The Nines Hotel Portland in a Nutshell:
The height of style in low-key Portland, the Nines is located over the store. (The store in this case is Macy's, which takes up nearly a city block.) Hotel guests enter the Nines on the ground floor and take an elevator up to the eighth to check in. Low lighting, unclad department store mannequins positioned in the corners, and oversize jewel-like art installations are part of the trendy design. Behind the front desk is a huge, square room with podlike sections for hanging out, a long bar, and the Urban Farmer restaurant.
Accommodations at The Nines Hotel Portland:
Tiffany-blue accents, including a seductive turquoise-velvet fainting couch, make guest rooms an ideal setting for proposals both decent and in-. However, rooms are on the small size and dwarfed by a 42" widescreen Phillips HDTV. So if you do have a question to pop, turn off the set to get undivided attention. The queen-size bed in my room was covered in soft cotton sheeting and very comfortable. Bathrooms feature a triptych mirror as well as a lighted magnifying makeup mirror. The shower is in the bathtub, and designed for one occupant at a time. Wi-fi is complimentary and a small terry bathrobe is supplied.
Dining at The Nines Hotel Portland:
Urban Farmer, which specializes in artisanal beef, is located on the hotel's lobby level. Departure on the 15th floor has several bar areas, indoor/outdoor space, and serves Asian fusion cuisine. Menu choices at Urban Farmer include American Wagyu, pasture-raised tenderloin and porterhouse, aged New York strip, and other curated meats. A tasting plate is available. After starting with a Feast of Love cocktail (cranberry liqueur, prosecco, lemon twist), something possessed this writer to order salmon, which lacked flavor. Note to self and interested readers: If you go to a steakhouse, order the steak.
Weddings at The Nines Hotel Portland:
At the Nines, up to 13,000 square feet of meeting space is available to customize for a wedding. A wedding coordinator is on staff to help pull together the details, and there is a dedicated catering staff. There's also a place to escape the stress; we spotted members of a stylish wedding party decked out in black-and-white formalwear quaffing cocktails in the lobby lounge before the main event.
Romance Packages at The Nines Hotel Portland:
Want to plan a honeymoon stay or make a proposal? Consider the Nines' "Lavish in Love" two-night package, which includes the room, Champagne and flowers upon arrival, and breakfast for two daily. There's also a "Live Life to the Nines" package, where you get to choose two from among these and other temptations:
- Breakfast for two in Urban Farmer or from in-room dining
- Chocolate-dipped strawberries and choice of champagne, cabernet, or chardonnay
- $25 room-service dinner credit and in-room movie
- Room upgrade
- Signature gift: bracelet, cuff links, or bathrobe
Activities at The Nines Hotel Portland:
For a breath of fresh air — and a great city view — head up to the 15th floor, where the Departure lounge is located. Sit outside and have a drink or dinner overlooking the Portland skyline or cozy up to the bar inside. Want to work out during your stay? The Nines maintains a gym that is open around the clock. Admission is complimentary for guests.
Nearby The Nines Hotel Portland:
The Nines Hotel Portland is located directly above Macy's department store and across from Pioneer Square (aka Portland's living room) and the Pioneer Place shopping mall (home to the city's Apple Store). Williams-Sonoma is across the street, helpful to couples stocking a new home. The hotel is also close to Nordstrom, and bargain hunters' Nordstrom Rack. Note that The Nines Hotel Portland is within the city's downtown free-fare district and that Oregon does not charge sales tax on purchases.
What Could Be Improved at The Nines Hotel Portland?:
For a hotel that bills itself as luxury, amenities were surprisingly scant. Bathroom sundries are the unexciting Gilbert & Soames brand. Absent was soap for the shower, a shower cap, Q-tips, cotton balls, and slippers, making us wish we'd brought over a stash from the
Heathman Hotel. A safety issue, the marble-clad bathtub/shower unit lacks grab rails — and we found the shower's uni-fixture a mystery to work initially. The key card we needed to enter our room was easily demagnetized and subsequently found ourselves a frequent visitor to the front desk, where we were cheerfully issued replacements.
Is The Nines Hotel Portland Right for You?:
Aesthetes can appreciate the Nines. Guest rooms are much prettier than at most other hotels. Grey wallpaper overlaid with silver accents, lacquer-black furniture, drawer pulls and a corner lamp that look like they came from a jeweler's case, and that sexy velvet couch in Tiffany blue create a seductive atmosphere. On the streets of Portland you'll spot slackers, hipsters, outdoorsy types, and street people. Inside the Nines, a mostly under-30 crowd of "Sex in the City" acolytes congregates, plus older couples. To treat yourselves, upgrade to the club floor, where snacks and beverages are available throughout the day.
The Nines Hotel Portland Info and Reservations:
The Nines Hotel Portland
525 SW Morrison Street
Portland, Oregon 97204
877-229-9995
Official Hotel Website
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As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodation and meals for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy .
