Did you know that Portland was almost named Boston? A coin toss decided that the city name should be Portland. Portland is a great city to visit, with lots of unique and interesting places and events to see. Hotel Modera is centrally located in downtown Portland, close enough to walk to many great sites, or ride the light rail, called the MAX. We highlighted some of our favorite places and quirky facts about our great city, as well as numerous reasons why you should come visit Portland and the Hotel Modera!

The International Rose Test Garden: The Rose garden is one of oldest rose gardens in the world. Home to over 7,000 pants, including 500 varieties of roses.  Many bloom in early summer, making the garden a fragrant and beautiful place to visit.  There are also many fountains, pools, and unique sculptures that add to the garden’s allure.  A quick MAX ride from Hotel Modera.

Powell’s City of Books: Powell’s is the largest bookstore in the country, and definitely one of the best.  The store has color coded rooms, and a huge amount of used, new, and rare books, not to mention an informative and helpful staff. It’s a must visit for any trip to Portland, and an easy place to send hours in, perusing the large collection of books.  Just a leisurely stroll from Hotel Modera.

Portland Saturday Market:  Take a short walk from Hotel Modera  to Saturday Market’s new waterfront location. The Market has been in operation since 1974, and is the largest continually operating outdoor arts and crafts market in the nation. Featuring hundreds of vendors, the market sells everything from belts to soap to outdoor signs, and everything in between. There’s always a ton of street performers and good street food.

Oregon Zoo:  The oldest zoo west of the Mississippi, the Oregon Zoo is home to many animals, including Asian elephants, Peruvian penguins, and Arctic polar bears. From the mist-filled Africa Rain Forest to the majestic Great Northwest exhibits, the zoo encourages visitors to understand and experience the natural world. Committed to conservation of endangered species and their habitats, the zoo is a center for wildlife preservation and field research. The Oregon Zoo’s award-winning education programs serve nearly 700,000 people both at the zoo and at schools, senior, and community centers around the region. A quick light rail or bus ride from our hotel!

Tax season is here. What better way to celebrate than to NOT pay tax?!

Presenting tax-free weekend rates, but only for a limited time!

Remember, you can only book until April 15, so head to hotelmodera.com now!

Happy New Year! It’s a fresh start, and it’s time to leave those 2009 days behind (although we’re still having trouble not dating checks “09.” Oops!)

Our January special should help cement the wonderfulness that is 2010 into everyone’s minds! Presenting…

But only until the 22nd! Just go to our website and use promo code “LAUNCH1″ to save big on stays through May 31st!

And if you thought it couldn’t get any better… Valet parking is included!!

Also in our E-Blast, you’ll find information about Nel Centro’s new Happy Hour, see all the great shows and events that will be in town soon, and read some more about how fabulous Hotel Modera is (Vogue Italia loves us!)

So make your reservation, get your tickets for Storm Large, and get ready for a great year!

http://ericolmsted.typepad.com/sweeter/2009/10/dive-to-diva.html

We swear that if we didn’t work here, those fire pits would be warming our faces 6 nights a week! We might even order a scrumptious Old Fashioned sip on while chatting to our friends!

Thanks, TripAdvisor! And thanks to all of our business traveling guests; I guess it’s a perfect match!

The shopping season is upon us once again, and Hotel Modera has put together an amazing package, perfect for some tax-free Portland shopping!

Book our STAY • SHOP • $AVE Package for only $119+tax!

Includes valet parking, eco-friendly Modera shopping tote, bottle of wine, Oregon hazelnuts, bottled water, discount coupons from various downtown retailers, a coupon for a complimentary appetizer with the purchase of 2 entrées from Nel Centro, and 250 Alaska Airlines Miles!

You can make your reservation directly by calling 877-484-1084, or online at www.hotelmodera.com by entering “SAVE” (all caps) in the Promotional Code under Special Rates on our Reservations page.

Based on availability. Black-out dates apply. Reservation must be booked by November 15, 2009. Package not available after May 31, 2010.