Seward Hotel, historic hotel building in Portland, Oregon, USA
The Seward Hotel is a downtown Portland building constructed in 1909 that blends Art Nouveau style with craftsmanship throughout its design. The fully glazed terracotta exterior features distinctive roof statues, while the interior preserves original woodwork, stained glass windows, and decorative details from the early twentieth century.
The hotel was built in 1909 as Portland recovered from economic hardship and sought symbols of prosperity and growth. After decades of changing ownership and decline, it underwent major restoration in 1992 when connected to an adjacent building, and was later renamed Sentinel Hotel in 2014.
The hotel served as a gathering place where social patterns of the early 1900s were visible, particularly in spaces designed with specific purposes in mind. The Fireside Room offered women a rare space to move about independently, reflecting the changing attitudes of that era.
The hotel sits in downtown Portland and offers easy walking access to nearby shops, theaters, and attractions throughout the city center. Visitors can walk through the preserved spaces and view the architectural details both inside and outside the building.
Perched on the roof are statue-like figures that resemble robots, designed long before the Transformers films and reflecting Portland's forward-thinking approach. Beneath the main dining room sat a hidden speakeasy during Prohibition, now sealed beneath thick concrete.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
