Starwood Preferred Guest - The Nines, Luxury Collection in Portland, OR [Master Thread]

Yep, I stayed there on the first night (10/20) that they were accepting online reservations and I'm back again this week. The hotel is absolutely fantastic! One of the nicest Starwood (non-resort) properties I've seen in years. The rooms, lobby, gym, exec/club lounge, and restaurant are amazing. I would reccomend this hotel to anyone staying in the Portland area; after many stays over at the Westin nearby, this is a very welcome addition to town with incredible upscale quality and top-notch service. ^^

Welcome to FlyerTalk and the Starwood forum, happy_spg_plat. Thank you for the first report on a stay at this hotel.

Walked by the hotel....noticed there were alike 6-7 valet/bellboys, some of them previously working at the westin.

Will try them out next time in town.

How's the rooms/lounge? The westin is in need for some updates.

I have booked the Nines for 5 nights the end of May for our first trip to Portland. The reviews of the hotel have made me happy with that decision. But now I need to know what the area around the hotel is like?

Is there a lot to do in walking distance? Good food, preferably vegetarian or heavy on the vegetables? Microbrewery? Can we enjoy the area without a car? Thanks for the help.

Tons to do in the area, it is actually right across the street from Pioneer Square and is less that a block away from the MAX station stop to grab public transportation. You can easily walk from the hotel up to the Pearl District which has a ton of great restaurants and bars. If you are looking for local brews nearby, be sure to check out Henry's on 12th and Burnside (over 100 beers on the menu and great food) as well as Deschutes Brewery Public House between 10th and 11th on Davis (great food and beer as well). A few extra blocks further is the Rogue Brewery Public House between 13th and 15th on Flanders.

You will find plenty of nice, smaller vegetarian options over in the Pearl...enjoy your trip!

There is a visitors center in Pioneer Square which has several walking tours(not free-but very cheap)I highly recommend them.
With five days you should be able to get out and do some hiking in the gorgeous area surrounding Portland.

The Nines has a set rate of $249 per night, however, you can drop the rate to $199.50 using a 1,000 points Starwood 50% off award for up to 5 nights.

SPG American Express card holders receive annual 50% off certificate.

Even bigger savings are to be found at aloft hotel Cascade Station Portland Airport where the nightly rate is listed at $139 most nights. Reduce this to $79 using SPG 50 award.

I just called the Nines and considering a change away from Hilton to this prop for the coming weekend. Got conflicting stories from staff on P benefits. They do have a Club lounge which is great. But I was told this was not a benefit extended to Ps unless you pay a upcharge. The room upgrade is supposed to be to a higher floor only. Awaiting a call back from GM to clarify all. The Nines even with a SPG50 is at least $90 more per night than the Hilton which is a great property in our opinion. We will see if the Nines can win us over.

From staff. As a P upgraded to 11th floor. Not suites or junior suites. Access to Club on 12 with presentations all day. Includes beverages. Will give it a try.

I look forwarward to your trip report RTWSTARALLIANCE :D

A Lounge option in PDX is nice. Thanks.

Preface: In PDX for a client dinner this evening.

Status: Platinum.

Rate: Less than $200 using a SPG50 cert..

Transportation: I took Trimet in. Get off at the 5th and Morrison Street stop.

Parking: n/a

Check-in: I arrived early and was given a very small room. After asking about what level of P benefits the Hotel offers was upgraded to a "suite". No amenity offered. Given access to Lounge.

Perks: Upgrade and Lounge access.

Lounge: The Lounge is a intimate space. Plush would describe it. There is a host. I arrived late in the morning and breakfast was about to be cleared. More later. Lacated on 12.
***** I took my client into the Lounge before and after dinner. We both agree this was a great place to have access to. The staff is excellent and friendly. Open bar.

Room: I have a interior "suite" with two windows onto the courtyard. You enter onto carpet and there is a living room with a flat panel tv and dvd player. There is a closet in this room.

The bedroom is standard with a desk. In here you have another entertainment set-up. The dvd player in this room does not work. If you sense a lack of excitement. You got it.

Bathroom: This is a handicap "suite" so the bathroom takes the back part of the room. Nothing exciting but it does have a tub. The smaller room noted above did not have a tub. I think the front desk should be advising us of these things. Marble floor. Gilchrist & Soames amenities.

Internet: The wired internet in this room did not work. The engineer came in and we had to wire direct to the wall. Now the phone on the desk does not work. The wireless in the building at places only has a 20% signal strength. Internet is comp.. They use ibahn.

Gym: Not been.

Spa: ?

Eating venues: The bar and restaurant which is open is on 8. The top floor restaurant is not slated to open until at least May 2009.
***** I dined with my client at Urban Farmer. The Phil cheesesteak sandwich was excellent. My dinner was over cooked. Side portions are small. They did not have my drink. OK to try once but that was it.

Local markets: Lots of stuff around here.

Local area: The center of PDX.

Negatives: Lack of P recognition straight away. Technical stuff. Staff still trying to get it.

Closing: I have been to a number of hotels in PDX. I do not see greatness here and it will interesting to see if they can pull it off. At the rate I am paying let alone rack I would have to favor the Hilton Executive Tower. The only real appeal here is the Lounge. Facing inward towards the courtyard does nothing for me. The slam of the service area doors is really annoying also. They have some work to do here!

FWIW: I had 2 colleagues from PHL in town this week and they stayed at The Nines. Both were very complementary of the staff, rooms, workout room and breakfast service. Said they much prefer it to the Westin and Hotel Monaco where they normally stay when in PDX. They said it was "approaching a Four Seasons or Ritz experience." Their only complaint was that the service was "a little too eager." I guess if that's the worst complaint that's not too bad!

I have booked the Nines for 5 nights the end of May for our first trip to Portland. The reviews of the hotel have made me happy with that decision. But now I need to know what the area around the hotel is like?

Is there a lot to do in walking distance? Good food, preferably vegetarian or heavy on the vegetables? Microbrewery? Can we enjoy the area without a car? Thanks for the help.

As other posters have said, you'll be smack dab in the middle of downtown Portland. And there's plenty to do.

LivePDX.com (http://www.livepdx.com) is a good resource.

Stayed at the Nines night before last. I was placed on 11th floor on opposite side of hotel from elevators. The hotel rooms are in a square around an open interior atrium so half the rooms face interior and half are exterior rooms.

The hotel is floors 6-15 of the building (no floor 13 - told it is storage area). Floor 6 is conference rooms. Floor 7 is Gym/Business center and rooms. Floor 8 is lobby reception and restaurants. There are several seating areas in the large open atrium of the 8th floor. A lovely environment.

Floor 12 is the lounge. As platinum I was given access to 12th floor lounge. Key card required for elevator to access any floor besides 8 and ground floor. My key card allowed access to Floor 11 with my room and Floor 12 with lounge. No need to check in with lounge staff and I was never asked for my name or room number. The fact you are there on 12th floor means you have lounge access on your room card.

The concierge staff were friendly and there was always at least two staff members every time I visited. I asked for wine and received a 10 or 12 oz portion. That took care of me for the New York Times reading hour.

Lounge is kind of dark. A great place for evening relaxing and every time I visited, there were only a few people in a space with seating for about 25 to 30. Lounge has large screen Sony Vaio computer for guest access.

Lounge seating only has two small tables conducive to eating breakfast. If those are in use, then you are left with couches and cushion chairs and coffee tables for eating.

My bedroom was small 12'x13' and I bet I was placed in the room with the smallest single window in the hotel (2.5 ft wide on a 13" wall). Unless they have a windowless room, I can't imagine a room with less natural light. (Interior atrium facing rooms have the large atrium with a glass ceiling.) The lack of window light caused me to pay particular attention to the four room lamps which I must say were absolutely gorgeous. Most rooms seemed to have much more window space from my observations when studying the hotel from the street outside. Perhaps I would have fared better just paying the $249 regular rate and receiving complimentary parking (a $32 value) rather than using the SPG50 half off rack rate for $199.50 available for 1,000 Starpoints. Particularly since I paid $16.50 to self-park in a garage on the next block.

Issues:
-Electronic mini-bar in hotel room was locked and front desk said an engineer would need to come to room to unlock it. I passed on that as I was only curious to see contents, not buy contents.
-I had to call desk twice before my room telephone worked for making outside calls.
-Keep that key card in your hand for using elevator or you find yourself on ground floor or 8th floor before you know it.
-I received a phone call at 12:51 am. Nobody on the line. Desk staff said there was no way to know who had called.
-After taking over 200 photos around the hotel over 18 hours, on my last photo before check-out I was asked by concierge what I planned to do with photos. I told him I write a hotel blog at BoardingArea.com. He informed me that I do not have permission to publish photos of the hotel private property and I need media permission from a hotel representative. The staff member who I am supposed to get permission from was not at the hotel yesterday.

Compliments:
-Bath towels are heavenly. Wrap up in the 6'x3' plush towel. (I actually measured it.)
-Room has a luxury feel, although a little small and I was disappointed with the small window and lack of natural light for my assigned room. Although I think I prefer the exterior room to an interior room with windows visible to diners and guests on the 8th floor.
-Complimentary wireless internet access. Worked fine in my 11th floor room.
-Complimentary local calls and toll-free calls.
-42" Phillips HDTV
-Boston Electronics clock/radio with remote.
-Great shower and marble tile and second compliment to towels.
-Staff quite sociable, and be assured everyone will greet you and the lounge staff will engage you in conversation. Can be a treat or annoying depending on your disposition.
- Bed was quite comfortable with all the bedding amenities.
-Lovely chandelier lighting in halls and small chandelier in room.
-Exercise room has lots of equipment.
- Interesting art designs and furniture arrangement in the open space lobby atrium. Plenty of places to group and socialize or place yourself on display in the seating areas for a single.

Overall opinion: The Nines has a feel of luxury, but still some rough edges to smooth out.

I received a phone call with no person on the line also. It was at 5 AM. I was already up. The phones are voip but the time showing was still incorrect. The tvs take forever to change channels. If you like to "surf" you better take a seat.

In closing. It will be months before I would try this place again. I would not take a room on 10. The area above ten is for IT. There most be more than that up there. I was supposed to take a 6 PM flight home but gave up and got going taking a 8 AM flight. Read into that all you want. I am done busting this place and will resign that it just needs lots of help still from a bad soft opening. As a P should we be given a amenity card? I would not mind having the extra 500 points. Regards from a true lux collection spot- home.

Since RTWSTARALLIANCE was not able to post his pics, I will link to one of my favorite websites (HotelChatter) that gives the Nines a great review. There are two entries on the Nines... one with pics and the other with a video of the room:

http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/11/9/212429/598/hotels/Inside_The_Nines_Hotel_in_Portland (video)

http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/11/11/153726/76/hotels/The_Nines_Wows_Us_to_the_Nines (pics)

Looks pretty swank! Kind of reminds me of the US Grant in San Diego but with brighter colors. I like the trend that seems to be evolving in the new/remodeled LC properties in North America with a more luxurious modern feel like the Nines, US Grant in San Diego, Joule in Dallas, Ivy in Minneapolis, SLS in Beverly Hills, Resort at Singer Island, etc.

Well, I wonder if Hotel Chatter had media permission?

I spoke with the media relations assistant last Friday. I am still waiting for someone from the hotel to contact me. I've left another message.

The Hotel Chatter photos look similar to my room photos except I had a King-Size bed and only one window.

Well, I wonder if Hotel Chatter had media permission?

I spoke with the media relations assistant last Friday. I am still waiting for someone from the hotel to contact me. I've left another message.

The Hotel Chatter photos look similar to my room photos except I had a King-Size bed and only one window.

This is offtopic, but hotel chatter similarly "stole" my pictures from my flickr pool even though my flickr T&C specifically noted the CC condition.

Their defense was that they linked their pictures to the originals.

However, linking pictures to the originals is only acceptable when thumbnail pictures are displayed in addition to properly crediting the source. Hotel chatter displays large pictures and in some cases, full size photo, without giving credit to the author.

I hope they get sued.

Stayed at The Nines for one night 11/10. I don't think they are SPG knowledgeable. I am Gold level - will be a Platinum in 2 weeks. I received no upgrade at all. I was put in literally the worst room possible - the 7th across the hall from the Sales & Catering office and right next door to a very noisy steel step stairwell. The room was extremely small and dark. I did not realize how bad this room was until I visited my daughters room on floor 9 - now she had checked in 3 hours AFTER I did - is not a SPG member - and her room was literally twice the size of mine with a beautiful room. So much for SPG loyalty levels.

The lobby level on the 8th floor is beautiful - very contemporary. The restaurant/bar is very beautiful - but a limited breakfast menu.

The gym on the 7th floor is very nice with plenty of room and equipment. The concierge staff is full of smiles, but not very competent in their jobs.

The location of The Nines is great - downtown center right across from Pioneer Park. I would probably go back, but not until I'm Platinum and only if I was placed on the 9th floor or above with Club/Lounge access.

Haven't stayed at the Nines yet, but the bar/atrium, restaurant and billiards room are incredibly awesome with great service.

This is offtopic, but hotel chatter similarly "stole" my pictures from my flickr pool even though my flickr T&C specifically noted the CC condition.

Wow! Not good and I would be upset too!

Well, I wonder if Hotel Chatter had media permission?

I wouldn't thinks so...how many of us ask for permission to take photos during our stays. Or are you saying that they need special "media" permission because they are there in a "media" capacity? I assume they would try and get around that by saying that the individual reviewer which posted on their website is no different than an individual FT or Tripadvisor member who posts picks and a review....basically an individual traveler who posts a review with pics and not a media representative. Just my assumption! Not trying to defend them or anything! Just saying.

What's the record for time from sign-up to first post? ;)

Welcome (back) to FT!

Mike

Stayed at The Nines for one night 11/10. I don't think they are SPG knowledgeable. I am Gold level - will be a Platinum in 2 weeks. I received no upgrade at all. I was put in literally the worst room possible - the 7th across the hall from the Sales & Catering office and right next door to a very noisy steel step stairwell. The room was extremely small and dark. I did not realize how bad this room was until I visited my daughters room on floor 9 - now she had checked in 3 hours AFTER I did - is not a SPG member - and her room was literally twice the size of mine with a beautiful room. So much for SPG loyalty levels.

The lobby level on the 8th floor is beautiful - very contemporary. The restaurant/bar is very beautiful - but a limited breakfast menu.

The gym on the 7th floor is very nice with plenty of room and equipment. The concierge staff is full of smiles, but not very competent in their jobs.

The location of The Nines is great - downtown center right across from Pioneer Park. I would probably go back, but not until I'm Platinum and only if I was placed on the 9th floor or above with Club/Lounge access.

Overall opinion: The Nines has a feel of luxury, but still some rough edges to smooth out.

That's an excellent description for many of the Luxury Collection properties that I have stayed at. They always look nice but somehow don't feel quite right.

Mike

I just received a e-mail from Starwood on my request. This property does not participate in the Platinum Amenity 500 starpoint option. FYI.

I spoke to the media relations person at the Nines last week.

She apologized for the delay and said there is no problem posting my hotel photos on Loyalty Traveler.

I posted a review with photos here (http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2008/11/12/the-nines-starwood-luxury-collection-portland-oregon/).

Interesting that the Nines does not offer platinum amenity points. I guess lounge access is the platinum amenity which according to recent room rates is a $200 premium. I would expect a better wine selection in the lounge for that premium.

Now I just need to get stay credit and some Starpoints for my stay two weeks ago which still hasn't posted to my account.

And the rates for the Nines have dropped in the past two weeks to $199-$229 from their previous $249 per night. Luxury hotel rates are dropping all across the country rather quickly according to many of the hotel industry stories I've read this week.

...Interesting that the Nines does not offer platinum amenity points...

Actually there is only one Luxury Collection property and one St. Regis branded property in North America that does: The Palace Hotel in San Francisco and the St. Regis Houston.

All others are supposed to offer a locally-selected welcome amenity. Perhaps The Nines did chose theirs to be complimentary lounge access if there was nothing else left in the room itself.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Actually there is only one Luxury Collection property and one St. Regis branded property in North America that does: The Palace Hotel in San Francisco and the St. Regis Houston.

All others are supposed to offer a locally-selected welcome amenity.

Hmmm. When I stayed at The US Grant in San Diego on a Cash & Points stay in July 2008 (when I was SPG Platinum), my "Platinum Amenity" was 500 points, not something special to the area...

I thought getting lounge access was a basic perk for Plats on all SPG properties, except resorts?

Nope. Just at Westin and Sheraton properties.

d. Access to the Club Level when staying at Sheraton hotels or access to the Executive Level when staying at Westin hotels, even when not staying on the Club Level or Executive Level floor(s). At Sheraton properties, access to the Club Level does not mean access to the Towers Level, even if there is no Club Level in the hotel and there is a Club Level in the Towers. Access to Towers Level is determined by each individual property. These benefits are limited to the member and one guest IF that guest is in the same room as the member. Lounge access is not available if a lounge is at maximum capacity or if a lounge is closed for any reason.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Planning to stay there myself in January. I would be really interested to hear what the hotel's policy is on upgrades and amenities.

If it's actually true that they give lounge access as an amenity, that's pretty lame.

Hmmm. When I stayed at The US Grant in San Diego on a Cash & Points stay in July 2008 (when I was SPG Platinum), my "Platinum Amenity" was 500 points, not something special to the area...

My bad...US Grant was also given permission to do this earlier this year. ;)

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

my "Platinum Amenity" was 500 points, not something special to the area... I think people overread 'local' amenity... I've always taken local to mean selected by the hotel, rather than indigenous to the area. My apple and banana at the Phoenician were clearly the former, rather than the latter... ;) But it didn't seem to violate rules of the program. :p

... My apple and banana at the Phoenician were clearly the former, rather than the latter... ;) But it didn't seem to violate rules of the program. :p

You got an apple and a banana? :( All I got was two plums. ;) LOL

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Partner and I spent 30 minutes during happy hours at the Nines this past weekend. Happy hours is 3-6 daily, with discounted food and drinks. Beer of the day is $3, wine of the day is $4, and certain drinks (with housemade moonshine) are $5. Many tasty treats (foie gras PB&J on brioche, pork belly) for $4 or less.

There is an afterhour happy hour as well, with prices at 30% off after 10pm until closing (midnight).

Lounge access is given for Platinum guests (or at least it has always been for me) and has free drinks all day as well as very nice light snacks for breakfast, mid-day through evening, and desert at night. The staff there are extremely friendly and the food is always top notch. This is not given as THE Platinum ammenity though to the best of my knowledge; the actual Platinum ammenity given is usually a nice plate of fresh fruits & nuts and such (other times has been a plate of fresh meat & cheese) in-room upon arrival.

I would personally prefer the standard 500 points but the "local" ammenity is the fruit/nut plate and there is always a very nice personal note acknowledging platinum status along with from the Concierge staff.

I have just returned from a stay at this property and I really enjoyed it, the location is just about perfect and as previously stated, the staff is ready, willing and able to please.

My biggest complaint of this property is something I haven't seen mentioned here so I will attempt to delicately describe it here. The guestroom toilets are of the European variety that incorporate a 1/2 flush button for purely liquid waste and full flush button for everything else. No problem there, and I saw it as an attemt to conserve water etc. The problem has nothing to do with the volume of the flush but rather the size of the bowl. The toilets seem to be a "petite" size bowl that I have never experienced in Europe and definitely not designed with the male genitalia in mind. I am not a porn star, just an "average" male and I made direct contact with the cold porcelain upon sitting down each morning, somethng that I don't remember happening anywhere previously. But it certainly does wake you up!

I have just returned from a stay at this property and I really enjoyed it, the location is just about perfect and as previously stated, the staff is ready, willing and able to please.

My biggest complaint of this property is something I haven't seen mentioned here so I will attempt to delicately describe it here. The guestroom toilets are of the European variety that incorporate a 1/2 flush button for purely liquid waste and full flush button for everything else. No problem there, and I saw it as an attemt to conserve water etc. The problem has nothing to do with the volume of the flush but rather the size of the bowl. The toilets seem to be a "petite" size bowl that I have never experienced in Europe and definitely not designed with the male genitalia in mind. I am not a porn star, just an "average" male and I made direct contact with the cold porcelain upon sitting down each morning, somethng that I don't remember happening anywhere previously. But it certainly does wake you up!

Oh my! If the staff is ready, willing and able to please, perhaps they'll warm up the bowl for you, or provide other assistance.

(sorry - couldn't resist) :D

The toilets seem to be a "petite" size bowl that I have never experienced in Europe and definitely not designed with the male genitalia in mind.

Scrolled thru this thread just to see if this had been mentioned. UNBELIVABLE, but oh so true. While the bowl is small, it is the seat that could have a better design. Small, but nice exterior room with full windows, 1150. Called deluxe room, which is what was booked.

Nines has been letting rooms go for $66 on Priceline.

Okay I am starting to get nervous. On Tripadvisor there are lots of negative posting about the Nines. There is also discussion that there is not a coffemaker in the rooms which is a great big "no" for us. I am therefore considering moving to the Westin for our trip the end of May. We are gold members first time visiting Portland. We just need walking/public transportation convenience (and a coffee pot!). What to do?

Okay I am starting to get nervous. On Tripadvisor there are lots of negative posting about the Nines. There is also discussion that there is not a coffemaker in the rooms which is a great big "no" for us. I am therefore considering moving to the Westin for our trip the end of May. We are gold members first time visiting Portland. We just need walking/public transportation convenience (and a coffee pot!). What to do?


No coffee maker is definitely a deficiency. As far as trip advisor is concerned, I am finding that site not as helpful as it once was. I don't think I have recently found a hotel or restaurant, as good as it may be, that wasn't trashed by one or more reports. I guess you could take an average, but I just don't find it reliable.

I agree about trip advisor - FT is a much more reliable source.

People tend to only post on trip advisor if they want to vent. People rarely decide to post general trip reports like we do on this board.

Hadn't seen this posted, and since it's my hometown, and I just came across the info, thought I'd post here:

http://www.sagehospitality.com/hotels/thenines.htm

http://www.travelportland.com/media/whats_new.html

Looks like P-Town is getting a new Luxury Collection at the top of the Meier & Frank building right downtown. Certainly sounds interesting, though I have to admit I'm a bit surprised that Portland is getting a Luxury Collection hotel. The little city's all grown up now, I guess. :D Wonder what category it will likely become...

Exactly what I thought when I read your thread title. I have been to your lovely city a few dozen times now. I thought the Westin was quite nice and served well as a boutique-ish property. I am from Toronto and you'd figure at least we'd have a LC!

Okay I am starting to get nervous. On Tripadvisor there are lots of negative posting about the Nines. There is also discussion that there is not a coffemaker in the rooms which is a great big "no" for us. I am therefore considering moving to the Westin for our trip the end of May. We are gold members first time visiting Portland. We just need walking/public transportation convenience (and a coffee pot!). What to do?

Well, when it comes to convenience, being able to access public transportation or being able to walk anywhere, either one will be fine. I do have to say if you've never been to The Nines before, and amazingly now a days their rates are cheaper than the Westin, then by all means I would recommend trying out the newest hotel in town. For sure, the Nine's location is more charming, especially if you could secure a room with a closer view of the heart of the city, Pioneer Square.

I just checked out of this hotel, my very first stay. First night on a deluxe double, corner view room, and on the second night, joining a friend, on a junior suite. Obviously, the latter was much bigger, almost double the size, with the bedroom, bathroom, and living area partitioned into 3 separate areas by solid chocolate-colored doors. Yes, the rooms and amenities are of high quality, but perhaps the design is a bit too understated for my taste, and turquoise isn't necessarily a color I'd like to surround me. Still the rooms are very comfortable, quiet and again given a view of the Square, charming.

I do have to say that the hotel leaves a bit to be considered my favorite in Portland. Yes, location is good but unless you secure corner or suite rooms the views wouldn't be too good. The hotel scores big on providing complimentary wireless internet, but what's up with no coffee maker in the room? I'll gladly trade the DVD player that's for sure, but note that Starbucks is simply a couple of minutes away across the street to the left corner inside the mall. Also, yes the bathrooms are good-size but the shower isn't that great as the pressure is low and the water doesn't get hot enough for my preference. Though the service was okay, it's still not as polished as the Heathman for example. My friend was certainly unhappy when she couldn't check-in to her suite until past 5 pm, not to mention when one of the agents tried to coax her into accepting a ready to go corner room, "just like the junior suite, costs the same as the junior suite", umm I don't think so:td: . There were other unhappy customers impatiently waiting for their rooms! So there are many things that definitely pull this hotel back, disappointingly, from being really the place to be in Portland. But I would stay here again, given it's location, free internet, and if the rates stay comparable to its competition.

... but what's up with no coffee maker in the room? ....Part of what makes a hotel "Luxury Collection" or so it seems. I cannot recall ever having a coffee maker in an LC hotel -- you are supposed to have your butler bring you coffee; or in the hotels that don't have butlers, order from room service (at USD 12 a cup). They really should put Nespresso machines in the rooms.

We have stayed at the Heathman, and most recently, both at the Westin and Nines. The Westin is literally just 2 blocks away so it has the same central location as the Nines. I had a somewhat disagreeable stay at The Nines - seems the staff was oblivious to SPG Gold or Platinum upgrades and amenities - but then they had not been open very long either. I might try it again over the Westin just to see if they have improved.

Travelzoo rate: $99 including weekends (
http://hotels.travelzoo.com/lodging-hotels/513291?utm_source=top20_us&utm_medium=email_top20)

"Stay at this stylish hotel through April 18 for only $99 per night -- including weekends! Book by Jan. 16. Promo code 99TZOO."

With my partner while visiting relatives.

As platinum, we received lounge access, but initially, a very small room. When I inquired about Plat upgrades, we were re-assigned a slightly larger room on the concierge floor. (Suites and Jr. suites were available, but they refused to upgrade us to one) I should also mention that I pointed out the availability of the suites, (my partner called right before I went down to complain), and the front desk receptionist said there weren't any available, a lie.

We got a ridiculous rate of only $134 a night, though, so I can't complain much, except that due to snow, we decided to be lazy and use valet parking at a whopping $30/night. It's a nice hotel, tastefully decorated in a neo-classic, "W trying to be snobby" kind of style.

The lounge and lounge concierge was one of the nicest I've experienced in the U.S. There were complimentary drinks throughout the day, plus breakfast, snacks, and dessert dishes at the appropriate hours.

Wish I took the time for more pictures, but here is the view of the atrium as seen from the entrance of the lounge. (Looking down from the balcony): http://www.flickr.com/photos/ftkuroneko/3187138401/

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Nines. Service was great, rooms were clean and spacious (at least mine was). I was on the club floor and the club lounge was one of the best I have seen in North America.

My only two complaints were that turndown service was sporadic & I did not care for the room service menu. I felt the menu was too elaborate and very expensive (I'm on an expense account, but I'm very conscious of cost in today's economy). Plus, sometimes I just want a simple club sandwich and soup for dinner.

I'd be back in a second, especially at the price they are charging now. They are getting hammered on Tripadvisor, but I think that is more a function of them accepting all those priceline reservations.

My only two complaints were that turndown service was sporadic & I did not care for the room service menu.

Whoah - at least you *got* turndown service. We didn't get any. I assumed that the hotel just didn't do this, and commented on that omission to my partner, since I did think it was an odd omission for a hotel trying to compete in this category.

My girlfriend and I spent December 19-23 in a deluxe city view. We were originally scheduled to stay 2 nights but became stranded during the winter storm. They even honored the original discount rate ($149) for the extra days.

The hotel is great my girlfriend only wants to stay there when we are in town. The hotel was beautiful and the staff was great. There was always someone to open the front door and get us a cab. Even if it meant running up and down the street trying to hail one. People kept giving up waiting on cabs due to the storm the cab company stopped answering calls.

The room was very nice and had a lot of space (#1010). The bathroom was big too. We received the turn-down service once, they did come by a second night but we declined. Housekeeping was great, we left a bottle of wine in the empty ice bucket because we had to head off suddenly. When we returned there was ice in the bucket. We needed a second bucket for the beers I bought at the store across the street and they came up with one already filled with ice.

Sevice started to slide towards the end of the trip but this was no fault of the hotel. No one could get to work so the only staff they had were the ones that were already there and asked to spend the night in the hotel.

We will be back in February but will be trying out the smaller atrium view room because of our tighter budget

FYI: I have seen this property at the $99 rate on SPG.com lately when looking into Portland for mid-wk stays. I sometimes have to be in PDX on short-notice so it's possible that they are manipulating it in their reservations/rates system to drop the rates 2-3 days out to fill rooms that would otherwise likely be vacant... I've seen other SPG properties who do this regularly.

If you were interested in trying out this property (I haven't yet, but plan to) you could book an advance res at one of the other properties that allows for cancellation up to date of arrival, then look into The Nines and see if you can catch a bargain rate within 24-48 hours of check-in.



Travelzoo rate: $99 including weekends (
http://hotels.travelzoo.com/lodging-hotels/513291?utm_source=top20_us&utm_medium=email_top20)

"Stay at this stylish hotel through April 18 for only $99 per night -- including weekends! Book by Jan. 16. Promo code 99TZOO."

The $99 rate is currently available at SPG.com and is fully cancellable/refundable so there's no need to wait last minute to search for deals.

http://specialoffers.starwoodhotels.com/The_Nines/


Terms & Conditions:

An Alluring Introduction - $99 for 99 days

Introductory offer is valid only at The Nines, a Luxury Hotel in Portland, Oregon.
$99 rate is valid through April 18, 2009 in the hotel's Superior Rooms only, and the rate is subject to availability at the time of booking.
To book your stay by phone, please call the Nines at 888-627-7208. Please ask for rate code 99NINES.
Rates do not include additional per room per night charges that may be imposed including taxes.
Rates are based on single/double occupancy.
A limited number of rooms may be available at these rates and additional restrictions and blackout dates may apply.
Offer not applicable to groups or with other special offers.
Void where prohibited by law. Not to be combined with other offers or promotions.
© 2009 Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Thanks for the info Drop_Bear, I just cancelled my atrium view room for $149 and switched to the city view for $129 a night.

Hey if anyone knows how to get the Mariott to cancel a group contract, I can get a some people to book a total of 15 room nights the first weekend in April

What's the difference between a deluxe and superior room at the Nines? Also would an Atrium view or city view be better?

My partner and I just completed a 3 night stay at this property.

Overall grade: A ^

What a wonderful property!

Location:

The location is great. It's at the southern end of downtown in a very very walkable city. The hotel sits on top of Macy's starting on the 8th floor (which is awesome because Oregon, we just discovered, has no sales tax - AND Macy's gives an additional 11% discount to folks visiting from out of state) right across from court house. There is a light rail stop directly in front of the hotel, but honestly you can walk to most every attraction in Portland. It was a $37 taxi ride from the airport, but you can take the light rail if you have the time (45 minutes vs. roughly 20 in a taxi). Honestly, this hotel is extremely well placed.

Public Areas:

The hotel is beautiful. The hallways have soft torquoise accents but with great color contrasts. There is interesting modern art in the lobby and the atrium is gorgeous - with a wooden/lounge vibe and beautiful furniture. The hotel has a modern, bright, colorful, and artsy warm feeling which we found very appealing. This is in contrast to most W's which, though aesthetically appealing, tend to be very dark, angular, metallic, and overly modern.

Room:

We were upgraded to a Deluxe City view room on the top floor at check in. They also gave me lounge access. The room was excellent. There was a personal note from the concierge hand written waiting for us in addition to fresh fruit, candied nuts, and pieces of chocolate. It continued with the soft torquoise theme and a fantastic bed with a MASSIVE flat screen TV. There was a separate room for a work area (more like a nook or cubby) and the bathroom was large with an awesome marble shower. The bed was comfortable and all appliances were modern. No - there was not a coffee maker but there was a DVD player and an iPod connector and FREE wireless internet.

The minibar had all the necessities and was shockingly reasonably priced. Prices were fantastic here. Bottle service (in room!) for a bottle of Kettle One was only like $85! It's $300 at the W in San Francisco (I learned the hard way). Even room service was shockingly reasonable for such a nice hotel.

Service:

The service was exemplary. From check in, to taxi hailing, to everything it was first class all the way. I have a great basis of comparison and have stayed a LCs and Ws all over the world and these people know their stuff. They seem to enjoy their jobs and are all extremely friendly.

We met with the concierge the morning after our arrival and she was friendly, courteous, and read us like a book when it came to dinner reservations for 2 nights as well as the type of late night entertainment we were looking for. When she called a particularly nice restaurant to get us a table, she said "This is for a platinum VIP guest so please give him your best available table." Granted, it was just lip service, but I (as many of you who read this forum also do) eat that stuff right up.

Restaurant:

The restaurant, Urban Farmer, is lovely and the decor is fantastic. However, I'd avoid the sandwiches. They have a gourmet BLT on menu that my partner got, and a chicken leg sandwich both of which were so incredibly greasy that we couldn't really get into them. That being said, the onion soup and open faced cheesesteak which we got on a different occassion were delicious as was the breakfast.

Club Lounge:

We went to the club lounge on Saturday evening before heading out on the town. They had a whole Valentine's day theme with multi level trays of gourmet chocolate and sparkling wine. Full bar of course. The attendant was very friendly and the decor (you can probably tell by now that I loved this hotel's decor overall) was beautiful. They were playing soft house music in the lounge and there were a fair amount of people in there, so it had the atmosphere moreso of an exclusive lounge somewhere in the city rather than just a club floor lounge.

Overall I was impressed with this hotel from beginning to end. The staff, location, room, food (mostly), lounge all worked together seamlessly to provide a fantastic experience.

Portland is a wonderful city and this is a wonderful property. I hope Starwood keep with this LC vibe and spreads it to more locations.

I, too, was extremely impressed during a recent stay there. I don't think you can do better in Portland. For me, what was really important is that the rates were very reasonable and within the limits of my expense report. I hope that remains.

Good Evening:
This has been my second stay at the Portland "Nines" in a month. Each stay for a period of 3 days ( 6 days total). The hotel is first class. As a platinium SPG member I was upgraded each time to the Concierge Club level.
The club is open from 7.00 am through 11.00pm...
The staff is perfect and besides the Hawaii Hyatts this is the only location in the Western USA, I am aware off, offering complementary "well" drinks, wine ect in the concierge lounge.
I felt it was worth sharing with Fyertalk.
When in Portland, one should try "The Nines".

I've stayed at the Nines approximately 4 times this year, each for a duration between 3 - 8 nights. The first visit I was upgraded to the club floor, which was a very small room facing opposite of Pioneer Place. From then on, I've requested a corner room facing Pioneer Place in my reservation, and have had that request fullfilled 100% of the time. The corner rooms are excellent, are very large and spacious. As a Platinum, I've been extended club access everytime. The bar spread and food offerings are great--among the better lounges I've visited. The concerige/club staff are very attentive, and have greeted me by name after my 2nd visit. As for the Platinum amenity, I've always arrived in my room with some dried fruit, nuts, apple and pears, and butter toffee gourmet popcorn.

With an average rate of $169/night right now, this is a steal of a deal in downtown Portland. I've stayed at the Westin, Marriott City Center, and Marriott Riverfront, and the Nines is by far the best. For those that are considering to stay at the Westin over the Nines--the Westin does not have lounge access (if your Platinum), their room service is subpar, and their rooms are generally smaller.

I enjoyed my stay the the Nines. The staff were helpful and friendly. And the club lounge staff were excellent. Quality drinks, excellent martinis, etc. I was with my wife and 4 year old daughter, and the staff were extremely accomodating in the lounge.

Would avoid the atrium rooms at all costs, if you are a light sleeper. If you are SPG-Plat, you will get a room on the club floor or access to the club floor. The atrium rooms juliette balcony overlooks the atrium (hence lounge and restaurant), and it can get quite noisy. I paid $99 per night. Asked to be moved after the second night. They offered a regular exterior room at the same rate or a very large corner suite (with two queen beds in the bedroom) for an extra $79. Took the suite and was more than happy.

This is a very nice hotel. Though some may not like the style (i.e. sort of very modern with a twist???)

We have two rooms this weekend. We are in a corner room with two queen beds. The room is huge which we like.

Room- You enter onto carpet. The entire room area is carpeted. A long hall leads you into the room. To the right we have a connector door then onto two queen beds both have pad headboards. On the next wall we have a full bank of windows along with a day sofa. In the corner is a marble table with two chairs. Next we come upon a large long wall which leads to the bathroom. Along this wall is your flat panel tv on a stand along with a dvd player then comes your desk. It could be larger but access to power ports and the hsia port is easy. Then comes the bathroom.

Bathroom- The bathroom is huge. The floor is marble and there is a single basin sink along with a shower. No tub. The nice new thing is the Remede amenities.

HSIA- This remains free. For whatever reason again the port contained in the desk is not working again. So I just connected directly into the wall. The modem must not a reset. I experienced a similar problem last time I think.

Lounge- The Lounge and services at the Lounge remain exceptional. It has become a popular place and yesterday evening it was packed. Almost too popular. A welcome addition to Portland hotel options.

Rate- We have had this trip down since April. The Hotel was my first option but pricing in the beginning made it a issue. The Visa Hilton promo almost made the Hilton Executive Towers the pick. But this past week I was able to get rooms one at a time here for an amazing price. I don't do the Priceline stuff but had no problem paying the rate available on spg.com .

Yesterday evening we had dinner at Koji Osakaya which is back to being excellent. This morning we will celebrate Father's Day at the Benson Hotel brunch.

The Hotel is our new selection in Portland. My wife would have it no other way after the Lounge. More later if necessary.

FYI. Mon to Thur 7AM to 10 PM Fri 7 AM to 11 PM Sat 8 AM to 11 PM Sun 8 AM to 10 PM

This is a dog friendly hotel. I do not have an issue with dog friendly. I have an issue with a guest using the club lounge couch and having his huge dog up on furniture. We are not talking about a lap dog. We are talking Marmaduke size animal having his rear against cushions where people rest there arms. Do I blame the hotel?... NO. Do I blame Nines employee, Doug, in the lounge? NO. I blame the guest who thinks his dog is his wife and whose animal is leaving fecal and urine matter on new hotel furniture in the club lounge on June 19,20th to the point where I am disgusted. More later...I just got back from a 5 night trip two rooms.

NINES STAFF AND MANAGER ARE EXCELLENT even though I had some problems that could not be solved.

Most pet friendly hotels have policies against dogs in public areas and those that don't almost certainly do against dogs in areas where food is served. I am assuming that is not the case here?

I met that dog in the elevator. Let us just say that the back of his butt got way too close to my pant leg. A couple with a small dog had it sitting on the chairs this morning. I wonder what the health department would think about these animals being around food eating/serving areas. I do fault the staff in the Lounge and owners. These were without doubt NOT service animals. I also have a problem with the couple for whatever reason with a crying baby/child feeling that they need to leave the door prop open so that the entire side of the hotel's guests can hear. The logic is lost on me. Maybe they could not stand the noise themselves.

These were without doubt NOT service animals.

Unless the owner told you the dog was not a service dog (or assistance dog), you would have NO way of knowing that. You can't tell just by looking at the dog or its owner. I have a friend who works at Amtrak and if the passenger says his dog is a service dog, they must treat it as one. No visible identification, doctor's note or certificate is required. Many service dogs are there for "psychiatric support" and no doubt some crafty owners are using this exception illegally to take a non-service dog everywhere, which causes problems for the owners of real service dogs.

Thank you. I am well aware of that. Crafty would be the word. It still does not keep one from being disgusted by the thoughts in the past couple posts.

I met that dog in the elevator. Let us just say that the back of his butt got way too close to my pant leg. A couple with a small dog had it sitting on the chairs this morning. I wonder what the health department would think about these animals being around food eating/serving areas. I do fault the staff in the Lounge and owners. These were without doubt NOT service animals. I also have a problem with the couple for whatever reason with a crying baby/child feeling that they need to leave the door prop open so that the entire side of the hotel's guests can hear. The logic is lost on me. Maybe they could not stand the noise themselves.

My wife and I are planning to stay at The Nines this Friday to Monday and will report back if the hotel has still gone to the dogs.

Life_Platinum. You will enjoy it. Even if it is has still gone to the dogs. The Lounge offerings continue to be nice. The service is pretty good. Blanche the Concierge has a great personality. I would keep from the backside of the Hotel. That also the Macy's loading dock/garbage area and it does get noisey. Sorry to have just missed you by a few days.

Life_Platinum. You will enjoy it. Even if it is has still gone to the dogs. The Lounge offerings continue to be nice. The service is pretty good. Blanche the Concierge has a great personality. I would keep from the backside of the Hotel. That also the Macy's loading dock/garbage area and it does get noisey. Sorry to have just missed you by a few days.

Thanks RTWSTARALLIANCE. It would have been nice to be there at the time you were.

Just got back from a Thursday-Monday stay. My wife and I had an excellent time. We got a great rate on the club floor. I would recommend if you aren't on the club floor to pay a little extra and get access, it's well worth it (if you drink).

The room was very well done, albeit a little small. Bathroom was a bit on the small side, but had beautiful marble. King bed comfortable. Large flat screen. Internet is free, although was a bit slow for me at times. When we would go out we'd put the maid service sign on the door and when we got back our room was nicely made up. Also got turndown service each night which was prompt and efficient.

The lounge offers a wide assortment of beer and spirits. Breakfast was European style with bagels, croissants, cereal, fruit, yogurt, coffee, tea, fruit infused water, etc. They don't offer hot items, and for that you'd need to get room service or go down to the Urban Farmer. The service in the lounge was outstanding. Colin, in the morning, would go above and beyond the call of duty. For example, one morning, I got there late and they didn't have any papers left, so he offered to run across the street to pick one up for me. I politely declined, but it was a nice gesture on his part. Douglas and Mandy were excellent as well.

Departure upstairs is a nice little spot to go to. I hear it's the place to be on Saturday, but can't confirm. Good views, although I didn't get anything to eat or drink there.

The hotel is perfectly located with buses, and the Max stopping right in front of it. There is no need to rent a car if you plan on just staying in Portland. And if you do, there is a Hertz about 3 blocks away, and an Enterprise as well. We went hiking on Mt. Hood and instead of paying the $35/day valet fee we just rented a car and left it on the street overnight on Saturday, as parking is free on Sunday. Also there are plenty of garages you can park at for around $9/night.

The only downside to the stay was I wear a little guard on my two front teeth that prevents me from grinding at night. I left it in a cup of water and cleaner on the sink, and the maid mistakenly threw it away, I think. Now that's $500 down the drain (pun intended), and completely my fault, but it put a little damper on my stay.

There was a change in policy in regards to pets this past Monday. We do not have a pet so I did not have a reason to get a exact clarification. Maybe Life_Platinum can provide us with exact update during his stay this weekend. FYI.

And if you ever wondered! Hotels monitor FT.

I'm a little bit late posting this one, but just wanted to comment on my excellent stay at the Nines. I am a Plat. and was initially give a King room on the Club floor (M-F). It was a nice room, if somewhat small and very well appointed. The hotel itself is very nice, although I'm not sure I would eat at the Urban Farmer due to the prices and all of the other great places to eat in Portland.

As my sister and niece were driving down on Thursday night to meet up with me, I went to the desk to see if it would be possible for them to upgrade me to a suite for that night. They looked for a second and then let me know that if I would be willing to move off of the club floor that they would upgrade me for the entire stay (still with club floor access). This was great and allowed me to have a very enjoyable visit with my sister.

The club lounge. What to say here. For a domestic Starwood, this is one of the best club lounges around. The staff is extremely helpful, friendly and informative. We told the concierge two cross streets and mentioned that we were meeting someone at a restaurant and she immediately told us the name of the restaurant and how to get there.

The food (cold) and drinks were also top notch. They will make you a latte or capp. in the morning (or any other time) and have decent almost top self wine and liquor for free. I'm generally not a fan of Pinot's, but they had an excellent local one that my sister and I enjoyed in the lounge instead of trying to drag a sleeping infant around the city.

I can't say enough good things about the staff at this hotel. YMMV if you do not get to experience the lounge, but I would not hesitate to stay here again over any other hotel in the Portland area.

Kudos to the Nines.

P.S. I didn't see any dogs, but for people from the Midwest or East Coast, Portland is definitely more "progressive" about animals and everything else. I'm surprised there wasn't some stinky Greenpeace hippie in the lounge hassling me ....;)

I just love this property. It's my new basis of comparison for luxury hotels.

I recently completed a 5 night stay at the W in Hong Kong ... my partner and I kept comparing things there to "how they do it at The Nines ..."

And. How did they compare? I will be at the W HKG in a couple weeks with hope. Know the W has no Lounge. Thanks.

And. How did they compare? I will be at the W HKG in a couple weeks with hope. Know the W has no Lounge. Thanks.

I put a pretty detailed trip review of both hotels on their respective master threads.

Thanks. I was just hoping for like a 5 (nines) versus 4 (W).

I liked the Nines better - but I'm biased as the W vibe is not generally my thing.

The Nines had an artsy, warm feeling to it with smiling and gracious staff. The W is overly artistic, angular, with an uber-trendy staff.

It depends on your thing ... you know?

Thanks. That is a great way of putting it. Onto the W.

There was a change in policy in regards to pets this past Monday. We do not have a pet so I did not have a reason to get a exact clarification. Maybe Life_Platinum can provide us with exact update during his stay this weekend. FYI.

And if you ever wondered! Hotels monitor FT.

I did late checkout yesterday after three nights at the Nines and flew home to NYC late last night. As always, I printed the reviews of this property and carried them to the hotel, and found them very useful. I will try to address some of the points that had been raised by many of you since the hotel opened. Overall, I agreed with those who thought this was one of the best Starwood properties in the US, and certainly the finest Starwood property we had stayed at in the Northwest.

Three days prior to arriving, I received an email from the manager welcoming me to the hotel and asking if there was anything I might need. I replied that we would me most appreciative of an upgrade, if it were possible.

Upon checkin, I was asked which two ammenities (yes two) I would like. I chose the points which have not posted to my account although my stay has posted, and selected a $10 credit from the minibar (I used it for a local chocolate bar). (RTW STAR ALLIANCE had posted early on that the hotel was not providing points as ammenities) When the clerk returned with our keys, I asked her if she had assigned us to a suite, and she said no. I then asked about a corner room, and again she said no. She went back to the computer and then came back in about a half minute with another room (I thought about RTW STAR ALLIANCE'S room over the Macy loading dock, or D B Kings noisy inner lobby room). She said the hotel was fully booked and she was able to find me a room on 14 (1446) which turned out to be 5 floors up overlooking the lobby. The room chart had two different configurations of lobby rooms-the ones on the left side of the lobby were square, and the ones on the right side were rectangular. Room 1446 was the size of most rooms on the right side of the hotel, and was an average sized room with a marble bath. We listened every night for lobby noise, but perhaps because we were on the top floor or were exceedinly tired, we were not disturbed by unruly guests or their pets.

The SPG lounge is on the 12th floor directly behind the elevators, and it is one of the finest Starwood lounges in the U.S. I immediately picked out Douglas Hout, who it turns out, manages the concierge services for the hotel, and who is a pillar of service where ever he works (he also covered the lobby concierge service on Sunday Night), Colin who was exceedingly helpful and Mandy also caught my eye and helped us with some of our plans during the day. My wife was impressed with the lounge the one day she tried the lounge for breakfast, and the two nights we came by following dinner about the town.

Centurion will be pleased to know that the Marmaduke-sized dog has been banished from the lounge, and as pointed out here, the policy on admission of pets immediately changed after the incidents had been reported here. One day later, Douglas told me a new policy was written and all non-working dogs will be banned from admission. Douglas even had noted that this change in policy was immediately reported on this board just after it was introduced. Interestingly, he told me that the lounge is not classified as a place where food is prepared by the local government, so there are no rules that pertain to kitchens. (Food is prepared in other places and then brought to the lounge. Douglas explained the lounge is catergorized similar to an outdoor BBQ). The quality of food in the lounge is outstanding as special care has been taken to make every offering an art form, and it is of the highest quality.

My wife ate lunch at the URBAN FARMER and enjoyed the presentation of food. I walked the entire hotel, checking out the ballroom, the meeting rooms, the exercise room, and the Departure Lounge on the roof which had an interesting sake tasting. I would suggest that having a drink on the roof overlooking the river is something that every guest should do on a day when the weather allows sitting outside.

The origin of the name of the hotels appears to be controversial, as some employees suggested The Nines represented the nine floors of the hotel. Others thought that the original building was a clothing store where locals went to dress to "The Nines".

What could make the hotel even better? Well, my wife would have enjoyed an indoor pool. However, I suspect this will never happen during the life of the hotel. There were small little problems that kept coming up, but I suspect that with a few more months of experience and seasoning of the staff, these problems will disappear.

Overall, we rated this hotel as one of Starwood's finest U.S. properties, and would return here in a flash. I suspect that the Benson, the city's finest old hotel already has lost significant numbers of guests to the Nines. Also, I suspect that the Westin and the Nines will together need to develop a strategy so that they both succeed, as many like me who previously stayed at the Westin, will now choose The Nines.

Great hotel, great staff, fine food, and interesting architecture.

Nice follow-up. Appreciated. Now I need to check my SPG account for amenity during this stay. Thanks for reminding me.

Nice follow-up. Appreciated. Now I need to check my SPG account for amenity during this stay. Thanks for reminding me.

What amenity are you talking about? If you are looking for the 500-point welcome amenity, you can forget about it. The only Luxury Collection hotel currently authorized to give the 500-point amenity is the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.

The Platinum amenity as mentioned by Life_Platinum. He received one and was allowed to make two selections. One of which was points. That all being said I would ask. That should be enough of a hint.

FWIW, The Nines is not authorized by The Luxury Collection brand to give out 500 Starpoints as a choice of Platinum welcome amenities, so they have been asked to desist from this practice going forward.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

No comment.

FWIW, The Nines is not authorized by The Luxury Collection brand to give out 500 Starpoints as a choice of Platinum welcome amenities, so they have been asked to desist from this practice going forward.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

That's odd. As you can see from this thread, this is one of the better Starwood properties in the country - you'd think Starwood would want to maintain all available perks.

That's odd. As you can see from this thread, this is one of the better Starwood properties in the country - you'd think Starwood would want to maintain all available perks.

It's not odd at all. The 500-point Platinum amenity is NOT a part of the benefits for stays at Luxury Collection and St. Regis hotels in general. It has nothing to do with the Nines itself, but is a part of the brand standard for those two chains within Starwood. Two grandfathered exceptions apply to the Palace San Francisco (which used to be a Sheraton long ago) and the St. Regis Houston, but that's it.

Two grandfathered exceptions apply to the Palace San Francisco (which used to be a Sheraton long ago) and the St. Regis Houston, but that's it.

FALSE! Why does everyone forget about the US Grant :confused:

Does this property not update Plats to a suite if available? I have noticed that most reviews have not included an upgrade to a suite.

FALSE! Why does everyone forget about the US Grant :confused:

It's NOT false and I am not forgetting about the US Grant. You just don't know all the facts. I can see how you would be confused (:confused:) as the master thread on the 500-point welcome amenity still lists the US Grant as being authorized to give out that amenity. But William, the Starwood Lurker says it is NOT true in this more recent post:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/11480848-post60.html --- "It's actually down to just two now. It turns out that the US Grant was not given permission to do so, though in fact they did for awhile against brand policy."

William, can you fix the confusion by editing your own post at:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/8077165-post1.html

looking to book a stay in Portland in November. . .will mark the 3rd year my DH and I have been together (not our anniversary, just from when we met).

I haven't told him yet but I booked airfare on Southwest when they had a 48 hr sale with $30 ea way fares. . .couldn't beat it. 2 RT tickets from Spokane to Portland were $160. I'll get grandma to take the kids so we'll have two nights away for just adults.

Thinking of the Nines but which of these is really the best deal?

Currently I can get a AAA rate of $125 for a basic room (and hope for upgrade) or for about $80 more they have this deal:

(edit: choice of TWO)
* Complimentary Valet Parking
* Breakfast for two in Urban Farmer or from In-Room Dining
* Welcome Amenity that includes chocolate dipped strawberries and your choice of a bottle of Champagne, Cabernet or Chardonnay
* Dinner and a Movie (one on-demand movie of your choice and a $25 In-Room Dining credit)
* 4:00pm Late Check-Out
* Complimentary Room Upgrade (based upon availability)
* 1,000 Starwood Preferred Guest® Starpoints
* Complimentary Morning Coffee Service
* Signature Gift from the Nines (choose one): Bracelet, Cuff Links or Bathrobe

I'm probably going to use points for the 2nd night (we'll be checking out early so don't need the breakfast and all) but are the extra above worth paying $80 more?

looking to book a stay in Portland in November. . .will mark the 3rd year my DH and I have been together (not our anniversary, just from when we met).

I haven't told him yet but I booked airfare on Southwest when they had a 48 hr sale with $30 ea way fares. . .couldn't beat it. 2 RT tickets from Spokane to Portland were $160. I'll get grandma to take the kids so we'll have two nights away for just adults.

Thinking of the Nines but which of these is really the best deal?

Currently I can get a AAA rate of $125 for a basic room (and hope for upgrade) or for about $80 more they have this deal:

(edit: choice of TWO)
* Complimentary Valet Parking
* Breakfast for two in Urban Farmer or from In-Room Dining
* Welcome Amenity that includes chocolate dipped strawberries and your choice of a bottle of Champagne, Cabernet or Chardonnay
* Dinner and a Movie (one on-demand movie of your choice and a $25 In-Room Dining credit)
* 4:00pm Late Check-Out
* Complimentary Room Upgrade (based upon availability)
* 1,000 Starwood Preferred Guest® Starpoints
* Complimentary Morning Coffee Service
* Signature Gift from the Nines (choose one): Bracelet, Cuff Links or Bathrobe

I'm probably going to use points for the 2nd night (we'll be checking out early so don't need the breakfast and all) but are the extra above worth paying $80 more?

Take the extra deal. If you're planning to eat at Urban Farmer (and it's good), that and the bottle of wine alone are worth more than $80.

Have a great trip to PDX.

since only two items are avail for the extra $80 I decided to just book a night on points and one at a AAA rate.

The AAA rate of $125 got a Superior room with ATRIUM VIEW

but points stays offered this room OR the Deluxe with City View (both at 10K pts). The "paid" rate is like $50 more for the Deluxe room. I'm wondering why both are options on Points stays. . wouldn't the deluxe city view be much better? Or not??

I've emailed the hotel to ask if my "paid' stay can be changed to a Deluxe city view room so we wont have to change rooms between the paid and points stays. I'm still hoping for Club Level room but just in case I'd at least like to know we'll have the same room for the two nights were there.

If the can't make the paid stay the same I guess I could always use another 10K points stay but i'm starting to run low and would like to hang on to them in case needed for room or suite upgrades.

http://www.sagehospitality.com/specials/giveadaygetanight.htm

We Stayed Saturday night on a paid reservation for two rooms. I agree that this is one of the best Starwood properties in the US. However there are some issues that took away from our experience.

Check in- Early check in at 12:30pm allowed :)...No upgrade offered and no amenity offered or in the rooms :(. On Previous stays there would at least be a bowl of fruit. Lounge access given--as stated earlier, this is the best lounge in the Starwood group. Colin, the lounge concierge exceeded our service expectations.

Room- Small interior rooms overlooking the atrium, but still very nice. I brought my daughter on this trip and she stayed in the 2nd room. This is where the surprise came in. She suffers from allergies to cats and dogs and was up all night sneezing and her eyes were swollen shut the next day. I love the fact that this hotel is pet friendly, but I had assumed that they would have specific rooms set aside for those guests. I would suggest that they at least designate a specific floor for pets, as I am sure there are many guests that have allergies.

Overall this is still my favorite hotel in Portland and I will continue to stay there, unless the children come along--then it will be at the Westin to avoid the allergy issue. I think if the Westin is going to succeed it will need to offer some amenity to compete with the wonderful lounge that the Nines offers. Maybe they could offer Platinum members drinks and breakfast in their restaurant The Daily Grill.

This is where the surprise came in. She suffers from allergies to cats and dogs and was up all night sneezing and her eyes were swollen shut the next day. I love the fact that this hotel is pet friendly, but I had assumed that they would have specific rooms set aside for those guests. I would suggest that they at least designate a specific floor for pets, as I am sure there are many guests that have allergies.



They may have specific rooms and unfortunately, for whatever reason, you may have gotten one of those. I don't understand why in this economy you did not get an upgrade esp. based on your status, but, if my speculation is correct, you may have gotten one of those pet friendly rooms -- it seems from your daughter's rxn you did.

In that instance, the hotel has no way of knowing that anyone in your party has such allergies, and given your knowledge of the pet friendly aspect of this proeprty, they could have rightly assumed that you did know of the possibility that you would be assigned one of those rooms -- after all, as you noted, the hotel states that it is pet friendly.

Long story short = In hopes of avoiding this type of situation in the future at any pet friendly hotel -- advise the front desk of your needs -- do not expect them to be able to read your mind!

Hope your daughter is better. :)

I agree about bringing up the allergies in advance next time. However when I was checking out and asked the agent at the counter about being able to request rooms that don't allow pets--I was informed that they do not set aside any rooms specifically for pets--that all their rooms are available for pet use---so unless a policy change goes into effect, I will be out of luck.

I agree about bringing up the allergies in advance next time. However when I was checking out and asked the agent at the counter about being able to request rooms that don't allow pets--I was informed that they do not set aside any rooms specifically for pets--that all their rooms are available for pet use---so unless a policy change goes into effect, I will be out of luck.

Or, perhaps she takes a Claritin before she arrives at the property? :)

I was informed that they do not set aside any rooms specifically for pets--that all their rooms are available for pet use---so unless a policy change goes into effect, I will be out of luck.

As someone who has a signiicant cat allergy - and who takes daily medication for it - this concerns me. I know that the hotel changed their pet in lounge policy based on comments in this thread. I hope that they are still continuing to read it, and will rethink the need of a certain room block for pets. For me personally, it is the rare dog to which I am allergic - but cats (and horses) really do me in. Having some identified rooms for cats so that guests with allergies can have alternatives would be a big step forward.

;)As someone who has a signiicant cat allergy - and who takes daily medication for it - this concerns me. I know that the hotel changed their pet in lounge policy based on comments in this thread. I hope that they are still continuing to read it, and will rethink the need of a certain room block for pets. For me personally, it is the rare dog to which I am allergic - but cats (and horses) really do me in. Having some identified rooms for cats so that guests with allergies can have alternatives would be a big step forward.

I find it strange that the hotel would open up all rooms to pets. From what I have read, it seems that most hotels have designated rooms for pets -- not always the most desirable -- and that they do this because of the signficant cleaning problems that could occur. Why a hotel would allow this possibility to occur in all its rooms is beyond me, and given the concerns of SanDiego1K and our other poster, I would hope that if the hotel is reading this that they amend their policy.

As a pet owner, I think it is great that we can take our pets into a hotel -- I have yet to do so, however. On the other hand, I don't want to deal with a pet's cast offs ;) if I decide to stay at a certain hotel and not be traveling with my pet. Now, as the above demonstrates, there are even better reasons advanced why only certain rooms should be set aside for those who wish to travel with their pets.

What are the details of the Club lounge at this property? How many food presentations does it offer throughout the day? (Complimentary breakfast, lunch snacks, tea time, dinner snacks, complimentary cocktails or happy hour??) thanks.

We booked the same deal as Hvanv0405, the rates were closer to 184 a night, so the 229 is definitely worth it when you throw in a bathrobe and breakfast.

I have heard mixed reviews about the Urban Farmer -- but there are so many amazing restaurants in the area, so if we are unhappy, we'll just putter towards the Pearl Bakery.

What are the details of the Club lounge at this property? How many food presentations does it offer throughout the day? (Complimentary breakfast, lunch snacks, tea time, dinner snacks, complimentary cocktails or happy hour??) thanks.

As many others have mentioned, they have an outstanding lounge. I'm not sure of the exact times or length of the food presentations (at least 2 hours) but I believe it's roughly:

8am - Continental Breakfast
11am - Sandwiches
5pm - Evening Hor d'Oeuvres
8pm - Dessert

Complimentary drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) during all lounge hours.

We're currently here at The Nines for one night. It's my second paid stay here. Just a few notes:

The lounge is awesome as everyone has put it.
Platinum amenity---- they gave me 500 points. What is the typical amenity for this property? I was under the impression that they were not to do that?
Upgrades- first paid stay got upgraded to a club level room. This stay--no upgrade, the hotel is completely booked full.
Staff- great as usual, address me by name, etc.

There was not a fruit bowl or anything of that sorts in my room when I arrived, nor did I receive an email from the manager pre-arrival asking if there is anything that I need. This isn't as big of a deal to me as it is to others.

Besides my confusion on the plat amenity, it was a great stay besides a concierge fiasco (rectified immediately with comping my parking).

Platinum amenity---- they gave me 500 points. What is the typical amenity for this property? I was under the impression that they were not to do that?


You are right - only TWO Luxury Collection hotels are authorized to give the 500 Point Platinum Welcome Amenity - and the Nines isn't one of them. The last time I was promised such an amenity by an unauthorized LC hotel, it NEVER posted. I doubt you will ever see yours - but let us know what happens.

Calling William, the Starwood Lurker. Unless the rules have changed, it sounds like there is a training issue at this hotel.

You are right - only TWO Luxury Collection hotels are authorized to give the 500 Point Platinum Welcome Amenity - and the Nines isn't one of them. The last time I was promised such an amenity by an unauthorized LC hotel, it NEVER posted. I doubt you will ever see yours - but let us know what happens.

Calling William, the Starwood Lurker. Unless the rules have changed, it sounds like there is a training issue at this hotel.

Thanks for the clarification. I figured this. I asked multiple checkin agents at different times if 500 points was the plat amenity, and they all said it yes.

We stayed at the Nines recently and really enjoyed the experience. The property was completely booked so no upgrade and no lounge access offered.

The Deluxe room we had was nice and clean but the actual bedroom was a bit on the small side. The bathroom was fantastic and made up for the lack of size in the bedroom.

Our room had a city view, though it was more of just a view of a building. I am tempted to write SPG and let them know they shouldn't sell that as a city view, because on the other side of the hotel, the view is much, much better.

We ate breakfast one morning at Urban Farmer and I was satisfied. It wasn't the greatest food but it was well done and for the price, worth it.

IIRC, someone had mentioned that a number of employees at the Nines came from the Westin down the street. I'm wondering if they were carrying forward their old practices without realizing that the Luxury Collection hotels don't really do that? Another evidence of the carrying forward is the practice of giving 2 amenities, which is what Westin Portland offers when they couldn't upgrade you to a suite.

Still, it's an awesome hotel. I need to find time to write the trip report, but the lounge is the highlight. We didn't realize that everything was complimentary, including alcoholic beverages, hence why the lounge attendant looked confused when we gave the room number to them, or asked for the charge slip. Maybe a quick, introductory welcome would be helpful for first time visitors.

Does this property not update Plats to a suite if available? I have noticed that most reviews have not included an upgrade to a suite.

Well I'm not sure if being Platinum makes a significant difference, however someone, who is now gold, and has stayed here 10 of the last 13 weeks(and with stays booked for 3 or 4 nights every week through the end of September). I have had no recognition of SPG status, and have never received even the slightest room upgrade. However I have been downgraded from a King deluxe cityview room to 2 queen superior atrium view room a couple of weeks ago and this week I was put in to a room next to the ice machine on the lowest floor.

I suspect that my low corporate rate for a major local company might be working against me (anywhere from $100-$250 discount from the published rate).

The nines is frequently booked out a week to ten days ahead of time, so I do understand that upgrades are not always possible, but some sort of acknowledgement would be nice.

The thing I find strangest however is that NONE of the staff wear any name tags, I usually would know all the names of the staff members after spending this much time in hotel, but I can honestly say I don't know the name of a single person working in this hotel.

Overall the hotel is nice enough, however I can't believe that it can possibly justify its published rates, service levels are inconsistent and I would say I encounter at least one service delivery failure each week. However the hotel is full, and I even overheard that one customer has booked the Presidential suite every night for the next year, which I found astonishing in the current climate.

No real recognition of PLT status other than a service promise being added to each stay. The two folks we dealt with primarily were very good about mentioning their names over and over again so that we could remember them.

Good points --

Lovely rooms, small, but lovely. Amenities have been downgraded to the normal luxury collection stuff that is seen at the US Grant.

Restaurant -- great local food, innovative, real food for brunch, great happy hour menu.

Gym -- nice and now with free weights.

Hallways -- considering this is the pick up place in PDX, the hallway was remarkably quiet with no slamming doors.

Lounge - good looking food and well drinks.

DVD player that is simple to use and good collection of movies to borrow.

Location - good - some free parking around by the Westin, didn't use the valet. The street kids and adult homeless hanging out by the entrance and on each corner were a little hard to avoid and agressive. I don't recollect this from the Westin.

The bad --

I cannot imagine staying here and being assigned an atrium room - especially on a weekend. I would probably run screaming from the hotel or drag my mattress to the fire stairs. The hotel is loud and the noise does not abate until well after midnight. This is the Partay hotel for PDX on the weekends.

The elevator was also an issue - especially when people were going up to the night club. We ended up taking the stairs to run up to the club and down to the gym and lobby. Getting on the elevator with a bunch of really drunk frat boys who were lurching and obnoxious did not make a good first impression.

The other issue was the thumping bass of the nightclub literally resonating throughout the beams of the hotel. We were on the 11th floor and we could hear the basebeat through the pillows until 2 am. If you were a light sleeper- forget it, earplugs don't work in this case.

The lounge is crowded and open which is supposed to make it feel bigger. It doesn't and the layout sort of sucks. Due to the lounge configuration, I wouldn't request a club floor room.

Yeah, I also have a problem with people plopping down putting their unshod feet on the coffee table and having a relaxing glass of wine. :rolleyes:

We have two more stays booked for the next few months - the manager already upgraded us to an exterior room for our October stay based on nightclub issue. This is a nice gesture on their part.

We used up our last two free weekend nights Saturday and Sunday. We left mostly impressed, but if you're looking for special Plat treatment, this is not the place.

Room wasn't ready at 5PM, but we only had to wait 10 minutes. I was acknowledged as a Plat., but there no amenities of kind.

We were assigned an 8th floor city view room on the East (5th Ave) side. Wasn't really much a view other than the building across the street. It may have been an accessible room, there were extra bars near the tub and toilet. Though I don't see how someone in a wheelchair could have ever worked the sink, so maybe not.

The 2 Q Deluxe room itself was decent sized, with a couch, sitting chair and desk/chair. The housekeeping was impeccable, and everything in the room was in good working order. I wasn't big on the decor, but my wife loved it. For 2 adults and 2 small kids, it was just big enough.

One note, they wouldn't let us book the same sized King room (which we'd use with the kids sharing a rollaway, because those were limited to 3 people.

Quibbles with the room:
1. Sound insulation between rooms on the same floor was lacking. Conversations, etc. were clearly audible. (though insulation between floors was fine.)
2. The closet doors close with an unavoidable loud clunk; so loud I could hear that noise from either adjacent room.
3. The rooms need proper blackout curtains, it got bright very early each morning.

Maid and turn-down service were excellent and unintrusive.

Valet parking was fine coming, so-so leaving. They tell you to call 10-15 minutes ahead, but I'd make it 20 (or park off-site).

I'd probably stay here again at a decent rate or on a free night, but at the usual rates they charge (with no club access or likely chance of an upgrade) I might look elsewhere as well.

I'd probably stay here again at a decent rate or on a free night, but at the usual rates they charge (with no club access or likely chance of an upgrade) I might look elsewhere as well.

I booked a deluxe king at a very decent government rate of $136 (and, yes, I do work for the government). That rate is still $20 higher than the per diem rate allowed by the Federal government. As a Plat, I am guaranteed club access. The new Courtyard in downtown Portland is offering rooms for the same dates at $109 per night (regular non-government rate).

As a Plat, I am guaranteed club access.

Someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but IIRC the Lurker stated that since this is a Luxury Collection Property, lounge access is NOT guaranteed for Platinums members, but instead an additional perk the hotel has decided to extend.

Someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but IIRC the Lurker stated that since this is a Luxury Collection Property, lounge access is NOT guaranteed for Platinums members, but instead an additional perk the hotel has decided to extend.

Good Day:

I have stayed at the Nines 4 times (10 nights) year to date and as a Platinum I have always been upgraded to the lounge floor regardless of the rate paid with rooms looking out.

It appears that , for good reasons, The Nines is fast becoming the place to stay in downtown Portland as a result of their very good product.

They deserve the success.

Those of us who have patronized them since the very beginning can only hope that in time of high occupancy we will still be extended the courtesy of an upgrade.

Now with regards to the lounge access policy at "Luxury Collection" properties, Platinum status does not give access to it and I certainly recognize and appreciate those hotels who extend this courtesy while I stay with them.

For those locations who don't offer this courtesy, competitors such as Hyatt/Park Hyatt offer to their Diamond members a much better alternative/product including full breakfast.

In Portland I believe that with the exception of the Marriott properties (not sure) The Nines is the only hotel offering quality lounge service.

When competing on the "luxury" turf , the difference is not in pricing but in details.

For my money, in Portland, The Nines wins and I thank them for their hospitality.

Well I'm not sure if being Platinum makes a significant difference, however someone, who is now gold, and has stayed here 10 of the last 13 weeks(and with stays booked for 3 or 4 nights every week through the end of September). I have had no recognition of SPG status, and have never received even the slightest room upgrade. However I have been downgraded from a King deluxe cityview room to 2 queen superior atrium view room a couple of weeks ago and this week I was put in to a room next to the ice machine on the lowest floor.

I suspect that my low corporate rate for a major local company might be working against me (anywhere from $100-$250 discount from the published rate).

The nines is frequently booked out a week to ten days ahead of time, so I do understand that upgrades are not always possible, but some sort of acknowledgement would be nice.



I would suggest calling Corporate Customer Service. Bed type is guaranteed for Starwood reservations. If they can't honor the bed type, regardless of the rate you're paying, then they are not meeting the brand standards.

Also, with your frequent stay, I would send a note to the GM or at least the front desk manager, providing your feedback.

I currently have 2 nights booked on points in November.

Has this property offered Cash & Points very often? I usually prefer that but i've been checking frequently and never see C&P available.

I was also surprised the a points reservation you can book a Deluxe City view room OR SUPERIOR ATRIUM. . .but the difference in these paying Cash is $50 more for the city view.

No longer being platinum I was hoping for C&P so I would have extra points to upgrade to the Club Lounge.. .Has anyone had previous experience using points to upgrade from a deluxe room to Club level with club level access.

I was wondering the points cost or even the cash cost for upgrading. I know most people say book the room you want but I really want to use points for this trip but also I want to make sure we get to experience the Club Lounge. TIA for any info.

I booked a deluxe king at a very decent government rate of $136 (and, yes, I do work for the government). That rate is still $20 higher than the per diem rate allowed by the Federal government. As a Plat, I am guaranteed club access. The new Courtyard in downtown Portland is offering rooms for the same dates at $109 per night (regular non-government rate).

Interesting that the government rate isn't the cheapest rate they offer. I know of at least two companies with lower rates than that.

Someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but IIRC the Lurker stated that since this is a Luxury Collection Property, lounge access is NOT guaranteed for Platinums members, but instead an additional perk the hotel has decided to extend.

I stand corrected. This benefit is in fact limited to the Sheraton and Westin brands:

Access to the Club Level when staying at Sheraton hotels or access to the Executive Level when staying at Westin hotels, even when not staying on the Club Level or Executive Level floor(s). At Sheraton properties, access to the Club Level does not mean access to the Towers Level, even if there is no Club Level in the hotel and there is a Club Level in the Towers. Access to Towers Level is determined by each individual property. These benefits are limited to the member and one guest IF that guest is in the same room as the member. Lounge access is not available if a lounge is at maximum capacity or if a lounge is closed for any reason.

Club lounge is nice, but can get really crowded. I am not sure I would pay another thirty or forty dollars a night to get a few drinks and bagels in the morning.

Paying to get a city view and away from the atrium - yes.

Just got back from using a couple of free nights at the Nines for the Labor Day weekend. The place is beautiful, but we had quite a few minor service snafus that made for a less than stellar stay.

The good
Great location, stylish decor, fresh & new feeling throughout, club lounge. Once we got the schedule straightened out (see below), the club lounge turned out to be top notch. It reminded us some of the Towers lounge at the Sheraton Hong Kong...maybe better, though without the view.

The bad

We were given club access, but no info about hours. When we called down for that info, we were told breakfast went to 11. When we got there at 10, there were a couple of boxes of cereal and some juice. We asked if more food was coming out and were told breakfast was over. When we explained what happened, the response was, "oh."

Both keys stopped working after night one. Got them fixed, but the agent insinuated it was our fault for keeping the keys near a cell phone or credit cards (which we didn't). We asked for info on club lounge since we had the earlier mix up. When we explained that, her response was, "oh."

Arranged for 12:30 p.m. checkout. No problem. As I was doing online checkout at 12:20 p.m., housekeeping knocks on the door (ignoring the DND sign). While it wasn't all that much of a disturbance since we were on the way out, this is a huge sticking point for me. I continue to be amazed at how many properties seem to have failed to communicate the meaning of a DND sign to their staff.

I just realized that I wasn't offered a Plat amenity. :confused:


All in all, I would stay there again at the right price, but I hope they tighten up the service. It felt as though it was opening week for them this time around.

Arranged for 12:30 p.m. checkout. No problem. As I was doing online checkout at 12:20 p.m., housekeeping knocks on the door (ignoring the DND sign). While it wasn't all that much of a disturbance since we were on the way out, this is a huge sticking point for me. I continue to be amazed at how many properties seem to have failed to communicate the meaning of a DND sign to their staff.


The same thing happened to me during my stay two weeks ago. The housekeeper apologized and left, followed shortly thereafter by some unsmiling security staff who failed to apologize before leaving. That being said, the remainder of the staff were quite personable and the lounge staff were especially pleasant.


I just realized that I wasn't offered a Plat amenity. :confused:


Given that this is a Luxury Collection hotel, I was also not offered a "locally-selected property amenity." This property used to offer 500 points but was recently scolded by Starwood (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/12003464-post83.html) for doing so.

I also used two of my free nights last night (two rooms). I was generally impressed. I really like the decor. I was expecting noise and questionable service, but had neither. I didn't give them a chance to violate late check-out, because I didn't happen to need it this time. That is also a real pet peeve of mine too, and I would have demanded extreme compensation (as I have in the past at other properties, and received it). Violation of the DND is unforgivable. I go to hotels to get away from being disturbed, and once I am awoken, I'm up for the day.

Thought I'd offer an update. I contacted customer care with my comments (both positive and negative) about my recent stay at the Nines. Within hours, I received a personalized, detailed apology from the Executive Assistant to the GM. He state that they will be addressing my concerns with their staff to ensure improved service in the future. I've sent comments to customer care a handful of times and I've never seen such a prompt and sincere response from a hotel. This was clearly not a cut and paste form letter. Very impressive!

He also clarified that club access is their standard Platinum amenity and apologized for staff not communicating that to me. For the record, that's a stellar amenity.

While I'd prefer not to have any service issues to begin with, when a hotel responds to them in this way, I'm left feeling very good about the place. I'm such a pushover...

Given that this is a Luxury Collection hotel, I was also not offered a "locally-selected property amenity." This property used to offer 500 points but was recently scolded by Starwood (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/12003464-post83.html) for doing so.

So instead of offering lounge access AND an additional platinum amenity they now just offer lounge access :td:.

Why can't The Ballantyne be brought in line with this brand standard as I don't think a free movie, free internet, or 500 points qualifies as a locally selected amenity (reported this and was told they have an exception by an executive on property?). Apparently though they have lots of exceptions (including not having to provide a free bottle of water).

So instead of offering lounge access AND an additional platinum amenity they now just offer lounge access :td:.


As a traveler who has a more than ample track record of complaining vigorously when a property has not lived up to their commitments, I was sufficiently happy with my stay at the "The Nines" to let this one slide. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay there, perhaps even more so because for most of this year I have been profoundly disappointed with many of my prior Starwood stays. That was my fault mostly because I made the mistake of choosing Europe as a venue and the benefits received at some properties across the pond leave a lot be desired.

Back on topic, "The Nines" can be faulted, if only slightly, for not fully explaining that the lounge was the "platinum amenity" but I do not consider this to be a major faux pas and, based on my interactions with the delightful staff there (who are well aware of Flyertalk), I have every confidence that this will be rectified. I am only sorry that, as a resident of the Portland Area, my visits to the property will be few and far between unless, perhaps they might deign to offer some special rates to locals for off peak periods. :p

Going to The Nines Friday night to use our free night certificate. Requested a streetside room this time since we found the atrium rooms so noisy. Departure(s) was not open last time we were there - anyone been for happy hour? Heading elsewhere for dinner, but will probably do breakfast at Urban Farmer.

If you are on a free stay, do you get credit for money you spend at lounges/restaurants?

Just got back from using our free weekend night. Last time we thought our atrium room was very noisy with rising bar noise/music, so asked for and received a streetview room facing west (6th) - blissfully quiet!

I just love this hotel - sometimes when you go back a second time it's not as good as you remember, but it was. I can't tell you how wonderful all the employees are. This is a hip and trendy hotel, and we're anything but (we're early 60's), but every employee treated us great (probably how they would treat their parents :rolleyes:

We did go up to the new Departure lounge right after 4 pm when they opened thinking we would have it to ourselves - we couldn't have been more wrong. It was PACKED. It was a nice warm night, TOO warm for us on the west side (east side was already loaded) so sat right inside with ac comfort yet still the view (of course, the view is Portland, not the Empire State Building or anything, but still). Had a cocktail and one appetizer which were ok - sounded great on paper but actually were a little boring. Appetizer took so long they ended up comping it (without our asking), so that was nice.

Rooms vary in size and we got one of the smaller ones - very conventional hotel layout (last time our room was still small but more interesting - cute intimate little alcove for the desk). But this time we got the coveted fainting couch ;) (hey, we thought it was cool).

Breakfast again was terrific at the Urban Farmer - we had our daughter, sil and grandson drive in to join us - they are in their 30's and were very impressed with the whole place. The choices for breakfast are just so interesting and good. And they were great to the baby.

Just a wonderful stay and I can't wait to go back next time we need to be in Portland.

So instead of offering lounge access AND an additional platinum amenity they now just offer lounge access :td:.

Well, that must be VERY recent, because I not only was upgraded to a large room with a "fainting couch", but I also received lounge access AND 500 additional points (which posted as "SVC PROMISE 500 PTS" on 8/31/09).

The lounge access was fantastic, with continental breakfast, a midday snack, evening cocktails (including martinis) delivered to your seat in the lounge, and evening desserts - ALL COMPLIMENTARY. For the record, I had a few lemon-drop martinis during the cocktail hour. Why would anyone pay for same at "Departures"? They really do everything to THE NINES. I will most certainly be back!

Well, that must be VERY recent, because I not only was upgraded to a large room with a "fainting couch", but I also received lounge access AND 500 additional points (which posted as "SVC PROMISE 500 PTS" on 8/31/09).


Not so for my stay on 9/4/09. Assistant to the GM confirmed to me via e-mail that lounge access was my amenity.

I'd probably :rolleyes: at most hotels for pulling this, but their lounge is pretty slick.

I had an excellent stay at this hotel recently. Got an upgrade to a junior suite, which was about the size of a normal suite at most hotels. I was also given 500 Points as an amenity (in addition to lounge access). I would definitely stay here again:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2591/3938545361_8d2fd3f386.jpg
Junior Suite Living Room

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2455/3939323618_ef0b3a1abe.jpg
Junior Suite Living Room

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3487/3939328420_08c1cb2484.jpg
Fainting Couch in Bedroom

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2430/3938547831_65be6a1ac3.jpg
Junior Suite Bedroom

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3521/3938549299_b3a0f92863.jpg
Junior Suite Bathroom

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2626/3938550711_2811987d1a.jpg
Junior Suite Bathroom

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3470/3938560987_bbfd7eb78c.jpg
View from Room

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2570/3938553517_2bf3ae1b35.jpg
The Lounge

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2572/3939332052_7a2638cfe0.jpg
The Lounge

Using two free nights from the Q3 promotion, I checked into the Nines this evening. It is a trendy boutique style hotel. It’s very stylish although a little too much turquoise/aqua for my taste (esp. on the divan).

My thoughts and observations:

The Room
My room on the 8th floor (same as front desk) was small, but comfortable. My city view room, as it would appear for most, is a view of the office building (or parking garage) across the street. As noted, some higher and/or corner rooms may have more of a scenic view. The bathroom featured only a shower. The toilets are dual flush, but no clear instructions as to which button is the water conservation button for liquid waste, if you are not familiar with them. There are only three hooks for towels, no towel racks.

Lobby/Lounge
The lobby/lounge area is an nice with some interesting pods/rooms for congregating/socializing. The atrium is a pretty noisy space. I could hear it clearly when I stepped out of my room (and I was a full hallway length away from the transition into the lobby/atrium. But I never heard any noise from there in my room.

Separately, the street noise can be intrusive at times; not so much traffic noise, but street performers, people shouting/chanting on the street and the occasional light rail bell (6th Street). I also heard some glass bottles hit a bin early Saturday morning, but I don't know the source.


Club Lounge
The Club Lounge is very nice, definitely a step above a vast majority of domestic Starwood Club Lounges. It’s rather dimly lit and cozy. It’s not one of those lounges where you feel comfortable stumbling in with athletic shorts and a t-shirt. It’s more business casual meets trendy style – a lot of black in the evening. Continental Breakfast hours are 7-9:30a M-F and 8-10a weekends, Evening Hors d’oeuvres are daily 5:30-7:30p and Chocolates and Cordials are daily 8-10p.

The evening hors d’oeuvres are served tapas style with small plates. Tonight was fingerling potatoes w/ black olive and onion; lamb w/ corn kernels; and chicken w/ fennel, bean pod and cherry tomato. The second night was lamb crostini, pasta salad w/ spinach capers and cheery tomatoes, apple slaw with currant and walnuts and skewered melon with mozzarella. Each shelf was labeled to describe each offering.

Breakfast is served in a similar style with pre-plated/bowled servings of fruit, yogurt, etc. There were no labels to explain each item (obviously, the fruit was self explanatory). The fruit was the ubiquitous California grown (i.e. flavorless) melon with a peppering of some raspberries, blueberries and black berries (the latter two which may have been locally grown). Same old tired boxed cereals. The healthiest cereal was Cheerios (if you consider modified corn starch an important nutritional component). There are bagels, but no toaster. They no longer have a machine that makes specialty coffee drinks -- lattes, etc. The host confirmed that it had been pulled.

Service has it's lapses. The first night, the staff seemed to be "in the way". As I was reading the descriptions, he started pulling card without so much as an "excuse me". Then he started moving into my space as I'm trying to get something from the shelf. The next evening, about 20 mins. after opening, I made a run to the Lounge and the shelves were completely empty. The next morning I left my room at 8a sharp and despite the travel tome, found the Lounge not open. 8a is a late opening to begin with esp. to customers from the east coast, but to not be open at 8:03 sad.

In-Room Coffee
As noted, there is none. However, after a couple of calls I learned that there are Russell Hobbs stainless steel kettles available that will heat water. That’s great for tea drinkers (c’est moi), but not so much for coffee drinkers unless you pack your own coffee and a collapsible French press or Starbucks instant coffee. Apparently, these kettles are new and even the person answering the Guest Services line didn’t know about them. They also would provide cups, but I generally travel with my own. Used it this morning and it worked great.

Newspaper
According to the Nines Accommodation information on starwoods.com, the room includes a “free newspaper of your choice”. I called to request the Oregonian and was told they would accommodate me, but the Oregonian is usually not available except on Sunday. What? No local newspaper? So what's the choice? At least they promised to make the effort. And true to their promise, both the Sat. Oregonian (and Fri. USA Today) was at my door at 6:30a or Sat. and teh Sunday Oregonian was at my door on SUnday morning. The USA Today was appreciated, however I already had one. Walking the hall, I didn't see a newspaper (not even the WSJ) at any other door. If you stay on a weekend night, it would appear you need to proactively ask for a paper to be delivered to your door.

Platinum Amenity
I asked Guest Services and the Front Desk as to what amenities SPG Platinums were entitled. I was told Club Lounge access, the 500 points we all know and love and an upgrade when available. When questioned further about the 500 Plat Amenity pts. (which BTW were offered at check-in), she explained that she was informed by the manager (which? I have no idea) that the property requested and received an exemption to offer the 500 points amenity since, as a non resort location, they were hamstrung in offering a local amenity and that most guests didn’t want the comp. nuts or whatever. Note: No Plat. Amenity or Service Problem points were posted with the stay.

Bathroom Products
The Accommodation info on starwoods.com touts Remede bath amenities, however, I had Gilchrist & Soames in my room – shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion, each in 1.5 oz./45ml. bottles. The bottles are screw-top wide-mouth (1" diameter) variety. The conditioner was a challenge to get out as it was more viscous.

Staff
Many of the staff seem very helpful. As I ventured out for ice, I asked an someone from Housekeeping where it was located. She went out of her way to walk me to the ice machine. It turns out that it is on the other end of the floor and I would've had to walk through the lobby and up and down two long hallways. She actually showed me a shortcut through the employee only area. I returned via that route again last evening and this morning without challenge. And when I first requested a coffee maker, Guest Services stated I could order hot water from room service and that they would call to arrange delivery at a certain time. I got a call back from Food Service telling me about the kettles and he delivered one w/i minutes.

At check out, there was a notice at the Front Desk about an Alzheimer's walk occurring that morning, noting that it might affect traffic. Gee, wouldn't you think I would want to know about that earlier so that I could plan accordingly? A notice under the door the night before would ave been a nice gesture. Or why didn't they note my check out date and check in and notify me them/ That would truly be service. Worse, the hotel info channel was still warning about a Komen walk that was a week ago? At a Luxury Collection hotel, I would expect them to sweat the smallest detail and anticipate customers needs.

That said, I'm not sure I see myself returning to the Nines. I find the vibe too trendy and a little pretentious. And while service would seem to be responsive, there are lapses and it takes too many requests to get what is promised or what is available -- they are very responsive to your needs, but they don’t anticipate or get out in front and understand your needs. The Hilton and the Hotel Monaco remain my favorite downtown Portland hotels.

Platinum Amenity
I asked Guest Services and the front desk as to what amenities SPG Platinums were entitled. I was told Club Lounge access, the 500 points we all know and love and an upgrade when available. When questioned further about the 500 pts., she explained that she was informed by the manager (which? I have no idea) that the property requested and received an exemption to offer the 500 points amenity given, as a non resort location, they were hamstrung in offering a local amenity and that most guests didn’t want the comp. nuts or whatever. We’ll see if it is credited.


Read my post #127. Mine was credited at the same time the stay was credited.

Read my post #127. Mine was credited at the same time the stay was credited.


I did read your post and your observation was duly noted. To be fair, there have been inconsistent experiences and inconsistent messages from Starwood and the property on this, so my one person jury is still out.

I do recognize your experience is more recent, but given they posted it as Service Promise points would seem to belie the claim that they have been given an exemption from Starwood (unless that has come in the last month).

Update: Note, there were no Plat. Amenity points posted with my regular points!

I recently discovered that the Nines is part of the Virtuoso hotel program (similar to AmEx FHR -- a search on Flyertalk will reveal a fair amount of discussions regarding Virtuoso). The Virtuoso rates include daily breakfast for 2 & a one-time $50 f/b credit.

Anyone familiar with these sorts of programs (e.g., AmEx FHR, Virtuoso, Signature) knows that the program's rate(s) may be higher than the best available rate, thus making the perks a little less valuable. However, it seems that the Nines actually offers lower rates under the Virtuoso program. (Of course, this may only be true for the dates that I have looked at.)

As an example, when looking for a 1-night stay on October 31, these are the available rates that Virtuoso & SPG.com come back with:

Room Category -- Virtuoso Rate / Best Available (refundable rate) / Adv Purchase (non-refundable)
Superior -- $118.15 / $139 / NP
Deluxe -- $152.15 / $189 / $160.65
Deluxe Corner (2 Queen) -- $160.65 / NP / $179
Deluxe Corner (1 King) -- $173.40 / NP / $184
Club -- $177.65 / NP / $189
Club Corner -- $194.65 / NP / NP
Junior Suite -- $194.65 / NP / $199
Club Junior Suite -- $220.15 / NP / NP
Club Exec Suite -- $807.50 / NP / NP

NP = Not Published. In other words, the room/rate does not appear when looking on SPG.com.

I recently discovered that the Nines is part of the Virtuoso hotel program (similar to AmEx FHR -- a search on Flyertalk will reveal a fair amount of discussions regarding Virtuoso). The Virtuoso rates include daily breakfast for 2 & a one-time $50 f/b credit.


I would book the Virtuoso rate in a heartbeat. The food at the Urban Farmer is great, but 50 bucks would cover 1.5 dinners excluding adult beverages.

As long as my stay posted. ;)

As long as my stay posted. ;)

That is definitely key. :) Fortunately, I have always had stays properly credited without issue whenever I've used FHR or Virtuoso.

Just got BRG approved.

Staying here two nights 11/7 -11/9 and wanted the club level. I was originally booked with points but wanted to make sure we got club level and access for our anniversary.

SPG price was $172 for the king on club floor. Hotels.com and other sites had it for $169.25. I submitted a claim and was approved and took the extra 10% off this time, really wanted to cut cost. . and i thnk we'll still get extra points for the stay.

always hope for even more of an upgrade but I'm very happy to know we got a good rate for club floor room.

In-Room Coffee
As noted, there is none. However, after a couple of calls I learned that there are Russell Hobbs stainless steel kettles available that will heat water. That’s great for tea drinkers (c’est moi), but not so much for coffee drinkers unless you pack your own coffee and a collapsible French press or Starbucks instant coffee. Apparently, these kettles are new and even the person answering the Guest Services line didn’t know about them. They also would provide cups, but I generally travel with my own. Used it this morning and it worked great.


Who did you call for the kettle? I am staying this weekend and ask the concierge for one and she said they do not have them.

Thanks.

Who did you call for the kettle? I am staying this weekend and ask the concierge for one and she said they do not have them.

Thanks.


I originally called Guest Services. They agreed to arrange a free scheduled delivery of hot water from Room Service. Within minutes, I received a call telling me that they had received the request and told me they had kettles; would I like one? I assume the call came from Room Service/Kitchen. But it may have come from Housekeeping.

I know it's likely too late now, but I would call them all until you have satisfaction. As I say, the person that delivered the kettle said they were new. Again, pity they don't share this information on a wider basis among the staff.

They have coffee for $2 for a gigantic paper cup behind the hostess desk in the restaurant (enough for 2 regular cups). We took some, asked the hostess if it could just be added to our breakfast tab instead of paying for it then (we were waiting for people to join us for breakfast). She said fine. When we were seated, we told the waitress we had two cups of coffee in the lobby, and she said "we'll just call those refills" and we were never charged for them. But honestly if you wanted to take coffee back to your room $2 was a bargain.

What a great hotel The Nines...
Really loved it..

I did arrive around 5 pm at the hotel the concierge asked me to wait a little bit to give me the suite 1051... As a Platinum Preferred guest

What a large room...I had booked a superior room club floor to begin with...

Really loved the decor... the location...the club lounge with the 4 meals a day and the open bar all day what a difference with other lounges part of SPG...

I got a late check out at 4 pm....
Really can not wait to go back again...


The hotel was totally sold out for the weekend...as there is no sales taxes in Portland a lot of convention go there to save money...very smart..

I don't know what the trick is to getting a suite upgrade at this hotel, as I've spent at least 60 nights/19 stays there so for this year and have yet to receive a significant upgrade.

Though other than a suite most of the rooms are similar, the one time I was in a superior room the only difference from the deluxe room is that superior have the atrium view as opposed to city view.

I also can't tell any difference between the Club floor rooms and deluxe rooms other than being on the 12th floor.

I don't know what the trick is to getting a suite upgrade at this hotel, as I've spent at least 60 nights/19 stays there so for this year and have yet to receive a significant upgrade.

Though other than a suite most of the rooms are similar, the one time I was in a superior room the only difference from the deluxe room is that superior have the atrium view as opposed to city view.

I also can't tell any difference between the Club floor rooms and deluxe rooms other than being on the 12th floor.

What level of SPG status do you have? Your profile indicates that you're SPG Gold, but given your volume of business at the Nines alone, it would seem that you should be Platinum.

Admittedly, even if you only have SPG Gold status, I would still expect that the property would toss you a bone once in a while in terms of a suite upgrade every now and then, given how many room nights you've racked up at their property.

FWIW, I've noticed that it is often more difficult to get a suite upgrade on longer stays. But it looks like your average stay is ~ 3 nights, so I don't think that that is the problem. Perhaps they have very few standard suites in their inventory?

What level of SPG status do you have? Your profile indicates that you're SPG Gold, but given your volume of business at the Nines alone, it would seem that you should be Platinum.

Admittedly, even if you only have SPG Gold status, I would still expect that the property would toss you a bone once in a while in terms of a suite upgrade every now and then, given how many room nights you've racked up at their property.

FWIW, I've noticed that it is often more difficult to get a suite upgrade on longer stays. But it looks like your average stay is ~ 3 nights, so I don't think that that is the problem. Perhaps they have very few standard suites in their inventory?

Oops I guess i need to update my profile.

Yes I am Platinum and most stays are the typical three nights

Looks like I might be driving up to Portland in a few months. Reports upthread are that parking at the Nines was $30 for valet. Any suggestions for cheaper parking options within a few blocks? I may be doing some hopping between the Nines and the Westin...

Looks like I might be driving up to Portland in a few months. Reports upthread are that parking at the Nines was $30 for valet. Any suggestions for cheaper parking options within a few blocks? I may be doing some hopping between the Nines and the Westin...

Valet at the Nines is $36/night however you can self park at the Star Parking garage used by the valets for $18/night. The entrance is on Alder between 6th and Broadway.

Though I would avoid the Westin, I have never been in any other starwood hotel that can't manage little things like having a set of drawers in the room. It's also the only hotel I remember that does not have some documentation around services, room service, fire safety etc. in the room

Valet at the Nines is $36/night however you can self park at the Star Parking garage used by the valets for $18/night. The entrance is on Alder between 6th and Broadway.

Though I would avoid the Westin, I have never been in any other starwood hotel that can't manage little things like having a set of drawers in the room. It's also the only hotel I remember that does not have some documentation around services, room service, fire safety etc. in the room

Thanks for the parking tip. I've stayed at both properties before and the Nines was definitely the nicer of the two, but I will probably throw a night at the Westin (or even out in the burbs) to get the stays.

I don't know what the trick is to getting a suite upgrade at this hotel, as I've spent at least 60 nights/19 stays there so for this year and have yet to receive a significant upgrade.

Though other than a suite most of the rooms are similar, the one time I was in a superior room the only difference from the deluxe room is that superior have the atrium view as opposed to city view.

I also can't tell any difference between the Club floor rooms and deluxe rooms other than being on the 12th floor.


Well always e mail the concierge before your stay....Be polite...use your charm and you will score a suite upgrade I do recommend the suite 1051...2 doubles bed...but it was A HUGE ROOM...

I am a PLT for 9 years and an SPG FOR 19 NOW..

Good luck....

C

Nov 7th - 9th will be my first stay here and first time to Portland.

I am planning a surprise trip for my husband and he doesn't even know we're flying anywhere. We're not going to have a car and will be taking the Max to/from airport.

Going to be a weekend with our two 7 yr olds so not planing much except staying at the hotel and enjoying the club lounge.

However, today I was reading Portland reviews and decided to rent a car on Sunday and drive over to Multonomah Falls. I'm so excited I remembered this was so close! Hoping the first week of Nov is still nice enough weather to visit.

Someone also recommended Harvey's comedy club. Anyone here on FT ever been? Looks like Sat night they have D.C. Malone.

For 2 people in their 30s is there anything else "affordable" we should consider for this short trip? Will only have Sat and Sun night and have to leave by 6:30am Monday to head back to airport. . we're both still working Monday morning :(

Hoping to mostly enjoy quiet time away and take in the hotel and the club floor. . are drinks (beer/wine) included still or just food?

I think seeing the Falls will be just the right amount of time away from the hotel, maybe some light walking around downtown and would like to take DH to the Powell's bookstore, he's a HUGE bookworm.

Any other recommendation are appreciated! TIA

Nov 7th - 9th will be my first stay here and first time to Portland.

I am planning a surprise trip for my husband and he doesn't even know we're flying anywhere. We're not going to have a car and will be taking the Max to/from airport.

Going to be a weekend with our two 7 yr olds so not planing much except staying at the hotel and enjoying the club lounge.

However, today I was reading Portland reviews and decided to rent a car on Sunday and drive over to Multonomah Falls. I'm so excited I remembered this was so close! Hoping the first week of Nov is still nice enough weather to visit.

Someone also recommended Harvey's comedy club. Anyone here on FT ever been? Looks like Sat night they have D.C. Malone.

For 2 people in their 30s is there anything else "affordable" we should consider for this short trip? Will only have Sat and Sun night and have to leave by 6:30am Monday to head back to airport. . we're both still working Monday morning :(

Hoping to mostly enjoy quiet time away and take in the hotel and the club floor. . are drinks (beer/wine) included still or just food?

I think seeing the Falls will be just the right amount of time away from the hotel, maybe some light walking around downtown and would like to take DH to the Powell's bookstore, he's a HUGE bookworm.

Any other recommendation are appreciated! TIA

The lounge at the Nines offer all you can drink alcohol /wine / beer / and what ever they do have to serve all day with 4 meals a day as well served in the lounge...
The concierge in the lounge when I was there was amazing...
I have never seen a lounge anywhere in the WORLD offering this to any SPG members... i wish they will copy the Nines for sure...
But I can always dream for sure...

Portland is so cheap as there is not TAX for anything you buy...
A bargain for us who are coming from California ....
Food is great...Amazing fresh fish...

Have a great time there....

You ll be back again for sure...

The lounge at the Nines offer all you can drink alcohol /wine / beer / and what ever they do have to serve all day with 4 meals a day as well served in the lounge...


What are these four "meals" you are referring to? Spent 30 seconds this morning at the "lounge" and all I saw was old people eating bagels with Philadelphia cream cheese. No thanks!

Well another Monday through Thursday stay this week and no significant upgrade. When I saw they still had jr suites for sale on monday afternoon I thought this might be my week.

Alas no.

Now the thing I don't understand with Luxury Collection hotels is if they consider the upgrade the room on the club floor(which are identical to the deluxe and superior room), which would include lounge access, then why do they get to double count Lounge access as the hotels "Local Ammenity"?

Well, currently in the hotel again right now and this stay has definitely convinced me that this property is my favorite hotel in Portland. The Symphony suites at the Heathman a few blocks down only ranks second. Now, over the short period of time since The Nines had opened its doors, I've tried practically every room layout excluding the Executive Suite and I've come to conclusion that the rooms to be had in terms of value and practicality are their top corner rooms on the right side of the building overlooking Pioneer Square. The view of the city with plenty of natural lighting is hard to beat and not something one would find in any other properties. Though club access is nice, getting a room with free full breakfast at the Urban Farmers is a much better deal. I am a big breakfast person and having the option for real hot entrees without worrying about the lounge works better for me. The delicious scones, and Duck confit hash are two of my favorites ^. This is definitely the place to stay in Portland. Last night, the Blazers played the Spurs and sure enough, on the way to breakfast this morning the guy on the elevator was no other than Richard Jefferson. Now that speaks volume. Overall, a great stay, and a fun weekend at the Nines.

Well another Monday through Thursday stay this week and no significant upgrade. When I saw they still had jr suites for sale on monday afternoon I thought this might be my week.


Been at this hotel now for few times. They are most definitely playing games when it comes to Platinum upgrades and I don't like that. No standard suites available when they sell Club Junior Suites on their website which is the standard suite at this property.

BTW why I cannot open a file with the corporate services for hotel not honoring the SPL PLT benefits? I was told by the PLT "concierge" that it needs to be handled by the SPG and not by them.

...BTW why I cannot open a file with the corporate services for hotel not honoring the SPL PLT benefits? I was told by the PLT "concierge" that it needs to be handled by the SPG and not by them.

If you ever get a Platinum Concierge that gives you this answer again, ask to speak to their supervisor. They are fully cross-trained to be able to file complaints such as this one.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Been at this hotel now for few times. They are most definitely playing games when it comes to Platinum upgrades and I don't like that. No standard suites available when they sell Club Junior Suites on their website which is the standard suite at this property.

BTW why I cannot open a file with the corporate services for hotel not honoring the SPL PLT benefits? I was told by the PLT "concierge" that it needs to be handled by the SPG and not by them.

Another 2 Mon-Thurs stays and no upgrades, though I honestly haven't had the time to follow up with Corporate services about the lack of upgrades here, and given how little time I spend in the room it's really not a huge deal, it would just be nice for there to be some acknowledgement of the business I've given them this year.

If it's not a suite upgrade I'd rather be in one of the rooms on 14th floor than the club room as I prefer their more spacious floorplan.

I'm not sure if this is LC brand wide but for the first time today I was offered a Platinum arrival ammenity choice of either 500pts or a "Local amenity". I was told it was a "New Program"

I'm not sure if this is LC brand wide but for the first time today I was offered a Platinum arrival ammenity choice of either 500pts or a "Local amenity". I was told it was a "New Program"

I have never had those amenity points to post automatically from this property....

I have never had those amenity points to post automatically from this property....

Was also offered points as one of my plat amenities a couple of months ago. As this is a luxury collection, the points do not apply and could not be added by SPG Concierge. The hotel had some confusion on a few topics.

Was also offered points as one of my plat amenities a couple of months ago. As this is a luxury collection, the points do not apply and could not be added by SPG Concierge. The hotel had some confusion on a few topics.

I was told that this was a new program as some issues had to be worked out with Starwood. This is the first time I've seen this form in the 5 1/2 months I've been staying here weekly

returned from a FAB. stay Nov 7th & 8th. Sadly the hotel was booked full on Saturday so no upgrade and we didn't have city view. . witch I thought I had booked when booking club floor room. We didn't let this bother us, the room was smaller then we are used to but after an hour or two we didn't really notice and the rest of the hotel made up for it.

While checking in we noticed a wedding party which fit right in with the beauty of the hotel. We were a bit lost getting off the elevator but quickly learned our way around.

We took every advantage of the club lounge and the staff hospitality was top notch. It was wonderful to check in an be able to sit down to a excellent wine and beer for DH. The setting was always relaxing and even with a booked hotel we never had a large crowd in the lounge. Food served was more of "snack" size portions and really shouldn't be called 4 "meals" a day but we loved the presentation of each dish. We would pick up a drink and could walk about the hotel. Both nights we enjoyed a bite in the Urban Farmer Lounge but brought our comp. drinks from the club lounge.

After having our first drink we returned to our room and found a tray of chocolates wishing us "Happy Anniversary". Very nice treat. Sat the evening snack was Seared Tuna and other meats & cheese plates. We also tried the Cheese fondue & Pulled pork sandwich on the Urban Farmer Happy Hr menu.

Sunday night was a big treat. . had smoked salmon, steak & mushrooms, & chicken & bow tie pasta. Dessert was awesome creme brulee, brownies, and a mouse or cake dish.

If you like cheese then you really MUST try the Cheese Cart offered at the Urban Farmer Lounge.. .it's $5 per ounce but the presentation and flavors are something not to be missed. My husband and I really enjoyed this experience and the knowledgeable server made it every bit more enjoyable with great recommendations and servings over regular size. Lots of fun and will definitely be doing this again!

If any of the staff happens to come across this. . . I would just like to say "THANK YOU", my husband and I had a wonderfully relaxing weekend away from our kids and enjoyed every minute of our stay at The Nines. A big thank you to all the ladies working in the club lounge this past weekend.

Still working on the pix from the rest of our trip but here is my album of pix from The Nines http://hoerauffamily2009.shutterfly.com/3038

returned from a FAB. stay Nov 7th & 8th. Sadly the hotel was booked full on Saturday so no upgrade and we didn't have city view. . witch I thought I had booked when booking club floor room. We didn't let this bother us, the room was smaller then we are used to but after an hour or two we didn't really notice and the rest of the hotel made up for it.

//snip//

After having our first drink we returned to our room and found a tray of chocolates wishing us "Happy Anniversary". Very nice treat. Sat the evening snack was Seared Tuna and other meats & cheese plates. We also tried the Cheese fondue & Pulled pork sandwich on the Urban Farmer Happy Hr menu.

Sunday night was a big treat. . had smoked salmon, steak & mushrooms, & chicken & bow tie pasta. Dessert was awesome creme brulee, brownies, and a mouse or cake dish.



Thanks for sharing the pictures! The barbell in one hand, drink in the other is classic!

Did you let the hotel or concierge know about the anniversary before hand? That's great service if they provided the chocolate based on some off-hand conversation.

Also, opefully it was a mousse dessert rather than the relative of Mickey on the plate. ;)

Thanks for sharing the pictures! The barbell in one hand, drink in the other is classic!

Did you let the hotel or concierge know about the anniversary before hand? That's great service if they provided the chocolate based on some off-hand conversation.

Also, hopefully it was a mousse dessert rather than the relative of Mickey on the plate. ;)

lol . . ya not MM cake :) As for anniversary I had added a request to my reservation: Upgrade if avail. Annivesary weekend w/out the kids!

I had also mentioned it when contacting the concierge about rental car options. She thought I was surprising my husband for his birthday but I corrected her saying it wasn't a birthday but a surprise trip I had planned since last July to celebrate our 3rd year together.

Hotel was 100% booked so no upgrade but yes, the chocolates was a lovely touch. Turn down service was always very nice as well, robes laid out on bed and little mini brownies left.

Read through all this with interest as I may do 3 nights here in late Spring on Points; overall impression seems pretty positive, but with all this talk about Plat Amenities or lack thereof, my issue is a bit simpler: as lowly Gold, can I expect ANY recognition or perks, such as room choice or even Lounge access; if not, maybe it is time to try a non-SPG property a try in Portland even if I have to pay for it. Would not bother with the Westin again unless/until rooms are genuinely updated; but there are clearly other very nice options there, and I don't need the very latest in Vibe, good but not fussy service and quiet civilized comfort and are paramount for me -- emphasis on the quiet, which seems not in abundance at the Nines if one gets stuck in one of their Atrium rooms. This property seems nice, IF you hit it right -- but not so consistent, even after a year of shaking out. All advice sincerely welcomed...

Read through all this with interest as I may do 3 nights here in late Spring on Points...

If you are staying on points, try to to 5 nights on points (5th night free) and get a specialty or specialty-select upgrade for an extra 4,000-6,000 per stay. You DO want to get lounge access. It is not available to Golds not staying on the 12th (lounge) floor.

Also, check rates frequently. I ended up getting a $139 pre-paid rate on a club floor room in October! Much better deal than wasting 40,000 + points!

If you are staying on points, try to to 5 nights on points (5th night free) and get a specialty or specialty-select upgrade for an extra 4,000-6,000 per stay. You DO want to get lounge access. It is not available to Golds not staying on the 12th (lounge) floor.

Also, check rates frequently. I ended up getting a $139 pre-paid rate on a club floor room in October! Much better deal than wasting 40,000 + points!

THANK YOU MIKE for clarifying that. Actually I'm trying to just use points, thought I could do so there and conduct some business at the same time, but if there is no perk at all for Gold, then I'd be just wasting the points; therefore, I'll just pay in Portland -- and not at a Starwood property -- and use the points to better effect someplace else like SF, kinda sad to have to plan this way but there you have it and you clinched the deal for me, thanks again...

THANK YOU MIKE for clarifying that. Actually I'm trying to just use points, thought I could do so there and conduct some business at the same time, but if there is no perk at all for Gold, then I'd be just wasting the points; therefore, I'll just pay in Portland -- and not at a Starwood property -- and use the points to better effect someplace else like SF, kinda sad to have to plan this way but there you have it and you clinched the deal for me, thanks again...

i would usually use points as well but when it came to Club Lounge with comp. drinks and food it was easy to decide to purchase the club floor room. I got a BRG with 10% off.. .found $169 on Hotels.com they matched plus the 10% off. . .we easily drank and ate well over $100 per night. WELL WELL worth paying for the floor. Wouldn't ever think of staying elsewhere if just adults. . .however if/when we return with the kids might need to try the westin or someplace with a pool .. .though people did have kids and brought them to the lounge. . just not sure my boys would eat the type of food they served. . .Adults however it was an absolute treat. . wonderful seared tuna and smoked salmon and great deserts but the drinks were really the item that sealed the deal and will have us returning. . plus the staff since they never acted put out and were always happy to assist or refill our beverage (dont' forget to tip!) :)

Wouldn't ever think of staying elsewhere if just adults. . .however if/when we return with the kids might need to try the westin or someplace with a pool .. .though people did have kids and brought them to the lounge. . just not sure my boys would eat the type of food they served. . .

During my stay, I did not see any kids at all on the property. It is definitely more of an adults atmosphere. I would not bring kids either. It seemed to be more of a mix of sophisticated middle-aged adults with the trendy W crowd. Even with my 16 year-old, I would probably opt for the Hilton for the pool or Embassy Suites for the more kid-friendly food and ambiance. The big score at the lounge is the unlimited alcohol bevs. Although wine and beer is on display, they offer a full bar also and make some great cocktails.

I have never had those amenity points to post automatically from this property....

The 500 ammenity points posted automatically for last weeks stay as

+500 PLATINUM 500 THANK YOU AMENITY

Hey Folks -

I'm looking at "The Nines" in Portland, and I see that both Superior & Deluxe rooms "cost" the same number of points. That being said, which type of room is nicer? I can't really tell.

Thanks!

It could be
1. a bigger room that has an atrium view
vs.
2. a smaller room that has an outside (city) view.

It could be
1. a bigger room that has an atrium view
vs.
2. a smaller room that has an outside (city) view.

The Deluxe rooms have a city view and cost more at a paid rate.

The Superior rooms have an atrium view and cost less at a paid rate.

There is no mention of the size of either category and the amenities are identical, so I'm thinking the view makes the difference. Obviously, the hotel thinks the city view is better than the atrium view or they would charge more for the atrium view on a paid rate. Plus, in Starwood-land, Superior is usually a category down from Deluxe.

Interesting that the hotel opens both types up to standard Preferred (free) Night Award redemption though. Usually, deluxe rooms would be on the Select Upgrade award. <shrug>

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Thanks, all. I was most curious about the "in general" bit, which Lurker answered quite nicely!

Good Day:
Just came back from two days at the Nines.
As always great service, however the lounge service is being downgraded DRAMATICALY.
No more cappuccino or latte in the morning.
The machine was sent back.
To my dismay instead of my customary French cognac I was served KORBELL (which I did not drink).
The bar offering has been drastically reduced.
Although one can understand the business relation between profit and service I am afraid The Nines will lose its edge without the premium service it has offered so far.
Not good.

Good Day:
Just came back from two days at the Nines.
As always great service, however the lounge service is being downgraded DRAMATICALY.


Very bad news. I just chose a club corner at Nines for an upcoming stay based on many of the favorable reviews here.

Would it be appropriate to email the manager regarding this information, asking if they have plans to bring the club back up to par? If so, what is the proper contact info?

Oops I guess i need to update my profile.

Yes I am Platinum and most stays are the typical three nights

With so many room-nights at a single property, SPG status should have little or no bearing on how you're treated. If this were a true "luxury" property like FS or Peninsula properties, local management would treat you like royalty after a fraction of that many room nights in a single year.

Heck, most (if not all) Peninsula hotels will provide personally embroidered pillow cases after your second visit in a 1-year period.

Let's get Lurker on this to kick some butt at the local and regional management level!

Very bad news. I just chose a club corner at Nines for an upcoming stay based on many of the favorable reviews here.

Would it be appropriate to email the manager regarding this information, asking if they have plans to bring the club back up to par? If so, what is the proper contact info?

Good Evening:

The Nines is still in my view the best hotel in Portland when it comes to overall quality, service and concierge floor offering with complementary well drinks, wines and beers.

The Hyatt properties in Hawaii have also limited their concierge floor offerings but overall as with the Nines in Portland the combination of service and amenities still provide for a very good experience/stay well beyond what is offered at any other SPG properties or hotel chains on the West Coast.

I would certainly not change my travel plans.

You will find the management open to your comments once you are there should you have any issue.

I stayed about 5 times at The Nines year to date and I shall keep my business there in 2010.

We're staying at the Nines right now. Using points for a corner 2Q room, which is a 2 level upgrade. At check-in they mentioned that they were not able to upgrade me to a junior suite because all suites were sold out half way through our stay. They were offering 500 points amenity, or local speciality, which is a fruit basket. The front desk supervisor recommended the points, since I can get the fruit from the lounge. :)

The corner room is easily double the size of a standard room. Other than the 2Q bed, the room is spacious, with 4 large windows. The bathroom has shower only, but is a lot larger than the standard room. Gilchrist & Soames toiletries instead of Remede. Same small toilet though.

A free bottle water is in the room, and is replenished. Turndown is done daily as well, with a small cake snack.

As someone had mentioned, the lounge offering has been scaled back. Breakfast was composed of bagels, mini muffins, yogurt, porridge and various dry cereals, with coffee and tea selections. Instead of midday sandwiches and snack/nuts, it was only housemade chips and dips. For hors d'oeuvre, 4 selections were made available: beets salad, pasta salad, beef with blue cheese, and one other that I can't remember. Dessert round is consisted of cupcakes (yum!), cookies, and brownies. All beverages are still complimentary, including multiple wine, beer, and certain top shelf alcohol. Yeah, it's not as grandour as before, but that would not be the reason to stop staying here.

The happy hour at Urban Farmer is the best deal in town. Special wine, beer, and cocktail of the day for $5. Various snacks for $2-10, including pork sliders, foie gras, and charcuterie plate.

3 more nights.. more to come. Including pictures.

Sounds like when they counted lounge access as my Plat amenity a few months ago, I may have gotten hosed? I'll likely be up there again in about a month. I'll be curious to compare...