McMenamins Kennedy School

The wonderful Kennedy School is one of our favorite recommendations for out-of-town guests. This unusual 35-room inn inhabits a pretty ex-school (now on the Historic Register), reclaiming classrooms and offices to provide comfortable and spacious rooms for guests. These rooms are charmingly decorated with rich colors and cozy, vintage furniture. Rooms include king- and queen-size beds, phones and modems, as well as private baths. Guests have access to free wireless Internet. A soaking pool invites guests to linger, and the restored gym is available for a game of pickup (as long as it’s free of banqueters). It’s also close to the Alberta neighborhood, with its outstanding restaurants and shopping. These are all good reasons to love the Kennedy School, but the inn is far more than a guesthouse. This extensive campus is a destination for much of Portland—not only neighbors, but people from all over town frequent the bars, restaurants, and theaters (for both movies and live music), drawn by the convivial ambience and the six-barrel brewery. The Kennedy School is very popular for meetings, reunion dinners, parties, and all manner of gatherings. It is an engine of neighborhood activity, helping to inspire the regeneration of surrounding blocks.