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Ace Hotel
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels [Edit]
1022 SW Stark StPortland, OR 97253
Neighborhoods: Southwest Portland, Downtown
(503) 228-2277
- Price Range:
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$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
201 reviews for Ace Hotel
Review Highlights
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"Stumptown Coffee downstairs was delicious." In 44 reviews -
"Clyde Commons deserves it's own review." In 19 reviews -
"I loved the photo booth in the lobby." In 28 reviews
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201 reviews in English
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Review from Christopher N. W.
5/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
What to say about the Ace Hotel. It's hip and fun and retro and artsy but it's also pretentious and over priced and a bit stuffy. Overall I enjoyed my 5 day stay here down from Vancouver BC. The staff was helpful and even provided me a free repair kit and pump for my bike when I blew a tire. Actually the bike friendliness of this place was quite nice.
The beds were pretty comfy, a bit to hard for my tastes. The room was clean and didn't smell like some people have noticed. I don't touch food or drink in wet bards and snack stations so no issues there.
I love the central location downtown which is great for the art gallery, food carts and the markets. And numerous places to drink.
Speaking of drinking Clyde commons (The bar attached to the hotel) is gonna need it's own review because it was quite good as well.
I feel that for the lack of amenities though the Ace is a little pricey and although I enjoyed myself I think I would look for something a little cheaper next time but I recommend it for anyone looking for a hip space with great coffee and good service. -
Review from Lily S.
Updated - 5/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
HAVE I MENTIONED DOG FRIENDLY?
Yeah. That's a fucking WIN if I ever saw one.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/8/2010
I like to call this the "dirty hipster hotel" b/c that's all we saw when we walked in. Where were… Read more »
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Review from Kim K.
4/23/2012
Glorified hostel.
No gym, no amenities, barely an elevator. It is a no frills place with questionable cleanliness. I gagged when I saw a hair at the snack station when I first got to the room. Note, all drinks are 3.50 even though it doesn't say so on the menu sheet. Nor are all the items listed on the sheet necessarily in your snack tray.
Our view was of an alley shaft, complete with a crushed beer can. Better than a noisy street I guess.
The lighting throughout the hotel is hideous. Glaringly harsh drop downs in the hallway and rooms induce headaches. I thought bathroom light switches located outside the bathroom was annoying, but this goes one step further. The bathroom light switch in our room was located by the entrance to the room.
The sink in the corner of the room sits at a level beneath the faucet that makes the water splash everywhere. I wouldn't be surprised if mold became an issue in the near future.
As some have mentioned the Malin + Goetz toiletries are bolted down in the bathtub, aside from the conditioner. Tis fine. Both body wash and shampoo have sulfates in them.
The 13" TV pinned to wall was at a height that made inclined viewing a must. Which is hard to do when the fold out sofabed's "headboard" is 8 feet away. Squint or suffer back pains.
It is an excellent location. But so are a few other hotels within a 1 block radius.
Lovely service, but I'll not return. -
Review from Lolia S.
San Francisco, CA
4/23/2012 3 photos
Hip, clever, and retro but not the most comfortable or practical place to stay. In some ways, it's quite no frills. The walls are thin, the building is old and on Saturday night it sounds like there's a club downstairs (music, shouting). You will hear your neighbors in the hall. If they choose to use the stereo in the room, I'm sure plenty of others will hear it too. The look and feel of the place reminded me of my college dorm.
There aren't any comfy chairs in the standard deluxe room ($155/night) but the Pendleton wool blanket on the bed and the robes are comfy. The lights in the room are glaring. The toilet paper isn't soft. The TV is small. They do have free wi-fi (it's slow though). You can order coffee from Stumptown and food from Clyde Common. The lobby has free wi-fi, bikes for rent and a photo booth.
There are different types of rooms (different sizes and amenities). Each room features the work of a local artist. Ours featured a multi-eyed monster. You might be sharing the bathroom and shower in the hall. Whoever decided to put the stand-up shower in the room without any thought for privacy, what were they thinking? It's strange! Also, there is no lock on the bathroom door (where the toilet is).
The location is very central (across from Powell's Books). There are plenty of paid parking lots you can use.
If you were excited about the toiletries, the Malin + Goetz shampoo and body wash are bolted in to the dispenser, so you can't take them unless you bring your own bottles and a pipette. You do get mini bottles of M + G conditioner though.
* Things I found: hairdryer, makeup towel, iron, ironing board, snacks & drinks in the room (for sale)
* Things I didn't find: coffeemaker, fridge, safety deposit box, gym, hot plate, microwave
They still use real room keys, not cards. I haven't seen those in the longest time.Listed in: My favorite services, Duck Country Portland, OR
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Review from Stef M.
4/15/2012
I've stayed here many times, so I figured I'd finally review it. The first time was probably about 5 years ago, and it's showing its age a little bit at this point. I prefer the junior deluxe rooms over the standard rooms. We stayed in room 326, which ... kind of smelled. I don't know if it was the room itself, though - it might be that old, musty smell that you get when there's been carpet covering the floors for 100 years and you rip it up and refinish the wood? Or it could have been one too many toilet/shower overflows onto the floor.
The standard rooms have a shower in the room, which seems kind of cool, but I don't like that it involves lots of water dripping on the floor as you get out. There is a very, very, very tiny little corner sink which seems cute until you try to use it, and again end up dripping water all over the floor. Hmm, I'm beginning to see where the smell might have come from :) Oh, and there's no good way to wash your face in this sink without hitting your head on the tall faucet that's right in the middle of the basin. Boo.
The black "MAKEUP" wash cloth was a nice touch, but it was replaced with a regular white wash cloth when housekeeping came the second day of our stay. We had to request more towels, too, because you only get 2 by default. Doesn't anyone here have hair? Extra towels were quickly brought up when we requested them, though. (Well, as quickly as their rickety old elevator will go!)
I suggest getting at least a junior deluxe room (or superior deluxe) vs. the standard room - you'll get a little more space, a "real" bathroom with tile floor that you don't feel bad splashing water on, and probably a cool old clawfoot tub.
The front desk staff was amazing every time I interacted with them. From booking, to arrival, to "checking out" and "checking back in" on the same day because our second night was using a groupon, everything went smoothly, and quickly. Toby should get a raise for being awesome - he even told us that we could save a few bucks parking on the street for a few hours because the meters stopped running at 7 and didn't start again until the next day at 1, when we would be able to park for free using the included parking in our groupon rate. Thanks! Parking, by the way, is a surface lot just 2 blocks away, and although it IS across the street from a sketchy parking garage where there are always lots of homeless people hanging out, it's also across the street from a police station of some sort. Our car was fine parked there on the street and in the lot for 2 nights.
The location is great: you can walk to Powell's in less than 5 minutes, there is a huge encampment of food trucks around the block, Kenny & Zuke's is right downstairs (as is Stumptown, and clyde Common, both of which I highly recommend - check out the weird, futuristic bathroom in Stumptown!) and the street car zooms past every few minutes. It's easy to walk to places in the Pearl.
One new addition is room 215, the breakfast room. It's a screaming deal: for $8, you can forage through pastries, cereals, yogurt, milk, honey, jams, coffee, juice, cheese, meat, pickles, boiled eggs, toast, and more. Try to find some space at the table full of hipsters, crack open the New York Times, and enjoy.
I'm torn between a 3 and 4 star review for this place - I don't feel like the $140+ price tag of a standard room is worth it, and the superior deluxe price seems like too much to try it out ($230-$275/night). So I would suggest the junior deluxe. Or the double junior deluxe with bacon. Hahah, just kidding! That's not a thing.
... YET. -
Review from Daniel L.
4/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
I Aced out here, sweet location for me and my crowd.. Thanks to yelp guiding (thxs Crystal) me to and location of desire.. Location Location works great and you can get a room under hundred, I was fine with the shower down the hall for the discounted rate.
The cool 1950 feel of the room felt like I was transported back with todays technology. The only disappointment was the lack of wifi signal in the room which was so bad i had to change rooms to a new floor for a better connection. Also I felt the $25 parking charge was very high, so I did the street. The hotel location is close to food carts, shopping, whole foods.. I will be back.. -
Review from Rachael B.
Santa Monica, CA
4/30/2012
I would describe the design concept as "Military Surplus." They were pretty obsessed with this look, completely omitting attention to hotel basics.
The "shower" is a claw-footed bathtub with a curtain, in a tiny bathroom. It clings to your body. The barn-doors on the bathroom do not close completely, which lets everyone in the room know exactly what you are up to in there. And the sink is outside of the bathroom, on the opposite corner of the room.
The "bed" is a plywood frame with a futon mattress on top. I got no sleep because it was so uncomfortable.
The single elevator is slow and tiny, they charged $8 for instant oatmeal and we got to bus our own dishes. There was used and worn military surplus green material upholstery on all soft seating and the WiFi was slow. And the staff was indifferent.
If you like camping, (as in getting no sleep, and not showering) this is just like that. -
Review from Kira A.
Seattle, WA
2/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Portland's Ace rules the town. It's the perfect vibe for a stay in Portland. Close to everything, you may prefer to not have a car. So if you can, arrive by train!
You'd think a hipster palace like this would bring on pretentious attitudes from the staff, but man, everyone was so nice and chill.
After you check in, make sure to get photos taken (or maybe wait until after the drunken stumble back to the hotel). The photo booth takes cards, so it's easy to get carried away. But that's okay; you're on vacation!
$175 for a Jr. Suite + a free upgrade on Valentine's day gives this place 5 stars.
If you're into design, you'll easily appreciate the details. From the square, charcoal hand soap, to the crocheted tissue covers, and the flannel pillows with big brass zippers to the stark white and dark gray walls with an original art installation, it's hard not to want to take photos of every last corner and duplicate the entire thing in your house.
I came away not only with a good nights sleep, but inspiration to get my butt in gear with my own home.
And for all these reasons, this will be the only place I stay in Portland. -
Review from Perry H.
4/4/2012
I stayed here recently during the week and basically had the place to myself. We were on a floor with, I think two-three other rooms, which made the shared bathroom situation a non-issue. The shared bathroom, by the way, is huge. The bathroom is as large as the hotel room! We got a super rate for a room that had three beds, I want to say it was just a bit over $100. To sleep three people in separate beds in the center of a major city with great restaurants and bars steps away for this price is s-t-e-a-l. The staff was also super nice every time we interacted with them - even at 5Am the morning of our checkout. This place will definitely be my go-to when I'm in Portland.
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Review from Daisy L.
Elk Grove, CA
2/12/2012
Very modern hotel. The location is great. It's about one block of powells book store which is nice. The hotel is connected to stumptown coffee and clyde common. Me and my friend book the room where you had to share the bathroom which was fine. The floor we stayed at had 2 bathrooms and was always available. The hotel is clean. I read a review that complain about the sound coming from the street, but we weren't bother by it at all.
Clyde Common - Loud/fun atmosphere if your with friends. I wouldn't come here for a date or with kids. They have long dining tables that you share with strangers which was fine. I like my pasta dish, but my friend's fish was cook too salty.
Stumptown Coffee - I came here every morning for my latte and love it. If you love coffee and in portland you should diffidently stop by. -
Review from michelle D.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012
I love the location and quirk of this Hotel. It's cute and the execution is well done.
My only complaint would be that the bathroom in our room (which we paid extra for) had this weird sliding door and was not really set up for ventilation. So once someone used the toilet, the entire room would get stinky. There was no air freshener to compensate.
Despite this, I'd come back for more. -
Review from Christina S.
Costa Mesa, CA
11/19/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Portland ACE has been the third of the small boutique hotel chain that I have stayed at. Seattle, Palm Springs and now Portland. It still exudes that same industrial vibe as the others a tad rugged which I love. We came here for my birthday and upon one of my friends finding out we were coming we were giving a upgrade (friend obviously works at another ACE) anyhoo. Walking into our sweet suite was a nice happy birthday greeting card and a bottle of wine! The ACE team really go out of their way t make your stay AMAZING!
We had a rad corner room on the fourth floor with a great view. The shower was AMAZING and as always the beds were super comfy. The living area was cozy. After a long day we came back to relax on the sofa read our books form Powells and listen to records we had just picked up from Jack Pot Records. YUP, they have records players here with records that you can play. We had our own little flat for the five days that we were here. Located near everything in the Pearl District. Great food, coffee shops, theaters shopping etc. It's a great location.
Note, if you are like me and need coffee in the morning just so you know the ACE Hotels do not have coffee makers in the room but there is always a restaurant attached or for example this one has Stumptown Coffee Roasters attached to the ACE. One can always phone room service to place an order fr a carafe of coffee (this location doesn't deliver it in a French Press like the Palm Springs location) I found it much easier and quicker to just run down to the actual coffee shop where you can pick up coffee which all of the coffee (if you order like a drip) is French Pressed.
The restaurant Clyde Common is great too! The bar yields so great cocktails that are well made and reasonable. Plus this place was insanely busy so that is always a good sign.
If you are looking for a fun place to stay in a good area and one that is a boutique hotel I highly recommend the ACE. Next one on my list is New York!
Thank you ACE team and thank you Chief Craig (Palm Springs) -
Review from Niousha M.
San Diego, CA
1/22/2012
very adorable when you walk in, clean, sleek, has that feel of san francisco
I had a "standard back" room which was very quiet, with bathroom and shower INSIDE the room
Pros
- clean room
- clawfoot tub
- nice fancy products for hair
- free wifi
- friendly staff
- in the middle of downtown portland, a block to powells bookstoore, 3-4 blocks from yummy food trucks
- you can unload your luggage from your car or cab at the spot in front
- about 3-5 mins to the closest freeway
- good price for hotel room
Cons
- parking cost 25 dollars. I did NOT get this because it was in a lot and also was 3 blocks from the hotel. What I did instead was park on the street which is FREE after 7 PM until 8 AM the next morning, and there is plenty of street parking around within 3 blocks of the place. -
Review from Erin W.
10/23/2011 5 photos
Hipster to the hilt but such a great ride. For under $100/night, you can get a great room in the heart of the Pearl District. I shamelessly judge a hotel by its toiletries...the Ace measured up with delicious cilantro conditioner and soap. The fact that the bathroom is down the hall (and yes, thus communal) was the only reason I went with 4 rather than 5 stars.
The highlights of my two nights at the Ace (and thus why I think you should stay there on your next trip to Portland):
-Free bikes for rent (and Portland has got to be the most bike-friendly city ever)
-Delicious European style breakfast for $8, set up in a converted lodging room (smoked trout, whole grain bread, greek yogurt, nuts, dried fruit, Stumptown coffee)
-Friendly staff
-Free wi-fi
-An old-school photo booth in the lobby
-Stumptown coffee shop adjacent to the lobby
-Clyde Common's tempting small plates and intoxicating mixed drinks
Need I say more to convince you? -
Review from Daniel B.
8/24/2011
Upon entering the room, I was kind of amazed at how they managed to make it both look so chop-shop interesting while at the same time be so user-unfriendly.
The 'bed' in my room was stuck into an alcove. It's probably a misnomer to refer to it as an actual 'bed'... let's just call it the "shitty mattress that was plopped on the floor".
A giant photo-realistic picture of a cat stared at me from across the room replacing my calm serene thoughts with violent destruction.
I couldn't figure out the bathtub / shower thing. It was so damn confusing. When I finally figured out how to make water come out of the faucet, I almost lost my balance and humpty-dumpty'd. The trauma scared me away from the contraption for the better part of my stay. In retrospect, I guess that this eventually helped me fit in with the kinda-filthy-hipster aesthetic that permeates part of Portland. Perhaps it's an intentional touch?
I remained dirty and returned to essentially lie on the floor in the sleeping alcove as I fuddled to find a spot in physical space where the wifi properly functioned. Failing this, I flipped on the tiny television and watched six month old re-runs of "The View".
How hip. How cool. -
Review from June Y.
Oh, Ace Hotel: I had such high expectations of you... you coulda been a contendah...
The entrance to Ace Hotel has a step. From the sidewalk, one must step up to enter the lobby. It's highly annoying and very inconvenient. Annoying and inconvenient will be the theme of this review.
Let's start with that step. I understand that stairs are necessary to reach an elevated surface. It's not like there's a set of stairs - it's a step. One. Step. It IS a hotel, isn't it? Don't people come here with luggage that have wheels on them? Yes, everyone can lift the luggage the five inches it takes to reach, but after traveling for hours on end, on planes and trains, those five inches sure feels like five feet. Plus, what do people in wheelchairs do? It's mostly an annoyance - not a detrimental factor to my 2-star rating.
The elevator is old and slow. There's a small plaque in it that says "Take the stairs... you would have been there already" (or something like that). Mind you, when I ascended/descended alone, I took the stairs the entire duration because we were on the 2nd floor. But when a pregnant woman (my wife) demands elevators, elevators it was. I felt it was a bit snarky how that plaque was staring me in the face. Again, what do people in wheelchairs or crutches do? Are they to ride the elevators (because they have no other choice) and be subjected to the same snarkiness?
Then we got to our room.
From the pictures (on yelp, TripAdvisor, etc), it looked like every room had some sort of a cool art piece or a quote or a mural on the wall. Naturally, I was a bit excited to see what awesome artwork was waiting for us behind the door number 216.
Nothing. We didn't have a wall art. We had a painting that was hanging on the wall instead. No wall art, no quote. Naturally, ask for another room if you get 216.
Ok fine. We don't need wall art - we're only staying two nights. We unpacked, look at eacher, smiled, and jumped onto the bed.
That was a mistake.
JUMPING ONTO a single-mattress bed that was as hard as Bruce Lee's fists hurt. It hurt very much. It felt like my whole body was punched by Bruce Lee. The bed looks very contemporary - it's one of those fancy beds that don't have a box spring underneath the mattress. It may be cool and hip, but it was uncomfortable as hell. Next morning, we both woke up with sores and pains all over our bodies. The morning after was even worse.
Another reason to not have room 216 - there is a freakin' lamp post RIGHT OUTSIDE THE WINDOW. When nighttime came, we looked at the window shade to block out the lights from outside. The shade closes up (you pull the string down, the string loops over a wheel, and pulls up the roll-up shade. Even when closed, there's a gap between the window frame and the shade. The street lamp (that had two lights on it) was SO bright, that the bright orange light illuminated the gaps between the shade and the window frame. For the first few hours, we could not fall asleep because we could not ignore the giant orange rectangle that was staring at our faces (the window was placed at the foot of the bed).
The shower was ok. My wife and I enjoy a massive shower pressure at home, so it felt like we were showering under a light sprinkle. The toilet was ok. It worked. The wifi was ok. I particularly enjoyed pushing the big red "INTERNET" button on my iPad (and any other device that connects to its routers).
I'm sure you can see the tiny sink at the corner of the room. It's placed just low enough that it's a bit difficult to reach the bowl. The water spout comes up (quite high) and loops back down towards the bowl. Problem was, as I washed my face, I would head-butt the water spout every time I put my head down. Very very annoying.
The people here, however, are awesome. Very helpful, nice, and attentive. Holding our luggage between our check-out time and our flight was no problem. Asking for additional towels was not a hassle. Checking in and checking out was as smooth as butter.
Sigh. Ace Hotel is cool for embracing the whole "save the planet, reuse everything" thing. The trashcan in the bathroom was an old paint can. The toilet paper rack was made from piping and L-elbows. The "desk" (a long counter, actually) was a piece of lumber sourced from somewhere. But there comes a point where all the inconveniences and annoyances overwhelm the comfort of the guests. My wife and I are probably too old to appreciate all the crunchy goodness Ace Hotel has to offer. Every aspect of our stay here was either inconvenient or annoying.
Two stars for its excellent people and its recycling/reusing philosophy. As a viable hotel to stay a few nights, I won't be coming back.Listed in: Tourist's Seattle / Portland
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Review from Shalin D.
8/13/2011
A couple of things you should know about the Ace before you book a room:
1. In the hallways and lobby, you're as likely to see a skater with tats as a gay couple with matching polo shirts.
2. The reception desk is manned by art school drop-outs who are better looking and better dressed than you. They're a little bitchy but that's only creativity churning inside.
3. Ace does Macs. What's a PC?
4. The photo booth in the lobby is neither ironic nor an amenity. Use with caution.
5. Stumptown Roasters is a great place for a cup of joe. Ignore the artsy types clicking away on their Macs and opt for some excellent people watching outside the window.
6. Forget your Kindle. Get the real thing across the street at Powell's Books.
7. If you're strapped for cash, get the double room with a sink for $90. Yeah, you have to use the communal shower down the hall but that's fine. The Malin & Goetz toiletries more than make up for the fact that you're walking around in someone else's pubic hair.
8. Other toiletries you can stash away in your luggage? Soap on a rope. 'Nuff said.
9. It's true: the floors are creaky and the hallways are eerily lit. Just pretend it's the hotel in The Shining. Except, instead of Jack Nicholson, you get aged hipsters.
10. Yes, that IS Vampire Weekend that's coming from the room next door. -
Review from Leah B.
my husband and I stayed here this weekend for a quick trip to Portland.
thankfully our room was covered for us by a friend, we just paid for the extras. I wasn't too happy with the $25/night parking cost though.
the perks of this place is it's charming hipster-ness. It's decorated nicely, the rooms are cute, there's free wifi, the staff is friendly, and it's located in a great spot for you to walk to almost anything touristy.
warning -the elevator is SLOW. There's a nice sign once inside the elevator that says "if you took the stairs, you'd be there already". (THEY'RE NOT LYING). also, I wasn't happy with their pillows. I have no idea what is inside those lumps of strange-ness, but they weren't comfy at all.
all in all, the Ace was fun to try for one night. -
Review from Tonya P.
Charlotte, NC
8/1/2011
There are many reasons, why I love the Ace Hotel.
Decor
Freakin photo booth in lobby
Stumptown coffee shop right beside it!
Great toiletries, a baby soap on a rope!
The rooms have books, televisions, plenty of space for your laptop.
Comfy beds.
But most of all the- Dan at the front desk, his restaurant suggestions were spot on and he took music request while I was checking in. Now this is service. And did I mention the best reason, reasonably priced. You can't beat that with a stick. -
Review from Vandana M.
Oakland, CA
9/30/2011
When visiting the hipster capital of the world, you've got to stay at the hipster-est hotel, right?
Ace is very funky and all the rooms are unique. I definitely felt at first like I wasn't cool enough to be staying there, but I got into the vibe after a bit. It reminded me of a fancy hostel, especially because some of the rooms don't have showers or tubs.
Fun experience overall, and I'm curious to see what some of the other rooms are like. Ours had a bed on the floor and a toilet with a sliding door that opened up about two feet from the bed. Tres romantic :) -
Review from Renee S.
10/1/2011
I stayed here last year with my boyfriend. We were mostly just spending a few days in Portland and travelling around Seattle to prepare for our move for this summer. We stayed at a cool hipster hotel in Seattle so it was also kind of a comparison of the two cities. Now that I live just outside Portland my perspective has changed somewhat. Anyways,
Ace is in a great location if you are just visiting Portland, or if you would like to spend the weekend in town getting drunk or whatever you choose to do. When you first walk into the Ace you will be wowwed by the simple yet unique decor. It is trendy, but also oddly normal. There is a cool photo booth, maybe some old vintage bicycles (which might have been someone's bikes for all I know) and a cool area to drink coffee, read, use the computer, etc.
The room was pretty neat, it had a poem hand-painted on the wall (mural style) called the Oregonian Gentlemen, and not only did it make me feel like Portland had more character at the time (as I knew very little of Oregon at the time), but it was cool knowing that every room had its own special touches. The soap was nice, but the bed and the bathroom weren't anything spectacular.
The reason I gave the ACE four stars is because for the price, the location, and the decor you can have an awesome experience in the heart of Portland. Can't wait to stay here again...hint hint significant other..
OH and BTW kenny and zuke's [sandwiches with a twist] is just up the street, highly recommend, as well as Jake's [seafood] (but only for happy hour, appetizers ranging from $1-$4 I think it was, and all you have to do is buy one drink (alcoholic or no).. so if you do stay at ACE hit those up. just saying.. -
Review from Ryan K.
Huntington Beach, CA
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Okay the ace is the ACE, its got its thing... Every time i come to PDX i stay here. Its in a easy part of town. its got a great vibe. and the rooms are cool.
PROS:
You feel cool staying here because of the old building and vintage/crafty decor. There are hip 20 something wondering around. films crews in the lobby. They have bike to rent, which i think is the best way to see portland. If you stay get a bike ride around town, it suck a bike friendly city... the people at the front are super nice.
The rooms are really cool looking, i've stayed in the Standard Back and the Junior Deluxe, i recommend kicking down the extra cash for the Junior Deluxe it is a much nicer room, it feels less like a dorm room, more like a hip hotel.
CONS:
The bed and pillows. Both times i've stayed i've hated the mattress, its not uncomfortable its just not comfortable, it basically feels like a button mattress. I hope they dump them for something nicer one day, the Palm Springs beds are WAY nicer, i want those. Thats really my only complaint, that and bring eye mask cause you can't block the sun (summer months) in the bathroom of the JD room. Wait wait almost forgot no room service. I love room service, so i wish they had something, the coffee room service is nice, but real room service would be much better, i'd imagine the chef of clyde common could pull that off.
In short, if they would just get better mattresses and get rooms service i'd be a 5 star hotel in my opinion.Listed in: PDX Yumminess
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Review from Joshua C.
7/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ace Hotel Portland is very Portland. And by "Portland" I mean weird. In a good way. This isn't your typical hotel and that is something you need to know before making your reservations. Ace Hotel is very minimal in it's aesthetic. Think military barracks meets garage sale meets boutique hotel. I mean this in a good way.
The first room we stayed in was an "upgrade" and it was very unique. Unique in the sense that once you open the door to the room you almost step into the shower. A shower that has a window with no curtain and looks out into some buildings across the way (voyeuristic much?). The toilet and sink were separate from the shower. The room was comfortable, despite the weird layout.
Some FYI's for potential visitors: they have a "European" style breakfast every morning for $8 that includes things like fruit, pastries, charcuterie, cheese, Stumptown coffee, tea, yogurt, etc. It's convenient if you need a little something to hold you over before you head out. I love that Stumptown and Clyde Common are just downstairs. Stumptown has good coffee and Clyde Common has a great happy hour.
The staff were hit and miss. Some were very nice while others were just whatever. The thing about Ace Hotel is the rates are pretty affordable, the rooms quirky, but don't expect a full service hotel. If you aren't a high maintenance traveler, the Ace Hotel is the place for you.
P.S. I didn't opt for the parking that the hotel provides (at a cost) and just parked on the streets. It's metered, but it's free between 7pm (?) and 8 am, which worked out for us because we arrived later and left early. -
Review from Alexis L.
New York, NY
12/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Location, location, location. The rooms are ok, not great but given the price I won't complain. Oh and the coffee downstairs at Stumptown is just how I like it.
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Review from Hannah K.
Portland, OR
7/18/2011
No. Would not recommend.
Creaky old floors, needs updating, not worth the price. I regrettably recommended to a friend coming in from Seattle and was very disappointed. It was slightly creepy and didn't seem clean. The fact that you have to request or share a bathroom also made it *not* worth more stars. My friend also accidentally locked himself out that night and the front-desk clerk had the nerve to lecture him about locking himself out and demanded an ID before letting us back in. So obviously the regular clientele is sub-par. This hotel is "roughing-it" to say the least.
$140/night is a ripoff if you have standards. It ain't The Plaza. -
Review from Tiffany N.
Denver, CO
Updated - 2/17/2011 14 Check-ins Here
If I secretly liked country music I would perhaps be humming Shania Twain's "You're Still the One" while writing this review. But, since I will neither confirm nor deny my feelings about country music you'll just have to wonder if I am thinking of that song or not. Either way, Ace Hotel in Portland is still in my favorites for hotels.
Again, it's more like staying at a friend's house than at a hotel, but I still like that.
On my most recent visit I had the opportunity to use the Ace's meeting space and it's definitely got the same feel. The spot we used was a long, narrow room that can hold about 15 people. They do breakfast and lunch catering if you'd like. Since we were so close to the food cart pods we opted out of lunch, but did get breakfast everyday. That included Stumptown coffee, a crowd pleaser if I ever saw one, and a variety of things you could choose such as standard breakfast that served eggs, toast, potatoes, and your choice of breakfast meats, or an English breakfast with cheese, boiled eggs, crisps, salmon and other things. Each day our choices were awesome and they came with honey crisp apples too - one of my favorite varieties of apple.
I couldn't ask for more pleasant staff to work with - both at the hotel and in planning the event for the meeting space so I guess the Ace is still aces in my book.Listed in: Hotels Around the United…, Portland Travels
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7/20/2010
I can't help myself from saying the groan-worthy phrase the Ace Hotel is aces in my book. But, now… Read more »
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Review from Vivek S.
2/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Damnit. A hotel that's cooler than I am. Everything is positively sopping with cool: that goes for the staff, the bedding, the framed instructions on where to leave your used towels, the killer clock radio, the high ceilinged rooms, the Helvetica-drenched shampoo bottles, even the stamped aluminum plates announcing stair landings as half-floors. It all made me feel like I was 49 and wearing a fanny pack and inquiring about that "new" band called The Decemberists. "I like that one about the whale!"
Anyway ze hotel is situated in a happening part of town, in view of Powell's Books and a 90 second walk to amazing food carts. There is a Stumptown Coffee Roasters adjacent to the lobby, which is genius, frankly. The Clyde Common restaurant next door also has some ridiculous (i.e., delicious) cocktails at ridiculous (i.e., low) prices during happy hour. If you are even remotely awesome (i.e., somewhat creative and nerdy), this hotel will reach into your heart like the warming gaze of a cute Portlandian lass (in bold-framed glasses). When I saw a copy of Philip Glass' Glassworks in the lobby, I thought I was going to koya my nisqaatsi. (Wow, that was LAME.)
But it's not all glass and candy: cute though this hotel may be, the "prison style" charm of a separate WC and a tiny sink in the corner wears off after two days. My room was a bit cold (the thin, but adorable, blanket didn't help much) so I had to crank the heat. And I'd probably hesitate to recommend this spot to business travellers; the wifi (while free) was iffy for the duration of my stay and the lobby is more conducive to maxin' (and relaxin') than opening up a laptop and catching up. It's impossible to work in your room. It's more of a studio apartment in there.
Having said that, I want to stay here again, and probably will on my next visit to PDX. (I'm gonna request a record player that time though. And perhaps an LP of Einstein on the Beach if they have it.)
Obligatory Title Pun: This hotel is the ACE up your sleeve!
Menu Readability: I'd guess as much time and effort went into the graphic design of this hotel as did the Manhattan Project.
Need to mention: Dandy's rule, OK?
What this place teaches me about myself: I just outed my Philip Glass love in a seriously bad way.Listed in: Portlandia
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Review from Anton Z.
8/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's so Portland its birds have birds on them. First time we went to Portland we stayed up the street, and while this was fine we wanted to try something better. My partner introduced me to the idea of the Ace Hotel with the preface that it might be "almost too indy" for me.
My first impression when I got there was one of delight at the dark wood, metal finishes, and the Stumptown Coffee IN THE LOBBY!! The place just kept getting better from there :)
Our room, a "junior deluxe", was in the corner of the building, and allowed us a fun view of the street and local scene. The room was spacious, and had a huge black and white eagle posted on the wall. Though it didn't have a tub, the large shower was big enough for two (we tried). The desk, sideboards, and metal spotlight brought the decoration together and made me finally solidify what I wanted my living room to look like.
Service was also fantastic! The front desk staff was helpful and responsive (quickly sending up a spare pillow for me). The housekeeping staff was also friendly and accommodating, and were understanding as I came in and out from my sojourns to and from the bookstore.
I'm planning on going back to Portland sooner rather than later...and I'm SO glad to get to stay at the Ace Hotel again. -
Review from Gary C.
San Francisco, CA
7/6/2011 7 photos
The Ace might be better named the "Deuce," as in "dropping a deuce." The combination of KOA and Home Depot results in an interesting decor yielding the magic of paint-can trash bins, dead insect residue in the roll-down blinds (which while in plain view for the three days we were there wasn't cleaned), and a bed resulting in a night's sleep so painful they should place ibuprofen vending machines next to the bed. The shower curtains, ever so slightly off the floor, offer a slimy embrace as they cling to your legs tighter than a humping dog. The walls, viewed in the reflection of the setting sun, reveal what might well be the detritus of so many evenings of mis-aimed semen and boogers. The grime on the bottles of body gel and shampoo may even have you considering the charms of the "French hygiene."
So, the one star is earned. The photo booth, a big attraction here, worked for one of the three days we stayed here! There is no gym. There are turntables in the room. They're locked down (Plastic lock on the dust cover so they can't be opened) and the bundle of records are tied together with twine...no doubt purchased from the local Home Depot. There is no coffee pot in the room. (I'm sure they justify this by having an - excellent - coffee shop in the lobby but sometimes I want coffee without having to go out.) They did, however, make up the room during the day. Ooops. Just had a spasm due to the shoulder pain from sleeping on the bed.
Look, I do want to say the staff at the desk was very nice and helpful. Good folks. The location is terrific and the restaurant next door is very good. But the room (and I had one of the best ones) was just a disaster. Be forewarned. Wifi is free. Rates ($230/night) were reasonable.
1.5 stars -
Review from Monica S.
2/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
This den of aesthetic pleasure is sure to satisfy anyone with a eye for good design, inspiring art and brand perfection. Ace, like no other hotel I've stayed at understands and identifies with fringe art and minimalist taste. The low bed, the wall mural inside my studio-like room, the clean black and white theme and the pedestal sink remind me that I'm not home.
It feels like the only thing missing from this kissable room is a white claw foot bath and the gentlemanly butler. Apparently, depending on your room, this option exists! Having now stayed at this location and their NYC outpost, I must say, the Ace has a knack for reflecting the tastes of its location. Where the NYC hotel feels fit for every successful rock band out there, the Portland location feels a bit less opulent. Nevertheless, when I'm away from my bed, I want all my dreams to happen at the Ace.Listed in: Portland Oh Portland
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Review from Crystal H.
2/17/2011 6 Check-ins Here
As I sat surfing the free wi-fi in the comfy lobby, there's flannel peaking out from behind the curtain in the photo booth, converse-clad, coffee sipping locals discuss how to make a perfect risotto, and the candlelight at Clyde Common fractures the light through the many spirits behind the bar. And that's just one peak around... now on to the rest of my time spent working and playing at the Ace this week.
While I may have been jealous of Tiffany C's suite (complete with turntable, clawfoot tub, extra big sectional sofa, and wine fridge, I couldn't complain about my own room with the "high school" white tiled shower and "From our Friends in Canada" hooded housecoats. But how much time would you want to spend in your room when there is so much room to sprawl in the lobby or on the mezzanine level, sipping on Stumptown and planning a Portlandia day - perhaps with bike rentals from the lobby?
The slow-and-barely-steady elevator made taking the stairs a more viable option - thanks for helping me work off all of the delectable PDX food running up and down.
Oh, and a pretty bow on top that made my stay extra special: the Valentine's Day card making workshop held at the Cleaners. You sure know how to make guests (and Portland) feel special - right down to the live musicians, mimosas, button making and photographer on site. -
Review from Abby S.
2/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
How cool is the Ace Hotel? I've never seen anything like it and I've stayed in my fair share of hotels... OK, that sounded really bad. It's not what you think :)
As many have mentioned, this doesn't really feel like a hotel. With its corner sink, claw foot tub and original artwork in each room, it does remind me of a studio apartment. One that's way more hip than mine. Although I didn't get a cool record player in my room like Tiffany N - 'cause that would have been even better...
Not sure how they manage it, but the staff matches the hipster decor like a design magazine. But these are nice, helpful hipsters. Not the ones that look at you with disdain if you don't own a pair of giant plastic framed glasses or sport an ironic 'stache.
Definitely a unique spot to stay in Portland. Check it out!Listed in: 5-star Service, Hipster Chic, Accommodations, Portlandia
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Review from Alex L.
2/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ace is the place! Wait, that's the slogan for a different company. I can't imagine John Madden barreling through the hallways of the Ace Hotel and talking it up in the same way that made the Ace hardware stores famous.
The Ace Hotel is small, cozy, quaint and completely original. When I stay at an older hotel that has been revitalized for the modern day traveler, I expect it be unique. The Ace is certainly that. My room was cozy. The bathroom was literally a water closet with a large wooden door. The whole bathroom area was impeccably clean.
I took sleeping pills, but I had a restful couple weekday nights with little or no outside noise to distract me. -
Review from Don B.
1/6/2011 23 Check-ins Here
I love the Ace. Everything about it Screams Portland. It's hip, urban, welcoming, comfortable, and amenable, all in one. I recommend this to anyone I know looking for a unique place to crash in town, or even those looking for a spot to post up and get some work done.
The rooms at the ace are all different, and appointed as you might find a friend's hip urban flat. As others have described, staying here is a lot like using an amigo's pad when they're out of town. Many of the rooms have record players and nice bathrooms. I've seen intriguing design, excellent art, and even some claw foot tubs in some of the rooms. While I've never actually stayed here, I've visited, and kicked it, in numerous rooms, all unique.
But what I really love about this Ace is the lobby. The hotel policy is that locals are welcome, nay encouraged, to come hang out. They have blazing fast wifi, an in-house Stumptown with tasty Nuvrei pastries, and should you need a full meal or cocktails, Clyde Common and their stellar bar sits just a ramp away next door. Of course, Kenny and Zuke's is in the building too (although no officially attached to the Ace), and they make a mean pastrami. They also sport a mezzanine area that's a sweet refuge for hanging out and getting some serious work done. I'm a fixture here (currently the Duke of the place) when I'm in-between meetings downtown.
Where the Ace really wins is on the finishing touches, though. Quality snacks for sale in the room mini bar (not just the usual name brand junk food), record players with free records to check out, bikes for loan in the lobby, and all sorts of other finishing touches that make a stay here extra special. It's the attention to detail that drives it home for me and would get me to pay the extra cash.
If you're savvy (and flexible), you can definitely get some great deals on staying here. I've had friends score suites for as low as $99/night, which for this location and quality, is a steal and a half.
And I can't say how impressed I am that as a local I'm more than welcome to come make use of the wifi and enjoy the lobby. They say it adds a distinctly "Portland" feel to the lobby, and I couldn't agree more. With how welcoming this town is, why shouldn't it extend into the lobby one one's hotel? -
Review from Owen D.
San Rafael, CA
12/13/2011
I checked in a few hours ago, still have not spent the night, so if something horrible happens I will post again, but at the moment this place is great!
If you are someone who is bothered by hipness, then look somewhere else--this place is HIP. But, if you want to stay somewhere that feels like it is run by people who are tuned into the culture, who work hard to make a place where you feel comfortable enjoying the niceties of life without paying excessively for it, and who are good at doing it, I recommend the Ace Portland.
The shared showers are magnificent. I anticipate some congestion in the morning, as there don't seem to be a lot of them on the floor, but the one I took tonight was glorious. Just turn up the thermostat first (remember to turn down when you leave) and let the water get good and hot.
Great Irish coffee at the restaurant bar. -
Review from Jennifer C.
Sacramento, CA
8/2/2011
This hotel was exactly what I expected it to be. I wanted to try something other than the standard hotel room. It was very different and cool.
I wouldn't recommend it for families - too loud and creaky. But I slept with ear plugs while my kids were lulled to sleep by the bar across the street.
Great location and centrally located. If I had to go back for business it would be my first pick. But wear the ear plugs!! -
Review from Christa A.
Portland, OR
12/16/2010 6 Check-ins Here
For us the appeal of the Hotel was the location. This is a GREAT spot to stay in Downtown. You have so much access to so many amazing things that Portland has to offer. We got a great deal so we booked here and after hearing so many great things about the Ace we were really excited.
Checking in was easy breezy and right away we were impressed with the look and feel of the hotel and our room. We were here for 5 days and it was easy to make our room feel like a little studio apartment and we settled in quite nicely.
We stayed on the noisy side of the hotel because we had a cool view of the hustle and bustle. However you must be warned that the trash dude or dudette comes down Stark at 5 am and you will be woken up to what sounds like sleigh bells but really it is just 3982781749384 glass bottles from the bars across the way. Which I guess could be the sound of sleight bells to some but the bed is so damn comfortable that you should be able to fall right back asleep.
Here is another tip that I feel is really important to mention. If you are a couple or just even a couple of friends staying in one room with a bathroom/tub/shower deal make sure you guys are SUPER close or best buds because by the end of your trip you will be VERY VERY intimate. I am talking about "I know what you do in the shower and how you sound on the john" intimate. It was no big deal to us but I could see how that could be quite awkward for a couples first trip together.
Stay here if you want something different and are down with having Stumptown coffee and Clyde Common at your service.Listed in: Stumptown Stuff
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Review from Kristen F.
Montgomeryville, PA
3/4/2012
The best part about the Ace is their staff and the wonderful smell of coffee that comes from Stumptown in the shared lobby. It also has a great location to many cool places to visit. They also have free Wi-Fi. If you aren't a hipster, you won't enjoy yourself. They took an old hotel and tried to renovate it to a "modern" style. For the price we paid, we expected a bit more. The mattress was just plopped on the ground. The large pad behind the mattress or what I guess you could call it a "head board" had questionable stains on it. The toilet was built into an alcove that had a sliding piece of wood that was the door, all of which was at the foot of the "bed". The light for the toilet was by the entrance to the room. The shower had a window in it where I could definitely see construction workers working on the building next to it. The whole time we were there, my husband and I kept quoting the Sklar brothers from their skit about Hip Hotels. http://www.myxer.com/m... . "It's so hip that it DARES you to call it a sh*tty hotel".
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Review from Kate S.
San Francisco, CA
11/30/2010
I wanted to like this place. I really did. I even stuck up for it when my co-workers clowned it. So...kudos to whoever is managing the Ace Hotel brand - you're doing your job.
And I'll start with the stuff I like, because even though my experience was not great, I still WANT to like this place. So...the clawfoot tub is awesome. malin + goetz toiletries are rad. The lobby decor is hip and comfortable. The location is ideal. The bed is small but comfortable.
But if you want to actually get some sleep in this hotel, do not stay in the "front" rooms. I was excited about my free upgrade when I checked in - I specifically read on the website that the standard back were much quieter than the front, so I booked the back. When I checked into my corner front room, I was excited about my view and size of the room, but WOW - that was a loud room. I gave it about 3 hours, and at 12:30am I finally moved rooms.
It's important to note that this place is all about super-minimal decor and nods to "charming hostel-like," if that style even exists - so as long as you expect a no-frills hotel, you won't be suprised. But it's kind of a bummer that your choices are a crazy noisy room with a view or quick back room that feels like you're in a bunker.
I hate to snob out - I really do - but I think I'm at The Nines next time. -
Review from Dan K.
Chicago, IL
5/9/2011
It's true, the place is hipster. Although it's not hipster rates. So I dunno how many hipsters actually afford to stay here. To quote another review, the mezzanine lounge area as well as the lobby are filled with people on their mac's, faces dimly lit with their screens as they surf off the wifi. It's all true.
So I have black frame glasses and ride a fixie, and have a mac. Warning, this is a biased review.
If you're not fixated on the whole hipster thing, the place is actually pretty wonderful. I've stayed at other Ace's and this one is my favorite so far. I had one of the premium corner rooms on the 4th floor facing the front of the building, about 600 sq feet, with a wrap around sofa, stand-in shower and big bed. I may have just been lucky, but it was not noisy, the bed was comfortable, the room was clean. The location is fantastic. I stayed for about 4 nights.
There are 2 establishments that are connected to the Ace.
Clyde Commons deserves it's own review.
And so does Stumptown.
One complaint..the shower head sucks. It's a bit hard to explain. It's not that it's weak, it's that its mounted high up on the wall, so that by the time the water hit's your body the spacing between the streams of water is too far apart that, I dunno, it's not to my liking. Maybe I'm just short. I don't feel I need to divulge my height for a hotel review, but I have to say I'm pretty average in height. Also the shower curtain sucks. It's got magnet weights at the bottom, but the curtain moves as if there's a summer breeze coming thru as you're taking a shower. It's much more annoying than it sounds. I would have much rather had a tub, which I think they do, but it's a different corner room.
