The Royal Sonesta Portland Downtown

I’ve stayed here twice. The rooms are roomy, quiet enough that you don’t hear other guests, and nicely remodeled. The location works well too, with plenty nearby to walk to and a cheap Uber ride to other parts of Portland. Other places I’ve tried in this price range had loud, shoebox-sized rooms.

I was excited to return after many years away, but left disappointed. The rooms have been “refreshed,” though the peeling wallpaper, dim-looking lobby, and elevator buttons that only lit up in certain spots made the place feel tired and sad. This used to be my go-to downtown Portland hotel, and I hope they can turn it around, but there are better options for the price. The biggest issue, besides the worn feel, was the resort fee. There wasn’t much of a resort atmosphere, though they did give a credit for snacks and drinks in the “store.” I’m not sure what happened here. It used to be a jewel of a space.

The location is excellent, in a busy area with lots of restaurants close by, and the hotel is generally nice. Still, it felt pricey for what we got. Our bathroom was very tight, with little counter space and no exhaust fan, which made it hard to manage toiletries or makeup. The makeup lamp didn’t work, and the toilet’s flush was oddly like an airplane toilet, a bit unsettling. There’s also an extra $15 “credit” for purchases on site, but breakfast alone costs over $20 per person, so it didn’t feel like much of a benefit. It came across as an unnecessary fee. It was a decent stay thanks to the location, but the room details and extra charge made it feel less worth the price. Some improvements could make this a much better value.

Our room looked onto a trash-filled alley, and the bed was so lumpy we couldn’t sleep on it. The floor squeaked so badly we worried it might give way. There was no food or drink available from Sunday through Tuesday. Valet was $55 a night on top of the room price, and we weren’t told about it when booking. Honestly, we’ve had better stays at a Motel 6 near the freeway.