The Gordon Hotel · Eugene

Where do I even begin with our experience at this hotel. We booked this stay as part of our two-week Oregon coastal and inland road trip and chose to stay here for two nights—the night before Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving night. Upon arrival, the hotel looked similar to the photos online. The lobby was very cute, with a Christmas tree and cool decor. The art bar was a fun feature during our stay; they had crayons and paper available so you could sit and draw for as long as you’d like. The hotel also has three restaurants, though we didn’t dine at any of them. Valet service was prompt and efficient—we never had to wait long for our car. The lobby also offered complimentary snacks, including sodas, water, chips, granola bars, and peanut bags, which was a nice touch. On our first day, we walked over to Fifth Street Market while it was still open and explored the area, which is essentially downtown. The room itself was large and spacious with a king-size bed. While the bed was comfortable, the sheets were very stiff and not the most comfortable. The bathroom was on the smaller side but had a walk-in shower and plenty of space to store our toiletries and personal items. The room also included a coffee machine, a small refrigerator, and bottled water available on each floor. There was also a water refill station, which I appreciated, along with a freezer stocked with individually bagged ice—such a clever idea so you don’t have to deal with a traditional ice machine. Our balcony overlooked Fifth Street Market, but unfortunately, that came with a downside. There is a train track near the hotel, and the trains pass by multiple times throughout the day and night. Even if you’re a deep sleeper, the noise is extremely loud and disruptive, making it very difficult to get a good night’s sleep. On Thanksgiving morning, we left the hotel around 11 a.m. to drive around and asked the front desk if our room could be cleaned while we were out. We were told housekeeping wasn’t available after 10 a.m., which I found strange—especially since no one had knocked earlier to ask if we wanted service. The front desk attendant offered to bring us what we needed herself, so I requested fresh towels. After being gone for two to three hours, we returned to find no towels in our room. We had to call the front desk again for something so basic. There was also no room service that day, likely due to Thanksgiving dinner being served at the hotel. As a result, we had dirty towels piled on the floor and trash from our DoorDash order sitting in the room, none of which was ever cleared during our stay. I’ve never stayed at a hotel—especially one charging $255 per night—that doesn’t clean your room at all. Overall, I found this hotel to be mediocre and was very disappointed with the hospitality. Between the lack of housekeeping, the constant train noise, and being able to hear neighboring rooms, getting quality rest was nearly impossible. The only highlights were the art bar and the convenient walking distance to Fifth Street Market and nearby shops. Unfortunately, based on this experience, I wouldn’t stay at this hotel—or in Eugene—again.