Kimpton Riverplace Hotel

Downtown Portland, all things considered, is surprisingly urban — streetcars, high-rise buildings, the works. But the RiverPlace Hotel’s having none of it. Here the views are of the waterfront park, the marina, the Hawthorne bridge, and the waters of the Willamette River. Frankly, there’s a bit of a country-house vibe about the place, or a mountain lodge — sans mountains, but with plenty of timber and stone, and a fireplace seemingly around every corner.

The rooms continue in the same vein, blending cool modernism with warm expedition-chic, and with Frette linens, cozy bathrobes, and a minibar stocked with local snacks, they’re tailor-made for a rainy day in bed — all the more so if you’re lucky enough to score a fireplace and/or a balcony or terrace.

Then again there’s plenty of inducement to hit the streets — or the bike paths. Umbrellas are supplied as a matter of course, but in truth Portland isn’t nearly as rainy as it’s reputed to be. Borrow a stylish PUBLIC bike from reception and get outside — from this location, at the edge of downtown, everything worth seeing in this compact, bike-friendly city is easily within reach.