Located in the heart of downtown Portland, Hotel Lucia is like a pair of Sigerson Morrison shoes—effortlessly chic, always stylish and yet understated. As you step into the breezy lobby, you are immediately drawn to a wall of black and white photographs that frame famous faces and moments in history.
A velvety chaise lounge (or nearby club chair) invites you to settle in for a few minutes to absorb the visual stories. These images are part of the world’s largest permanent collection of black and white photographs by Pulitzer prize-winning photographer David Hume Kennerly.
From the modern art throughout the property to sleek furniture accents, a refined and serene milieu flows seamlessly from the lobby to the rooms in this historic building. A hotel since 1909, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. In 2001, the Provenance Hotels group purchased what was the New Imperial Hotel and, after significant renovations, the structure was transformed into Hotel Lucia.
In addition to standard amenities, the hotel pampers with Provenance Signature perks that range from a deluxe pillow menu and preloaded iPods to ritzy room service for pets. Portlandia specific indulgences include in-room delivery of nationally celebrated Salt & Straw Ice Cream and fresh pressed juice from Kure.
But wait, there’s more—the honor bar features tins of the coveted Jacobsen sea salt, jars of Bee Local honey and Steven Smith Teas. Locavores will delight to know that beekeeper Damian Magista of Portland’s Bee Local installed two “sky hives” on the rooftop of Hotel Lucia late spring and that the honey is featured in craft cocktails (the Harlequin) and dishes at Imperial, the on-site restaurant from Chef/Owner Vitaly Paley.
A destination dining spot for both locals and visitors, the Imperial opened in the summer of 2012. In the autumn or winter, the best seat is at a counter stool in front of the crackling wood fire grill with a plate of Tails and Trotters Barrel Planked Pork Secreto. Other classic fare: the fried rabbit with semolina corn cake, pickled watermelon rind and fried bacon (served with a tiny pot of Bee Local honey and an eyedropper of house made hot sauce) and Stan’s Sausage du Jour.
Pinot Noir devotees will appreciate the wine list, which includes a selection of small-production Pinots organized by Oregon AVA and a Sommelier’s Vertical of Oregon Pinot Noir (that begins with a 1998 Witness Tree Vineyard). The signature cocktails are seasonally creative, and feature two on tap—Vieux Carré and a White Negroni.
In the morning, you can pop over to the adjacent Portland Penny Diner (another Paley venture) for a breakfast sandwich that you won’t want to share. The PDXWT is a juicy tower of duck bologna, sauerkraut, cheese and lip-smacking coffee mayo on a fresh house roll. If you are a pastrami fan, arrive early–the Rueben croissant with house cured pastrami often sells out soon after the doors open.
Hotel Lucia || 400 SW Broadway, Portland, OR || (503) 225-1717 || hotellucia.com
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