Downtown Portland offers many different options for lodging, but if you really want to be blown away, your next stay needs to be booked at The Benson Hotel.
From the moment you get out of your car, you’re given the opportunity to experience the ‘main character energy’ that everyone wants to feel. The Valet makes sure that you are well taken care of, and upon entering the lobby, you are transported to a Holiday Wonderland.
Even if you’re not staying the night, take a few minutes to pop into their lobby on a day in the Holiday Season to see their incredible decor. Their gorgeous Christmas Tree, a million (or close to) Poinsettia plants, and make sure not to miss the Gingerbread Masterpiece of Multnomah Falls!
After fully experiencing the lobby, I checked in. The downside to this experience was that even after pre-checking in, I had to wait an hour for my room. Upon checking my bags to the concierge, a kind man who was helping me poitned me in the direction of the historic stairwell. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect, but it ended up being the perfect place to learn about The History of The Benson Hotel, as well as so much about the History of Portland.
The Historic Stairwell starts on the second floor and makes its way all the way up to the 12th floor, On each floor there is a different theme of Portland History. My favorite thing to learn about was the coverage on the Rose Parade and the different events they have hosted throughout the years.
Once getting access to my room, I was quite impressed with the size of the room, as well as the urban views. I even had a perfect view of the legendary pink building! What a staple in the PDX skyline.
Upon getting to explore a bit more of the hotel, I found a lovely wood fireplace tucked in near the Christmas Tree. There was a family of 4 enjoying some coffee & the kids were playing by the fire… it was giving me all of the Christmas Morning feels. There is also a stairway up to the second level and a lovely area to sit and enjoy yourself while people watching the lobby-goers. This 2nd floor sitting area may have been one of my favorite parts of the hotel because of the intricate art in the ceilings, as well as how cozy it felt.
My recommendation for anyone staying at The Benson Hotel would be to walk down to Pioneer Courthouse Square and soak in all of the Holiday Decorations & get some last minute Christmas shopping done while you are there. There are also many amazing restaurants located nearby including El Gaucho Steakhouse, Urban Farmer, Jakes Famous Crawfish, Portland City Grill, and if you’re looking for Tapas- my recommendation is the Dolly Olive.
Next time I stay in Portland, the Benson Hotel is at the top of my list for hotels. The one thing I would change is getting checked in on the Hilton app as soon as you can for the earliest time you may be arriving so there are no hiccups in the designated nightly plans.
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