When you can take the best of home and elevate it to a fanciful vacation experience, even when you're working, you have Hotel Monaco Portland located in the heart of downtown Portland.
This eco-award winning hotel that is dog-friendly (not to mention fish-friendly--there's one in every room) won me over with its mix of warmth, color, and whimsical touches--French posters, colorful pillows, yellow-striped wall paper, and black and white likenesses of famous men on the room's mini-refrigerator.
At home I have my favorite yoga classes. At the Hotel Monaco Portland I had a yoga kit delivered to my room (included in cost of room, as was an ample gym on the 9th floor). As a result, Rodney Yee, an attractive yoga instructor who hangs out on Hawaii beaches and in the hotel's Mind-Body TV specials that include a.m. and p.m. meditations, became my yoga instructor.
In the evenings the hotel hosted a complimentary Wine Reception in the
warmly attractive living room lobby from 5-6 p.m. This was a highlight.
The room exuded an exotic mix of Ango-Chinois influences, and the reception gave me an opportunity to meet other travelers.
I listened to one visitor play the grand piano. I wish I'd known. I would have brought my sheet music, but you can.
The hotel was recently renovated and every guest room (most are suites) now includes a 32" plasma flat screen TV, DVD player, high thread count sheets, and new furnishings.
I was particularly impressed with the ergonomically correct desk chair, one of the most comfortable I've experienced. It's so important when so much of my time is "hunched" over a computer. They also had a business center and free internet wireless.
Hotel Monaco-Portland is a short walk to the Pearl District, home to Powell's books and many great restaurants. Enroute, I had tofu and vegetables at Thai restaurant Typhoon!
It's also a few blocks to Pioneer Courthouse Square, which hosts 300 events a year, and many great shops. If you're from out of state, like I'm from California with a 8.25% sales tax, you'll appreciate Oregon has no sales tax.
Portland is quickly becoming one of my favorite west coast cities. It has a small city feel with big city amenities. And trees and flowers, and Mt. Hood that sits majestically in the distance, which reminds me that this city offers the best of city living and nature.
To read more about my Portland experience, click here.
To read more about dog-friendly Hotel Monaco Portland, click here.
Hotel Monaco Portland sponsored Chasing Clean Air's visit.
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