Eco-friendly stays in Portland, Oregon
Hip, stylish and trendy, Portland is also surprisingly one of the greenest cities in the United States, so it comes as no surprise that it has one of the highest numbers of LEED-certified hotels in the country.
For travelers who are looking to reduce their carbon footprint during their next Oregon adventure, here we take a look at 5 of the best green hotels in Portland to rest assured your load is light and your footprint is low.
One of Portland’s most distinguished accommodations, The Heathman Hotel combines history with luxury. Housed in a 1920s building, the Heathman was the first hotel in downtown Portland to be recognized by the Energy Trust of Oregon for its commitment to the environment and is also the first downtown hotel to partner with Pacific Power’s renewable energy program.
The hotel has received the Green Seal Silver Certification, one of the highest environmental honors in the industry and more than 30 percent of all electricity used by the Hotel’s guests and employees originates from carbon neutral wind energy. Inside the hotel you can find floors and walls made from recycled material, LED lighting, low-flow shower heads and faucets and a mini bar stacked with eco-friendly wine from Van Duzer vineyards.
The Heathman Restaurant uses fresh, local produce and sustainably grown food whenever possible and more than 90 percent of food waste generated by hotel guests is turned into organic matter and used in the city park flower beds.
(1001 SW Broadway)
Ace Hotel
The Ace hotel has mastered the art of reusing and recycling. The lobby’s coffee table was once an old fire door, the desks were once used by the Army and the couches have been upholstered with vintage Army poncho canvas. But it doesn’t stop there! Furniture and beds are made from sustainably harvested wood and painted with non toxic paints and the mattresses are made from organic materials.
You can rest easily knowing your room has been cleaned with natural cleaning products and your bathroom will come equipped with natural local soaps and skincare products ready to pamper yourself with after a long day of exploring the city.
(1022 SW Stark St)
The Nines
The Nines hotel opened in 2008 on the top nine floors of what used to be the Meier and Frank department store. The newly renovated eco-friendly hotel boasts a LEED Silver certification and saves up to 500,000 gallons of water every year thanks to its efficient water system.
The hotel is decorated with original art that inspires the senses and during its construction used low-emitting adhesives, carpet and paint to improve air quality. Stepping into this hotel brings an air of freshness unlike many others.
The Nines also serves a seasonal menu with organic produce and each room is cleaned using Green Seal-Certified products and stocked with BeeKind skincare products.
(525 SW Morrison)
Hotel Monaco
One of the city’s most stylish eco-friendly hotels, Kimpton Hotel Monaco has racked up tons of awards from Architectural Digest, Conde Nast Traveler and many others.
With natural cleaning products and energy saving designs being used throughout the hotel, such as lights that turn off automatically when guests leave their rooms and low-flow bathroom features; the Monaco prides itself on its high level of environmental responsibility but also on its social endeavors.
The Kimpton Hotel chain is the first-ever hotel brand to be certified by the Green Key Eco-rating Program and is linked with Clean The World, which advocates recycling unused hygienic products and donating them to communities who are in need. The hotel also offers free bikes for guests to use, the best way to explore the city while lessening your carbon footprint.
(506 SW Washington St)
Doubletree by Hilton Portland
Across the river from downtown, the Doubletree is making its mark as a green hotel already receiving multiple awards and earning their Level 4 certification from Green Key.
The hotel has switched from disposing waste to composting, purchasing and managing their wind power supplies, using only Green Seal-certified products and reducing their waste disposal by 65 percent.
The hotel offers seasonal produce from the Pacific Northwest and prepares all their in-house meals using organic products that are locally sourced. Guests are given the option to make their stay carbon-neutral by donating $1 each day they stay or can visit the Web site to calculate how much carbon their visit will use, then buy enough carbon offsets from the Climate Trust to undo the damage.
(1000 NE Multnomah St)
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