The location is the best thing about this place, and maybe the worst thing. So close to numerous bars and restaurants. You can walk anywhere, into the Pearl District or across the river to the Rose Quarter or south along the river to downtown. You are just a 6 minute walk to the train or the bus. You can jog a 4.5 mile loop all along the river crossing the Steel Bridge and then the Tilikum Crossing Bridge. Also, there’s a nice, private path along the river in front of the condos and even a little, sandy beach where you can launch a SUP or a kayak.
The bad things about this location are no fault of the host. This is one of the worst areas for homeless people. Such a sad situation, feel so bad for them. If you can’t handle seeing them constantly, you won’t want to stay here. They are in every direction and there are a lot of them. Most are very nice and polite. Every once in awhile you run into a scary one that’s mentally ill or strung out on drugs. Lots of them yell and scream and holler for no reason.
Also, you are right next to Union Station and you absolutely will hear a lot of loud train horns. Sometimes you get stuck for 15 minutes, walking or driving, waiting for a long train to go through the intersection. Also, there is a lot of construction. Knocking down buildings, road work, etc… Lots of noise. Nothing the host can do but this a very noisy neighborhood.
About the apartment itself. It was surface cleaned but it needs a good spring cleaning and the carpets cleaned. We stayed about 6 weeks so we cleaned it pretty good before we moved in. The patio was wonderful and big, but the sun hits it directly and there is no umbrella. You can’t sit out there on warm days, which was most of our stay, it’s just too hot. We could have morning coffee out there but lunch and dinner was sweltering without some sort of shade. The bed was very comfortable, one of the best we’ve ever slept on. There are lots of steps. 3 flights to get into the condo and 1 more to get up to the bedroom. The air conditioner works great downstairs, kept it very cool even in the hottest weather. Upstairs was a little warmer but there is a fan which was perfect. The WiFi worked great. The dishwasher worked great. The kitchen has everything you need. Ice cube maker worked great. Nice, big fridge and freezer. There’s a parking spot very close so that was very convenient. There is a really nice pool and hot tub on the north end of the property. It’s about an 8 minute walk but worth it. Lots of chaise lounges and umbrella tables. There is a great view for people watching from the living room with 3 large floor to ceiling glass windows but 2 out of 3 blinds were broken, so that was a hassle the whole time. Host says they are on back order. We had a very nice stay here and enjoyed it immensely.