First trip to Portland - where to stay? (Enterprise: rental car, rental)

[BarryK123]

Plan on visiting Portland this summer for the first time. Looking for recommendations on which part of the city to stay.

Will have a rental car and it seems overnight parking at the downtown hotels is pretty pricey. Would you recommend staying in the outskirts where parking is free and driving in, or is it not really worth the difference?

Thanks.

[EnricoV]

Staying in the 'burbs isn't very fun. There are places closer in. It kind of depends on what you're looking for, what kind of a price range, etc.

The Inn at Northrup Square is in NW, and has parking.

McMenamin's Kennedy School is in the NE, basically residential area.

[hamellr]

What kinds of things are you looking to do in Portland? IE, If you're going to spend a lot of time in the Gorge, Kennedy School that EnricoV pointed out above would be a good choice, as would McMenamin's Edgefield.

If you're planning on being mostly downtown, maybe cancel the rental car and go with Enterprise or Hertz local Edition, or even ZipCar for the day you might need it.

[aajn1983]

are there hotels in lloyd center?

it seems they would have better parking than downtown, and it's still close-in.

[hamellr]

There is one hotel across the street from Lloyd Center. There are a couple more closer to the Convention Center. The one across from Lloyd Center charges for over night parking, the other's I don't know about.

[NeutralZone]

I don't live in Portland but have visited several times over the last 2 years or so. On my first visit I didn't rent a car so staying downtown was important. I stayed at the Modera, which was an older hotel/motel converted into a modern, somewhat upscale, "hip" hotel. It was a good location but I thought somewhat pricey for what you got. Since then I have always rented a car while in Portland and have stayed at the Marriot Residence Inn on Multnomah St. near Lloyd Center. It is not at all "hip", but it is clean and everything is updated. Each room has its own kitchen, which can save you money if you don't want to eat out for every meal. They serve a free breakfast in a nice, cozy dining area. I'm not talking about a continental breakfast either; they go all out- eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, cereal, muffins, toast, fruit, juice, etc. They also have free parking. The location isn't exactly trendy or exciting, but when you aren't driving, it is within very short walking distance of the Lloyd Center MAX stop (which is the last stop in the free rail zone- although I understand there is a proposal to eliminate the free rail zone) so you can get downtown in just a few minutes. The neighborhood has some very charming older homes, some with beautiful yards and flowers. There are also some good places to eat and some funky stores on Broadway, which is also a short walk away. So if you don't mind staying in a clean, non-trendy hotel with free breakfast, free parking, and easy access to downtown via a nearby MAX stop for less than you'd spend on a downtown hotel, then I think the Marriot Residence Inn is a good choice.

[BarryK123]

Thanks for the comments.