Kimpton RiverPlace, Portland: What it lacks in amenities it makes up for in coziness and comfort

Boasting fantastic hikes and world-class skiing nearby, as well as phenomenal local arts and food scenes, there’s a lot to love about Portland, Oregon. It’s no surprise that this Pacific Northwest metropolis is a such popular tourist destination for nature lovers, foodies and those who enjoy exploring museums, galleries and eclectic shops. One of the …

Feb 3, 2025 - 06:33

Kimpton RiverPlace, Portland: What it lacks in amenities it makes up for in coziness and comfort

Boasting fantastic hikes and world-class skiing nearby, as well as phenomenal local arts and food scenes, there’s a lot to love about Portland, Oregon. It’s no surprise that this Pacific Northwest metropolis is a such popular tourist destination for nature lovers, foodies and those who enjoy exploring museums, galleries and eclectic shops.

One of the Portland’s standout features is the Willamette River, which acts as a glistening divide between the east and west parts of the city. For those looking to stay right along the river, the Kimpton RiverPlace offers a quiet and serene home away from home tucked back from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Here’s everything you need to know before booking a stay at pet-friendly Kimpton RiverPlace.

What is the Kimpton RiverPlace?

Originally opened in 1985 as the RiverPlace Alexis Hotel, the Kimpton RiverPlace is an IHG hotel in the RiverPlace district of Portland. It’s a stone’s throw from Tom McCall Waterfront Park and downtown Portland, making it a great home base for both tourists and businesspeople. As is the case with many Kimpton properties, the Kimpton RiverPlace has a reputation for being pet-friendly.

Of course, I had to test that out myself, so I brought my 75-pound dog along with me on this trip. As a Portlander, I can attest that this hotel is located in a safe part of the city; while it’s within walking distance of downtown, it’s removed enough that I didn’t encounter any issues with feeling unsafe.

How to book the Kimpton RiverPlace

A king or queen studio suite, like the one I stayed in, can be booked for around $180-$200 per night, depending on the time of year. The summertime is the busiest travel season for Portland, so expect higher rates and lower availability May through September.

If you’re a member of IHG One Rewards, a king or queen studio suite can be booked for 33,000 points per night. It is possible to book a King Willamette River View room for the same rate; this room is slightly more expensive than a king or queen studio when paying cash.

As of November 2024, TPG values IHG One Rewards points at 0.5 cents per point, making them one of the least valuable hotel currencies. If you were to book a two-night stay in a king or queen studio suite, you’d pay 66,000 in points instead of around $360-$400 in cash. This gives you a value of 0.5-.06 cents per point, striking exactly the kind of value we aim to get from IHG points.

Keep in mind that IHG uses dynamic pricing, so the number of points you’ll need for a stay at the Kimpton RiverPlace may change unexpectedly.

When booking the Kimpton RiverPlace, you’ll want to use one of the credit cards that earn the most points for IHG stays, as well as one that possibly offers automatic IHG One Rewards elite status for value-added benefits. These include:

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card: Earn 10 points per dollar spent at IHG hotels and resorts, plus automatic Platinum Elite status.
IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card: Earn 10 points per dollar spent at IHG hotels and resorts, plus automatic Platinum Elite status.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card: Earn 5 points per dollar spent at IHG hotels and resorts, plus automatic Silver Elite status.

A spacious and cozy room

My room had a queen bed that was very comfortable and clean. I’m quite picky about cleanliness when it comes to hotel bedding, and I have to say that this is one of the cleanest hotel beds I’ve ever slept in.

The room came with a minibar, but the prices are quite expensive for what is offered so I don’t recommend selecting anything from there.

The work desk was large, but there were no available outlets near it, so I ended up working on my bed. A couch was positioned at the foot of the bed. I didn’t sit on it for too long, but my dog, Koda, found it comfortable enough to sleep on.

The bathroom was clean and equipped with the essentials. Robes were included in the hotel room’s closet, along with a safe, yoga mats, an umbrella and a luggage stand. The lighting in the room was soft, giving it a cozy feel. That said, the room was a little on the dark side, especially since I stayed during Portland’s rainy season.

My view wasn’t anything spectacular; all I could see from my window was the opposite side of the building. That said, you can book a room with a river view, or you can hope for a city view.

A hotel that received my dog’s seal of approval

On to a very important question: Did my dog find the stay acceptable? While he was initially uncertain about being in a new place, he quickly warmed up to the room we had and enjoyed his time. The hotel staff were kind and accommodating from the moment we arrived, offering him a large dog cookie to occupy him while I checked in. A small but much-appreciated inclusion at the front desk was a hook for me to tie Koda’s leash to, freeing my hands while I handled the check-in process.

In our room, there was a welcome package for Koda, which was sweet. It included a dog bowl, waste bags, several dog treats, a small stuffed squirrel and a bed. The bed was too small for him, but he tried to make it work anyway.

Koda ultimately decided that his bed would be better as a chew toy than a sleeping spot, so the bed spent the rest of our trip in the closet. If your dog isn’t a power chewer like mine, I’m sure the bed will work out just fine for them.

There’s ample space in front of the hotel to walk your dog. The area is well-lit at night, so I felt perfectly comfortable on our nighttime walks. If you want to take a longer walk with your dog, Tom McCall Waterfront Park offers an extensive riverside path to walk.

The Kimpton RiverPlace requires pets to be contained when you aren’t in the room with them, so I brought a pop-up travel crate to accommodate. I recommend bringing a travel water dish along, since the hotel only provides one dish for your stay.

The hotel appreciates advance notice for guests bringing a pet with them so that they can ensure you have a pet-friendly room and the welcome amenities I mentioned above.

Dining at the Kimpton RiverPlace

All dining at the Kimpton RiverPlace occurs at the hotel’s restaurant, King Tide Fish & Shell, where I dined for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The vibe of the restaurant was very laid-back, making it an ideal spot to start or end your day on vacation.

Before anything else, I have to pay tribute to the truffle fries. They were undoubtedly some of the best truffle fries I’ve ever had. They were expertly seasoned, cooked just right and very flavorful. I absolutely recommend them; you can get them as a side with select dinner and lunch dishes, or you can order them a la carte for $12.

For dinner I had the fish-and-chips, priced at a fairly reasonable $26. The fish was nicely battered and well-seasoned. For lunch, I opted for a fried chicken sandwich for $16. It was a fairly run-of-the-mill chicken sandwich, not memorable. It gave me another chance to eat their truffle fries, however, and for that I’m appreciative.

For my two breakfasts, I had the restaurant’s wild mushroom omelette ($18) and brioche French toast ($16). Both of them were enjoyable, particularly the French toast, which featured strawberries, bananas and pecans — with just the right amount of sweetness.

As for drinks, with my dinner I tried the Honey Smash ($15), which I enjoyed. I paired my lunch with a $13 passion fruit mimosa, which I wasn’t a huge fan of. At breakfast, I ordered the hot chocolate ($6) twice. Your experience may vary here since one of my hot chocolates was fantastic while the other was mediocre at best.

The restaurant has ample seating, especially during breakfast and lunch hours. Getting seated quickly shouldn’t be an issue unless you’re visiting for dinner during peak travel time.

The gym at the Kimpton RiverPlace

The gym facilities at the Kimpton RiverPlace are standard. You won’t find any special fitness equipment there, but you’ll have access to enough for a decent workout. Water is available in the gym in case you need to refill a water bottle midworkout.

I didn’t use any of the equipment while I was there, but everything looked clean and in working order.

One nice feature was a bowl of headphones at the entrance to the gym. While most people likely have wireless earbuds, if your earbuds need charging or you forgot them at home, having access to free headphones is a nice amenity.

Reasons the Kimpton RiverPlace may not be for you

While the Kimpton RiverPlace is situated close to downtown Portland, you’ll still need to walk for about five minutes to reach it. If you need or want to be directly within the city center, another hotel is a better choice for you.

If a hotel with a variety of amenities is what you’re searching for, the Kimpton RiverPlace isn’t your best pick. While the restaurant wins my approval and the hotel’s fitness center is standard, there’s nothing of note on offer aside from that. No spa, pool or other feature to speak of.

Accessibility

The hotel is well-lit and the elevators are close to the reception area. The Kimpton RiverPlace’s website notes that all of their rooms have disability-friendly communication equipment available, including a pillow shaker, door knock alert and visual smoke detector.

Two types of rooms are offered for guests with accessibility needs. One is a king studio with an accessible tub, while the other is their Bunkalow Suite with a roll-in shower. The hotel website mentions that the king studio has an open living space, which should make it easy to navigate with a wheelchair.

As for the standard rooms, I believe my queen room could be accessible for someone with mild to moderate accessibility issues. The bathroom came equipped with a standard tub, so I advise using that as a metric when deciding whether to book a regular room or one of the hotel’s accessible rooms.

Braille signage can be found throughout the hotel, and hotel employees are available to read menus and provide additional visual information for those who need it. The Kimpton RiverPlace advises calling ahead and informing them of your accessibility needs so they can be ready to accommodate you upon your arrival.

Checking out

Checkout was a breeze at this hotel. I was able to do a virtual checkout by responding to a text with my e-mail. The process took all of about two minutes, making it a great choice for anyone who needs to check out quickly for a flight.

The Kimpton RiverPlace was a comfortable, clean place to spend my two-night stay, and it lived up to its pet-friendly reputation. If I’m ever in need of a hotel in the Portland area, I’m definitely open to returning to this property.

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