It’s saying a lot to compare the experience of staying at The Nines, Portland’s new luxury hotel, to European hotel traditions.But I like to feel pampered the way Europeans understand pampering, and really was during the stay at the Nines.
atrium glass roof at the nines
It all started with the rock star treatment at the door. We were invited to the opening gala and when we told the parking attendants that we were staying at the hotel, they moved us right to the front of the line. A bellman opened doors for us and took our bags. He muscled in front of folks to get us onto the elevator up to the reception area.
We took a couple of friends up to the room when we arrived. They enjoyed the fact that there was a plate of whole apples, dates, nuts and raisins awaiting us and a letter of welcome and invitation to the party down one floor.
The rooms are nicely decorated, with a relaxing down filled sofa as well as a couple of chairs and desk. The bed was covered with luxurious sheets and a thick down comforter. I have to say, the interior decorating felt like the early 70’s kitsch I grew up with, from the teal velvet chairs to the crystal chain lighting fixtures and what mike called the back on the “naugahyde bed” (it was more likely a white leather bed backing, but still.)
The bathrooms were small, but made larger by using a narrower marble counter at the sink. There was still plenty of room to put all your bathroom stuff on the counter, though. Gilchrist and Soames shampoo, conditioner (why don’t most hotels give you conditioner anymore?), rich soap, shower gel, cap and a mending kit were supplied. The mending kit usually sets hotels apart for me.
The shower fixture was a big, round, rain type showerhead, which felt very soft during the shower, and the water was very hot. 4 bath sheets (huge!) made of Egyptian cotton, were accompanied by 4 typical sized towels, 4 hand towels and 4 wash cloths. My first call out of a room is usually to get more towels, but this was perfect! 2 bathrobes hung behind the bathroom door. We did purchase the bath robe, which was quite luxurious and reasonably similar in pricing to any good plush cotton bathrobe ($95). The potty was a typical tiny, round, European design, and we are so used to our oblong Toto’s that it is a little hard to get used to.
The room thermostat was set to 60, so even though it was actually comfortable (we were all wearing sweaters), I raised the temp to 68, thinking I was just heated up from all the excitement. Which created what were really 85 degree temps at night. Since we saw a maintenance man in the elevator and he laughed cynically when we said he was probably still working out kinks, I figure things like thermostat measurements are one of them.
There is an HD television set with a DVD player in the room, along with an ipod station clock radio.
We arrived back at the room after midnight to turn down service with a dish of purple chocolate covered hazelnuts on the pillow (I don’t know, they clashed with the decor a little). I called room service to see if we were too late to leave our breakfast choices on the door, and the fellow said that he doesn’t actually collect them until about 4 a.m., so we were free to order our breakfast from the card.
We ordered the full breakfast ($22) with coffee ($10). It came with 2 perfectly cooked eggs, english muffin, a hash brown potato patty, large slab of nitrate-free ham, fruit, cottage cheese, juice, and a chocolate croissant. We ordered it for arrival between 7:15 and 7:30 a.m., and it arrived at 7:35 a.m. The room service attendant seemed very well trained as she asked when I answered the door, “May I enter?” The breakfast came with 2 cloth napkins for each of us, along with extra glasses and a bottle of water. We each got a small pitcher of cream, which is good because I used both for my cup. 4 different types of jam accompanied the breakfast - the blueberry jam was divine.
The other thing that was European about the room service experience was that the tip was not included in the price of the breakfast and we were able to add it ourselves. I don’t know how many times I have paid 2 tips in the past because I didn’t notice the tip on the charge.
Here is the true test the hotel passed. I called the front desk because I’d forgotten a hairbrush and my hair is like a giant one-sided mat if I try to just use fingers. I asked for a brush or just a comb if they didn’t have a brush. They sent a bellman to the drug store for a hairbrush, and he arrived breathless at the door after running around the corner for it (we saw lots of running valets getting cars the next morning, so I know of what I speak). The hotel didn’t ask me to reimburse them for the brush, they were just trying to make me comfortable.
When we checked out, a guest called the desk to ask whether they could take the wardrobe bag from the room, and how much that would cost for a charge. The manager said “I have no idea how much that costs, so just take it as our gift.” Why didn’t I think of that?
