Dotted with chain hotels along the swerving byways and bridges of NE Portland, the Convention Center district of the Rose City was not known for boutique hotel offerings until the Hotel Eastlund opened this June. Filling a much needed void, Hotel Eastlund presents likeminded artisanship in a downtown, metropolitan lodging setting unfamiliar to the neighborhood.
A chic, glass-encased lobby hosts guests as they enter the hotel, with contemporary mod furniture shaded in warming hues of teal, orange and royal blue. A semi-private community table and spacious meeting spot opens up for guests to enjoy the WiFi outside of their rooms, while several secluded meeting rooms are available for guests to book as well. Stacked with 168 guestrooms, each individual space boasts high-tech capabilities like integrated sensors for heating and air-conditioning along with smart HD TVs, radio-frequency identification (RFID) guest room key cards that can be modified without stopping by the front desk, smart refrigerators and more.
King and queen suites provide guests with all the cushy essentials, but the suites take it up a notch with a California king bed, a separate large living area, a palatial bathroom with dual sinks, a large soaking tub and walk-in shower. Premier suites are approximately 560-square-feet while junior suites are roughly 390-square-feet.
The hotel is bookended by a Denny’s and Burgerville (which both have their time and place), but dining priority for guests and locals alike should be with the in-house, handcrafted food and beverage options of Chef David Machado (Pazzo Ristorante, Lauro Mediterranean Kitchen, Nel Centro). Rooftop dining comes by way of Altabira City Tavern, a beer-savvy, American cookhouse focused on the bounty of the Pacific Northwest—from the plate to the pint. Chef Machado plates cuisine kindred to the region and pairs it with the 16 rotating tap handles dedicated to local beer. A roomy patio overlooks downtown Portland from its Lloyd District position and seats 103, accommodating for all Northwest weather with windbreakers, heaters and fire pits.
Chef Machado doesn’t stop with one restaurant for hotel guests, but kicks in a coffee bar to boot. Citizen Baker is Machado’s bakery/cafe/wine bar concept on the lobby level of the hotel, sporting housemade baked goods (breads, pastries, steal cut oats, soups, sandwiches, etc.), a gourmet coffee bar brewing nearby Ristretto Roasters and sips to savor once it’s five o’clock somewhere.
Supporting its city and the local trade, Hotel Eastlund offers a “Local PDX Shopping” package aimed at steering Black Friday guests toward neighborhood purchasing. The package includes complimentary valet parking, a $20 Uber credit, a $10 gift certificate from betsy & iva jewelry and a PDX tote bag from Queen Bee. Guests will arrive to Oregon Pinot Noir and chocolates in room as well. The special is available from November 28, 2015 through January 31, 2016.
Stop in, stay or move in at the Hotel Eastlund, a cosmopolitan yet archetypal Portland lodging locale meant to fulfill all of your travel needs.
