McMenamins Kennedy School

McMenamins Kennedy School, in the NE Concordia neighbourhood, is one of the most characterful places to drink, eat, or stay in Portland. The 1915 elementary school building has been converted into a hotel (rooms in former classrooms), a restaurant and bar in the old gymnasium, a soaking pool in the basement, and a movie theatre with couch seating. The corridors are covered in murals referencing the school's history.

The conversion is done with care — the building's bones are preserved and the decorative additions are eccentric rather than themed. Even if you're not staying, the bars are open to the public and the soaking pool is available for a day-use fee. McMenamins operates about 50 properties in Oregon and Washington; the Kennedy School is among the best of them. Located in NE Portland, accessible by bus (line 72) or from the Hollywood Transit Center MAX.

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A story
McMenamins turned a decommissioned 1915 elementary school in the Concordia neighbourhood into a hotel, multiple bars, a restaurant, a movie theatre, and a soaking pool. Every room was once a classroom; the original chalkboards, coat hooks, and school corridor feel are preserved and incorporated into the decor. The company has made a specialty of converting neglected historic buildings — breweries, theatres, poorhouses — across the Pacific Northwest.