Stayed at this location for one night after flying in on a late flight. The room was really small with the king sized bed in it. Although the hotel posts a no smoking policy, the hallways smelled of cigarette smoke. The air conditioner was noisy and did not cool the room efficiently. In my opinion, this location is good for a one night stay only.

I stay here once or twice a year when visiting relatives in NE Portland. The rooms with the king size beds are very small - the rooms with two double beds are larger. The vanity area is small but outside the bathroom area. The bathrooms are very small but the showheads are great. The rooms now have refrigerators. I think the expanded continental breakfast is better than average. The lobby has a computer with internet access that can be used by guests without a charge.

PROS: Clean (mostly...). Convenient location. Nice showerhead.

CONS: Outdated exterior. No expanded cable TV. Old, low, uncomfortable beds. Iffy staff. Extremely hot water.

In an effort to save money, I decided to take advantage of a $69 offer at the Holiday Inn Express on Starck. I wasn't impressed with the outdated exterior, but the lobby was nice, so I gave it a shot.

Initially, it appeared that my room was spotless. However, after pulling back the bedspread on one of the beds, I found a dirty bottom sheet with several hairs from the previous occupant. Not a pleasant surprise. Fortunately, the second double bed was clean. I didn't feel like dealing with it that night, but I did mention it to the desk agent in the morning. She was apologetic, but that's it. No discount.

In addition, the staffperson assigned to the breakfast bar kept the door to the "kitchen" open while she coughed, changed trash bags, rustled around, etc. Not the most pleasant environment for eating breakfast.

If you do decide to stay here, don't let your kids use the sink or shower without supervision. The water gets scalding hot in a very short amount of time. I love a very hot shower, but not "make a cup of tea" hot. And the water got progressively hotter as I showered. I lowered the temperature at least six times during my shower. So, keep an eye on your kids (and the elderly) so they don't get burned.

This place was excellent. I travel to Portland 3-5 times a year. In the past I use to stay at different hotels, but a year ago I started staying at this particular Holiday Inn Express. Their service is excellent. I can't say I have met a friendlier hotel staff in Portland.
Talk about the restaurant selection nearby. I never had to worry about business lunches and dinners, everything is just walking distance. When you travel as much as I do, it's good to stay at a place that feels like home.