Roving IQ: Acing it in Portland - Hotel Review by The Veda House

Ace Hotel
Portland, Oregon
Photo: The Veda House

Today's Roving IQ features a guest post from my dear friend Cassie from The Veda House. On her recent vacation to Portland, she stayed at the helplessly hip Ace Hotel. I couldn't have picked a more perfect place for Cassie to stay. Its vintage style, repurposed materials and unique room designs are right in line with Cassie's personality and interests. Check out her brand new vintage store, Market 203 for some great finds from the past! 

"When Julie asked me to write a hotel review for the Ace Hotel (Portland), I couldn't resist sharing my amazing experience. I've never been happier with a hotel choice and our hotel stay only added to our overall vacation experience. If you've ever been to Portland, Oregon you know the atmosphere is extremely laid back, people are wrapped up in their cozy clothes, and every one is huddled together in the nearest coffee shop. I wanted a hotel that felt like that. I didn't want to have to leave the hotel to get the "Portland" atmosphere and the Ace Hotel was the perfect solution. 

Situated on one of Downtown's most popular streets, the Ace Hotel is surrounded by quality restaurants, cafes and shops. Some of my favorite restaurants from the whole trip were located right next door. Very convenient for late night outings or rainy days when you don't want to stray too far. As you walk into the hotel lobby, you feel as if though you are in walking into the most comfortable living room you could dream up. Take a seat on the large wraparound, extremely loved, worn out couch, and read the variety of coffee table books at your disposal. You could plop yourself down and not move for hours if that's what you choose. If sitting and relaxing isn't your thing, grab a friend and take some pictures in the photo booth! Oh, did I mention how friendly and helpful the hotel staff was?

Moving on up to floor 1.5, you arrive at a landing with a balcony overlooking the lobby. Here you'll find more cozy couches, book cases, an over sized computer table, large card catalogue display, wall mural, and lots of mood lighting. I think this area is commonly used by Portland locals who need a nice quiet place to get some work done. 

Our room was on floor 2. In my opinion it was the best floor because it was easily accessible without using the SUPER slow, rickety, and questionable elevator. I guess you could say the elevator added to the charm of the old converted apartment building.  Our room overlooked Stark Street where you could see all the hustle and bustle of the people passing by. We even had the occasional street car pass by! Each room in the Ace Hotel has its own character and style. After looking at several rooms online before arriving, I was very pleased with the one we were given. As you walk into our room, you see a large "headboard wall" that was completely covered in torn out pages from an old history book. On top of the book pages was a painted mural of a fox with birds flying overhead. Side tables were crafted out of stacked encyclopedias and a computer table built from reclaimed wood sat by the window! Other notable details of the room were the vintage alarm clock, claw foot bath tub, old crates and bins to hold snacks and other goodies, clever signage throughout, and the characteristic fire escape out the window. It took us the entire week to soak in all the unordinary details. 

At the reasonable price of $150 per night, the Ace Hotel is worth every penny. If I'm ever in Portland again, I know I'll be staying at the Ace. Every room is different, so you never know what you're going to get, but I bet it's going to be a little slice of heaven." 

Photos: The Veda House

For more on the Ace Hotel, visit today's The Veda House post. Then, stick around and explore! It's a beautifully designed blog and store. A big thanks to Cassie for sharing her review and thanks to you all for reading!