The Best Hotels to Book Near Portland Art Museum

A new choice in Portland’s Cultural District, Hotel Vance has buzzy room decor, all modernist black and red with pops of yellow. An in-house Starbucks and convenience store are ready to supply your caffeine fix and sundry needs, and the fitness room is open day and night. Best of all, it’s close to the art museum and other downtown attractions.

This long-time local classic is newly updated with light and bright decor. Locally made bikes are available to take for a spin after your day in the museum, or you can curl up with one of more than 2,700 books available to borrow. A beer at check-in and shoe-shine service are other perks included in the amenity fee, though it’s unlikely your shoes will need much polish: the museum is just a three minute walk away.

A classy choice with no additional amenity fees, the Paramount sits on a block sandwiched between Director Park – popular for people-watching and its giant chess set – and the top of the South Park Blocks. Some guest rooms have balconies, and all have plush bedding and soaker tubs with bath salts. An in-house restaurant recalls the prohibition era with comfort food and whiskey.

Fidgets rejoice: the Hotel Zags allows guests access to its Gear Shed, which is stuffed with games, cameras, bikes, skateboards and more cool toys to borrow. Rooms are basic but colorful, and a patio restaurant offers salads and specialty pizzas. Skip the hefty parking charge – you can walk to the art museum in minutes – and leave your pets at home to avoid an obligatory deep-cleaning fee.

What was once the flagship Meier & Frank department store has been reimagined as this resort hotel, hence its new name’s nod to how people would dress “to the nines” to shop there. This is the closest you can get to sleeping at the museum: a collection of more than 300 original artworks infuses every corner of this colorful, design-savvy hotel – from the soaring atrium to the stylish guest rooms, which are decorated in hues of gold and Tiffany blue. Restaurant choices include Departure on the rooftop, and the country-chic Urban Farmer steakhouse on the eighth floor.

An upscale outpost of the Hilton portfolio, the Duniway is named for a 19th-century Oregon Trail pioneer who later fought to get women the right to vote – its 11th-floor restaurant honors her, too. The lobby has lots of places to linger, and guest rooms are spacious too, with 65-inch TVs and Tivoli audio for your jams. It’s a five-block walk to the art museum.

The second Stateside location for this London-based hotel group, the Hoxton is an inspired mash-up of mid-century modern design and Portland’s Pacific Rim influences. Rooms come in a wide array of sizes – including the Shoebox for one – with art curated by a local gallery. Hit the Tope rooftop restaurant for delicious Mexican fare, then move on to the basement speakeasy for a nightcap.

A colorful, chic and cheeky inn adjacent to Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Hotel Rose is a bit further afield from the art museum. But the Willamette River location is a big bonus – especially with beach cruiser bike rentals included in the amenity fee. Beds have comfy individual duvets, so you needn’t fight your friend for the covers.