Hotel Review: Canopy by Hilton Portland Pearl District
As younger generations of travelers look for positive vibes and genuine connections, Hilton’s Canopy brand is debuted in 2016, focusing on authenticity and personalization. The Canopy by Hilton Portland Pearl District is the first Canopy hotel in the state of Oregon as well as the only Canopy hotel in the Pacific states. The hotel is located in the chic Pearl District of downtown Portland, surrounded by highly-rated restaurants and local shops. I’ve never stayed at a Canopy hotel before, so I was excited to experience what Hilton has done to entice young travelers to stay at hotels. After my three-night stay at the Canopy Hotel in Portland, I am happy to report the hotel delivered the comfortable and friendly yet boutique atmosphere I’ve been looking for. Here is my review of Canopy by Hilton Portland Pearl District:
Canopy by Hilton Portland Pearl District is located at 425 NW 9th Ave, Portland, OR 97209.
What Card(s) Should You Use to Book?
American Express Hilton Honors Aspire
The American Express Hilton Honors Aspire card is currently offering a signup bonus of 150,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $4,000 in 3 months. Be aware that since this is an American Express (AMEX) card, you’re only allowed to receive the signup bonus once per lifetime. With a valuation of 0.6 cents per point, the signup bonus is worth about $900. In addition, until 12/31/2021, cardmembers will get a monthly statement credit of $20 when they spend more than $20 at restaurants each month. The annual fee is $450, but cardmembers get a weekend night certificate (redeemable on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights at non-premium hotels), $250 incidental credit towards your airline of choice, $250 Hilton resort credit at select Hilton resorts, and Hilton Diamond status, the highest in Hilton’s member ecosystem.
The American Express Hilton Honors Aspire card is one of my favorite credit cards for its benefits and perks. Photo by AMEX.
The Aspire Card earns 14X per dollar spent on Hilton hotels and resorts when booked directly through Hilton and 7X on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, car rentals booked directly with select companies, and U.S. restaurants. All other purchases will earn 3X per dollar spent. As a Hilton Honors Diamond member, you’ll get a 100% points bonus and 10 extra points per dollar spent at Hilton properties. Therefore, the Aspire card earns a total of 24X per dollar spent on Hilton properties when booked directly with Hilton, yielding a grand return of 14.4%. With Hilton’s frequent points promotions, you can rake in a serious amount of Hilton Honors points in no time. Even if you don’t stay at Hilton properties too often, this card is definitely worth the annual fee due to its amazing perks and benefits, and I strongly believe it’s the best hotel credit card available on the market right now.
If you’d like to apply for the American Express Hilton Aspire Card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! http://refer.amex.us/EDWARSLgWl?XLINK=MYCP
American Express Hilton Honors Business
Alternatively, I could’ve used my American Express Hilton Honors Business card to book my stay. The AMEX Hilton Honors Business card is currently offering a signup bonus of 130,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $3,000 in 3 months, which is also worth about $780. Like other AMEX cards, the card is subject to the once-per-lifetime signup bonus rule. The annual fee is $95, and unlike the Aspire, it doesn’t come with airline or resort credits. However, it can be a great workhorse card as it offers generous everyday and business multipliers. It earns 12X Hilton Honors points per dollar spent on hotel and resort purchases booked directly with Hilton and 6X at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, U.S. wireless telephone services, U.S. purchases for shipping, and flights booked directly with airlines or with AMEX Travel. All other purchases earn 3X points per dollar spent. Because cardmembers receive automatic Honors Gold status, you’ll get an 80% points bonus and 8 extra points per dollar spent at Hilton properties. In addition, you’d receive 10 complimentary Priority Pass visits and have an opportunity to earn a free weekend night certificate after spending $15,000 in a calendar year. As a result, the Surpass earns a total of 20X per dollar spent on Hilton properties when booked directly with Hilton, yielding a return of 12%.
The American Express Hilton Honors Business card can cover a wide range of daily expenses and still comes with a great multiplier for Hilton stays. Photo by AMEX.
If you’d like to apply for the American Express Hilton Honors Business card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/EDWARS067p?xl=cp15
Lobby & Check-in Review
The lobby was pretty compact and only two parties really fit without overcrowding. The check-in process was smooth, and I was given information regarding the gym and breakfast options.
I was happy to see guests properly following the mask guideline and keeping themselves socially distanced.
After checking in, I explored the ground floor of the hotel which housed various conference rooms and an open area for social and work. Thanks to the extremely high ceiling, it didn’t feel like I was stuck between two floors.
This was my favorite place to catch up with work.
Despite having a vast open space with plenty of seat, I barely saw anyone on the ground floor during my three day stay.
One of the conference rooms was beautifully decorated and could host 10+ people.
The area was beautifully illuminated, and I could imagine it being a popular spot for after-wedding parties or small social gatherings.
The ground floor could easily be converted into an open floor where small events can be hosted.
On the way to the elevators, I noticed a contemporary space for entertainment/work.
A foosball table can provide ubiquitous entertainment for most people in a compact space.
The room had modern lounge chairs and a foosball table, and the bar seating area had outlets on the table for those who want to charge devices while working.
The bar seating had electrical outlets built in so laptops and phones could remain charged.
In my opinion, the hotel nailed its brand identity here; the space was filled with chic furniture and surrounded by wall art, and it felt as if I was in a design-oriented apartment living space.
The hotel’s business center was at the corner, in case you need to check your emails or print some documents.
The elevators were also surrounded by several artworks, hosted by Elizabeth Leach Gallery. I don’t know how often the hotel has an art exhibition, but I think it worked great, bringing in local tastes to the lobby.
I loved that the hotel displayed art from local artist, making the exhibition more personable.
There were two elevators, which were sufficient for a 10-story property. However, only one of them could reach the top floor where the gym and terrace were located. Not sure what limited both elevators from operating at the same time, but it wasn’t ideal for guests since there were times when I had to wait close to ten minutes to use the elevator.
If you have time, visit the gallery, which is only one block away from the hotel!
If you’d like to visit Elizabeth Leach Gallery, it’s only a block away from the hotel. After enjoying the gallery, I went up to the 8th floor where my room was located.
Bedroom Review
The bedroom had both an industrial and cozy feel to it. The floor was polished concrete, and it may seem bare to some people, but warm furniture in the room counterbalanced the cold atmosphere. I personally was a fan of the look. Right by the room entrance, there was an open closet, which also functioned as a drawer and a luggage rack.
Having such a spacious luggage rack really saved some floor space.
It was actually big enough to put two small luggage, and next to it, there was a cute coffee stand, along with a discreet, slide-in mini-fridge.
Having a Nespresso machine in a hotel room will always win me over.
It was tall enough to store tall bottles and kept our drinks cool. I was thrilled to find a Nespresso machine in my room.
The discreet fridge was tall enough to fit beverages from the concession stand from the lobby.
The coffee pods were by Caffé Umbria, and I immediately noticed that each pod was punctured. I took them to the front desk and got new pods, but I realized new pods were also punctured. I tried the coffee regardless of the damage, but it tasted foul. The espresso was strongly infused with an artificial and plastic smell, and I ended up throwing out all coffee pods. Luckily, Portland is home to many fabulous coffee shops, including Stumptown Coffee Roasters, so I was somewhat relieved to have a selection of great cafes nearby the hotel.
Contrary to my excitement, the coffee tasted dreadful.
The bedroom and the foyer were separated by a heavy sliding door, which actually sealed. The bed was very comfortable, and I liked the look of the plaid headboard, giving the room a cozy look.
The wooden wall paneling gave the room a mellow vibe.
My favorite part of the bed was the pillow. Each pillow was divinely fluffy and really made each night restful. The nightstand had a smart clock that doubled as a speaker, and there were dimmable light switches as well as outlets and USB ports for your charging needs.
I was a big fan of the contrast between industrial and natural materials.
Across from the bed, a Smart TV was hung right above a decently sized work desk. Sadly, the Smart TV didn’t work well. The TV itself functioned well, but the Smart functionality kept lagging that I had to turn it off.
Due to technological difficulties with the smart TV, I wasn’t able to stream shows on Netflix.
On the desk, there was an empty water bottle that guests could use to refill at will.
If you would like to purchase this water bottle, you can inquire at the front desk.
I wasn’t sure how clean the bottle was, but I appreciated the Canopy brand taking a mindful approach to sustainability.
The water from the hydration station was cool, and there was an ice dispenser should you need to make your water even cooler.
To the right of the bed, there was a chaise lounge next to the floor-to-ceiling windows. To be frank, it wasn’t the most comfortable to lounge on, but the end table made it an appealing option to either read a book or consume media in the afternoon.
This was my remote work/relaxation spot during my stay.
The view wasn’t spectacular, but I couldn’t imagine other rooms having better views since the hotel was neighboring low-rise buildings.
The view from the room wasn’t the best but still made the room feel airy and open.
I appreciated that the Canopy brand continued to blend well into the living space. From a rustic sliding door to cozy apartment vibes, I was impressed.
Bathroom Review
The bathroom featured a spacious walk-in shower with a standard showerhead. One element of caution is that the shower door slams on you, so be careful when stepping in and out of the shower. Otherwise, the shower pressure was decent, and I liked having a shower towel rack inside the shower so I could dry myself prior to stepping out of the shower.
The shower was big enough to fit two people at once.
The bathroom sink was a single vanity with decent countertop space. The bathroom had a built-in wall shelf that further expanded the room if you require additional space for personal belongings.
The bathroom felt somewhat generic, but it came with ample space for personal belongings.
The toiletry was a mix of different brands, but the Guild and Pepper collection by Gilchrist & Soames seemed to be the main brand.
Hilton should standardize and establish a line of toiletry for the Canopy brand.
While I didn’t mind the scent, I must warn that each item featured a heavy warm oak scent that may appeal to men more than female guests. I wish the hotel pushed for a local, sustainable brand for toiletry as it would reinforce the hotel’s brand identity.
Gym Review
The gym was located on the 11th floor of the hotel. It was pretty small and didn’t have a great selection of gym equipment. On one side, two TechnoGym treadmills and an elliptical machine were available for cardio exercises.
During peak hours, the fitness center quickly became overcrowded.
A TechnoGym cycling machine was positioned next to an adjustable bench with a standard dumbbell set, along with an all-in-one workout machine. Unfortunately, that was the only strength machine at the gym.
The fitness center heavily focused on cardio exercises and severely lacked strength equipment.
The remaining space was occupied by foam boxes for HIIT workouts and a hand sanitizing station.
If you want to visit the terrace, expect to move through other guests at the gym.
Needless to say, the gym was disappointing. I could not imagine having more than two people in the gym without feeling overcrowded. The positioning of the all-in-one workout machine was troublesome. Since it was right next to the dumbbells, only one person could really use either of the equipment. Also, the gym was connected to the terrace where guests could play cornhole and socialize. Though I appreciated additional outdoor space, it felt awkward since you have to walk through the gym. When the gym is packed I can’t imagine walking through the crowd. I can’t recommend the gym to anyone serious about working out.
Breakfast Review
As a Hilton Honors Diamond member, I received the daily food and beverage credit of $12 per person. Because I was with my fiancé, we received $24 in food and beverage credit per night. The food and beverage credit can also be used at the hotel’s in-house restaurant, Vaux. Unfortunately, the restaurant is closed every Sunday and Monday night, and we weren’t able to try its dinner, but I was able to stop by for breakfast one morning.
Vaux was a popular destination to grab cocktails or quick bites at night.
I was hoping for something hearty and savory, but the only available item was an overpriced vegan blueberry muffin for $7. The restaurant also had a cafe behind the bar, and a cup of latte was $5. Essentially, buying a muffin and a latte would cost me the entire $12 budget, which was hard to justify in my opinion.
The vegan breakfast muffin was $7, which was more than half of my allotted breakfast budget.
I was thrilled to find free black coffee, but it was overly sour, and I couldn’t bear taking more than a few sips. During the three nights I stayed, I ended up using my credit at the hotel’s concession stand. It offered various alcoholic beverages such as canned cocktails, beer, and wine, so if you want to use your dining credit towards drinks, you will have plenty of options.
This is pretty much where you will spend almost all of your dining credit, so get comfortable with the concession stand.
I was somewhat relieved to find beers from local breweries, including pFriem, Sasquatch, and La Familia Cider Company.
The Guava Cider from La Familia was my least favorite, and the IPA from Sasquatch was my top pick.
There were a few canned spirits from Straightaway Distillery, but I didn’t like the taste as much. The spirits were too diluted for my taste, so I ended up getting more Topo Chico to stay hydrated.
If you are a cocktail enthusiast, you may be intrigued but will be disappointed after a few sips.
I blame Hilton for implementing such a mediocre policy for their Diamond members, and I think Hilton should come up with an enticing breakfast perk where loyal Hilton members feel appreciated and valued.
Summary
The Canopy by Hilton Portland Pearl District was my first Canopy experience. Right off the bat, I was impressed with the hotel’s effort to reflect its brand identity. From refillable water bottles for sustainability to an industrial yet cozy apartment atmosphere, I constantly ran into strategic branding decisions that made my lodging experience more enjoyable. The bed was very comfortable, but damaged coffee pods and the broken Smart TV slightly brought down the experience. The limited use of breakfast credit and small gym were also disappointing, but the overall vibe of the hotel was on point. I recommend the Canopy by Hilton Portland Pearl District to anyone looking for a relaxing yet boutique Airbnb-esque experience in downtown Portland.
