I went to Portland to attend a Conference in the Oregon Convention Center and had to make a last minute booking. After carefully searching AirBnB , Booking and Trivago, I decided to go for KEX by Booking, which proved a great cost/benefit option. In fact it fitted well my needs, since it's only some blocks from the Convention Center, with good showers, a small fitness space and, the best, a Finish sauna to relax after a long day of Congress. I ended up booking a bunk in a shared room, which was enough for my purpose. Each bunk has its own light, outlet and locker. Installed curtains provide some privacy. Although it was not a problem to me, a more sensitive person may feel a little disturbed by the noise of the air-conditioning or the street traffic, that's not really a big deal. Anyways, earplugs are offered for free in the rooms. Although KEX neither have a shared kitchen nor offer breakfast, there's an independent nice bar/restaurant on the lobby/ground floor where one can order for dinner or invite friends for a drink/chat at the end of the day. You can also bring your own meal at breakfast and eat it there. KEX is located at a walking distance from the Convention Center and from Portland downtown and offers easy access to public transport with a bus stop at its door. I could easily go run by the river in the mornings, which was especially pleasant in the spring time with the blossom cherry trees. The staff (CJ, Alexia, Michael and Cia) were especially friendly and helpful. I will definitely recommend KEX for those looking for a nice and affordable option in Portland.

Location was awesome, great coffee shop close by - Rosaline! Was welcomed and taken care of by the person at reception, really friendly, and they genuinely took care of everything. They took the time to sort things out and was beyond helpful/sincere. The bathrooms were very spacious and clean. In spite of being hesitant about staying in the shared room - I ended up being solo and had the entire space to myself! The food was really tasty and affordable and all the servers/bartenders were beyond friendly and attentive - even though they were super busy. Loved everything about The KEX and look forward to coming back!

parking was a little challenging and everything else was incredible!

Located in a safe part of Portland, less than 10 minutes walk to Convention Centre, this place has character and is designed to meet travelers' needs. The receptionists are human beings, helpful. The bar/restaurant is lively as it is also open to local people, and only people with key card can proceed to the rooms. I had the Deluxe room with Kingsize bed. The room was spacious, nicely decorated, had good bed and linnen and towels. A fridge w freezer, a sofa, a desk with light, plenty of sockets for charging electrical stuff and the toilet is separate from the shower. Housekeeping only enters your room upon request. Which I like. There are two supermarkets within walking distance. A tram stops one block away, which connects to the tram to and fro the Airport. There's a public (paid) open air parking lot at 50 meters or so. My colleagues, who went to the same conference as I did yet stayed in the blant hotels of the big chains, regretted their choice after hearing about Kex.

If you're a light sleeper (or jetlagged): bring earplugs as it's located on the corner of two busy streets. The hotel does not serve breakfast (but you can put stuff in your fridge and borrow cutlery from the restaurant downstairs).

No breakfast but appreciated the coffee and tea downstairs. The bathrooms by the elevators were lovely too, just so we could all have access to sinks and toilets. (we did a family room for 5 people so the one en suite bath wasn't enough in the morning).

I loved it, the bar actually stayed open late, which was huge since as parents we never get to go out, and most hotels close their bars way too early after covid. The food was great too, and the happy hour was super fun. The rooms are lovely and comfortable and the location is easily walkable to good food and transit.

Overall very cute and clean place! I stayed in the 4-bd female dorm room and the mattress/comforter was super comfy. I booked this place mainly for the sauna to relax, which I went in twice & it was empty both times. They have a lot of towel options so that was great. It has one bathroom/shower next to it so that’s pretty useful. The bar area seemed vibey and there was a retro 25¢ Photo Booth in the lobby (bring a coin!). They had some outdoor space as well that looked nice, would’ve loved to use it in warmer weather.

I didn’t know that there was no communal kitchen until I asked but the staff was able to accommodate me to keep stuff in the fridge/microwave my food so it worked out. :) just something to keep in mind. This place is definitely more like a hotel than a hostel, so if you want to meet people/social activities and have more of that vibe I think elsewhere is better for that. Didn’t know it would be noisy with traffic and people outside at night/early morning so earplugs would help (which they provide in the room!) Also, there was a bit of discrepancy in the pricing on Booking.com and when I went to the property, so just a heads up.

We definitely enjoyed the size and space of the room, as well as the inclusion of a TV and of our own separate bathroom and shower - of which had a built in shower chair. The beds were quite comfortable, had side pouches to keep small stuff, and everything in the room was clean, and our special requests were taken care of with no problem at all. The view from the window was fantastic and the inclusion of curtains for the bottom bunks was phenomenal. The loveseat couch was great for those who didn't want to be in bed or for when we were playing Jackbox on the TV. The best part was the mini fridge and freezer that was in the room that we could keep perishables in. We made use of the gym and sauna in the basement as well.

The gym and sauna being unavailable after a certain time sucked because we wouldn't get back until after 10pm because we were at Kumoricon, and the roof being entirely closed off for the season was extremely disappointing.

Bathroom facilities are essentially as good as (if not better) than a typical hotel with en suite facilities.

Sometimes staff take towels that have not been placed in the “hamper.” No towel replacements are in the rooms or bathrooms - must ask for additional. Duvet/Comforters are fairly basic. Could have more substantial bedding - including pillows. A basic upgrade to digital lockers under the beds would help a lot (could use the same key as the room). If the keys are currently NFC, upgrading to allow digital keys (in phones, other devices) would be a significant improvement. Ideally, “self-check in/out” would almost 100% guarantee I would stay here every time i’m in Portland.

All in all the KEX Hotel is a great example of a modern hotel/hostel following the current trends and needs of travellers. A very good choice. It is a nice stylish hotel with a very charming style. The bar is a very pulsing place and sleeping rooms are very clean, quiet and comfortable. New sleeping boxes are fully equipped and provide a lot of privacy and silence for sleeping. The common bathrooms were clean as well. A great bonus is the new Finnish sauna which is for free (booking requested). Friendly, welcoming and helpful staff!

In the morning, just, tea, coffee and milk are served. I believe that some toast and jam and cereals could be provided as well.

Gorgeous hostel, very clean and quiet even in the dorms with 16 beds! The private bathrooms/showers were amazing and definitely help you feel like you aren't surrounded by people at all times. The privacy curtains in the bottom bunks were great and the security drawer was rather large. They even had water and glasses in the room for everyone and a full set of towels on each bunk. Rooms and bathrooms and hallways were super clean, and airconditioned which was a game changer for the 30°C weather I was there for! The bar downstairs has a great ambience and the bartenders are super friendly and make a mean cocktail. The area it's in is perfect, everything is so close, tons of great restaurants and bars and venues. 10/10 would recommend and stay again!

That I didn't make time to check out the sauna and gym

Great staff-especially CJ at the desk, the Tuesday opening bar tender and the Tuesday evening server (fabulous in all pink). The vibe of the bar was classic Portland. The chic and moody decor on the first floors was fabulous—amazing wall paper and inviting cozy seating areas. I opted for the shared bathroom and it was spotless and no waiting. The key security for elevator, floor and guest room entry was much appreciated, being in the heart of downtown. I was in town for an event at the convention center and it was an easy stroll just a few blocks away.