Proximity is everything when it comes to booking a hotel. You want to be close to the sights, and preferably within walking distance of bars and restaurants. Parking should also be easy if we’re driving. It’d be nice if the property offered some kind of nighttime entertainment or had a place to hang out after a long day. Basic amenities should be available round-the-clock and it’d be nice if my dog could travel with me. Are we asking for too much? Maybe, but we did find a place that ticks off most of our boxes: The Benson.
The historic hotel in downtown Portland is a commanding property with 287 guest rooms located in the center of it all. It’s several blocks from Powell’s City of Books, Portland’s famous bookstore and the country’s largest; the original Voodoo Doughnut location (you won’t miss it with its continuous line snaking around the block); and a handful of excellent coffee shops.
Most of the aforementioned nice-to-haves are also available at the Benson (fitness center, 24-hour business center, two restaurants, and a lobby bar), which is popular for business travelers. There are boardrooms, meeting rooms and ballrooms—you’ll see groups, wedding parties, conventions and regular travelers like ourselves who wound up here over a long holiday weekend. The hotel was busy given the occasion but it never felt crowded. Even on a Friday night with the lobby brimming with guests watching the live piano performance, the room felt cozy rather than crammed.
It’s the same for the property’s understated rooms, all of which have been renovated and are simple but outfitted with all of the essentials. Our king room was the ideal size for two with a large bed, a small, comfortable couch, and a wide built-in with a fridge, a desk and a TV. While the bathroom is on the smaller side for a room of this size, the full tub was a welcomed surprise where I expected to see a shower as is typical of most renovated hotel rooms.
One of the most interesting things about The Benson today is its past, which is on full display in the hotel’s marble stairwell across 12 floors. The historical stairwell is themed with floors dedicated to Portland’s landmark buildings (floors four and five), fun facts about the city (third floor), and the hotel’s many celebrity guests (seventh floor)—from Elvis to Sammy Davis, Jr., to Dianna Ross. It’s a fascinating presentation that’s worth a visit even if you do have to climb quite a bit of flights to see it in its entirety. Pro tip: start from the top.
Time Out tip: The Benson is within walking distance from Portland's weekly Saturday market, the largest, continuously operating artisan market in the country. Plan accordingly!
