Avalon Hotel & Spa

Down By the Riverside

No matter what your travel budget is, most of us want the same things from a hotel: a clean, quiet, comfortable room. I want a bit more, and I think you should, too. I want a hotel that does as good a job taking care of the environment as it does taking care of its guests. I also want all the usual amenities, and if I can get chocolate gelato from room service and scones for breakfast, I'm good to go. I got all this, and more, at the Avalon Hotel & Spa in Portland, OR.

From the moment I arrived at the Avalon I was relaxed and happy. The hotel is ideally located just a mile or two from downtown Portland, on the west bank of the Willamette River. It's a gorgeous setting that, I realize as I'm writing this, embodies Portland's peaceful, easy-going energy.

Home Away From Home

Within a few minutes of pulling into the hotel's driveway, two friendly valets appeared to help my boyfriend and I unload the car. While I checked in, one young man loaded our bags on a trolley and another moved our car into the parking lot. We were ushered into our room within minutes. Nice.

First things first, I had to flop on the bed for a short nap (the long drive from Seattle made me tired...plus, it's my job to test the bed).  Gotta love a hotel that has a king-size bed in every room. I noticed the soft sheets right away, and was very thankful for them. Too often I've stayed at popular hotels where the sheets are super thin and feel icky against my skin. The cotton sheets at the Avalon felt substantial, cozy, and fresh. Same with the blankets--soft and warm. I didn't hesitate to snuggle into them and fall asleep. Because I have chemical sensitivity and allergies, I was happy that my bedding was clean but didn't smell like detergent or bleach.

I also liked the extra long pillows on the bed, and noticed that there were more pillows of various sizes and types, as well as blankets, in the hall closet. It was nice having access to what I needed; I don't always want to call housekeeping. I prefer staying at hotels where I can have first-class service and the ability to be independent, depending on how my needs change during my visit.  

I have to mention the bedspread because at too many hotels, it's the scariest thing in the room. Not here. Our bed cover was made out of dark olive green woven material; it was subtle and simple. In fact, the entire room was comfortable in that same way - nothing was over done or overlooked.  

Our room was fairly neutral in design, which I liked because it didn't feel like a chain hotel or so fancy that we felt like intruders, afraid to live in the room. I even hung up all my clothes in the closet, something I almost never do. And my boyfriend used the iron!   (We also left a fair share of clothing strewn about on the floor, the true sign for us that we felt relaxed and content there.)

I've stayed in both budget and five-star hotels around the country and in Europe, and it's always nice to find a hotel like the Avalon where I feel at home. There was a nice large couch in our room, which my boyfriend is still talking about. He spent a lot of time sitting, reclining, and napping on it since he woke up long before I did both days we were there. (As the early riser, it was his job to get to the complimentary breakfast buffet in the morning and score some fresh fruit and scones for me!)

The room also had a desk and chair, a padded chair adjacent to the couch, and a hutch containing a television and hot beverage maker. (If you're traveling in a group, the Avalon's riverside suites are scenic, well appointed, and very comfortable. Each suite has a living room area, large windows facing the river, a balcony for cool summer nights, and a fireplace for very cold nights.) We took full advantage of our balcony the first night, dining al fresco on a feast of veggie salads; some very oily, salted focaccia bread; and blood red oranges that my boyfriend had picked up from Pastaworks that afternoon while I was in meetings.

Another amenity I loved: the iHome iPod dock stereo/alarm clock on the nightstand.  I'm all about my iPods (I have three), and never travel without at least one of them. I even make special playlists for every trip. I was really happy to have a nice sound system in the room, as well as the option of waking up to my own music. I gladly left my usual travel speakers at home.

I also really liked the reading lamps at the Avalon. They were funky and totally functional, connected to the wall with flexible metal arms that allowed me to direct the beam anywhere in the room. Sometimes it's the little things that make the difference.

Work And Play

Since this visit was a work trip for me, I was happy to have free, unlimited WIFI access in our room. I just opened up my PowerBook and had a connection. Although I didn't need to print any documents or send faxes, I could have done so from Avalon's business center, a small, airy room overlooking the main lobby, equipped with a few desktop computers, a printer, a scanner, and a fax machine.

When I travel for work I usually like to stay in the heart of the city so I can walk everywhere I need to go, but the Avalon's serene setting turned out to be a much-appreciated change of pace for me. I enjoyed coming "home" at the end of each day, leaving the sounds and stress of the downtown area behind.

Thanks to the beautiful weather during our trip, we spent as much time as possible outside.   Every night we went for a long walk along the river path next to the hotel (we were virtually the only people out there, except for a few cyclists who pedaled by). One night we saw a magnificent sea lion in the water. Actually, we heard him snorting and huffing before we saw him. We could tell by the size of his head that he was huge, an excellent salmon fisherman. I live in Seattle, so I've certainly seen sea lions before, but it felt kind of magical to be in a new city, walking along a river, and have a late-night nature encounter.   It may sound silly but I felt like he made an appearance just for us. We walked quite far down the path, and he followed us in the water!

Had it rained we would have exercised indoors since the Avalon has an incredible fitness center. I was impressed just by the size of the place, and it was well equipped with dozens of cardio machines (exercise bikes, stair climbers, elliptical machines, etc.) and the requisite television screens hanging from the ceiling. On the opposite side of the room there were several weight machines and a rack loaded with large exercise balls and yoga mats.

The fitness center also has a separate room for free weights, as well as a yoga/pilates studio. I talked with a few staff members who work out at the hotel's fitness center rather than join a gym. The fitness center is free for hotel guests and also sells memberships to the public. (Note: The Avalon also has a lovely full-service day spa for guests and the public, which I didn't get a chance to sample since I was already booked to review another spa in town.  It's an inviting, airy space, with several different treatment rooms. I checked out the women's locker room, which was very modern, very clean, and featured a very inviting whirlpool, as well as a steam room and a sauna. I hope to visit again some day for some pampering.)

Food = Mood

I loved the Avalon's partner restaurant, Aquariva Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar , which is just a few steps away from the hotel.  

Like the Avalon, Aquariva offered just the right balance of sophistication and coziness. The bar area was quite spacious, with a high ceiling and large windows that opened up to an outdoor patio area. (It was a bit early in the season for eating outside when we were there, but the restaurant has a large terrace for summer dining.) Both the bar and restaurant have plenty of window seats.

I almost never eat at hotel restaurants, but was very pleasantly surprised by the delicious meal we had at Aquariva on our second night there. I started with a mixed greens salad with hazelnuts and Cara Cara oranges. It was perfect--so fresh, and the vinaigrette was so delicate that my greens stayed crisp. My boyfriend had the potato leek soup, which was smooth and soothing after a long day of sightseeing. We also shared several baskets of warm focaccia bread, which we accessorized with white bean puree, salted olive oil, and baked garlic. I could have stopped there I was so satisfied...

For our entrees, I had anchovy pesto on tagliatelle pasta, which was fabulous. I wasn't sure about ordering it at first because I'm not really an anchovy fan and I was worried it would taste fishy, but it didn't. It was one of the nicest meals I've had in along time. The anchovies give the pesto a bit more texture and a nice salty but not overpowering taste. My boyfriend had the carrot and pea ravioli, made out of fresh pasta. Everything we ate that night was wonderful.

I was also completely won over by the chocolate gelato and by our young server, who was courteous, efficient, and engaging. (The night we were there, just a few days after Easter, they were also serving Peeps gelato.) Better still, the gelato, as well as the fancy food, is available via room service. Like I needed another reason to never leave my hotel room!

Getting Around

Driving in Portland can be tricky because the downtown area is a tangle of highways, city streets, and bridges. One wrong turn and a bad map off the internet can get you very lost, as we found out on our first day. We didn't have any time to waste during our stay, so the second day we took advantage of the hotel's complimentary shuttle service. So convenient! I was actually on time to every appointment that day, and the cab ride back to the hotel at night was less than what we would have paid to park all day. Public transportation is also easily accessible from the hotel and inexpensive. In fact, the Portland Streetcar makes a stop near the hotel (SW Lowell & Bond).  

Travelers with more time on their hands, or who want to tour the city on foot or by bike, will love the paved riverside trail. The Avalon is adjacent to Cottonwood Bay , a protected green space populated by deciduous trees, and about a 20 minute walk or a short bike ride from Waterfront Park , Portland's main riverside attraction. The park is a vibrant 29-acre historical site that unites the downtown retail core with the river, featuring plenty of grassy areas for relaxing with a cold drink or picnic, a large spray fountain for the kids to run through, and public art. There are plenty of nice places to stroll in the park, especially in spring, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.   (We tried as much as possible to get around by foot; had we brought our bikes the hotel has plenty of storage space. You can also rent bicycles near the park at Waterfront Bicycles , $45/half-day rental.)

Eco by Design

In addition to its unique location and various amenities, the Avalon Hotel has some pretty impressive eco creds. It's the first existing building in the Northwest and the second hotel in the world to receive LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), joining nine other LEED-certified hotels around the world. In order to qualify for this sustainability ranking, the Avalon spent a year (2007) updating its facilities and implementing environmental practices.

In accordance with its LEED certification, the Avalon recycles 60 percent of its waste and has instituted a water conservation program. By installing water-saving aerators, showerheads, and toilet flow diverters in every room, the hotel has reduced its water consumption by 22 percent. The Avalon also reduced its outdoor water footprint by 95 percent with landscaping that features drought-tolerant plants.

I liked that our room had small reminder cards in the bathroom and main room letting us know about the Avalon's "Reduce by Reuse" program that gives guests the option of using sheets and towels for more than one day. Of course, I had already let the staff know at check-in that we wouldn't need towel or sheet changing, or even the bed made, during our stay. Our room had both garbage and recycling bins, which was handy. Too often when I travel I end up hauling lots of paper and magazines home in my suitcase because I can't bear to throw them away. It seems like a very simple thing to add a recycling bin to a hotel room, but most hotels don't have them!   

The Avalon is an entirely smoke-free building and also maintains clean air standards by using HEPA filter vacuums; placing a Chinese evergreen plant, a natural air filter, in each guest room; and using eco-friendly cleaning products. The housekeeping department uses hydrogen peroxide-based cleaners and microfiber mops that can be washed and reused 500 times. No wonder everything felt so clean but I never smelled chemicals. Loved that!  

In addition to its own recycling efforts, which won an award from Portland's Recycle at Work program, the Avalon only uses EPA-approved paper products--everything from toilet paper to the free notepads--made from recycled materials. The hotel also uses biodeisel vehicles and Energy Star-rated appliances and purchases only Green Seal-certified building materials.  

All this is good news for the environment and a big relief for someone like me with health concerns. Traveling can be stressful, so I want my hotel to be a safe haven. The Avalon does an excellent job of maintaining high-quality service and true eco standards. I hope that more hotels will follow their "LEED" and green up!

The Avalon Hotel also hosts "green" meetings, and both the Spa and Aquariva are available for private parties.

Bottom Line:

After the eco creds, what I liked best about the Avalon was its understated elegance.   Everything--from common areas to our room--was attractive, clean, and accessible. I didn't have to think about anything because everything was running smoothly and easy to find. I also liked that the staff maintained a perfect balance between being both helpful and laid-back. I'm not sure if that's by design or just Portland-style hospitality, but I liked it.

The Avalon was definitely a very enjoyable place to stay, and I highly recommend it. -E.D. (July 2010)

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