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Portland, Oregon: Take Amtrak to this city of hip hotels and cool restaurants
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The lush lobby of Hotel deLuxe. Photo by Sue Frause.
The only reason I hadn't been to Portland, Oregon in awhile was time. I love Portland, it's user friendly, and has a cool vibe that's both warm and welcome. There's always something going on in the Rose City, and she's not overly impressed about all the accolades she's received in the past few years. It's still good 'ol Stumptown -- it just blossomed into something more while we weren't looking.
Interstate 5 is not my favorite way to get there, so I try to take Amtrak Cascades. You don't need a car in Portland, what with TriMet, their slick transportation system. My husband and I booked rooms at sister hotels Hotel deLuxe and Hotel Lucia, a part of Provenance Hotels that also owns Hotel Max and the Roosevelt Hotel in Seattle. No, we're not into bed hopping, but we couldn't get two nights in a row at either hotel (it's high season, y'know). Plus, we'd never stayed at the deLuxe, and I wanted to check it out.
I'm so glad we did! The deLuxe started out as the Hotel Mallory, popular for years with budget travelers. It's now all about the Golden Age of film, with an Art Deco and Hollywood 40's inspired design. The corridors and 130 rooms are adorned with more than 400 photographs from Hollywood in the 1930s-1950s. The rooms are small, but light and airy. I loved the cool chartreuse and white seersucker robes. MP3 docking stations and even a "spiritual" menu are some of the amenities. I didn't have time to sip a cocktail in the Driftwood Lounge, a cozy bar off the lobby with a Rat Packy feel. I'll be back.
A fun spot for breakfast is the Byways Cafe in the nearby Pearl District. There's always a line, so sign in and wait outside. Great diner-type food for breakfast and lunch, and the cafe is jammed with Americana road trip memorabilia. A fun way to see the city is with Portland Walking Tours. My hubby and I and a friend went on their afternoon Epicurean Excursion, and sampled everything from Stumptown coffee (locally roasted) and Rogue Distillery rum to yummy falafels from one of Portland's many food carts. Our guide Bob gave insightful and humorous running commentary about the treats we were enjoying along with the history of the Pearl District.
It was time to check into Hotel Lucia, where I've stayed a number of times. Located in the heart of the city, don't be surprised if you ride up the elevator with the likes of Jodie Foster. OK, not really. But 680 photographs by Pulitzer-prize winning photographer David Hume Kennerly adorn the walls of the 127-room boutique hotel. Feel free to check out all the floors, as it's the largest permanent collection of Portland native Kennerly. The nearby Bijou Cafe is a power breakfast spot on the weekdays, and a popular place to linger over brunch and The Oregonian on the weekends. For dinner, try Blue Hour in the Pearl District or for something more casual, Doug Fir -- the latter has live music.
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