This was my fourth stay at the Mark Spencer during the last 5 years and I would just like to say that they are always hospitable and accomodating. It is not a new hotel, but it is kept clean and well staffed. It is within walking distance of many downtown establishments and I love the new bed linens - very nice. I plan on staying next year during my annual visit to Portland.

We stayed at the Mark Spencer for three nights as our base to explore Portland. This location was excellent -- we walked and biked all over the place and came back to our quiet hotel room to sleep comfortably. The decor isn't new, but doesn't that make it more "green"? They offer a free continental breakfast and afternoon tea and cookies if you're into some free food. We would definitely stay at the Mark Spencer again.

I've stayed at the Mark Spencer several times, most recently during a convention at the Oregon Convention Center, which is a short, free light rail ride away. It's quiet and comfortable with a friendly and informative staff. The only drawback is that the free WiFi connection is really slow - < 130 kbps with > 500 ms latency and frequent timeouts - so if you want to work online you'll need to go to a nearby coffee shop.

I stayed at the Mark Spencer Hotel for 3 nights in September. This was my first trip to Portland and I had no trouble finding this place at all. I hopped on the Red Line MAX at the airport and it dropped me off right down the street from the hotel. The room was much larger than I'm used to and had a full kitchen. The only bad thing about it was that when I first arrived, my room smelled like vinegar, but it went away. Also, the shower spray was a little bit weak. The continental breakfast was basic, but it was good and saved me some money :)
More Importantly, as far as location goes, it was perfect! I could walk out of the hotel and very easily hop on the streetcar. This place is right in the middle of everything and it was a great jumping off point for exploring my new favorite city! There is a night club close by that was sometimes a little noisy, so if you want total quiet, I wouldn't stay here. The only real drawback to the location I could see, was the homeless population, but they didn't bother me at all. I am a 27 y/o female and I wasn't afraid to walk alone in the area at night (cautious, but not scared). Also, the staff is EXTREMELY nice and not in a phony way. I will definetly stay there again!
PS- be sure to check out Powell's!