Best Western Pony Soldier Inn - Airport

I arrived at 3 a.m. after driving all night, exhausted, and someone kept slamming the exterior door beside my room. I called the front desk before I'd even fallen asleep. They said they didn't know who it was and couldn't lock the door, so I tried to sleep through it. At 9 a.m., management woke me by pounding hard on my door. When I said I needed another night and they could charge my card again, the manager stopped the door from closing and shoved it back open. He accused us of making noise all night, even though we'd been asleep and I'd called to complain about the door. He said camera footage showed nonstop traffic from our room, which was a lie, and threatened to call the police if we didn't leave immediately. Things felt hostile, so we packed up and left. Afterward they kept my deposit and tried to charge another $100 for bogus 'incidentals.' I've never had a hotel treat me with this much disrespect and dishonesty. Stay away.

The rooms were fairly clean and didn't smell, but I had one bad interaction with the evening staff. I ordered food through DoorDash and went to eat in the lobby dining area, so I turned on the lights. A housekeeper grumbled, 'Ugh, who turned on the lights?' then told me to switch them off when I was done. I didn't know paying guests were expected to eat in the dark. The neighborhood felt like a bad area, so that kept this to three stars. The hotel is very close to the airport and has a shuttle. It would've been four stars otherwise.

It's affordable, clean, and a quick trip to the airport. The pool and hot tub were decent, too. The foot traffic nearby felt a bit sketchy. Bright lights around the building help deter car theft, but be careful outside alone.

I've never had a bad experience at Pony Soldier, aside from one severe windstorm, and I can't blame the staff for the weather. I usually stay a couple of days when I'm in Portland because it's convenient, reasonably priced, and clean. The rooms have always been tidy and well kept, and the staff courteous and helpful. I know there are negative reviews, but I can only speak to my own consistently positive stays.