I live in Portland and always recommend these 11 hotels to friends and family, plus 3 neighborhoods for Airbnbs

The Porter downtown is a stylish and sophisticated building with floor-to-ceiling windows and a moody-chic lobby featuring a wall of vintage books and velvet seating. When I attended the grand opening in 2018, developer representatives told me that although this was Hilton's 50th Curio hotel, it was the first new build.

Rooms are spacious and decorated with warm, neutral colors and dark wood cabinetry. The property also has several on-site dining options: the Terrane Italian Kitchen restaurant, the Portland Exchange Grocer & Goods deli, and my personal favorite, the Xport rooftop-terrace bar and lounge on the hotel's 16th floor, where you can grab a drink, warm up by the fire pits, and enjoy views of the city skyline and the Willamette River.

Guests at The Porter will be within walking distance of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, the Portland Art Museum, the Keller Auditorium, Portland State University, the Park Blocks, and the farmer's market, which takes place every Saturday.

The 11-story Canopy by Hilton hotel is in Portland's Pearl District, a warehouse district turned high-rise neighborhood. I visited the property while construction was underway before its 2017 debut, toured the rooms in virtual reality, and even got to sign my name with other guests on a canvas to be showcased in the lobby at the topping-out ceremony.

Today the Canopy is vibrant and energetic, with massive exposed-brick walls, colorful carpets, and modern artwork. Bright orange was a big theme here, matching the colorful Biketown bikes all over the downtown racks.

The hotel has a fitness center, spacious common areas, pet-friendly rooms, and a restaurant, Vaux, that serves contemporary American cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guests can also borrow a Canopy bike to take out on the town.

The Moxy Portland Downtown is a new Marriott hotel in Portland's upscale West End that was under construction as recently as 2020. Stylish and budget-friendly, this hotel is off Southwest Alder Street in the Pearl District. The 12-story brick-and-aluminum exterior has a dark and modern vibe, while the rooms are airy and filled with natural light — and many boast city views.

Check out the street-level Bar Moxy for craft cocktails and local brews and the Moxy Food Cart Alley for more varied small bites, shuffleboard, and weekly events.

The iconic Sentinel hotel is a refined place to stay — it's where President Barack Obama stayed when he came to town, so it's also where I parked my in-laws during their recent visit. The hotel has a variety of rooms and suites, some with spacious terraces, with leather and tweed design touches that evoke a cozy atmosphere.

The Benson is a luxurious and iconic stay several blocks east of the Willamette River. Opened in 1913, this hotel was named after Simon Benson, the philanthropist who funded the Benson Bubblers; you can still see these 20 bronze drinking fountains around town. I have a distinct memory of seeing a crystal rotary phone here one night while heading upstairs to my room.

McMenamins is a family-owned company that invests in historical properties and serves craft beer on tap. There are several outposts in Oregon and Washington — usually hotels with a pub, a restaurant, a bottle shop, and space for events.

I always recommend the McMenamins Crystal Hotel downtown to new visitors, as its location at the historic Crystal Ballroom building means you'll have access to a ton of events and live music.

Though it might look rough around the edges, the hotel has an artsy, rock-and-roll vibe inside. The on-site Ringlers Pub has drinks, food, pool tables, and pinball machines, while the other restaurant, Zeus Cafe, offers upscale brunch and breakfast.

The Society Hotel is a budget-friendly boutique hotel in a refurbished building in Old Town Chinatown, blocks from Tom McCall Waterfront Park along the Willamette River. The building has an interesting history involving sailors and sea captains who came into port, and a renovation project that began in 2013 transformed the property into a hotel.

At The Society, travelers can share a hostel-style bunk room, stay in a room with a shared bath, or opt for a no-fuss private room. There's also a rooftop deck and a cafe/bar serving wine and beer on tap. With some of the lowest nightly rates downtown, this hotel is a great choice for budget-conscious travelers.

The charming and upscale Mark Spencer Hotel has been a stylish stay for artists and performers since it opened in 1907 as the Nortonia Hotel. Recognizable by its white-brick exterior, the hotel was renovated in 2017. Inside, exposed brick merges with modern decor and plentiful art from local creatives.

At the Mark Spencer, you'll be close to Providence Park, where the Portland Thorns and Timbers soccer teams play, and the Crystal Ballroom live-music venue. When staying here, you'll feel the rich history of the city — the hotel's hashtag is #StayLikeALocal.

The Ace Hotel is a downtown boutique hotel built in 1912. Rooms here are styled with Portland flair and local art, and the hotel offers a range of prices. Travelers can book a shared single room (which is private but has a shared bathroom down the hall) or a suite with a clawfoot tub and a king bed.

At the bottom of the four-floor hotel, travelers can stop into Kenny & Zuke's Delicatessen for pastrami and bagels. The Ace is across the street from Living Room Theaters, a cinema that serves food and wine to moviegoers in cozy reclined seats.The hotel's shop is a fun place to pick up Portland-themed home goods and clothing for souvenirs, and there's also a Stumptown Coffee on site.

The Jupiter is a trendy spot on the east side of the city. The property has two hotels inside: Next at the Jupiter, and Jupiter Original.

Next has a concrete-heavy, industrial atmosphere and rooms featuring views of the West Hills and Central Eastside, while the Original has mid-century, music-inspired rooms. The property has two restaurant/bars: the Doug Fir Lounge, a music venue and restaurant, and Hey Love, which serves tropical drinks and comfort food.

Guests at the Jupiter will also find lots of coffee shops, pizza parlors, and bars along nearby East Burnside Street.

The Hoxton, in Old Town Chinatown in the heart of Portland, is a great choice to be near eclectic dining, dive bars, and art. The art in the rooms is curated by Upfor Gallery, and the ceramics decorating its shelves are made by Clay Factor, a ceramic studio in Portland.

The Hoxton has a modernist, 1960s vibe, featuring ceiling-height windows in many rooms as well as timber paneling. Visitors can also borrow a bike from the front desk to ride around town.

There are two restaurants at The Hoxton: Lovely Rita, which offers coffee and brunch as well as seasonal Pacific Northwest fare for dinner, and Tope, a taco restaurant on the rooftop terrace with city views. Tope also takes care of the room service at The Hoxton.

There are a ton of Airbnbs and Vrbos in Portland because of a city ordinance that makes it easy to build and rent out accessory dwelling units, those backyard tiny homes (or any rental with a separate entrance). Staying in one can give you an opportunity to choose your neighborhood and get out of the main downtown area into residential zones.

I would check for these in urban neighborhoods like Sellwood and Ladd's Addition, which are conveniently close to downtown. I lived in Sellwood circa 2016, and it's walkable with plenty to do and visit, from food-cart pods to the library, Gino's Italian restaurant to the riverfront park, Oaks Amusement Park to Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, antique row to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry — you could spend your whole trip staying within a one-mile radius. It's very family-friendly.

Ladd's Addition is a unique X-shaped neighborhood with a lovely, centrally located rose garden and four smaller rose gardens. Ladd's Addition is the oldest planned neighborhood in Portland — it's named after William S. Ladd, a merchant and Portland mayor who owned the original farmland and subdivided it for residential purposes beginning in 1891.

Hollywood is another great neighborhood to search and where children's author Beverly Cleary lived. You can visit Grant Park's sculpture garden, which has statues of Cleary's characters Ramona Quimby and the dog Ribsy, and take a walk down NE Klickitat Street.

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