AC Hotel Portland Downtown, OR

"What's the big picture?Part of the Madrid-born and (now) Marriott-owned hotel chain founded by Spanish hotelier Antonio Catalán, this sleek new downtown Portland boutique hotel is short on non-essentials and long on style, targeting effortlessly hip young travelers. Don’t expect conventional extras like alarm clocks, a concierge, or even room service (not that you need it with all the excellent Portland restaurants and food carts nearby). Do, however, expect clean, modern design, an efficient staff, and a beautiful little marble-backed lobby bar, just the spot for a revitalizing gin and tonic and bowl of citrus-marinated olives or spiced pistachios. The 13-story, 204-room hotel has a location can’t be beat: Tom McCall Waterfront Park is three blocks east, the perpetually packed Vietnamese restaurant Luc Lac is next door, and Pioneer Place mall is just across the street, practically a Zara bag’s toss from the front door. Nice. Who's booking a stay here?Solo travelers, businesspeople, jetsetters, and under packers. What are your thoughts on the rooms?Book a spacious King Corner Room for the extra square footage, a cozy sitting area, and floor-to ceiling-windows. Ongoing downtown construction can be disruptive; ask for the highest, quietest room possible if you’re sensitive to street noise. Floating pillowtop beds ensure a good night’s sleep, and there are also eco-friendly full-size bottles of shower gel and lotion by Korres, plus flat-screens equipped with Netflix and Hulu. And although you won’t find a robe or slippers in the minimalist closet, they’re just a phone call away. What, if anything, really stood out to you here?One of the LEED Silver–certified hotel’s coolest features (literally) is the Hydration Station on each floor. Borrow one of the glass carafes, or bring along your trusty Klean Kanteen, and fill it with purified water to take back to your room, cutting out any wasteful plastic bottle middlemen. What kind of food can we find in the restaurant? Are there other options nearby?Spanish-style egg tarts, meats and cheeses, fresh croissants, toast with Nutella, a Nespresso machine, and a prosciutto station add European flair to the ordinarily humdrum hotel breakfast routine, but considering your proximity to morning meal heavyweights like Mother’s Bistro and Bijou Cafe, you may also want to take your $16 elsewhere. For a fun and casual counter-service lunch, try neighboring Luc Lac, one of the nearby food carts, or Pine Street Market food hall; for a romantic dinner, book a table at elegant Q Restaurant around the corner. We heard a thing or two about a coffee bar. What's the deal?Bright and early each morning, what you thought was just an Instagram-friendly wall sculpture of a giant petrified stump swings open to reveal a darling walk-up coffee counter—AKA The Slab. Coffee enthusiasts will appreciate the excellent cappuccinos and lattes made with Portland’s own Water Avenue Coffee; coffee obsessives will appreciate being in the presence of greatness; namely, a tablet-controlled Alpha Dominche Steampunk siphon brewer." - Jen Stevenson