The Benson Portland, Curio Collection by Hilton

The beauty of the lobby, knowing how old the building was and just admiring the columns, the flooring, the ceilings and the chandeliers. The whole picture was very nostalgic.

Nothing!

Beautiful hotel. Bathrooms real small.

Homeless issue. Not your fault but we will not stay in that area again.

The Benson Portland was the first stop on transcontinental train trip from Portland to Boston for me and my adult son. The hotel provided a memorable beginning to our travels. The hotel's central location was perfect for us, a 5-minute walk from Pioneer Courthouse Square and an easy 15 -minute walk to Portland's Union Station. The historic public areas of the hotel are beautifuly preserved and offer a wonderful atmosphere for eating, drinking, and relaxation. Our room was spacious and comfortable. Given the quality of the hotel, I found the hotel to be a good value. In particular, the two meals I ate at the hotel - dinner and breakfast - were very good and very reasonably priced. My dinner consisted of a large and distinctive salad featuring fresh lettuce, roasted hazelnuts, and dried cranberries which cost only $10, followed by a hazelnut pudding with ice cream for the same price. My breakfast was substantial and also a reasonable value at $20. Good coffee was avaialble free of charge each morning in the lobby - a most welcome amenity. Perhaps the most memorable aspect of our stay was the stairway between the hotel's 11 stories, which contains a museum of photographs illustrating various aspects of the hotel's history on each floor. I spent a pleasurable hour learning about the hotel's original owner; the hotel's architect; Portland's architecture; entertainers who have stayed at the hotel (including a photo of the a young Billy Joel!), a gallery of Presidents who have stayed the hotel (starting with Taft and ending with Biden); and the coins that were flipped to determine whether Portland would be nameed Portland or Boston. Finally, the staff could not have been more helpful and friendly. The Benson has become my only choice for lodging in Portland and the standard for my future hotel stays elsewhere.

So much charm oven older hotel was maintained and the modernization of the facility was appreciated!

I could not find anything or disliked.

99% of my stay was great

At the onset we were assigned to a room with blocked view Later I wanted to shift and was given a street view room

To celebrate our upcoming 52nd wedding anniversary, my wife and I cruised the Columbia/Snake river along the Lewis & Clark 1805 trail. The trip ended in Portland, OR. Not needing to get home right away, we decided to visit and explore the City. A trust friend suggested we stay at the historic Benson Hotel. When we checked in, we were greeted by Gabe, who answered our many questions, offered some interesting sights to visits, and marked up a map highlighting their locations. That saved us considerable research time. For our anniversary, the Front Desk suggested we inform the restaurant staff. On duty that morning were Katherine and Bobby. They were most gracious, covered our breakfasts, and treated us to the much-welcomed mimosa drinks to commemorate the special occasion. As such, we were very appreciative for their hospitality and kindness to us. In our room, we learn the power strip on the desk was loose. Not wanting anyone (ourselves included!) to be injured, we phoned and notified the Front Desk. Shortly afterwards, Wilson, the electrician/handyman, arrived, tightened the connection, and fixed the problem. During our stay, we learned if you wish your room to be made up, you need to notify the Front Desk at check-in. In summary, while the hotel itself was lovely, it was the responsive, wonderful, and caring staff that made the place shine and our Portland visit memorable. As such, the Benson Hotel would be our top choice on a future visit.

This is a well placed city center hotel. Easy to get to but use your GPS since there are many one-way streets. Room was a good size especially when we were upgraded to a corner suite. However early morning trash pickup was disturbing. Lobby restaurant was small with limited menu. Downstairs bar was cozy but beware as if it not part of the hotel and you can’t charge to your room. Valet parking was efficient with a very automated phone based notification system. Only one person on duty which did slow things down a little early morning with everyone trying to depart at the same time.