Convenient to downtown and the fort district, Red Lion Vancouver at the Quay (100 Columbia St., 360/694-8341 or 800/733-5466, www.redlion.com [1], $100 s or $110 d) sits right at the base of the I-5 Interstate Bridge next to a 1.8-mile riverfront trail. Ask for a room with a view of the river to watch the lights of Portland twinkle over the Columbia. The furnishings and bathroom fixtures are a bit tired, but the rooms are clean and the linens are new. There’s an outdoor pool, fitness center, business center, and a restaurant and lounge on premises. The hotel also offers free wireless Internet and a free Portland airport shuttle to its guests. Plus, it is pet friendly.
East of downtown, just off of I-205, is Phoenix Inn (12712 S.E. 2nd Circle, 360/891-9777 or 888/988-8100, www.phoenixinnsuites.com [2], $129 s or $134 d) with 98 mini-suites. A free continental breakfast buffet is included, along with an indoor pool and hot tub.
Links:
[1] http://www.redlion.com
[2] http://www.phoenixinnsuites.com