Greetings from Portland, Oregon. Below is an update on the area’s newest travel-related developments. We hope you will find this information useful. If you prefer not to receive future media updates on Portland, you may unsubscribe here.

• Dressed to the Nines: Eco-luxury Hotel Opens in Downtown Portland
• aloft hotel Lifts Off at Portland’s Cascade Station
• Hotel Vintage Plaza Uncorks Remodeling Plans

A 331-room Luxury Collection Hotel (Starwood Hotels & Resorts) will open in downtown Portland this month. Known as “the Nines,” the hotel occupies the top nine floors of the historic Meier & Frank Building; a stylishly redesigned Macy’s department store fills the building’s lower five levels. A key component of the $137 million renovation project was converting the top floors of the former department store from a solid box to a hollow square. The creation of the resulting seven-story atrium gives all of the guest rooms access to a view and natural light. Interior rooms overlook the glass-roofed lobby area, while the exterior rooms enjoy city views. The hotel also has an atrium restaurant on the lobby level (Urban Farmer, featuring local foods and ingredients); a rooftop restaurant/lounge (opening next spring); a 7,200-square-foot ballroom; and 7,000 square feet of additional conference, meeting and banquet facilities.

The project’s developer, Sage Hospitality, anticipates LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. To achieve this designation, Sage incorporated several conservation-focused building elements, including a plumbing system that will save more than 500,000 gallons of water each year. All products used in daily housekeeping are Green Seal certified, and the hotel’s energy comes from renewable sources such as wind power. Low-emitting adhesives, sealants, paints and carpets were used during the renovation to secure optimum air quality. During the building process, 90 percent of the construction waste was diverted from landfills for reuse or recycling.

The Nines is located at 525 S.W. Morrison St. in downtown Portland. Rates start at $249. For more information, visit www.thenines.com.

Media Contact
Lisa Hill, Broussard Hill Communications
503.327.8328, lisa@broussardhill.com

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., and its new lifestyle brand — aloft hotels (the brand is expressed entirely in lowercase letters) — has partnered with Pollin Hotels III to construct the Pacific Northwest’s first aloft hotel. The 136-room property opened in September 2008 at Cascade Station, a mixed-use commercial development near the Portland International Airport (PDX). When completely built out, Cascade Station will include hotels, retail space, restaurants and offices. The area is already connected to both downtown Portland and PDX via the region’s MAX light rail system.

Designed to appeal to the growing Gen X/Y travel segment, the $21 million Portland aloft project reflects a concept developed by the creators of the luxury W hotels. The hotel’s loft-like nine-foot ceilings and oversized windows create a bright, airy environment. Other amenities include ultra-comfortable signature beds, bathrooms with oversized walk-in showers, and high-tech office/entertainment centers featuring wireless Internet, “plug-and-play” (one-stop connectivity stations for multiple electronic devices), and 42-inch flat-panel high-definition television sets for optimal sound and viewing. The hotel also has a pool, a fleet of bikes that guests may use at no charge, and a 24-hour grab-and-go gourmet food station called “re-fuel.” The hotel’s address is 9920 N.E. Cascades Parkway, Portland, Ore. 97220. For more information, visit www.alofthotels.com/PortlandAirport.

Media Contacts
Lota LaMontagne, LAD Communications
503.827.6564, lota@ladcommunications.com

On the heels of receiving double honors in Travel + Leisure magazine’s August 2008 “Best Hotels” issue — “Best Hotels in the U.S. & Canada” and “Top 10 Hotels Under $250” — Kimpton’s Hotel Vintage Plaza has unveiled plans for a full renovation. The project, which will be completed by early 2009, is designed to ensure that Hotel Vintage Plaza remains on the travel industry’s “best-of” lists.

Located in a historic 1894 brick building, the Hotel Vintage Plaza is a wine-centric property with 107 guest rooms. Building on its wine theme, the hotel offers packages such as “Pinot in Portland” and offers a complimentary nightly wine tasting for guests. Kimpton Hotels opened the property in 1991; its last major renovation was in March 2000. The latest remodel, which is underway, will move from floor to floor, ensuring that the project remain out of sight — and earshot — of guests.

The Hotel Vintage Plaza is located at 422 S.W. Broadway, Portland, Ore. 97205. For more information, visit www.vintageplaza.com. Design boards and model room photos are available upon request.

Media Contacts
Lota LaMontagne, LAD Communications
503.827.6564, lota@ladcommunications.com