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74 reviews for Hotel Monaco
This is pretty much the best hotel I have ever stayed in. We pulled into the garage and dropped the car off at the valet which was overly cheery for 11pm on a Friday night. Check in was quick, painless and yet again cheery.
The room setup seemed a little awkward but nothing that bothered me in the end. Large comfy bed was excellent after the road trip from Seattle. The valets were pretty awesome, every time we left they asked if we needed directions and knew how to get everywhere we needed to go. The one that we dropped our car off to on Saturday night was a bit distracted by what appeared to be his girlfriend but that was the only hiccup in service we experienced.
-1 star for needing better insulation on the windows. We stayed on the 8th floor and could easily hear street noise. Luckily I brought ear plugs and remedied the situation.
Otherwise our stay was excellent. Maybe even a bit to fancy. I'd stay again if I got another excellent deal.
Great hotel. Decorated really cool, staff was very friendly. Loved the fact that the entire hotel was dog friendly (except for the super plush suites and the ones they keep free for allergy folks). A lot of hotels only allow dogs under 25 lbs, but I'd say those were definitely in the minority here.
Loved that they did a free wine/beer reception in the evening (even had a few non-alcoholic selections), and all the donations, if you wanted to give them, went towards Guide Dogs for the Blind. Not sure if that's a rotating charity, but thought it was a great idea!
Comfy beds, great shower, great black out curtains, so no light came in. It was also extremely quiet, especially considering there were so many dogs around. Never heard the elevator ding once (we were located right near it), or any dogs barking from the rooms.
Two complaints: toilet paper needs some improving. So rough. I almost went and bought my own. The other, $31 dollars for overnight parking. I actually booked through Orbitz, and chose this hotel because they advertised free valet parking...I don't really care about valet, I care about cheap/free parking! I confused the two, so my fault, but had I known it was so much, I might have stayed elsewhere. It was 1/3 of the cost of the room!
I'd stay again, but probably search for a cheaper garage to park for the night. I don't mind walking to save a few bucks!
Nice hotel and a great rate made our one night get-a-way even better. We had a corner suite with large window. Was fun to stay it this hotel again and I enjoy it even more now that it is a Kimpton Hotel.
It also makes me smile a bit to think of it as the old Lipman Wolfe Department store that my great grandfather started and the little salute to cinnamon bear and the other touches that reflect the buildings past.
We weren't really sure what to expect on our weekend getaway. We brought along our extremely timid 55 lb brown dog for his first hotel stay. This place was amazing and very dog friendly. Granted the decorations are very unqiue, the service is off the charts. Upon arrival, we were upgraded to a king suite. Waiting in our room there was a dog bed with treats and toys. In the mornings, they offered complimentary continental breakfast and in the evenings, there was a lovely wine and beer reception in the lobby. The staff was very warm and friendly, and I actually felt like they took the time to get to know the guests and their dogs!
I've stayed at the Ace a number of times while in Portland and figured it was final time to give a new place a try. The Hotel Monaco is a little cheaper then the Ace especially for the extras you get. Like, daily free drinks in the lobby, a work room and a parking garage. The rooms are on the smaller side but that doesn't matter I don't spend much time in the room when I'm on vacation. The place is clean and they have a good staff. Great location downtown, worth staying in if your visiting.
I travel to Portland around twice a month and have stayed at many different hotels in downtown Portland, but this is by far my favorite. The service is excellent and the rooms are spacious. If you're a Kimpton rewards member, there's a good chance they'll upgrade you to a suite too. Also, I find their rewards program a tad easier to get free stays than the other chains. The only downside is it's mandatory valet parking for $33/night, but I think that's pretty standard in most of downtown Portland.
I was pleasantly surprised by this hotel. Nice central portland loaction. Helpful staff, nice doorman, beutiful decor, quick check in, wine happy hour, AMAZING GYM! (:
Got an awesome corner room! I would love to stay here again.
Me and my sweetie needed a little break from the hustle and bustle of our lives and decided on a train trip up to Portland to just chill for a few days. We hadn't spent much time in Portland, and decided on that location for no reason in particular. We booked the Monaco because of all the stellar reviews, and hoped we'd have a great experience.
Yay! We did!
EVERYTHING was fantastic just like the other reviews. The front reception was bright and cheery without being overly patronizing. Cullen (I wanted to take him home to marry my daughter), the bellman, or doorman (depending on which day) was so cool and helpful. The conceirge, Allison was also on top of it! The housekeeping staff was right there if you needed anything and were quick to the draw.
We booked a corner king smoking room, but when we checked in they didin't have that room available. We were bummed, but they upgraded us to a king suite. We really wanted the extra wall of windows, but seriously, they were so nice about it, that it was fine.
We fell asleep watching an "on demand" movie (@ a pricey $16.99) and the next day asked if we could finish watching it and not get charged....they said 'no problem' and it wasn't. Most hotels would just say 'sorry not our problem' and charge you another $16.99!
We asked for a late check out and they gave us until til 1:00, but when we found out our train was late and asked to push it to 2:00, again it was not a problem, in fact, they were really, really nice about it! All of the staff calls you by your formal name (kinda nice), are courtious, helpful and just really, really nice.
The wine reception is awesome...was great to run into guests that got to bring their dogs with them..kinda gave it a homey feel without lowering the fanciness.
The rooms were comfortable, if not a little funny with busy patterns. Loved the AVEDA products in bathroom, in room coffee, well stocked mini-bar (if you're a loyalty member they give you 2- $5. items for FREE!) and soft pillows and 2 TV's.
Overall GREAT experience....I wish all hotel stays were as pleasent. A BIG plus for out-of-towners not familiar with Portland like us, is that you can walk everywhere and it's safe to do so.
THANK YOU Monaco!!! We will be back to stay with you if ever in the area again! **Sign up for their loyalty program before booking to get a few perks..and they have a great train special where they pay for your cab ride back to the station (a cool $10. savings!)
This hotel provided the best service I have received in Portland. The staff was extremely accommodating, and although we reserved a regular room, they upgraded us to a grand suite! The furnishings were beautiful without being stuffy, and the place was clean and well appointed. They even had a goldfish named Alex waiting for us in the room. I recommend this hotel to anyone searching for a romantic getaway in the heart of Portland. We will be staying here again!
My wife and I had an exceptional experience during our recent stay for our anniversary. Great staff were all very friendly and helpful. The suite we stayed in was clean and comfy. I highly recommend the Hotel Monaco for anyone looking for a special stay in downtown PDX.
We stayed here while visiting family in Portland. Loved the decor and the wine reception and being close to the Red Star (where we dined twice while not enjoying meals at the home of family members).
The "painting room" was the initial draw for me as an artist but we never had time to try it out. I loved that the rooms were so richly decorated and featured original paintings...so totally refreshing compared to chain hotels. Will definitely visit here again when I have the opportunity in the future. Such fun, being immersed in the center of the energy of Downtown Portland....where I lived for many years while raising my family.
I can't say enough good things about this hotel. We got free valet parking through a special on Orbitz and my hotel room was only about $100 a night. When we got there, they bumped us to a king sized suite free of charge. The room had no teddy bear or goldfish, but we got a nice living room area, a fridge, a sleeper sofa, two TVs, a king sized bed with down comforter, a huge bathroom and Aveda toiletries. Other good things: hotel staff are really nice, they have free umbrellas and bicycles for use around downtown, there is free coffee and free wine-tasting during scheduled times, they allow dogs, and I believe we had free wifi. What more could you want in a hotel?
I love Kimpton Hotels and the PDX Monaco is among the nicest! I've stayed here at least 4 times. The rooms are pretty spacious and the decor is interesting and fun. The lobby with its tall fuscia walls and eclectic couches and lamps is gorgeous!
The staff is friendly and helpful. Nearly every time I leave the hotel, I'm asked if I need directions or suggestions. I love the complimentary wine & beer happy hour in the lobby every evening. I also appreciate the NYT delivered to my door every weekday and Saturday.
The only reason I'm not giving the Monaco a 5 star rating is because of its location. It's right downtown, on a busy and safe block. However, if you plan to spend most of your time in the Pearl or on Nob Hill, there are more conveniently located hotels (e.g. the Benson). Also, upon departure to the PDX airport recently, I was ripped off by one of the town car drivers recommended by the Monaco. I suppose that's not really their fault, but they are essentially endorsing anyone waiting outside their front door...
I stayed here during my last trip to Portland. I got the reservation off Hotwire for only $89 (plus tax/fees).
I enjoyed almost everything about the Hotel Monaco, except maybe not having Gayle with me (hence only 4 Stars). The hotel is well located in downtown Portland and every employee I interfaced with (door, desk, lounge, cleaning staff, etc.) was helpful and friendly. I enjoyed the afternoon wine reception in the afternoon and appreciated the free selection of 4 newspapers in the morning. The room was nicely appointed and had both a comfortable stuffed chair and bed.
In other words, it was a great experience and I really look forward to coming back!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/3/2009
Gayle and I walked all over Downtown Portland last Saturday. At one point we were talking about… Read more »
This place brought trendy L.A. to Portland. Situated perfectly in downtown, close to shopping, cafes, restaurants and nightlife. We like to walk as much as we can when we travel and if we opted to leave the rental, the hotel offers free bicycle rentals to hotel guests.
I love staying at boutique hotels that has character and history. i think most pay attention to detail in keeping up their standard and reputation. Checking in was a breeze, courteous all the way around from the valet guys to the door man. We were visiting for my graduation from grad school and had to have a 200 orchid lei refrigerated overnight. It seemed as if the entire place didn't have a fridge with enough space??? But, alas the front manager quickly came up to our room 10 min. later and found someplace to store it (and yes refrigerated). I also requested several copies of the Oregonian paper because our graduating class was published and that afternoon we couldn't find a copy anywhere. We asked the concierge and voila within minutes that night - we had copies dropped off at our door.
Nightly cocktail hour was a treat in the lobby. Got to meet some locals and a family from Huntington Beach (they drove) who seemed to exhausted from their arrival. The decor, comfort and courteous staff made this an A+ for us. I would definitely recommend this hotel and stay there again.
In general, I am a fan of Kimpton Properties but this one is a standout. Great room with whimisical decor, a stuffed bear on the /very/ comfortable bed, massage in the spa was wonderful, and as usual at a Kimpton every staff person was warm, friendly without being obsequious, and helpful. The hotel is well located, and valet service is extremely quick when you need your car. As a frequent business traveller, I prize Kimpton hotels because they never feel like hotels - no beige, no boring, no horrible furniture, never an indifferent staff person.
We had one small issue on this trip, which was the restaurant's selections for vegetarians (in a word, none, except a salad of lettuce only with dressing) because of something having gone out of season, &c. It was frustrating for me and for Mr. Vegetarian, especially because the waiter wasn't great in dealing with it, however - when I discussed it again at the front desk they immediately credited us back the entire cost of the meal and offered to send someone anywhere we wanted to get Mr. Vegetarian a proper lunch. So we're calling it a win.
This is my first time at a Kimpton hotel and the only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is due to the garbage trucks waking us up at 4am...but it really isn't the hotels fault that they are in a downtown district and that the windows don't keep all the traffic noise out.
As for service, 5 stars all the way. As for bed comfort - excellent. Amenities also score a 5. So next time I would probably stay there again, but not request a corner room - while light and bright with all the windows, it's just another way the noise to creep in. And while the government room rate is a steal, don't forget to factor in parking costs of $31 a day!
If you have a dog, this hotel is great. They can sleep in yer hotel room, under the covers, and spoon all night if you like that sort of thing. But...if you don't have a doggy poo and really want a 5 star joint this hotel isn't really it. I suppose I'm comparing it to Seattle's Hotel Monaco, which is super swankdified...but that was just me hoping for the same experience.
My dudesky and I take little getaways to Portland every once in awhile. So far we have stayed at Hotel Monaco, Hotel Modera and The Avalon, the latter two were better.
All that said, Monaco is near Veritable Quandary my all time favorite restaurant, it's also right down town near the mall (bleh, you're better off going boutique shopping), and bars if you want to party (most are meat markets for tourists).
The rooms are comfy and tiny, the basket of snacks is sorely overpriced yet highly intriguing (Peanut M&Ms what?). Man I wish they had a bigger tub, that's always excellent if you have your man (or woman) with ya.
Hey, Hotel Monaco- Eff you in the B.
Right above me as I type, there is a "promotion" code that says I can save 15-30% for multiple night bookings. I just called reservations and tried to book 3 nights and that promotion code is not valid. When I told the reservation specialist, Michael, that I heard great things about the Monaco through Yelp, he said, "Well, thats good to hear. I wish I could help you. All I can give you is the AAA rate of $161 a night."
Oh. Gee. Thats...so generous. I then pointed out other yelpers have gotten great deals and he told me to try to book through Hotwire.
I kindly asked again if he could go any lower seeing as that other yelpers have received great deals and he wouldn't budge. So, needless to say, the promotion code is bogus and I am going to book at the Ace.
Yeah, FACE, Hotel Monaco.
Oh, Kimpton hotels, and especially Hotel Monaco. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
1-The way you sneakily hide on http://hotwire.com as a four-star boutique hotel for a mere $72/night.
2-Your smabby front desk staff. They're freakin awesomely friendly and helpful. Plus, they don't put where they're from or something like that on their nametags, they put one of their fave musicians. And, you won't see anyone sporting "Puddle of Mudd" or "Beyonce" on their name tag...no. You'll see "Elliot Smith" and "Jimi Hendrix."
3-Your nightly happy hour. Not that I don't love all parts of you, Hotel Monaco, but I'm pretty sure I love your nightly happy hour the most. I love that you realize I feel the need to taste not only wine, but beer and martinis too. And I love that you know I consider an entire bottle of beer and full glasses of wine "tastes."
4-Doggies! Alas, we didn't bring crazy Charlie along on the trip, but there are dogs everywhere! I love it. They even have a dog on staff as "Director of Pet Relations," alas, he's only on duty Tuesday - Friday, so we didn't get to meet him.
5-Your style! You are one stylish mofo. The headboard on the bed is prety much one of the happiest things I've seen in awhile. But every nook and cranny of this hotel is so damn fashionable. You make me want to get married all over again, just so I can shoot my engagement photos here.
6-Those animal print robes. Rawr!
There you have it, six. Six ways I love Hotel Monaco. Guess I won't have to ask the wise old owl after all.
I just returned from a weekend in Portland at Hotel Monaco and I don't even know where to begin! The entire experience was top-notch! Everyone that we encountered was professional and helpful.
Before we even checked in, the concierge, Decoteau, was professional and amazing. She booked massages and even wrangled us an upgraded room! All via email. The room was amazing (HUGE) and the decor is great. The TV's are awesome (flat panel) and the beds are super comfy.
Happy Hour in the lobby is great. Think Wii, dogs, snacks, plush pillows to perch on, and free beer, wine and cocktails! Its a great way to start off the evening and get you thinking about where to eat dinner. Speaking of dinner, Red Star Tavern also has an awesome Happy Hour (that goes til 8pm!!) with $5 martinis and awesome snacks.
The massages at Dosha were amazing. I love Aveda and all of their products and the ladies at Dosha didn't disappoint!
The hotel was pretty centrally located and we walked everywhere. As far as pricing is concerned, it was a little more expensive than I would have liked, but was totally worth it considering the coctail hour in the lobby (free) and the upgraded room (to a suite!!) and the continental breakfast (for 2, both days we stayed) which was also transferrable to be used for FREE COCKTAILS! Everything was executed perfectly and I was never left thinking that something felt out of place.
All in all, 5 stars and I'll be back!!
Loved this hotel so much. Beautiful well-designed hotel located right downtown, very convenient for public transit. I've never stayed somewhere with such genuinely nice employees; we were constantly greeted with hello's and nice conversation. The hotel smells wonderful too! I am not sure how they do it but it's refreshing. They also allow dogs and even threw a free party for one of their own with yummy mini cupcakes and champagne. The wine/happy hour was great, their white sangria was amazing and best of all free and very cold on the hot days. Our room included a king bed and pull out sofa, divided by french doors. It worked perfectly for our 4 person party. The bathroom was large, my favorite was the big shower with towels mounted inside! I love Aveda products so this was also a plus.
Although its not close to some of the neighborhoods I prefer in Portland, this hotel was wonderful and worth staying for future trips.
I should have written this months ago...oops.
The staff was friendly and NATURAL. I am used to the creepy robot-style customer service that haunts Chicago's customer service industry. They even gave us a room upgrade and tons of happy service.
Fun Fact:
When we stayed there a temporary homeless shelter was set up across the street and there were always a ton of people outside. I thought it was a really popular bus stop and the door guys thought I was crazy when I asked why I never saw a bus picking people up.
In short, our experience was defined by the hotel staff. Sure, the room was decent, the bed comfortable, etc. etc... but the staff were just plain awesome. From scoring us some wine (a whole bottle, in fact) when we missed the evening wine tasting by 5 mins to helping us out with things like parking and finding our way around, in all cases, they were amazing. Even the valets were cool.
On top of all that, the place is dog friendly. Dog friendly without extra fees. How cool is that?
We stayed here this past weekend to attend a wedding which was at the Crystal Ballroom...thats another rant...liked the hotel overall. However, a couple of things to note..when you charge $31 a night for valet parking..make sure you don't do the following as a hotel:
- When the pregnant lady gets out of the car, don't let her and her husband have to get all the junk out of the trunk and while watching them ask how they like their car and how it performs.
- The next day when the guest asks for the car to be ready to go as they need to leave for the ceremony, don't put someone elses bags/luggage in their car while it's still parked in the spot. If the pregnant lady gets into her car as she yells at you to get the other guests shit out of the trunk, don't argue with her. Also don't tell her that it's your policy to move the car, when you had 30 mins prior to do so. Just don't!
What you can do is comp the parking for the 2 nights...yes, that you can do.
Big points for not charging for our pooches stay and for having a dog bed available and for the suite upgrade. Also the burgers at your restaurant are delish!
I'll be back, but I'll park and move my own car, thank you very much!
Yay, another solid Kimpton experience.
From check in: Great counter service and very nice valets...
Gratis wine tasting (like all kimptons) from 5p-6p
Nice rooms - lovely atmosphere
The thing I love about Kimptons is that if you're a Kimpton In Touch member, you fill out a profile and they try to meet all of your preferences when you stay (pillow type, proximity to elevator, etc)
I even got an email from Monaco a few days before my stay asking if I wanted anything. Being that I was going to be in Portland, I asked for some tasty Willamette Valley Pinot to be in my room... done. VERY impressed. Along with a note from Hotel Manager and some dark chocolates.
This place is great. BIG suite-like room with double french doors into bedroom; Aveda spa products, ipod dock alarm clock so I can wake up happy, and free wifi.
nice.
Great boutique hotel....Rooms are huge and furnishings are very trendy.
Service is outstanding.......Evening wine and appetizer happy hour is totally cool.
Great value for your money.....
Hotel - Monaco; where do I start?
The price was good, less than 100USD per night, got that off of Hotwire (Boutique). Careful - you may get placed in the other Kimpton, further from the river, if so, just call the Monaco and they may get you sorted in the Monaco, that's what I did.
The service folks are helpful, jovial, snappy and willing to help. There is not too much more to ask.
Happy Hour at the bar with the cool-dude bartender
Free drinks at 1700
Location, location, location
Animals are welcome here, way cool. I didn't bring my dog, however I still got my doggystyle on :)... I digress
Cheap parking around the corner, however the bell-hop dudes are ever so accommodating (hook them up and they will hook you up; I'm talking to you, tighty). You can park your ride there and unload your bag, and your girls' 4 bags, shoes, make-up - I digress again
Overall, this place gets my stamp of approval and loyalty
One last thing, Portland Rocks!
Reiterating basically what everyone said. Why the Hotel Monaco can't be beat: fantastic location, complimentary wine tasting and snacks in the evening, free wifi, gorgeous and trendy accommodations, helpful and resourceful staff armed with tons of knowledge, maps, and reccomendations, and even hotel pets (goldfish and dogs).
What slightly irritated me: the night front desk clerk who I encountered was a complete spaz and not helpful at all. Also, the Hotel Monaco gets it's "late night dining" menu from a nasty pool bar down the street, and charges DOUBLE for what it would cost for you to go yourself and get the food. Kind of ridiculous. Also, the majority of the NBA teams stay at the Monaco, so there are typically small crowds standing in front of the hotel during the season. Also, my floor looked like a dorm hall because the New Jersey Nets coach felt the need to throw all the players clean/dirty/whatever it was laundry in front of their hotel room doors. That should not be allowed.
Overall, I would stay there again; however, they need to get better staff at night and not misrepresent their dining choices. Also, don't let people litter in the hallways!
In case you hadn't noticed, I am a Very Important Business Lady. As such, I stay only in the finest of hotels for my Very Important Business Travel.
Then, after our meetings, I get loaded at a dive bar with my boss and try to convince a cabbie to let me smoke in the taxi on the ride back. But I digress.
The Hotel Monaco is a Kimpton property, a neat little eco-friendly chain of boutique hotels in (mostly) hip cities. Its sister property in PDX is the Hotel Vintage Plaza up on SW Broadway, and the Monaco is definitely the pretty one in the family.
Service is ridiculously good. One of our rooms wasn't ready when we got there, but we ended up with an upgrade to a junior suite and a personal email from the manager apologizing and asking us to contact him directly on our next trip. A bit much, but whatever.
Each room also comes with hilarious animal-print robes, which look great worn with heels and a glass of bourbon.
They shouldn't let me go to nice places.
A great hotel, reasonably priced, with free WiFi.
Place is nice and centrally located. It is a modern facility and pretty popular. Stayed here two nights @ $142 (after tax) a night, that's a great price. The room was nice and large, the bed was comfortable - all good. They were also running a deal whereby if you sign up for the Kimpton rewards program you got free WiFi in the rooms - not a bad idea.
Free NY Times in the morning is a plus. They also have a cocktail hour 5-6pm, but I couldn't go to it.
Just one downside - the TV only had 15 or so channels, they really should get more.
This place gives the W a run for their money, In fact, I think they by far surpass the W because they are not fake snooty like the Westin step child. I stayed here the day after Christmas 2008 for 3 nights and it was fabulous. The rooms are super clean and stocked with Aveda amenities, we were offered a $10.00 upgrade upon check -in, which we took and it was incredible. Our suite was larger than my loft in downtown San Diego and better appointed at that! The staff is so polite and helpful and the living room downstairs gives the place a very down to earth, yet sheik appeal. Most of all, I loved that they are so environmentally friendly. Let us not forget the happy hour every night in the living room, or the free coffee in the morning...
Must I mention the location? I'm not sure that it could be any better because it is smack downtown. Oh, and you can get here from the airport for about $2.25 and a one and half block walk. This place rivals any Westin or W. I'm just sad that I did not have my 4-legged friend in tow.
Living in Portland, I don't ever stay at local hotels. Hosting clients from out of town for a meeting was an excellent excuse!!! He he he!
Price-wise it seems comparable with some other high-end hotels, but I'm not the best judge here. I did get a really good deal on a suite--thanks to the meeting and recession.
The decor was modern, eclectic, and everything I needed to get the mid-west clients out of their comfort zone. Great city feel, but with all the comfort and cleanliness for non-West coast types.
I've stayed at the Hotel Monaco in Seattle, and another Kimpton hotel in Silicon Valley, so I knew it would be a great place. Honestly, how can you go wrong with resident dog in the lobby, free booze at 5pm every night, gold fish to keep you company in the room and stuffed teddy bears on the bed?
The staff were incredible. Especially the server that took care of our meeting room--amazing service. Thank you all.
The only hesitation I have is the street noise. Although I was on the 10th floor, it could have been NYC--sirens and garbage trucks all night. What up? It isn't the hotel's fault, but seriously, invest in some triple pane windows already!?!?
If you do stay here, make sure you like dogs and get a room on an upper floor. Also, don't forget to go to Happy Hour in the lobby.
Sometimes at work when I have done something that merits a pat on the back, (maybe a raise?) my boss usually has something tangible for me, since we both know the raise isn't going to happen anytime soon.
Twice I have stayed at the Hotel Monaco, both times for free (to me) with gift certificates, which probably earns a star or two right there in my whole "value" of looking at things, but honestly, I would pay to stay there.
I would even pay for valet parking there, because their valet's had me laughing so hard I almost peed my pants five minutes after we rolled on in.
They have a dog living in the lobby, who usually will wag his tail to greet you, but has also given me the please 'just let me sleep, will ya,' vibe, too.
Staff is actually all really funny, actually. I liked the people at the front desk, too. And the concierge, Dakota, found us a restaurant when we pretended to be from out of town.
Free wine tasting from five to six. Rooms are nice. Beds are cozy. They have leopard and zebra robes hanging in the closets.
Your breakfast in bed will cost you half of the room stay, but was good.
I would actually move in there if they let me, it's much nicer than my apartment, and they make the bed for you.
Hotel Monaco is great.
Let me get my only frustration out of the way. I can't get my business VPN to work with the IAP here. I have no idea why, and neither the hotels IT help desk or my coporate one figure it out. Very frustrating.
Other than that...you can't beat this hotel in terms of location...and they have a very cool yellow lab that is the mascot and lives in the lobby. Building is old, but Kimpton managemetn has a way of turing all of their properties into something unique and special. I think their other boutique properties are more unique...but Hotel Monaco beats any other chain hands down.
My time at the Hotel Monaco in Portland was great. The unique, vibrant, colorful decor mixes things up just enough to be fun! I was staying in one of the smaller rooms with a queen bed on the 9th floor, as my usual Portland hotel, the Westin, was booked.
Oh, this used to be the "5th Avenue Suites Hotel" - it must've been renamed recently, because my '08 model car's navigation system didn't have the Hotel Monaco, just the 5th Ave. Suites, in its system.
It was a good trade-off:
- free wireless Internet !!!
- similar neighborhood (just a few few blocks away)
- close to shopping, the square, plenty of coffee
- about $35/night less than the equivalent room at the Westin, which is a tiny hotel also
- fun little wine/alcohol reception from 5-6pm, good to mingle with others at the hotel
A few complaints, I always have to list some of those:
- the walls didn't seem as soundproof as other hotels, but it isn't a noisy crowd. I think the staff is very accommodating if you want to specifically request a quiet room
- the same $29/overnight valet parking fee as other Portland locations - a local garage is probably a better value, similar convenience
The Kimpton chain is known for excellent boutique hotels, there's also a Hotel Monaco in Seattle. I think regular customers of theirs find treats in their rooms, either a feature or foam pillow (your personal preference), etc. Pet friendly I witnessed, very cool.
And, yes, I think I'll have a tough time picking between Westin and Hotel Monaco going forward. I think if I was traveling with a group we'd have more fun at the Hotel Monaco.
Nice hotel, a little on the pricey side but the decor, the help and the location is awesome
My wife and I stayed here in a king suite over the Memorial Day weekend.
Very nice room, with a hip feel, not as holier hip than thou then a W, but just hip enough that I felt all the hipper for having been hip enough to stay there. Made us wish we had brought the dog.
Be careful of their sofa in the Suite. It tried (and succeeded) to hurt me in a way that I can't explain on Yelp (but not in that kind of way you damn pervert). Just keep an eye on it, that's all I'm saying. Don't turn your back to it and think its not mentally preparing to hurt you.
I think they did away with their goldfish thing? Either that or that round bowl of spring water they have free in each room has an odd algae flavor to it (I assumed it was just another Portland health thing)
Did we walk onto the set of Ugly Betty?
This lovely hotel is very stylized, from its brocade white trim, hot pink walls & richly upholstered furniture in the lobby to its fanciful rooms. The staff was incredibly friendly & helpful from getting us new keys to answering our questions.
My niece and I literally were tickled pink with the suite we rented for a few nights-yellow & white striped walls, circular dark brown & white curtains & carpet & whimsical tufted headboards. And the beds were heavenly soft & very comfortable for each night we were tired roaming about your great city.
And Art! We finally met the cute cream-colored lab a few nights into our stay. Quiet & low key he is. We'll definitely stay here again!
Stayed at the Monaco 2x in Portland, and 1x in San Fran, so yeah, guess it's time. The Kimpton chain in general is a wonderful series of unique hotels, with a custom feel, a personal touch.
It's been mentioned a few times but bears repeating: They take dogs! (they really do, and they are not whiny about it at all - unlike some chains which SHOULD market themselves as 'dog tolerant').
Ahem.
Anyway, My second stay at Kimpton was in the Queen (Junior) Suite. This is because during my first stay, my card key failed not once, but twice during a 2 night stay. Now I hate card keys (and they hate me). But I digress...
Even the non suite rooms are very large, with personal accents in every room. That means you should not expect any particular room to look the same as the last, visit to visit - this is more like staying at a friends house. Complete with funky armchair that YOU would never buy, but is comfortable none the less. Free wireless throughout the hotel is a lovely perk.
Bathrooms are upgraded. You will find marble in the suites, and in some of the regular rooms. The beds are very comfy, with thick blankets, and colorful bed decorating schtuff. There is a name for those lil blankets that go on the end of the bed, but I can't recall/care. Oh yeah! Almost forgot. The bathrobes in the bathrooms are leopard print! I think this prevents stealing (or encourages it), but I thought it was a riot. Rawr!
The hotel restaurant and main room are lovely. In the main room, they often have a free happy hour with some regional wines or beers for a sample. Guests can mingle but it was an odd staring contest at times. Still, plus points for Monaco for trying to cure social ineptness.
Hotel staff is friendly and knows the neighborhood quite well. This is helpful because being downtown it is easy to get caught in the trap of 1 way streets and 'oops over a bridge' type roads.
The restaurant is Yelped separately
One thing about this hotel I did not like at all:
They charge for parking, and they charge a LOT. 33 bucks a day for parking in Portland is shameful. This is not NYC or San Fran - get a grip, and reduce parking to reasonable levels.
(my pro tip for travelers who run into this a lot - just go to a public lot nearby. A 1 minute walk will save you $10-20 a day on parking. It adds up)
The cost for a room is in the 130-160 range. On the high side of reasonable. I gave Monaco a 4* rating, but would consider it a 3.5* hotel given the cost of the rooms+parking.
