McMenamins Kennedy School

"What's the story here?It might seem counterintuitive to spend your vacation holed up in, well, a school, but this historic treasure is no ordinary institution of learning; rather, it’s an abandoned WWI-era elementary school saved from certain death by the McMenamin brothers, the region’s quirkiest development duo. The classrooms have comfy queen beds and private bathrooms as well as full-sized chalkboards, the auditorium is lined with sofas and overstuffed chairs (perfect for curling up in and watching family-friendly flicks with popcorn, pizza, and pints), the teachers' lounge is now a saltwater soaking pool, and the detention room is strictly for socializing and sipping hooch. In other words: the school of our dreams. What’s the crowd like?Families, relaxed older couples, Cosmic Tripsters (AKA McMenamins Passport holders) And how are the rooms?Remember your first-grade classroom, with its big vintage windows, dusty chalkboards, and coat closet? That’s what you’re sleeping in when you book the School Wing, but instead of too-small chairs, there are comfortable beds, zany wall murals, and private bathrooms. The hotel quiets down once the local restaurant-goers clear out in the evening, leaving the halls largely deserted except for the occasional robe-clad guest returning from the soaking pool. For the quietest stay—sans the historic charms and chalkboards—request one of the 22 rooms in the newer English Wing. What about the in-room amenities?Amenities are basic; there’s no television or minibar, but Wi-Fi is free and reasonably fast. What's the food and drink scene like?The hotel serves three meals a day and has a half-dozen bars (at some point, drink a Botanical Mule in the Boiler Room), so if all you’re in the market for is simple, unfussy pub grub and decent booze in an entertaining environment, you needn’t leave campus. For pickier palates, the surrounding streets are rife with top restaurants; for casual, family-friendly eats, head down artsy-cool Alberta Street to Pine State Biscuits for gravy-drenched biscuit sandwiches the size of a softball, Bollywood Theater for Indian street-food favorites, or Proud Mary, a hip Australian import with a true connoisseur-grade coffee selection and Instagram-breaking ricotta hotcake. Anything stand out about other services and features?Especially tempting for guests in staycation mode, the heated year-round saltwater soaking pool in the hotel’s private outdoor garden courtyard (formerly the teachers' lounge) is open all day; although the public is invited until 8pm, later in the evening it might just be all yours. Over in the auditorium-turned–second-run movie theater, cozy old sofas and armchairs are lined up in place of squeaky stadium seats; after you order at the bar, your burger and beer will be delivered right to your seat. Best of all? Admission Is free for guests (but even if it wasn’t, flicks cost only $4 for the public, and half that for kids). What's the bottom line?With a soaking pool, movie theater, and onsite brewery, this converted elementary school is the educational experience of our dreams." - Jen Stevenson