Hotel Louie Still a Hard Hat Zone

While in Portland, we decided to hit up the famed Oregon hoteliers, McMenamins for a tour of their forthcoming newest property. It will become a hotel, but right now it's a bit, well, scrappy.

The website describes it at the "New Downtown Hotel" but we have it on good word from an inside source that they've finally decided on a name. The new Hotel Louie is named after the former owner of the Crystal Ballroom down the street and linked with the property.

Like most of the McMenamins properties, the building is steeped in history. It's been everything from a hotel (Hotel Alma, Hotel Georgian, Hotel Tait, Majestic Hotel) to a mens' bath house (which has earned the property quite a reputation among Portlanders), a night club, a car dealership, and the list goes on. When the property was purchased there was a lot of cleaning out to be done.

Thankfully, the top three floors have kept the hotel room layout. Most of the rooms will be "European Style" meaning the bathroom will be down the hall like New York's Jane Hotel. However, there will be several larger suites for those of you that prefer more privacy.

The projected opening is March 2009 but using our super scientific HotelChatter Hotel Opening Formula, we're going to say: Not going to happen.

For one, some parts of the building are being supported by scaffolding. Additionally, construction is currently frozen as they wait for more permits from the city. Also, we saw the place. The windows are still boarded up. The floors are still not present. They have a lot of work to do.

But when they do open, we'll be the first in line to check it out:

The first floor of the hotel will house a full-service restaurant offering breakfast, lunch and dinner with a menu that celebrates fresh, seasonal ingredients abundantly available throughout the Pacific Northwest, and will feature outdoor seating along S.W. Stark and 12th Streets. The basement will offer a heated saltwater soaking pool and spa-like massage rooms, along with a Subterranean Cellar Bar that will connect with McMenamins Ringlers Annex pub next door.

We're going all in with a bet for a June opening.

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Tags: Portland Hotel Scene / McMenamins Hotels / Hotel Construction / Hotel Delays / Hotel Renovations / Oregon Hotels / → All Tags