Peace, quiet and beauty in the midst of a frenetic city
18/06/2018 Janet_in_Portland, Portland, Oregon
I don't usually review chain hotels because.....why? I've stayed in five stars and low stars, and after awhile they all look the same. This hotel is an exception for two reasons: The lovely courtya... more
I don't usually review chain hotels because.....why? I've stayed in five stars and low stars, and after awhile they all look the same. This hotel is an exception for two reasons: The lovely courtyard with its pool that is magical IF you get a room that overlooks the courtyard. It has old-fashioned windows that open over bougainvillea that make you think you're all alone in a tropical retreat. You can hear the sounds of summer in your room when children are playing in the pool, eat your meals under the arbor full of bougainvillea and really be on vacation despite the chaos outside.
The hotel also has the basics that require the 90%-100% rating of five dots: Clean rooms, plenty of hot water with good water pressure, comfortable beds, free wifi that worked (I have a bee in my bonnet about hotels that charge for wifi), decent breakfast food included in the price (it's food, so don't expect cuisine), effective guest washers/dryers (you don't have to keep plugging the dryer) and very, very helpful and friendly staff.
I want to give a special thanks to Carlos Morgan. I had only booked three nights and for long and boring reasons decided to stay 10 days, but that took us over the Pride Parade and the hotel was sold out the night before. Carlos figured out a way for us to remain in the room even though it was a last minute decision to extend our stay.
There are rooms that face the city rather than the courtyard, and my guess is that I wouldn't be writing this if we had faced away from the courtyard. But even so, it's a good Best Western and the courtyard (even if you don't face it) made it much nicer than the $$$$$ Mondrian next door. After all, a hotel room is just a hotel room. less