The Society Hotel

A period historic hotel in the heart of Old Town with a wonderful roof top terrace. In-house bar offers a range of tap beers and cocktails and breakfast is available in the mornings. The shared bathrooms are clean and very well-maintained.

The standard rooms are rather small and have no seat or desk which makes it difficult to work. Through no fault of its own, this centrally-located and historic hotel has found itself in the middle of a "zombie apocalypse" with drug addicts roaming and polluting the streets in the immediate environment. The hotel has had to respond by closely monitoring entry in order to preserve a safe environment. It is such a pity because this hotel used to be in a wonderfully vibrant location, but until Portland fixes its drug problem this will remain an undesirable neighbourhood.

This was an incredibly comfortable and AFFORDABLE place to stay. I loved staying in a historic hotel in such a cool area of Portland. The private rooms were minimalist (just a bed and sink) with a shared bathroom in the hallway, which was an interesting old-hotel type of experience. The rooftop bar was stunning as was the lobby. I really can’t say more about how much I enjoyed my stay here.

The only thing that I found a little annoying as someone staying on the 4th floor immediately under the rooftop bar was that when the hotel had an event there, it was super loud. It only ran until 10pm, which I appreciated, but for a week night when I’m here for work, it was a bit much. But honestly, that was the only thing I didn’t like—and it was super minor!

The hotel is adorable! The lobby and cafe are great. Beautifully decorated. I had the avocado toast w/ egg one morning and it was quite yummy. On weekend nights it can be a bit rowdy outside but the hotel does provide earplugs. My room was small but what I expected. I was a little anxious about booking a room with a shared bathroom but, in addition to saving me a bunch of money, I never had any issues having access to the bathroom. Over four days there wasn’t a single time that I went to use the bathroom that I had to wait. The bathroom was also high quality and always clean. The hotel is located directly across from the drag show Darcelle XV and Co. If you are staying here I definitely recommend checking out the show!!

Location, location, location. I booked this hotel because it was close to the Amtrak station and I didn’t do enough research into the neighborhood ahead of time. Because of an abundance of homeless services in the area there is a large homeless population around the hotel. Of course, most of the homeless are just people down on their luck who don’t cause any problems. There were, however, clearly some troubled people and people with mental illness. After reading more about the neighborhood I was cautious about being out after dark. This didn’t interfere with my plans but it is definitely something to look into before booking.

The hotel itself and its staff were great. They were very helpful with information and service. Its close proximity to the tram makes it very easy to visit all kinds of places in Portland.

Although the neighborhood is the old town/chinatown with plenty of charm and history, this part of town had many homeless and drug users which could make it feel a bit unsafe to walk around after dark. This is NOT a reflection of the hotel, which was great.

The perfect stay for someone who is looking for a simple room on a budget. Feels much nicer and cleaner than booking a chain motel. The hotel is very clean and minimalist. The air in the rooms was cool and comfortable even with the temperature in the 90s. It also seemed very fresh and well-circulated (I hate stuffy/dusty smelling rooms.) The front desk staff was very friendly, although the employee working at the Society Cafe seemed annoyed and rushed (despite me being one of only two people in line).

No dedicated parking. I didn't expect a fridge, but they didn't even have ice buckets for guests to cool drinks. And lastly... this is nothing against the hotel itself, but travelers should know that this location in Portland has a dense population of people living outside. A few years ago, there used to be a bar and taco place right next door. Now these businesses are boarded up and people camp out front. Just loading your luggage, you might have to step over someone laying on the sidewalk. If you're used to Portland and Seattle city life, it won't faze you, but be aware that this hotel is definitely in the hotspot.

The lobby was super chill and relaxing. Didnt feel corporate. The rooftop patio was serene, and a nice getaway from the city, in the city. It was very relaxing and helped with planning the trip. To bed in the room was also massive, and the soap, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner were all really relaxing and smelled great. I also liked that the staff put daily city events that were walkable on a list in the elevator.

The city around the hotel isn't in great shape. Lots of unhoused folks in the streets and not muched seemed to be done to help them out. Also the elevator was really slow. The room got a bit hot at night too, but there was a fan in the room and a way to get staff to adjust the thermostat, though I didn't take them up on it.

Beautifully renovated building, a lot of history and charm, very cozy cafe/lobby area with couches and a fireplace to curl up on a rainy morning. Staff are super friendly, kind, and looking out for you. Staff went out of their way to assist me & answer questions. Shared bathrooms are not an issue, always available, tidy and with good cleaning and bathroom products. Rooms are safe & private. Good & tasty selection of breakfast available at the cafe to grab and go. Bonus: loved all the plants!

Location, but super central so you can easily uber/lift to anywhere if you are concerned about safety. Room a little small & dark but it's a historic building so to be expected!

The hotel is in a great. The employees are very friendly. There is a small Cafe in the lobby. I stayed in a private room with shared bathrooms and it was great. I never had to wait for the bathroom. The bedrooms and bathrooms were very clean. If I visit Portland by myself again I will definitely stay here again.

The only downside was right outside the hostel and in the immediate area there are a lot of homeless people. It didn't bother me but for some people it could be an issues. The good part is that the hostel keeps the doors locked and you have to use your key for entry or get buzzed in.

Love this property! Fun building, comfortable accommodation, friendly staff, rooftop and coffee shop downstairs are a fun bonus. I love the concept of the different room types (bunk, private, etc). Communal bathrooms were clean and I loved our room.

Unfortunately parking in the area is dangerous. All hotel staff told us to take everything out of the car or it would certainly be burgled. There is constant security outside which suggests…lack of safety. I wouldn’t feel comfortable walking around alone at night in this neighborhood at this time.

Location was very convenient to the river walk and nightlife. Staff was always polite and helpful. Shared bathrooms were not an issue for me being that they are private individual batrooms and we're exceptionally clean.

I was glad to know in advance that the room isn't much bigger than the bed but it wasn't an issue once I realized that my luggage would fit under the bed.Also good to know in advance that Portland has a large homeless population and be prepared to encounter them as part of the overall experience.