Residence Inn Portland Downtown/RiverPlace

July 25, 2020

After a few months of COVID-19 lock down we decided now that trips were allowed we would do a quick trip to from Seattle to the Oregon Coast and stay in Portland. We rented a car and drove down to Ocean Shores, Long Beach and Cannon Beach before heading inland to Portland. We were a little hesitant about Portland as the months of protests were continuing and frequently led to violent clashes at night, so we opted for the Residence Inn Portland Downtown/RiverPlace instead of one of the properties in the heart of downtown including my favorite The Nines Portland. An additional plus was the low pet fee at the Residence Inn Portland Downtown/RiverPlace as we were only charged $25.00.

My first hotel stay since our evacuation from California in March as the COVID-19 lock downs had begun, checking in was interesting to say the least. Due to the protests, the entire exterior of the property is boarded up. The area was completely dead so we opted to park on the street instead of the secured lot, which now had a chain link fence and required a security guard to verify your ID in order to gain entry and exit. Once we showed ID and made it inside the lobby was empty, hand sanitizer was noted, as were signs that the restaurant, bar, and gym were all closed. An attendant came out and checked us in while distancing. The elevators noted a three person maximum, but the property seemed virtually deserted. We were given a nice one bedroom suite, with good sized kitchen, a peak-a-boo river view, and standard nice furnishings.

I was a fan of the location along the river walk, so after a night in with wine, baguettes and cheeses, the next morning Oliver and I went for a long walk along the river, into the Pearl, and back through downtown, which had definitely seen some tough times with the protests as broken glass littered the ground much like in Seattle and half of the buildings were boarded up and marked with graffiti, and the only people around were the large homeless population.

Once back at the hotel I grabbed the modified complimentary breakfast which was a brown paper bag with a granola bar, bottle of water, and a grapefruit. Basic, but the reality during COVID-19. I went for a run along the river after and as the morning stretched on the riverfront area got busier, though on our subsequent walk into town downtown remained quite empty and even the Pearl was quite quiet and mostly shut down on what typically would have been a bustling Sunday.

Overall a good property with great river access and a mile from the heart of downtown, which in this case was a definite plus. Would be interested to stay again once all of the amenities are available, but a definite plus was the low pet fees and great location for dog walking.