I stayed at the Ace in Seattle and absolutely loved it, so I purposely booked the Ace Portland. I loved the building, the staff, the location, the Stumptown in the lobby, but it has it's problems. First and mostly is that I don't think this building was meant to be a hotel. We were on the second floor and could hear everything above us all night long. This room sounded like a group of kids at basketball camp, training in roller skates, and they all brought their dogs. Yes, it was that bad. There is also hardly any light in the rooms which was kind of weird. Maybe we were just unlucky with our room since everything else was pretty great. The downtown location can't be beat, although don't buy the parking it's a rip. You can park free on the street until 8am the next morning. The Ace in Seattle has a complimentary breakfast that I was expecting in Portland but they don't offer it (my own fault for assuming), but that was ok since the best coffee shop on earth is in their lobby (try the cherry walnut scones). Don't be put off by the hipster vibe of the staff, they are the friendliest people you would ever want to talk to. Overall, I would definitely recommend the Ace.

The recent reviews are spot-on. They capture what's good and not-so-good about this hotel, and they also make clear that you have to have the right attitude to enjoy this place.

Good:
-- The location in the Pearl District
-- Stumptown Coffee right off the lobby
-- Clyde Common. Not owned by the hotel, but also just off the lobby. Very lively, and the food is very good.
-- Comfy lobby: I sat on the squishy sofas with a number of other guests on a rainy morning. People were reading, typing on their laptops, sipping coffee . . . nice.
-- Mezzanine area where you can check your e-mail.
-- Not your run-of-the-mill boutique hotel. It has character and a sense of place.

Not-so-good:
-- The glassed-in shower in my room was right in the bedroom and afforded no privacy. Not a problem, really, as I was traveling alone, but I do prefer showering in more enclosed spaces. And when I got out of the shower . . . man, was it cold, even with the heat on.
-- Only one teeny bar of soap when I arrived. Housekeeping left another bar on my second day.
-- No hairdryer. I had to request one from the front desk.
-- My room faced the street, and it was extremely noisy. Fortunately, I had earplugs. I suggest you bring some, too.
-- I hated the scratchy wool coverlet on the bed, even though it was clearly custom-made for the hotel.
-- The whole look was of an upscale army barracks. Comfortable enough, but just barely. To be fair, the price reflects this.

So, there you have it. You will either be intensely annoyed by this place, or you'll think it perfectly reflects the kind of city Portland has become. Whatever your experience, I don't think you're likely to forget it soon.

This 4 star review is for a two bed/private bath accomodation.

I really wanted to love the Ace with my whole entire heart, but I have some small quibbles, which are probably not important to most people.... However, these stuck out to me and I have to minus a star for them.

The location is great and so is the pricing. Since it is in the Pearl District, about a block away from Powell Books, you are within walking distance of numerous eateries and shops. This also means that accessing public transportation is very easy if you do not have a car with you.

I am enamored with the decor of this hotel and I feel like I should be a black & white film. This isn't the played out luxury hotel (*cough* W's *cough*) or the generic business traveler kinda place. It's more.... raw, recycled, and a little quirky (and also very clean). Much like the city of Portland.

The room itself was very charming and featured a mural by a local artist. Amenities may feel a little spartan if you're used to in room fridges/microwaves/coffee makers etc. Kudos for the flat screen TV and cool radio.

So what was wrong? I feel a little stupid to complain about this, but it just seems wrong that with a double occupancy, housekeeping only leaves one washcloth. I'm into reusing and recycling, but not sharing my washcloth with anybody. Also, the layout of the room is a little weird for me. In feng shui, your feet shouldn't face the door, but my bed was dead center facing the door and was very awkward. While the flat screen TV is a nice touch, but it sure is hard to see from both beds.

Almost every little detail has the ACE vibe to it, except the "Do not disturb" sign. I'm a little surprised by this.... The uber chic complimentary toiletries, reading material, keys & key chains, lighting & bedding all fit the hotels vibe and then there's this generic motel "Do Not Disturb" sign...? No quirky sayings, or original design from local artists? What happened?

Lastly, while the staff was polite enough checking in and out, I didn't feel like there was a genuine interest to help with directions or recommend anything for good eats beyond the resturant downstairs, Clyde Commons.

Please take note that this is an older building, so there are creaks and you will hear other patrons. It sounded like there was still construction going on one morning, but I didn't think it was too bad.