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I have been traveling more and more lately and have the opportunity to stay in number of hotels of various sizes, shapes and services. What started as a personal photography exercise quickly became material which could be compared/contrasted and I thought I would make an interesting thread that spans a multitude of my experiences. From bland to boutique, every place I have stayed in has a story and hopefully I capture a bit of the spirit of each place so that one day you too might want to visit or steer clear of Hotel “X.”
Tonight’s hotel spotlight will be The Nines in Portland, Oregon located on SW Morrison. It is one of those places that, if you did not know it was there you might just walk on by the front doors, unawares of the beauty that lies within. The Nines boasts a quiet entry that whips you in and up elevators to an interior courtyard that houses the main reception, restaurant, lobby, privacy cubes and bar. I was surprised at first and thought that I had been transplanted into a New York chic hotel but found that upon further inspection that The Nines was still “Portland” in essence. Then again, naming your restaurant Urban Farmer and adding warm woods, plants and plush furniture plays off my personal sensibilities so, go figure!
Furthermore, I was lucky enough that my room got upgraded to a corner suite which had spectacular views of downtown Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square as well as a great view of the east side of Portland through the baffle of the city core. As far as the amenities are concerned, The Nines had everything their namesake inspires including the Tiffany Blue couch and Jellyfish Lamp (sorry! the pic didn’t turn out. You’ll have to trust me on this one). Besides the Jellyfish lamp, the restroom was a bit odd as far as space planning is concerned. I mean is an 8′ x 12′ is great but the relatively small combination tub shower left something to desired. I could not help but think of my professors of studios past coming back to haunt me with the, “Efficiency of Space! Efficiency of Space!” mantra. Now I get it.
