Ace Hotel
Portland, OR 97205-2696
Phone: (503) 228-2277
07/28/2007 Posted by brak
I like to think that I fit the The Ace's demographic in that I prefer small, unique boutique hotels and understand that might mean fewer amenities then you might find in a large chain hotel. That said, I was surprised that The Ace had more of a feeling of an upscale hostel then a not inexpensive hotel. I don't mind that I can't order food (again, not unusual in a smaller hotel) but it meant no one ever came to clean the room, leaving us with no clean towels for the next day. Even though we had a proper bathroom, it was a bit disconcerting seeing people duck in and out of the bathrooms in the hall and stairway. Because of that and lack of staff, the place had a distinct "self-serve" feeling about it. The room itself had great potential. Cool mural/painting on the wall, hardwood floors, a record player with a box of records, high ceilings and interesting decor. What there was of it. We had a sofa, but there was no coffee table or side table to put anything on, just short wooden boxes, which were too small to be useful. The bathroom sink was outside of the bathroom itself (which had nothing but the tub and toilet) and was a corner sink with no room for so much as a tube of toothpaste. They remedy this by providing a small stainless steel table as a space to put a few things. God help you of you have a large brush and lots of cosmetics and toiletries. They'll be homeless. The closet contained 5 hangers (for two people!) and instead of a chest of drawers or shelves to compensate, a hanging canvas shoe holder, as seen at Ikea. Would it hurt them to give you something in which to put a few days of clothing? All in all I found the hotel interesting, and ultimately enjoyed my stay in spite of the odd logistical issues but I can't say I'll be back soon. It did feel as if their determination to present a certain look and feel overshadowed any concern or sympathy for the person actually staying in the room. More surfaces, please!
Pros: Hipster atmosphere, close to everything, unique
Cons: Stripped down amenities and service
Write a review and share your thoughts with others
