Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites - Chef & Hotel Profile

I selected Hotel Eastlund as my destination of choice due to its location nearest my family, who I would also be spending time with during this initial visit to Portland. On arrival, I was delighted with the Eastlund’s fun Retro, modern style, but several days on the property revealed what an ideal location it was for participating in every aspect of Portland business life, and how every need, both social and business were easily fulfilled. All the fun was there, as well as the vital business amenities to complete necessary work projects.

According to Hotel Eastlund’s Jeff Brown, General Manager, and Kristina Shipley, Director of Sales and Marketing, during a past review on the hotel’s rich past, luxurious present and promising future are what make the hotel a major player amidst the dynamic environment of the Portland downtown area, despite a Covid-19 brief closure and additional challenges.

It is apparent that Tourism in Portland, Oregon thrives on a blend of history, modern amenities, and a vibrant local culture, and amidst this dynamic environment Hotel Eastlund has distinguished itself not just as a place to stay, but as a destination in its own right.

“The hotel was originally built in 1962 as the Cosmopolitan Motor Hotel,” according to Brown. “Back in the early 60s, it was considered the Ritz Carlton of Portland.” Known for its iconic Top of the Cosmo restaurant, the hotel was a local hotspot where many Portland residents celebrated life’s milestones. “People still come to the lobby today, reminiscing about their high school proms, engagements, and weddings,” Brown adds, highlighting the deep-rooted connection the hotel has with the community.

In 2013, Alan Battersby, the current owner, purchased the building and embarked on a substantial $30 million renovation, rebranding it as the independent Hotel Eastlund in June 2015. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the hotel has thrived, becoming part of the Best Western Premier Collection in 2021.

One of the standout aspects of the Hotel Eastlund is its impressive array of amenities. The 168 room hotel offers two food and beverage outlets that include the lobby café called Wild Bean Coffee Bar, featuring wonderful hearty breakfast plates or grab and go items,

and a rooftop restaurant, Metropolitan Tavern, offering breathtaking views of the city and amazing comfort foods paired with a menu of very creative cocktails and popular brews that attracts both locals and visitors to

savor the gorgeous unmatched panoramic views of downtown Portland.

My sunset dinner with family in the rooftop restaurant, skillfully prepared by Executive Chef Joey Hart, was outstanding and included a down home

fried chicken entree with mashed potatoes, gravy and slaw that was perfectly paired with a blueberry spritz mocktail. My cousin enjoyed a delicious pork chop with mashed sweet potatoes that looked quite tempting. Metropolitan Tavern evening ambiance, overlooking downtown Portland, is amazing.

Not unlike many cities, Portland has been negatively affected by overzealous media coverage painting a picture that deterred potential visitors and created a huge challenge in convincing people to see Portland firsthand and recognize the falseness of these reports. Case in point is that last week on my second morning at the Eastlund the the President of the United States posted on FaceBook how violent, dangerous, and horrible Portland is and threatened to send armed troops to the city, all this was based on a very old news report!

NOT TRUE AT ALL, not happening, and I am personally here to tell all you travelers and readers out there that Portland is a very safe and charming city to explore for history, shopping, art, fun, great food or to do business in.

Located directly across the street from the Oregon Convention Center and two blocks from Moda Center

the Hotel Eastlund attracts huge numbers of visitors and has proximity to top-tier area restaurants, including the James Beard Award-winning Ox Restaurant. According to Kristina Shipley, Director of Marketing at the hotel, “It’s a very walkable area with plenty of things to do. You can hop on the MAX light rail across the street, head into the downtown area, and walk around the waterfront. It’s an accessible and vibrant neighborhood.”

My experience at Hotel Eastlund was exceptional for my business and as a first visit with family members living in Portland. My cousins were equally impressed during their visit to Metropolitan Tavern to enjoy a dinner and were very impressed with how committed to excellence the entire staff are. This hotel and city are a pleasure, and I cannot wait to come back to investigate more of the colorful neighborhoods, interesting architecture, city wine shops, vintage shopping, and museums.