Woodlark Hotel Portland

"The Woodlark offers two distinct, excellent hotel bar options: Bullard Tavern and Abigail Hall, both helmed by local restaurant group Holler Hospitality. Bullard offers a Portland-influenced take on Texas smokehouse cuisine, with standout habanero chicken wings, a bar menu subsection dedicated to pickleback shots, and ice-cold Shiner Bock bottles at the ready; Abigail Hall is inspired by the suffragette history of its venue, with seasonal cocktails, chilly batched martinis for two, and a very good bar burger. Watch a game at the Bullard Bar and get wings, then sink into the evocative vibe of Abigail Hall with friends. These spots cater to out-of-town guests, sure, but as far as Portland staycations go, this might be the city’s best." - Jordan Michelman

"The Portland-based Provenance Hotels group continues its domination of downtown with Woodlark, its sixth hotel in a six-block radius. With everything from an inviting lobby cafe and much-lauded restaurant to a modern design palette and a few smart nods to the property’s historic past, the hotel aims to be as appealing to locals as it is to visitors. Upon arrival, guests check in at a marbled horseshoe bar, staffed by baristas serving beans from local roaster Good Coffee. Also in the lobby is the Colibri flower stand from Naomi Pomeroy, a former Top Chef Masters star who also dabbles in floral arrangements. The hotel itself spans two buildings: the former Woodlark Building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Cornelius Hotel. No matter which you end up in, however, you can expect spacious rooms, with tall ceilings and large windows. Decor ranges from black-and-white plant images by Pacific Northwest photographer Imogen Cunningham to cozy details like plush headboards and dark wood accents and, while there aren’t any closets, there are racks with hangers and space for luggage. There are also mini bars with local goods like Underwood canned wine and Woodblock chocolate, plus USB ports built into the bedside tables for easy charging. Additional amenities include pet-friendly rooms with beds, bowls, and treats; a top-of-the-line gym with a Peloton bike and interactive workout wall; and Shinola bikes for cruising the city. When hunger strikes, head to Bullard (the Texas-meets-Oregon restaurant from Top Chef alum Doug Adams) or Abigail Hall (a bar in the Cornelius’ former library, which used to serve as a gathering space for women suffragists)."

"There are many reasons to visit the Woodlark without being a guest. For starters, Good Coffee—the café in the lobby, fully outfitted with abstract art—whips up a creamy rosemary-and-spiced-fig latte worth trekking across town for. Tucked in the back is Abigail Hall, which we’d give an award for its ambience and martinis. Next door, Bullard’s roast chicken is not to be missed. And of course, these are also compelling reasons to stay here, as are the plush beds in the lush, sophisticated rooms. The hotel invites you to relax. Each room is bathed in natural light from the giant windows, one of the many charming aesthetic details in the hotel’s two early-twentieth-century structures, the former Cornelius Hotel and the Woodlark Building. The details are minimal but dramatic: rich emerald-green and midnight-blue custom wallpaper, velvet sofas, and blonde hardwood floors. The rooms vary in size and layout (the loft suite has an apartment feel), but they’re all spacious. There are Peloton bikes in the pristine fitness center if you’re looking to work out. But given the Woodlark’s location in the heart of downtown, you may want to grab that latte, then get your cardio exploring the nearby boutiques and landmarks. Photos courtesy of Provenance Hotels. "

"The newest addition to the Provenance Hotels portfolio, the Woodlark is everything you’d imagine a Portland hotel to be. Formerly two early 19th-century hotel buildings that were renovated and fused together, the Woodlark combines art deco elements like velvet and aged brass with floral wallpaper and lots of plants."

"Why did this hotel catch your attention? What's the vibe? Stepping off the busy downtown artery of Alder Street, into the Woodlark’s lush little geometric tiled lobby, you experience an immediate sense of peace and comfort, followed shortly thereafter by a sharp stab of envy—why can’t your living room be this nice? Flanked on one side by the hotel’s excellent restaurant, Bullard, and anchored by a glowing marble-topped craft coffee bar run by popular local roaster Good Coffee, it’s bright with natural light, tropical foliage, and fresh flower arrangements from local floral design studio Colibri, and stuffed with invitingly cushy leather and velvet sofas and armchairs positioned at just the right angles to do some serious people-watching, or working, whichever suits your mood. What's the backstory? The 150-room boutique hotel is actually a combination of two deeply historic downtown Portland buildings—the circa-1908 French Renaissance-style Cornelius Hotel, nicknamed the “House of Welcome” and renowned for its dynamic Ladies Reception Hall, and the 1912-born Woodlark Building, one of the city’s first skyscrapers and home to a thriving drug store and pharmacy beloved for its soda fountain. Well-known women artists’ work is prominently featured throughout the hotel—acclaimed twentieth century Portland photographer Imogen Cunningham’s work can be found hanging in the guestrooms (and inspires the vibrant botanical-print wallpaper as well), while the lobby walls showcase original pieces by self-taught Portland abstract painter Maja Dlugolecki. Tell us all about the accommodations. Any tips on what to book? If you’re feeling swanky, one of the Woodlark Suites is the way to go. Around 600 square feet, with a sumptuous living room decorated in tranquil greys and rich cobalt blues, luxurious Italian linens-wrapped king bed nestled into a glass-walled sleeping nook, generous bathroom sporting a free-standing soaking tub big enough for two, and spectacular corner views of the West Hills and downtown, this is the Portland pied-à-terre you’ve been dreaming of. Is there a charge for Wi-Fi? High-speed Wi-fi is covered by the $20 daily guest amenities fee. Drinking and dining—what are we looking at? You won’t want for good food during your stay, starting with the outstanding onsite restaurant, Bullard, a convivial Tex-mex mecca helmed by Texas-born Top Chef finalist Doug Adams and his business partner, restaurateur and hospitality industry veteran Jennifer Quist—together, the two run the restaurant group Holler Hospitality. Quist’s keen design eye is particularly evident in Abigail Hall (named for pioneering local suffragette and writer Abigail Scott Duniway), the striking hotel bar secreted away at the end of the lobby hallway, where you can sip on a shakerful of martinis and take down one of the epic fancy sauce-slathered Abby’s Burgers, while wondering if the exquisite floral walls are hand-painted (they are, by prolific Portland-based artist Michael Paulus). The lobby coffee bar, Good Coffee, sells Adams’ kolaches, baked fresh every morning, to pair with your horchata latte. What type of travelers will you find here? You’re as likely to find boyfriend jeans and beanie-clad locals lounging around on the creamy leather sofas and tapping away on laptops at the window tables as you are out-of-towners, which trend hip, fun, and informed; sit in the lobby long enough and you’ll collect quite a cache of fashion trends, current affairs catch-ups, and travel tips. What about the neighborhood? Does the hotel fit in, make itself part of the scene? The hotel sits square in the heart of downtown Portland, steps from the trendy West End area, home to high-end shopping arcade Union Way, indie boutique Frances May, Scandinavian treasure trove Woonwinkel, and noteworthy eateries and coffeehouses like James Beard-nominated chef Peter Cho’s Korean comfort food hotspot Toki, Berliner-focused Fills Donuts, and cheery Never Coffee Lab. Trundle around downtown and the nearby Pearl District, being sure to hit nearby landmarks like Powell’s City of Books and the Portland Art Museum, or hop the MAX train to Washington Park and do some soul-soothing forest bathing at the Portland Japanese Garden. Is there anything you'd change? Maybe you’re a fan of interior-facing rooms (i.e. the kind where your room’s windows look out at walls instead of skies, trees, sidewalks, or parking garages); if so, you’ll be fine if you get one here. Claustrophobic sorts and people/parking garage watchers, pay close attention to exactly what room you’re booking online, or ask the reservations agent to steer you towards a top floor room with wide-angle West Hills views. Any other hotel features worth noting? If you’ve been eyeing the flourishing lobby flora and fauna, wondering how one cultivates such a vividly green thumb, or are just missing your favorite philodendron back home, browse the Bedside Botanical Menu, which lets you borrow a companion plant for your room. And if you need to stash away a few souvenirs for the folks back home, the custom-wrapped, perfectly petite Portland-made Woodblock Chocolate bars in the Honor Bar will be well received. Bottom line: Worth it? Why? If you’re all about covetable design, lots of leafy natural beauty, top-notch dining and drinking within 20 paces of the elevator, a central downtown setting, and savoring a pint of locally-churned Salt & Straw ice cream after an in-room yoga session, look no further." - Jen Stevenson