The Best Hotels to Book Near Dante’s, Portland

The Hoxton’s first foray onto America’s West Coast is a hipster’s paradise, right in the middle of Old Town Chinatown. A bustling mid-century modern lobby, used as a co-working space, sets the tone for a place that reflects the area’s energy. Here, you can eat your way from the Pacific Northwest in the Beatles-inspired Lovely Rita bistro to Mexico in the rooftop restaurant Tope, while the rather snug rooms are adorned with ceramics from Clay Factor.

Reclaimed school chairs, a photo booth in the lobby and nightstands made from old suitcases are some of the quirky touches at this magnet for millennials. Living up to its name, this boutique hotel has an ace location, minutes away from the famous Powell’s City of Books and the Pearl District. The organic breakfasts here are legendary, while a pet-friendly policy means there are pups on parade that are as trendy as their owners.

Marching to a different beat, the Crystal Hotel has 51 rooms with psychedelic decor inspired by a song or performance that’s taken place within the past 100 years at the neighboring Crystal Ballroom. The music theme keeps going at Al’s Den, the hotel’s basement music venue named after Al Winter, a local 1940s racketeer. To complete the rock-star experience, knock a few drinks back at the Zeus Café before taking a dip in the saltwater soaking pool.

Named after the strange, Transformer-like gargoyles placed on the roof by William Christmas Knighton, the man who designed the building, the Sentinel is something of an architectural marvel. This hotel comprises two structures spliced together – the Seward Hotel and the Elks Lodge – and features everything from Corinthian columns in the Governor Ballroom to a domed, stained-glass ceiling in Fortune, a vegan restaurant and cocktail bar with DJs. Befitting a gloriously unique place, portraits of trailblazers like Jackie Robinson and Coco Chanel line the walls.

In an effort to make hostels more fun and not just practical, sisters Lee and Lauren Gonzalez created Lolo Pass – a hybrid hotel that’s “light on the wallet and heavy on experience.” To that end, it’s as much about socializing here as it is about staying over (choose between shared dormitories and private rooms), with an art gallery in the lobby, a rooftop bar and a coffee nook all making it easier to meet fellow travelers.

Named after American women’s rights advocate Abigail Scott Duniway, this up-to-date boutique hotel offers a quieter perch in central downtown, near Pioneer Courthouse Square. The indoor heated pool is a treat, but nothing beats Abigail’s Hideaway, a guests-only rooftop patio on the 11th floor. It has sofa loungers, an oversize chessboard and amazing views over the city that are hard to tear yourself away from.

Built in 1881 by the Portland Seamen’s Friend Society, the Society Hotel still has echoes of its nautical past – although the 24 custom-built bunk beds in the hotel’s hostel section are far more luxurious than anything you’ll find on a frigate. A ship’s galley will also struggle to compete with the hotel lobby, where you’ll find a cafe and bar serving fresh pastries, coffee and beer from some of the finest brewers in Portland.

One of the most recognizable landmarks in Portland (even more so after popping up in the 2011 novel Fifty Shades of Grey), the stately Heathman Hotel fits in perfectly in Portland’s Cultural District. There are few better bases for tapping into the city’s artistic side, with the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall – home of the Oregon Symphony – and the Portland Art Museum both close by. The Heathman also has a large library where you can further broaden your mind and creative interests.

The Icelandic brand Kex has chosen a 100-year-old brick building in the grungy east Burnside area as its first hotel in the US. To create a slightly offbeat but welcoming interior, Icelandic designer Hálfdan Pedersen sourced furniture from all over the globe. The Icelandic influence is equally strong at Dóttir, an open-plan restaurant with a douglas fir herringbone floor and a central bar, where global plates include deviled eggs with Icelandic flying fish roe.

About as rock’n’roll as a hotel can get, the Jupiter has an on-site music venue. The Doug Fir Lounge and an on-site art gallery combine to make the converted 1960s motor inn a hub of creativity year-round. Rooms with big posters of John Lennon and Marilyn Monroe further dial up the cool factor. For the same formula, only slightly swankier, you can try sister hotel Jupiter Next (and its fabulous jungle bar) further up East Burnside.