McMenamins Crystal Hotel

"Treat yourself to the McMenamin's Edgefield (the best!) or any of Portland's other locations. This one is the worst. Only reason it's still open is due to the concert venue otherwise this place should be condemned. Leaving the soaking pool at Crystal Hotel at 1am, a larger pool attendant woman told me I couldn't wear a sports bra into the mixed gender pool and that only bikinis were allowed. This is not stated in the official rules. As a younger woman surrounded by older men in a pool, I should be allowed to wear something that isn't as revealing as a bikini. Ridiculous rude contact and offensive staff. Bad beds, stinky rooms, loud closing doors all night, no parking (try $26/overnight, 3 blocks away), bad staff. And the 'complimentary coffee' was empty every time I checked. Worst hotel experience of my life and worst McMenamin's I've stayed at so far. One star."

"Stayed here while in town for a concert. Staff was beyond helpful. Ordered food after returning from show (about midnight) and they brought it up to me. Room was well-appointed and one of the most unique I have ever stayed in."

"The late night staff was rude and unhelpful, room was small and smells like paint, only 3 bathrooms to share with your whole floor. It was very unclear where the soaking room was and staff didn’t help me find it, I ended up not using it at all. Me and my partner did not enjoy our stay. I’d highly recommend picking a different hotel if you’re looking for something walking distance from the crystal ballroom"

"PROS: - really great location - decent price for the area - the soaking pool is super awesome - the front desk staff was pretty chill and nice - quirky CONS - there was a full half of an inch gap between the panes on our window and the cold breeze came right thru. With freezing temperatures outside, even with the heat at 73, it was still colder in our room than in the hall. We shoved towels in the window to lessen the draft. - the blankets smelled so heavily of bleach that it gave me a sore throat while trying to sleep - the rooms do not have bathrooms connected. There are several shared bathrooms that you have to key into on each floor. Something to be aware of when you need to piss in the night and can't find your room key. Each room does have a little sink though. - the wifi is absolutely horrible. It's open, without a password, and I had to fiddle with it just to connect on my laptop. Then after about 5 minutes it would disconnect itself, and i would have to fiddle with it again. I ended up giving up and running a Hotspot on my phone. In this day and age, adequate wifi in a hotel should be the bare minimum. - there are several other locations in the nearby area that GPS will route you to when typing in "McMenamins". Like at least 3. This was confusing when trying to get back to the hotel after taking a walk, and then when getting an uber home at night. Knowledge of the area would probably be useful if staying here. - quirky. This really has the full "McMenamins hipster portland charm" going on. It's pretty gaudy, but maybe that's your thing. This novelty and the location are really what you're paying for to be honest. Overall, it's fine for a night. It's got its own kind of ramshackle charm i guess. I'd probably book again if needed, since the location is so great, but you are getting what you pay for. For any more than one night, I recommend a full hotel with better amenities."

"Such an artistic environment, the staff was so friendly and helpful. The room was themed from the front door inward. The building itself was a spectacular to experience. The soaking pool was the most memorable part, so fun and relaxing."