The best hotel bars have an air of mystery to them, as though anyone from anywhere might walk through the lounge doors at the clink of a glass. So it goes at the Driftwood Room at Hotel DeLuxe, a Portland cocktail destination for decades now aging gracefully, oozing classic bar vibes out of every dimly lit pore of its tiny being. Here you will find menu subsections dedicated to the art of the Manhattan, Champagne cocktail riffs made with obscure Eastern European liquors, suited bar staff offering a friendly ear and a ready pour, and an absinthe fountain, in case that’s where your evening happens to be headed. In a world of bland corporate pints and airplane bottles at the Days Inn, the Driftwood Room dares to look back to yesteryear, when staying at a hotel was an event, a treat, something to get dressed up for and indulge in. There is a class and grace to this place, an uncommon dignity, that makes it among the city’s very finest hotel bars. 

With a dozen bars and counting sprawled across multiple hotel properties, choosing any one McMenamins location becomes a matter of personal taste and proximity. But for guests at the downtown hotel complex — or those visiting Powell’s Books directly across the street — the subterranean Al’s Den, just off Burnside and 12th, offers cheerful respite from the hustle and/or bustle of downtown Portland. In addition to the standard McMenamins house beers and distillery offerings, Al’s Den is loaded with imported Scotch and rare bourbon options, and it features a considered sound system and plenty of nooks and crannies in which to hide. There’s live standup comedy on Friday nights, a copper bar top, and dedicated drinkers from near and far with which to share company. All in all, a proper hotel bar.

A quintessential downtown hotel bar flanking the lobby of Sentinel Hotel, the scene at Fortune is dark, a touch brooding, and anchored by a huge indoor fireplace. The food here is particularly interesting, with a menu by noted Portland vegan chef Jewan Manuel (Plant Based Papi) featuring a vegan adaptation of an In-N-Out style burger, fried jackfruit nuggets, and oyster mushroom “calamari” — dream vegan bar snacks, basically. The cocktail menu is smart and considered, with standout drinks like a Hennessey sidecar and a deep bench of rare, sought-after Japanese whisky. 

Busy, buzzy, maximalist Tope sits atop the Hoxton, the Portland outpost of an international hotel group with locations in Chicago, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, London, and many more. Start with a mezcal negroni on the outdoor lounge for a sweeping view of downtown, then grab fried summer squash tacos and Oregon rockfish ceviche with leche de tigre inside Tope’s modern bar and dining room. The food and drinks here are great, but the people watching is particularly exquisite — Tope has fast become a who’s who of Portland’s arts, design, and culture scene. Wear your cool sneakers.

Kex opened into the teeth of the pandemic in late 2019, only to close again until early summer 2021. Like the Woodlark, the hotel offers two distinct hotel bar options: downstairs at Dottír, a Euro-Icelandic-retro playground of antique interior design, and upstairs at Lady of the Mountain, a rooftop bar with downtempo electronic music and shimmering views of the city. Cocktails at both spots are excellent — the house-infused aquavit tasting at Dottír is particularly can’t-miss — but the unique on-tap wine menu here is the standout, drawing on close relationships to some of the Willamette Valley’s most interesting producers, including Johan Vineyards, St. Reginald Parish, and Cameron Wines. 

A tropical oasis in the guise of a hotel bar, this jewel box lounge sits directly adjacent to the lobby of Jupiter Next, which opened to much fanfare in 2018. Amid lush overhanging greenery and so, so many tropical plants, Hey Love offers an escape of sorts from the concrete jungle of SE Burnside. The vacation vibes extend to the bar’s menu, which goes big on tropicalia — think a cherry cordial Cosmo, vodka hibiscus punch, or a tamarind-amaro-sarsaparilla mule riff named for old-school Portland institution Loprinzi’s. Snacks like the vegan ceviche made with hearts of palm, crab sliders with pickled ginger, or an elaborate house nacho plate with chile verde and sherry pickled jalapenos make Hey Love worthy of a full-on dinner, even considering the neighborhood’s surrounding talent.

Another newcomer on the hotel scene, Lolo Pass opened in 2021, and boasts one of the city’s most comfortable lobbies from which to work, chill, and recover from the stress of travel. An all-day coffee bar service featuring Coava Coffee roasters makes this a great (and spacious) location for laptop activities, with plenty of room to stretch out and feel comfortable. Come 4 p.m., there’s local wine from producers like Eyrie Vineyards and Ovum, beers by Heater Allen and Von Ebert (to name just a few), and snack-y shareable plates of bagel bites, local cheese, and seasonal salads.