"Set the stage—where are we?Perfectly positioned in the middle of Portland’s unofficial downtown hotel row, the Kimpton Hotel Vintage Portland is only two blocks from Pioneer Courthouse Square, so eschew an Uber and take the MAX light rail from the airport. (If you’re driving, valet’s available, but a public parking lot across the street costs half the price.) In keeping with the wine-meets–Keep Portland Weird design theme, there’s a quirkily comprehensive chalkboard wine tutorial and floor-to-ceiling portrait of a nipple-pierced and tattooed Bacchus in the sleek marble lobby wine bar. If your room isn’t ready yet, take the spiral staircase to the game lounge, packed with a full-size pool table, shuffleboard, and video game center with Nintendo Wii, PlayStation, and Xbox. Or grab a cup of cucumber-infused spa water from the lobby, lace up your walking shoes, and head out to see the sights—you’re a 10-minute walk from main attractions like the Portland Art Museum, Lan Su Chinese Garden, West End’s hip boutiques, the trendy Pearl District, and Tom McCall Waterfront Park (borrow one of the free hotel bikes and ride along the riverfront trail). Nice. What’s the crowd like?Business travelers, wine lovers, and laid-back weekender trippers. The good stuff: Tell us about your room.Each floor of the hotel is dedicated to a particular Willamette Valley American Viticultural Area; each room is named after a local winery. Basic rooms in the beautiful historic red-brick building can skew small and dark, so light lovers should book a King Corner Suite or top floor Sky Loft room, faced on one side by 45-degree sky-view solarium windows. Also fun: the Urban Soak rooms, with private graffiti-faced patios and outdoor hot tubs. Queen rooms are done in a lighter, gray, and purple palette; King rooms have romantic carved-wood headboards, walls the color of wine-stained lips, and corkboard silhouettes. How about the little things, like wifi and other in-room amenities?WiFi is free and fast for IHG Rewards Club members, in-room yoga mats and spa services are available, and since Portland’s all about going green, pass on housekeeping and get a daily credit for Il Solito, the onsite Italian restaurant. What's there to eat here?A simple continental breakfast is available each morning in the bar, or cross the street to St. Honore Bakery for homemade quiche and croque-monsieurs. Il Solito, the hotel's excellent restaurant, is a no-brainer for dinner; chef Matt Sigler, who came to Portland after stints at San Francisco’s acclaimed Quince and Flour + Water, serves elevated old-school Italian in a romantic, low-ceilinged space; try the fried calamari with arrabiata aioli, the prosciutto and melon drizzled with truffle honey, and the wild salmon ravioli. Staff: If you could award one a trophy, who gets it, and why?Concierge Ryan Lettier is one of only two Les Clef d’Or members in Oregon, so rest assured you’re in good hands having him plan your Columbia Gorge–to-coast—and everything in between—itinerary. Anything stand out about other services and features?The friendly front desk staff will give you the lowdown on the nightly wine hour, which brings in one of the hotel's 117 local vintner-partners like McMinnville’s Elizabeth Chambers or Hyland Estates in Dundee to personally pour their wines—and perhaps entice you to visit their tasting room on any upcoming Willamette Valley sojourns. If you miss the party, just ask the jovial lobby bartender to mix you up the drink of the day—whether the Spanish Dilly or Beetlejuice, it’s always delicious. What's the bottom line?This elegantly edgy wine-focused central downtown hotel entertains guests with graffiti-inspired cork art, rooftop hot tubs, and a fully stocked game lounge." - Jen Stevenson
