Ritz-Carlton, Portland review – The Points Guy

Getting there

The Ritz-Carlton, Portland is located downtown at the corner of Southwest Washington Street and Southwest 10th Avenue. The 35-story tower, which is home to both the hotel and Ritz-Carlton-branded residences, reportedly cost nearly $700 million to develop.

While much of the downtown area is walkable, several of the city’s MAX light rail lines pass close by, so you can access much of the metropolitan area quickly and cheaply. Ride-hailing services to and from Portland International Airport (PDX) take 20-30 minutes and cost $25-$50, depending on the time of day.

Booking details

Rooms and suites at the Ritz-Carlton, Portland occupy floors 8-18 of the building, accessible via a dedicated set of guest elevators. They range from standard Deluxe rooms to two-bedroom Fauna and Ritz-Carlton Suites.

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Deluxe rooms start at a spacious 459 square feet and have one California king or two queen beds, floor-to-ceiling windows and marble-tiled bathrooms. From there, rooms go up in category to those on higher floors, then larger Grand Deluxe rooms, Deluxe and Grand Deluxe Club rooms and, finally, the suites.

I stayed in one of the hotel’s one-bedroom Executive Suites, which occupy corner locations and feature large living rooms with floor-to-ceiling wraparound windows, dining areas and separate bedrooms.

Standout features

• Its excellent location downtown is within easy walking distance to fabulous bars and restaurants, great shopping and major museums.
• The signature restaurant, Bellpine, serves innovative Pacific Northwest cuisine with a Southern European twist.
• You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better gym or pool with a view of the city.
• Paid and points rates are relatively affordable (for Ritz-Carlton).

Drawbacks

• While the decor pays homage to Portland, and Oregon in general, some elements of the aesthetic feel generic.
• Dining options are limited, so be sure to venture out into the neighborhood for coffee and cocktails.
• The best views are saved for the residential units of this tower, which occupy its upper floors.

The vibe

Ensconced in a shard-like, reflective glass tower topped with a golden pediment, the Ritz-Carlton, Portland is visible from nearly every vantage point in town. But that’s partly the point. This recent arrival in the Rose City brings an entirely new level of luxury to Portland.

With a sylvan-chic ethos including living walls of plants, branch-like chandeliers and crystalline decor accents, the reception area and the lobby lounge attract a mix of locals and visiting business executives for strong espresso drinks by day and even stronger cocktails by night.

Rooms, meanwhile, meld Portland-specific references like carpets inspired by the Willamette River (and many have views of the wide waterway itself) and live-edge wooden accent furniture, along with Ritz-Carlton touches that Marriott Bonvoy loyalists are used to at this top-tier label, including sumptuous, white-sheeted Ritz-Carlton beds and fragrant Diptyque Philosykos toiletries stocked in the all-marble bathrooms.

The room

Executive Suites like the one I stayed in are located at the corners of the building down long corridors whose carpeting is a motif based on the Willamette River Valley’s topography and whose wall art includes prints inspired by Lewis and Clark’s historic exploration of this region.

Just inside the front door was a spacious foyer with a handy countertop for placing bags or keys, lit by dual sconce lights and embellished with an oval hanging mirror for last looks before stepping out for the day.

Next to that was a powder room with a sink and toilet — a nice addition for folks entertaining colleagues in their quarters but who want to keep the bedroom and main bathroom separate for their own use.

The suite’s main room, with wraparound windows whose sheers and curtains were electronically controlled, comprised two distinct areas.

First, a four-seat dining room with an angular hanging chandelier (and a welcome amenity of Oregon pinot noir, macarons and mushroom-shaped chocolates) doubled as a workspace.

A large, steamer-trunk-like fixture, complete with cannabis-inspired interior papering, comprised the minibar. Inside was a small sink, a Nespresso machine and a minifridge.

The living room was anchored by a sprawling, somewhat freeform, gray-upholstered sectional cradling a live-edge wooden table and complemented with a low-slung chair with its own round side table.

Both faced a wall-mounted 65-inch flat-screen television and the door leading into the separate bedroom.

Smaller than the living room, but still spacious, the bedroom felt like an entire hotel room unto itself.

It contained a king-size bed dressed in immaculate white Frette linens and a cushy, cream-colored armchair by the windows with a standing lamp in case you wanted to curl up with a good book.

To either side of the bed was a marble-toppled nightstand with drawers and a lamp, though the bed headboard also included little reading lights. Searching for plugs? Power outlets and USB-A ports were embedded in the sides of the nightstands closest to the bed.

Along the wall opposite the windows, the closet included a section with drawers and another for luggage and hanging clothes.

Tiled in white marble with dramatic white-gray limestone countertops, the bathroom felt even larger than the bedroom. It contained dual vanities with two basin sinks and a small makeup area between them. Should you forget some toiletries at home, fear not. There was a drawer stocked with anything you could need, from nail kits to toothbrushes, shower caps and facial wipes, plus an Elchim hair straightener and hair dryer.

Opposite, there was a glassed-in Asian-style bathing suite with handheld and wall-mounted showerheads flanking a soaking tub, all stocked with full-size, fig-scented Diptyque Philosykos bath products.

Finally, at the back, the water closet held the toilet behind its own closing door for privacy.

At nearly 1,000 square feet, the suite felt like a private pied-a-terre right in the midst of the city, thanks in no small part to the surfeit of floor-to-ceiling windows, offering sweeping views of the skyline and the surrounding hills. And while all the typical Ritz-Carlton touches were in evidence, playful, regionally inspired accents also abounded to anchor the ambience with a sense of place.

Food and drink

The Ritz-Carlton, Portland’s main restaurant, Bellpine, takes up nearly an entire side of the 20th floor, with an enormous, convivial bar and a large dining room looking onto the open kitchen as well as enjoying great views of the city’s skyline. It’s helmed by executive chef Pedro Almeida (formerly the executive chef at Ritz-Carlton’s Penha Longa Resort in Portugal) and chef Lauro Romero.

Open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Bellpine’s menu spans the cuisines of the Pacific Rim but highlights Oregonian ingredients, while the wine list also reflects a lot of local stars as well as bottles from farther afield, including offerings from California, France, Spain and Portugal.

Start a leisurely dinner with a round of fluffy berliner donuts topped with sweet Dungeness crab, spicy yuzu kosho and scallon curtido relish ($26). Luscious Pacific scallops come grilled and garnished with Rainier cherry salsa with a drizzling of cocoa butter ($30), while earthy rabbit is accompanied by a tangy mushroom escabeche with hazelnuts for crunch ($26).

Not to miss is an enormous cut of sockeye salmon with potlatch spices and a hazelnut crust served on a cedar plank with a side of unctuous yuzu hollandaise ($140).

The desserts are inspired by Oregon’s landscapes, including the forest (pistachio mousse with chocolate ganache; $14) and the coast (creamy crab croquant with apple gel, bourbon pudding and butter-nori “sand;” $24).

The breakfast menu consists of healthy dishes like chia-almond pudding with preserved local fruits ($15) and old-fashioned oatmeal with hazelnut-mango peanut butter ($15) as well as heartier fare like create-your-own omelets ($20) with unique fillings like caviar ($30) and Pacific Northwest crab ($15).

Down in the lobby near the front entrance, the hotel has an all-day cafe and lounge called Meadowrue. With hanging plants, a dramatic green stone bar and tree-like elements including a live-edge table, the venue feels like a little bit of forest transplanted into the middle of the city.

During the day, guests can order coffee and tea drinks to enjoy throughout the lobby along with pastries such as a hazelnut muffin or a spinach-feta lattice.

In the evenings, bites like a cheese board ($28), a grilled cheese sandwich with truffle and apple ($21) and a turkey BLT ($22) are available, as are specialty cocktails like the “Who, Leo?” with Don Julio Reposado tequila, Giffard Abricot du Roussillon liqueur, macadamia nut milk, cashew orgeat and lime ($26).

Amenities and service

Among the amenities at the Ritz-Carlton, Portland, the fitness complex which takes up half the 19th floor, is the standout. The 4,000-square-foot gym is populated by a plethora of current-model Technogym cardio machines including ellipticals and treadmills, plenty of weight machines and free weights, stretching equipment and an area set aside for three Peloton bikes. Guests can take advantage of fresh towels, bottles of water and headphones as well.

Next door, the indoor infinity-edge pool is truly jaw-dropping, with fabulous city views through the double-height floor-to-ceiling windows and a dramatic mirrored ceiling reflecting the exterior light to make it feel even more spacious. There’s also a whirlpool and a set of showers available to guests along with cushioned loungers.

Although not ready at the time of my stay, the Ritz-Carlton Spa, Portland (also on the 19th floor) is now open. With curved walls and white-marble tiling, the wellness facility is inspired by a white rose and has five rooms where guests can enjoy treatments that incorporate Espa and Dr. Dennis Gross skincare products. There are also men’s and women’s locker rooms with saunas, steam rooms and even snow rooms for guests to cool off.

Up on the 20th floor, the Club Lounge is a sprawling space with lots of cozy seating vignettes as well as a casual dining area. Guests with club access can enjoy light meals throughout the day, including an extensive breakfast buffet with both hot and cold items such as eggs, sausage, pastries, fresh fruit and cold cuts.

At lunchtime, there are various salads, wraps and finger sandwiches, while in the evenings, you might find club guests helping themselves to a pour of wine from Enomatic machines, and sweet treats like cookies and small cakes.

Out and about

The Ritz-Carlton, Portland is in the heart of downtown, which means you can walk to plenty of the city’s best restaurants, cafes, bars and boutiques. It’s also why the hotel has been the target of some controversy, as its development was partially enabled by some advantageous tax breaks, even as parts of the city struggle with swelling numbers of unhoused individuals.

That said, the streets around the hotel feel safe and lively. On the block just north, visitors will find two of Portland’s best locally sourced souvenir and home goods shops, Tender Loving Empire and Woonwinkel. A block past that is Union Way, a kind of pop-up shopping mall, and across the street is the landmark bookseller Powell’s Books.

Keep venturing north to explore the shops and watering holes of the city’s upscale Pearl District, including Teardrop Lounge and the Deschutes Brewery Tasting Room.

If you head south of the hotel, you’ll come to various boutiques, including the Japanese-inspired Haberdashers, Kiriko, and Ale O, an upcycled-chic fashion designer. To the east and south are central Pioneer Square and the riverfront.

Meanwhile, to the west, there are eateries galore, including Dolly Olive, serving tasty aperitivi and palate-pleasing puzzlers like rainbow sprinkle savory zeppole and a gooey Italian croque monsieur; not to mention Never Coffee proffering pick-me-ups like an avant-garde yuzu-infused latte.

Accessibility

As a new-build hotel, the Ritz-Carlton, Portland adheres to all current accessibility requirements, including a wheelchair-accessible main entrance via its driveway off Southwest Washington Street, lobby lounge and restaurants, plus elevators with wheelchair-height buttons, wide corridors, maneuverable public spaces, a chair lift into the pool and grab bars to aid in entering the Jacuzzi.

Accessible accommodations include accessible-height vanities, adjustable hand-held shower wands, toilet and bathtub grab rails, roll-in showers, wheelchair-accessible-height deadbolts and lever handles, closed-caption televisions and more.

As in any instance where you might have specific requirements, call the hotel directly to reserve accommodations that will meet your needs.

Checking out

The Ritz-Carlton, Portland heralds a new level of luxury in the city … and the price point to match, though redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points can be a great way to save on the nightly rates.

Ritz-Carlton loyalists will recognize brand-standard amenities, and the bright but pared-down room decor gives the hotel a distinctly business-like ambience. However, cheeky local touches like decorative terrariums and sylvan-inspired lighting and furnishings lend the hotel a sense of place as well. All that adds up to a hotel where visiting executives and leisure travelers should feel equally at ease, especially over a cocktail at sunset in Bellpine or while taking a dip in the panoramic pool.

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