If you’re headed to Portland with kids, location is key: you want to be near the Willamette River and within easy walking distance of downtown and the MAX. The Kimpton RiverPlace Hotel puts families in the heart of the city, affords kids fun views of the goings-on along the river, and provides parents with a few perks of their own.

RiverPlace is a Kimpton hotel, with Kimpton amenities.

If you’re familiar with the Kimpton brand, you know what this means: hosted wine hours, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate for the kids, a welcome mat rolled out for your family dog, and a staff that goes above and beyond. When we arrived 30 minutes past ‘wine hour’ on our most recent visit, the front desk staff poured us glasses to take up to our room. Nice touch!

Every time we come to RiverPlace, they have something fun going on. This summer beginning in June, they offer s’mores on their second-floor courtyard overlooking the Willamette. All we needed to do was let the front desk know when we were ready for the fire to be lit in the fire pit.

 

The first time I visited RiverPlace as a Kimpton hotel, it didn’t yet sport the trademarked Kimpton style and originality to its decor. As of early summer 2015, it absolutely does, and I felt right at home as a Kimpton Karma Rewards member (sign up, you get a $10 Raid the Mini-Bar credit!). The decor in RiverPlace that isn’t sporting a trendy ‘Kimpton’ look is very clean, not-quite minimalist, and warm, with stone, wood, and soft touches.

 

Location is key.

RiverPlace is located right off Naito Parkway south of popular Tom McCall Park (the greenway that runs along the river). Families can sit on the RiverPlace rocking chairs on the porch overlooking the Willamette, walk directly from the hotel along the greenway to the Portland Spirit river cruise, the Portland Saturday Market, or the downtown Pioneer Square area.

We love that we can let the kids burn off energy before dinner along the river walk, or explore the many boats along the small wharf jutting out from the RiverPlace Esplanade. Kids are happily distracted watching the crew teams rowing along the water. Along the esplanade are several good dining options for families, especially coffee shops and bakeries.

Room options:

We recommend booking a one-bedroom suite, which easily sleeps a family of five (when we stayed in one of these rooms, we had a king bed for the parents in the bedroom, a pull-out sofa double, plus a rollaway). Along with all this room, you also get a full kitchen and dining area, complete with all the pots, pans, and utensils you’ll need to prepare meals in.

The suites have a separate entrance, which means you can return to your room directly from the river walk, but are right next door to the rest of the RiverPlace, making it easy to settle in the lobby for the complimentary wine hour and coffee or hot chocolate in the mornings.

The absolute best thing about the RiverPlace suites, however, are the views. Our river-front room boasted huge windows in the living room area (with fireplace) and dining area overlooking the Willamette, plus a balcony with seating. The RiverPlace thoughtfully includes a pair of binoculars to use during your stay, which kids can put to use spotting eagles, boats, and more.

 

Other room options include standard king or two queen rooms in the hotel proper. These rooms have been recently remodeled with those gorgeous Kimpton touches, such as elegant headboards, new patterns for the duvets, and lovely artwork. Honestly, even without the space of the suites, we feel refreshed every time we stay in these rooms.

Downside:

There’s only one downside to the RiverPlace from my family’s point-of-view: RiverPlace does not have a pool in the hotel. However, this is true of many city hotels, so as long as families are prepared ahead of time, it shouldn’t be too big of an impact on the stay.

Kimpton Tips:

Before staying at any Kimpton hotel, by all means, join the Kimpton Loyalty Program. This program is free and easy to sign up for, and gives members perks such as the aforementioned $10 ‘raid the mini-bar’ credit and free wifi in rooms. I used both on my last visit and was very glad to grab a free Luna bar and Nantucket Nectars orange juice before heading out for the day…without paying mini bar prices.

Always, and I mean always, check the RiverPlace (or any Kimpton hotel) website for specials and deals. During our stay in June, we eyed a Northwest Residents package we’ll be sure to return for!

Date last visited: June 2015

Distance from the interstate: 1 minute from 405/I-5.

Room rates: RiverPlace rooms start at $199 for standard rooms. One-bedroom suites like the one we experienced start around $250.

Directions: RiverPlace is located at 1510 SW Harbor Way in Portland, and is easy to find. Valet parking makes arriving even easier.

As I disclose whenever applicable, I stayed at RiverPlace with a media rate, for the purpose of review.