Loved the lobby, and its book and vinyl collection..and the wood tone decor! Bonus! The rooms are fantastic, and I seriously wanted to steal the bed sheet! Its decor is totally like home to me.
The description as being a boutique hotel is pretty dead on.
Having the lobby area conjoined as a lounge area for stumpton coffee, and Clyde common restaurant, and including a photobooth is icing on the cake.
I Loved the stairwell area, which made me want to take the stairs more than the elevator.
Overall, I loved every bit of it. The staff was super great, the atmosphere top notch, and the price and location is pretty unbeatable. It was just missing a few great literary writers of our time to be lounging out in the lobby area, smoking a pipe. Just wished my shower wasn't a bubbling creek in its pressure..that took away a star.
I stumbled upon this hipster hotel online and thought it would be a sweet place to stay during our stay to the city of roses. We arrived and the staff at the front desk were all helpful and held our luggage until it was check-in time while we walked around town.
Our room was a perfect size, but the exposed shower was odd. We had a good window view being in the front, which made for good people watching. I love the unique art on the walls...we were in the Oregonian red-bearded guy room (that is a striking resemblance to DJ CeePee at Good Records). The flat screen TV mounted to the wall and the super-good scented shampoo and condition in the shower were nice touches. Oh, and they also have some Apple laptops on the second floor for public use, sort of a mini library with freshly sharpened pencils.
I love that that Stumptown Coffee Roasters is practically in the lobby area and they have those notoriously scrumptious VooDoo Donuts! YuM! I snagged the last Capt. Crunch and yes it was magical.
Knowing how much I love the design of the Ace Hotel, Kate, Barrista extraordinaire at Danneman's Coffee in Atlanta, sent me a link to a recent New York Times article about the design of the latest Ace Hotel which will open in March in New York City at 20 West 29th Street.
I was really fortunate to have gotten a tip to stay at the Ace in Portland while visiting my son who was going to school in Oregon and I blogged about it at the time, twice. I was absolutely entranced with the design details in the rooms, the common spaces, the bar and restaurant, the coffee shop, the front desk, well actually with every bit of it. Alex Calderwood, one of a group of friends who started the ACE, describes the design as "celebrating the everyday with utilitarian objects."
While this approach, which includes using plumbing pipes for bathroom shower and towel rods, is not really unusual, the fact that every aspect of the Hotel is congruent with that look led to a completely delightful experience. Even though my 22 year old daughter might say that the Ace was designed for by and for hipster douche bags right out of Urban Outfitters, it works for me.
I loved that everywhere I looked the details were impeccable. For instance, the standard minibar was replaced with a small wood box filled with specialty items, and that was placed on a utilitarian style desk next to a turntable with a basket of old LPs.
The Eames style desk chair was marked with a stenciled stamp with hotel info on it like it would if it had been military issue or from some old school system.
The bathroom sink accutremonts,not unusual for us loft inhabitants, were just unusual to see in a hotel.
I can't wait to go to the other Ace Hotels in Seattle, Palm Springs and in New York when it opens.
Frankly, Ace, you and I would of had us some problems if that whole "we've lost your reservation" situation wasn't cleared up. Thankfully, you're little cutie of a night desk boy saw that this crazy Indian meant business and found us a room in a jiffy.
Oh, and the complimentary drinks at the bar while you figured shit out didn't hurt either. Go Ace! Booze talks, bullshit walks.
Minus one star for the glass box of a shower. Hello, when platonic friends are sharing a room we don't want to see each other naked. Generally speaking that is.
In the interest of offering a different take, I'm going to tell a story that probably involves a little TMI. I had a nasty bout of food poisoning throughout my stay in Portland (see: http://www.yelp.com/bi..., if you want to know where NOT to eat in San Francsico). As a result, I spent my first night at the Ace sleeping on the bathroom floor. What I appreciated was the huge, exceptionally clean, tile-floored bathroom (there's nothing like lying on a clean, cold tile floor while you sweat and convulse with stomach cramps). What I didn't appreciate was the sliding door to the bathroom which offered no sound-proofing whatsoever (seems to be an epidemic at the Ace, since it was the same style of door at the one in Seattle). Luckily, the BF decided he loved me enough to stay with me anyway.
So minus one star for the non-sound-proof bathroom. Other than that, I thought this place was a great value. Excellent location. Cool decor. Staff was nice to us, but then I'm from SF and have bangs, so maybe I fooled them into thinking I'm a hipster. We also had a quiet room on the back with a view of what I was told is called Nob Hill, but we live on a busy corner in SF so even one of the brighter/louder rooms would have been fine. I'll be staying there again next time I visit Portland...hopefully on a trip where I'll be able to eat solid food.
DISCLAIMER: This is not a HOTEL review but a review of the hotel's PHOTO BOOTH! ha ha....seriously...
I know, people may get upset about this but seriously, how cool is the photo booth in the lobby? Love it!
Ok that's it. Thank you.
Overrated.
Most of the rooms are expensive and small, the lighting is bright and annoying, the beds are teensy, the bedsheets are crispy and hard, and our neighbors in the rooms on the sides of us were LOUD.
I feel fine staying in a room sans bathroom. I really do. The bathroom outside and a ways down the hall was VERY clean and spacious. It didn't feel sheisty at all showering in there.
Ace is way still neat-o when it comes to architecture, design and lattes. Pets are allowed, way cool! And Photobooth in Lobby! RAD! Other plusssses include the cheese and salad and alcohol bar nextdoor, the library/study upstairs on the second floor, and those plush couches that you can sit on for HOURS, watching the scenestery people coming in and out of the lobby.
But when it comes down to sleeping at the ACE, I'm not a fan. For $150 a night a grumpy sleepyhead should be able to doze off comfortably and soundly.
I was apprehensive about booking a room at the Ace. So many reviews faulted the staff for being rude and having that hipster vibe. For a moment I thought it would be like sleeping over at a Rudy's Barber Shop.
I admit, upon arrival I felt like I might be out of my element. The lobby was full of latte-sipping couples, Mac-using bloggers, and generally cool-looking folks. To my surprise, the desk staff greeted me and promptly took care of everything. No waiting around, no attitude.
I shuffled my stuff over to the elevator. There was a clever sign inside: "If you took the stairs, you'd be there by now. It's true."
It really was true. The elevator at the Ace is painfully slow. Still, there was no way I'd be carrying over-sized luggage up any flight of stairs past the second floor.
For $140/night we scored a cozy room with a view overlooking the Pearl District--and the Ace's gigantic blue neon sign. I have to say, I didn't mind the technicolor at night. It reminded me of the Scene d'Amour from Vertigo. I don't think a non-Hitchcockphile would have the same appreciation for the creepy glow at 4am.
Flanking the super low bed on both sides were stacks of books. I thought they were provided as random reading material. Nope, totally there just for looks... the books are all glued to each other in neat little piles. Haha.
The bathroom was a smartly tiled little bit of a thing with the best shampoo and body wash I've ever used. I heed advice Margaret Cho's mother gave regarding the use of shampoo, "Lather... rinse... BUT DON'T REPEAT! That's wasting!"
If I purchased Malin + Goetz products for use in my own home, I certainly would not repeat. In fact, I'd probably only use that shit once a week. However, when the product is included with the room ($20 per 8oz bottle), there's no way I'm going to miss out on treating my neglected scalp. I pumped liberal amounts of the peppermint extract shampoo into my palm. None of that quarter-sized business, I easily used about $5 worth at a time. After letting it tingle for a good three minutes, I rinsed and promptly repeated. I gave myself the luxurious treatment two nights in a row. My scalp wants to return to the Ace Hotel, bad.
Amazing location, fun lobby, old school photo booth, helpful staff, and the best hotel shampoo. The Ace is a winner.
Dear Ace Hotel Portland--
What was supposed to be an 8 hours work day with clients in one of your rooms---turned into meeting staff from the restaurant and getting late night whiskey and wine in my room. Sure, I felt like shit leaving at 630am---but I felt pretty cute being escorted down the stairs to smiles and quick giggles from the front deskers.
This hotel is PRIME location. The staff was amazing to all my needs and I was happy with my room---for both working---and otherwise. I will stay here again---I will not be on better behavior....rrrrrarrrrrrw.
Have never stayed in this hotel. Don't need to. The mere fact that they have a photobooth in the lobby that you are allowed to use at will, customer status or not, makes them a-okay in my book. Pop in, drop three bucks, snap four shots. A couple minutes later and you're revelling in photo-induced glee. I've only ever seen a photobooth at the East End and DEFINITELY WOULDN'T HATE to see more around my beloved hometown. Mad props Ace Hotel. The maddest of props to you.
I wish I had known better...
I chose to listen to the positive, glowing Yelp reviews of Ace Hotel. Now, I wish I hadn't. All the negative things said are so true: loud nights, tiny rooms, snobby service.
I didn't so much mind the small room, though I wish there had been a sitting area - not just the bed. The shower was exposed, which took me by surprise, and the bathroom wasn't really sound proof. Uhm, ok. But, it had everything you need to sleep and bath. In that sense, it works.
But, sleeping we did not. Our window faced the street, so we heard everything: the loud bar downstairs, the traffic, the recycle truck picking up glass at 5 a.m. I mean, everything! And the window was large and barely covered, so light seeped in. I brought my sleep mask AND my ear plugs and still managed to be kept awake most of the night. (le sigh) My guy ended up sleeping with his iPod on and wrapping his scarf around and around his head to ward off the light!
If staying in the Pearl District, the location is great. I'm sure they have quieter, better rooms... maybe even for more than $140 (plus tax) a night. I should have chosen one of those. No, wait. I should have chosen an entirely different place to stay!
The interior and "character" of this place is really great. That is what drew me here and "sold me" on the place. I wanted something with personality - that was hip and awesome. I thought the place was cool... but not *that* cool that'd I'd ever choose to lose two night's sleep again here.
