Hotel Eastlund

Address: 1021 Northeast Grand Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232

Phone: 503.235.2100

Email: contact@hoteleastlund.com

Website: https://www.hoteleastlund.com/

Recently. I was scheduled to speak at a Retro Gamer Expo in Portland, Oregon. For those that don’t know, I am an old grizzled gamer guy who worked for Atari, Accolade and Mattel Toys managing the development of more than 35 titles during my career, before losing my sight in a car accident. A result of my long career in the games industry I’m often asked to speak at panels for Retro Games conferences of all types, which I always love. For this trip, I needed a hotel within walking distance of the Portland Conference Center and had some decent food options close by.

Hotel Eastlund

The Hotel Eastlund is a modern, and sleek feeling boutique hotel located a couple blocks from the Portland Convention Center. Navigation of the area is primarily city streets, with few obstructions. I arrived at the hotel before the scheduled 4pm check in time, (I had requested early check in) and entered through the main lobby where the check in desk is located just to the left as you enter the lobby. Elevators were located just past the seating area in the lobby which is to the right as you enter the lobby. I was easily able to follow the line of the carpeted area and hang a right to get to the elevators after check in.

Checking in

I had called ahead the day before to let the hotel know that I would be traveling with a guide dog, but the person checking me in said there was no note of my bringing my guide with me. Not a big deal since alerting them about the service animal is more a courtesy than anything. Check in was uneventful, and the person checking me in did a good job explaining where the elevators were and that there was a small coffee shop – The Wild Bean Coffee Bar  past the elevators on the main floor. The elevator buttons were well marked, and it was easy to find my floor. Signs and directions for getting to my room were a bit of a challenge. No offer was made to help me in getting to my room, which would have been a big help.

The Room

I stayed in a junior suite, which I found spacious and comfortable. There was plenty of room for my guide to stretch out on the floor next to the bed, and I found the room easy to navigate. There would be plenty of room for a mobility impaired guest to navigate the room with a wheelchair or other mobility aid.  

Service Animal facilities

When I checked in, I asked where they would like me to relieve my guide and they said they are not a pet friendly hotel so there were no specific locations for relieving. There were no grass options, and the only asphalt options were in the parking lot, so use those at your own risk. The best place I found to relieve my guide was in the ivy areas between cars, so make sure your guide is comfortable going in areas that are tight and a bit treacherous to get to. Garbage cans were not available in the area so I had to walk halfway down the block to the garbage can on the street level, since I obviously didn’t want to throw waste into an indoor can. The distance to the relieving area (parking lot) was not far from the room I stayed in on the fifth floor.

Interactions

I use a sign that says “ignore me” on my guide dog, and the staff at the Hotel Eastlund did a commendable job ignoring her presence. As with many hotels I have stayed in, the front desk staff could use a tune-up when it comes to dealing with guests who are visually impaired. Giving directions by pointing and saying “over there” is a typical mistake. Not offering assistance in finding the room, while not unusual still makes things difficult to get to know the lay of the land so to speak when you are first checking into a hotel. The desk staff did do a good job letting me know where the elevators were located however.

Dining

I stopped in the Wild Bean Coffee Bar for breakfast one morning and found the coffee good, but the Danishes and pastries were all gone by 9 am, so plan to arrive early if you are looking for a quick breakfast. The Dennys across the street was nothing special – typical Denny’s fare. We ended up going to the Metropolitan Tavern both nights we stayed at the hotel. They offer locally sourced ingredients and well made cocktails. Of note was the Pisco sour, which is a favorite and not available on many menus. The tavern is very busy, but we were able to get a table quickly. One night we ate outside on the patio which got chilly and the second night we ate inside which was very loud, but the food was good albeit a bit pricey. There are a few other small local restaurants close by, as well as a couple larger burger chains. Overall, a good choice of eating options within close walking distance.

Conclusion

My time commitments did not allow me the time to check out the spa. I spoke with a few other guests during my stay who commented on how good the offerings were in the on-premises spa. I will make it a point to factor in time for that on my next stay later this year and will update the review accordingly. Overall, the hotel was comfortable, clean, and offered an enjoyable stay with a lot of close dining options.