Posted: 18-Oct-09
I had a very pleasant and comfortable stay at the Hotel. Your staff was very friendly and helpful. The breakfast was delicious and welcome. Your location was convenient . I came for the World Handball Tournament and met other participants at the hotel. I did not feel that I was alone or without friends.
Posted: 30-Sep-09
I’d like to say that the service was great. Everyone was friendly and the room was comfortable. It had vintage appliances such as the refrigerator and stove. The room atmosphere had a retro feel but it did bring the downtown ambience of Portland. I’ve never been to Portland but I wanted to experience the vibe of the city. This hotel did its job with its vintage trend. I was in the middle of downtown and could hit all of the great spots with a simple walk. And I do mean simple! Foot traffic was flowing and I had no problem getting by the city. One complaint though was that you have to pay for parking. It was not convienent. Overall it was a memorable experience.
Posted: 22-Sep-09
I will definitely stay here again. I consider downtown Portland to be my old stomping ground when I was a teen. I’d always known of the Mark Spencer and knew exactly where it was. Now a frequent visitor of the Portland area, it’s only natural to want to stay in the area I’m most familiar with. Well, a lot has changed. Portland is amass of condos, chic shopping and on going construction. With that, the Mark Spencer still stands at the pinnacle of old-school/old-world charm. Upon check in I was greeted with smiles and genuine "hellos" . The staff was kind and acknowledged me when I left and came back. The room was perfect for my needs (with a kitchenette that was larger than the one in my apartment and the bathroom shower could fit about five people comfortably... though I didn’t test that theory). I could have stayed a week and felt at home. I was only disappointed that I didn’t have a view from my window (it looked into the building next door) and, unfortunately, the roof garden was under construction and I couldn’t go up to enjoy the summer mornings. This falls under the "bad luck" category more than "points off" for the hotel. Next time I’ll ask for a view and hope the roof is ready!
Posted: 9-Sep-09
This hotel has what really counts ! This is a "no frills" hotel-but it has the things that really count when you need a place to sleep during a visit: comfort, cleanliness, a friendly and helpful staff, and a complimentary breakfast! It also has many great places within walking distance, including the Powell’s Bookstore and some excellent restaurants.
Posted: 2-Sep-09
Outstanding and Reasonably Priced. We were extremely pleased with the accomodations at the Mark Spencer. Wonderfully comfortable bed and super clean. Bathroom was spotless. Rooms cleaned daily. Other highlights are: tidy kitchenette, the location if you want to stay in downtown Portland, the streetcar access is within one block, and there is a nice continental breakfast and tea in the afternoon. The staff were helpful and friendly. We happily paid the extra fee for parking as it is secure and underground. Can’t say enough good things about this place.
Take the streetcar a few blocks into the Pearl District for your choice of many great restaurants. The best Japanese/Sushi, both food and atmosphere in town is Sinju located in the Pearl. Also Piazza Italia if you want Italian.
Posted: 12-Aug-09
An excellent stay. This was my second stay at the Mark Spencer Hotel this summer. We arrived before check-in time, but the staff was very gracious and gave us a call as soon as our room was available. We were also updated to a junior suite at no additional cost, which was great. The maintenance of the room was not perfect, but the hotel is undergoing renovations so that was to be expected. The room was kept very clean, however, and was in excellent shape for it’s older condition. The breakfast was excellent, and I love the afternoon tea and cookies. Overall, a very enjoyable stay.
Posted: 6-Aug-09
A comfortable affordable hotel with good service. A nice hotel with a small breakfast provided and cookies and coffee or tea in the afternoon. I loved the personal attention and would recommend this to anyone. A terrific price with a kitchen included.
The Saturday market is fun down on the river. The wonderful science museum OSM is terrific and you can spend all day there. We took the river two hour trip for a little over $30.00 and it included a really nice sit down lunch. I suggest you cab it to the river and for sure to the museum. As a woman I felt uncomfortable walking some of the grubby streets so take cabs to where you want to go to or the rapid transit system. The MAX train goes to the park and rose gardens.
Posted: 14-Jul-09
This is located in downtown Portland, right in the heart of the historic Pearl District. The staff are as friendly and helpful as any you will find. The room was a mix of vintage with contemporary accents and lots of emphasis on Green living. Renovations are still underway in certain areas and I can’t wait to see what it is like when it is finished.
Posted: 3-Jun-09
Mark Spencer Hotel is all about location! Just one block from Powell’s Books and Jake’s we were in heaven. A short 2 block walk got us to the Tri Met Max and then on to the Saturday Market and the Japanese Garden. The hotel is under renovation and our room was yet to be done, but it was clean, spacious and flooded with sun. The staff was wonderful and we really appreciated the on-site parking. We also loved the price we got through Expedia. Thanks, guys!
Posted: 7-May-2009
We had a fabulous stay - we enjoyed our first night so much we extended our stay for an additional night! Your staff was great in accommodating our request. Highly enjoyed waking up to the New York Times on Saturday morning, with a great breakfast to boot. Thanks again for your kind hospitality, we look forward to staying with you all again soon!
Posted: 7 -May-2009
My partner and I have been regular customers to the Mark Spencer Hotel since we relocated to the Northwest from Dallas TX in 2000. We typically stay here anywhere between 2-4 times a year.
We have witnessed some of the upgrades that you are now providing in the guest rooms. You have been either adding or updating the carpet, linens, room face lifts (painting), HVAC, and furnishings.
Just recently, we have been very pleasantly acknowledged by a phone call early in the week prior to our stay to ascertain if there is anything that can be done to make our stay more enjoyable. This is an excellent touch and has occurred in our last two recents visits in March and April.
I firmly believe that you did listen. For, we recently came up by train and had nowhere to place our luggage. But you had kindly indicated that you could store it for us until our room was ready. When we came to check-in, which was very, very early early afternoon (12:30 or so), our room was ready. I imagine that someone there knew that we were going to be early based on the phone call and made certain that we either were given an empty room from the night before, or priority was given to cleaning the room that we were to check into, since you knew that we would be early. This is quite a proactive approach and most appreciated. Had you not called, our room, more than likely, would not have been ready for us.
I know that we completed a card before we left. We did encounter a slight problem with the shower. There was a a bit of debris surrounding the drain. But then, sometime during the night, the shower backed-up and left large amounts of deposit. Hopefully this will have been corrected by now. Forgot the room number, but it was on the 5th floor.
Also, in the room where we stayed, the headboard is adjacent to the neighboring room's microwave on one side and bathroom on the other. So, we could hear both the dinging of the microwave and noises in the bathroom; better wall soundproofing is needed.
This has been one of the few times that we have encountered any issues; however, it is certainly not severe to keep us away next time.
We do look forward to a return visit in the not too distant future.
Meanwhile, we wish you continued success. We love the location and the fact that it is a unique property. We are anxious to see the finished lobby!
Posted: 22 -Mar- 09
I stayed @ the Mark Spencer for my first time about 11 yrs ago. I returned to Portland for a conference @ a hotel near by. I am glad I chose to stay @ the Mark Spence again. The staff (from the front desk to the cleaning staff) are very gracious/helpful and welcoming. Your location is perfect, I was able to easily get to my conference,dining,shopping and of course the light rail and street car with just a short walk. Having the kitchen in my room was a life saver too. I look forward to my future stays here again. Keep up the great work.
Posted: 21-Mar-09
Thank you very much for everything while I was at The Mark Spencer. I enjoyed my stay very much.
The only disappointment was not being able to go to the rooftop garden due to renovations. So I will just have to plan another trip during the full moon!
The front desk staff were really excellent. The afternoon tea with the lovely music was a fine treat for the end of each day.
I could not have asked for a better experience. Everyone on staff was very friendly - that was true for Portland in general also.
I hope I am able to come back again.
Happy Spring to all of you!
Posted: 22 -Feb- 09 Great stay last weekend. Very friendly and professional staff at the front desk, the young gentleman working gave me top notch service on Saturday afternoon. Can't find any complaints about the room, it was very, very clean and everything worked well. Breakfast in the morning was great also. I'd stay at your hotel again and recommend it to anyone.
*Posted: 15-Dec-08 I’ve stayed at the Mark Spencer many times over the years and they continue to make improvements. This is not a five star luxury hotel, but it is a comfortable hotel in a great location. You’re just a few blocks from both a MAX and streetcar station and it’s an easy walk to the Pearl District which is a great place to visit. Jake’s Crawfish is just a block away and I love having dinner there.
Posted: 07-Oct-08
Please pass along my thanks to your staff for their hard work and outstanding customer service. I had the pleasure of staying at your hotel October 1st through the 3rd. I have been a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines for 13 years and in those 13 years I have stayed at hotels all over the United States, central America, south America and Europe. The level of dedication your staff shows to your guests rivals that of any hotel I have ever stayed at and far exceeds that of many. I would especially like to commend the desk staff who checked me in on the morning of the 1st (I forgot to make a note of their names and they had gone off shift when I came back down but it was a young man and young woman). They allowed me to check in early and were even kind enough to loan me a phone charger when I mentioned that I had forgotten mine. The young man even offered to loan me his own personal phone charger if we could not find one in your lost and found box that fit. I would also like to mention the gentleman that checked me out early on the morning of the 3rd. The printer was not working and he told me he would mail me a copy of my receipt. Not only did the receipt arrive back at my home in Texas nearly before I did but he took the time to include a hand written note thanking me for staying at the hotel. Outstanding!
I look forward to staying at your fine hotel again.
Posted: 02 -Oct-08
During our stay at The Mark Spencer Hotel, I was suprised by two things. The first being the Front Desk Staff. Every time we walked by and everytime we spoke with them, I was greeted with smiles. This is a very nice simple gesture that went along way.
The second surprise was the location. Such a wonderful location. It seems maybe The Mark Spencer Hotel is sitting on a gold mine. Whether the owner knows this or not, other hotels would gladly take their spot. The location is next to The Pearl District which offers very fun and unique Shopping. I loved the plethera of restaurants in the area.
Each of the Front Desk Staff were willing to research information and provided any tips for a fun evening. Justin inparticular was nice and charming. His supervisor even noted that many of the guest would "like to take him home." He did a great job of making us feel at home.
As for the Housekeeping and the Bell Staff, they did a terrific job. I have stayed at other hotels and not had the sevice of these workers. I believe the gentlemans name was Kao (pronounced Cow) He was very nice and funny. He had a hard job as he was over worked most of our stay. He needs a RAISE!!!!
The hotel is nice and friendly with a great price. The rooms can be dark and the hallways sometimes do smell, but the hotel is like home.
Posted: 08-Aug-08
Having never been to the Rose City, the smiling front desk always made sure we knew how to get where we were going. From the moment we checked in, the staff went out of their way to make our stay a home away from home, especially Magic and Uncle Dave. We also liked the continental breakfast (croissants, oatmeal, bagels, toast, oj, cereal, muffins) and the staff again made sure it was up to par.
People on here complained how old this place was, but we thought it was in fantastic shape. Remember: you're sleeping IN the hotel, not WITH the hotel. It's okay if it's historic.
It's centrally located and close to many attractions. We met people who paid twice as much to stay far out by the airport. This is downtown. The streetcar goes right by the front of the hotel and picks up a block away. You can't get better than that!!
We plan on going back to Portland next summer and will definitely stay here.
Posted: 21-Feb-08
This is the 3rd time I've stay at the Mark Spencer. Whenever I visit Portland I consider it my home base. Great atmosphere (reminds me of Europe), the BEST location, staff is friendly and helpful...Thanks for all you do.
Posted: 21-Feb-08
Once again we enjoyed our room immensely. A friends staying at a Marriott was envious of our spacious room, the kitchenette, the charm. the room assigned us was next to the elevator--we have had bad experiences in the past, in other hotels, so we asked for a room change. The clerk, Ben, was immediately helpful and considerate. I asked for and was promptly given coffeee filters for the coffee pat, thanks. The room we got was on the 11th Street side, a bit noisy, but a great room. I loved getting a Sat. NY Times.
Oh, okay, I guess we'll stay there again!
Quaint and well-located. *Posted: 26-Feb-08
The Mark Spencer has an old European feel. Parking, $16 a night, is difficult in the tiny underground garage, and our room was surprising small but cozy. The big advantage is location. Powell’s City of Books is a block away, and the place is surrounded by fabulous restaurants, great architecture and terrific shopping.
*Posted: 23-Jan-08
Good value in downtown Portland! Pricewise this hotel is the best buy in the downtown area. Even though the property is old it still is in good enough condition that one can overlook some of the rough edges. The service staff were pleasant, the morning complimentary breakfast nicely presented and the coffee hot and strong. Location-wise it is in the center of everything and only 5 minutes walk from the pearl district and right in front of the free streetcar line. For the money its one of the best options if your looking for a good rate in the city.
*Posted: 2-Jan-08
Superb downtown location!
Great location and breakfast! I enjoyed a specialty cereal made in Oregon, that they served each morning, very tasty! Tea time was a nice way to get some caffeine without spending more money. For the price, the rooms were a bit outdated and we could hear everything in the halls and next door. But they were clean...and that makes a difference!
*Posted: 20-Dec-07
I had a four day class to take for work, and wanted to bring my wife and baby with me. I chose this hotel because it had junior suites with kitchenettes for half of the price of anything in the core of downtown. Baby could sleep in the bedroom while my wife read or watched TV in the sitting room. Very nice for all of us! The location was WAY better than I expected. I mapped this to be about 12 blocks from class. Portland is very walkable, and you could fit three Portland city blocks into one Seattle city block. So don’t let the location on the map fool you. I was able to walk to class in 10 minutes or less. The hotel was very family friendly. We never felt like we weren’t welcome with our baby. The only thing I can say bad about the place is the room smelled funny. My wife bought some Fabreeze, and that made a world of difference. I think part of it is because the hotel is old (which is part of the charm), but I think people also cook some strange stuff in their rooms. One night a neighbor must have been pan frying fish. Thank you Fabreeze! The room was very clean, though. The carpets in the room must have been new. Hallway and elevator carpets were worn, but nothing so bad to make the place seem like a bad choice. Overall, I recommend this hotel, just bring your Fabreeze
Posted: 7-Decv-07
Thanks for making our week long stay in Portland so comfortable, with my husband's dialysis needs the Jr Suite was perfect! Also the location and the kitchen facilities were so helpful and conducive to visitng with our Portland family. We were in 303 and the "pink" chair in the living room area with the lamp behind it reminded me of my Mom's house, so we felt really at home1 Thanks so much - the hotel, the ambiance, and the fodd were great.
*Posted: 8-Nov-07
This was a great hotel. It was right in the middle of everything, very convenient and nice. We will be staying there again.
*Posted: 1-Nov-07
You can’t beat the price and location of this great old hotel. In addition to the location, it is just a block away from access to the street car and several very good restruants, this means no rental car needed if doing business in downtown Portland.
*Posted: 19-Sep-07
The Mark Spencer is located in a great location in downtown Portland. Within walking distance of great restaurants, bars and attractions. And close to all major public transportation. The hotel staff was very friendly and helpful. The room was clean and tidy. The small kithcen was great. We did not use the stove, but having a fridge was convenient for keeping cold water in stock and for leftovers. The free continental breakfast was one of the better ones I’ve seen: croissants, muffins, hot and cold cereal, fresh fruit, coffee and oj. We really liked the Mark Spencer and will stay there again when we return!
*Posted: 3-Sep-07
Very comfortable and well appointed. Only thing I didn’t like was that our rooms looked out on a building with an ugly mural painted on it. Being so close to the other building made the rooms a bit dark and dreary. The staff told me all of the suites were on that side of the building. I would stay there again, but would get a room rather than a suite to hopefully have a view. (We were on the 4th floor - maybe suites on the top few floor were above the building next door?) The hotel was well located, the restaurant was terrific, and the service was excellent.
*Posted: 26-Aug-07
This hotel is really well situated for travelers who want to walk to tourist destinations in Downtown Portland. Lots of great restaurants within 2 block radius. Very comfortable bed, clean, even had a kitchenette! Not the best bathroom for women. Tiny shelf above tiny sink. Except for that, I would say this hotel is a very good value for the price. Staff were friendly and courteous.
*Posted: 15-Aug-07
An older hotel, but nicely maintained and with friendly, courteous and helpful staff. Lobby is small, but adjacent public areas can be used for relaxing and serve as the venue for the continental breakfast. Public use PC is nice also. And a NY Times delivered to your door each morning. Certainly a very nice haven in the Pearl district.
Only one block from the famous Powell’s Bookstore. Also, a nice P.F. Chang restaurant is within easy walking distance.
Posted: 16-Jul-07
As soon as I saw the New York Times at my door, I knew I had come to the right hotel. Thanks. Good breakfast, too.
Could use a slightly better cookie at tea, but then again who else serves tea?
Posted: 11-Jul-07
I recently stayed at The Mark Spencer Hotel with my wife and son. We stayed overnight and enjoyed the hotel and the location, near to Powell's Books as well as the water and some interesting fountains. Quick excellent tourism.
I'm writing though to thank you profusely. I left my nice leather jacket in the hotel room closet. When I called two days later, it had been located rather than misplaced. And, today, it arrived in the mail.
It's nice to know that there are good people in the people business. We'll be sure to tell others of our excellent stay and good follow-up luck when asked about places to lodge in Portland. Thanks again
*tripadvisor.com
>yahoo.com
