The 35-story, 251-room Ritz-Carlton, Portland, Ore., is set to open on Oct. 31 as the first Ritz-Carlton property in the Pacific Northwest.
The 460-foot crystalline tower was created by GBD Architects. The building’s white base was inspired by the columnar basalt formations in the region and includes a cascading series of stormwater planters that are activated by rainfall. The silhouette culminates in a gem-shaped glass dome. At night, the top of the building is illuminated.
The interiors, designed by ROAM Interior Design, combine wilderness with contemporary style. The lobby, also known as Forest Hall, mimics the landscape of the region, with rustic logs bound with copper—a nod to the historic 1845 coin toss that led to the naming of the city—and maps depicting Lewis & Clark’s journey. The library lounge also has a fireplace surrounded by backlit Verre églomisé glass.
Just beyond reception and the grand staircase is Meadowrue, a lobby bar with floor-to-ceiling windows that doubles as a daytime coffee lounge and a cocktail bar in the evening. Meadowrue also highlights local purveyors in its dishes like Josephson’s Smokehouse, Olympia Provisions and Rouge Creamery. A mix of earthy design elements—indigenous woods, mossy green plants and an overhead light installation—bring the outdoors inside.
The design of the 207 guestrooms and 44 suites evokes the Oregon forest and rivers and honors the city’s history. The design incorporates vertical panels, soft carpets, luxury leather goods and modern interpretations of historic travel trunks.
The 19th floor—called Cloudbreak on Nineteen—emphasizes wellness with the Hidden Mountain Lake Infinity Pool, The Ritz-Carlton Spa (designed to look like the unfolding petals of a Portland rose) with five treatment rooms and the 4,000-square-foot fitness facility and yoga studio.
The Ritz-Carlton Club on the 20th floor is filled with local artwork. The property’s signature restaurant, Bellpine, also is on the same floor, serving food from Oregon’s Willamette Valley; the state’s farms, ranchers and rivers; and the Pacific Ocean. Overseen by Executive Chef Pedro Almeida and helmed by Portland-based Chef Lauro Romero, the menu and beverage list list will feature ingredients indigenous to the region as well as items from local purveyors.
The dedicated events floor, Ascending Mount Hood, has more than 17,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The natural light-filled spaces, designed to reflect Mt. Hood, are customizable and can accommodate a range of activities.
The hotel partnered with local and regional artisans including Pacific Northwest-based Antica Farmacista to create Rose City, a bespoke room scent made exclusively for the property inspired by an alpine forest. The hotel’s art collection, which is on display throughout the property, features local artists including David Rice, Rachel Austin and Kavin Buck. The works celebrate the Pacific Northwest’s relationship between people and nature, emphasizing earthen textures, incongruous patterns and diverse materials.