The rooms are bright and sunny!

The Hotel deLuxe in Portland, Oregon is the perfect blend of fun and elegance. I was recently invited to spend a night at the boutique hotel and I’m glad that I did — it was wonderful.

Here’s some background (on me, not the hotel). I lived in Los Angeles for years, and I work there now (yes, I commute from Seattle).  The Hotel deLuxe is exactly what I would love to find in L.A., but haven’t.  You know what I’m talking about, Los Angeles.

The deLuxe Is a tribute to old Hollywood with just the right ratio of glitz to subtlety.  It’s not mocking or embellished, but rather, tastefully charming — classy and classic.  The staff was knowledgeable, warm and inviting.  They also offer a great happy hour!

The Driftwood Room is dark and swanky.  It’s a lounge for lounge lovers.  We, being myself and my wife, started our evening with an amazing pulled pork sandwich (we split it for a snack) and the slightly racist Sidney Poitier Manhattan (Maker’s Mark, Punt e Mes vermouth and Aztec chocolate bitters).  It was fantastic. Other options included the John Wayne and Clint Eastwood Manhattans, respectively. The lounge offers a full bar and an extensive list of cocktails, but I’m a bourbon guy. Also, a sucker for themes.

The Hotel deLuxe is located downtown and it was a quick and easy walk to Clyde Common to meet friends for dinner (the hotel offers Gracie’s, which looks beautiful, but we wanted to get out and enjoy a bit of the city). Clyde Common offers an extensive menu, a well-thought-out bar and something that I absolutely love, European-style seating (large community tables where multiple parties sit together).

After a long dinner (long due to conversation, not service), we invited our friends back to the Driftwood to finish off the night with a round(s) of Bulleit. Beautiful stuff, that Bulleit.

The Hotel deLuxe proved to be the perfect spot for a very relaxing night in a really hip city. We’ll be staying there again, whether they invite us back or not.