McMenamins Kennedy School

McMenamins Kennedy School is the most singularly irreplaceable hotel in Portland, a 57-room property in Northeast Portland's Concordia neighborhood where a beloved 1915 elementary school, saved from abandonment and transformed by the local McMenamins family in 1997, creates the most completely immersive hotel experience in the Pacific Northwest, with original chalkboards still mounted in converted classroom guestrooms, an author-themed wing, hand-painted murals covering every wall and ceiling, an on-site brewery tucked into the old girls' restroom, a saltwater soaking pool in what was the teachers' lounge, a movie theater in the former gymnasium, five distinct bars, and a courtyard restaurant that draws the entire neighborhood as much as it serves overnight guests. It is the natural choice for planners seeking a Portland venue that offers something no other city hotel can replicate: a building and atmosphere so genuinely rooted in local history and community that every group feels, from the first evening, not like visitors to a hotel but like regulars at the most beloved gathering place in the neighborhood.

VenueIndex has independently scored this property so you can make a data-driven decision before committing budget or sending an RFP. Choose the report that best fits your needs:

• Snapshot Report: AI-generated venue snapshot. Best for early shortlisting. Instant delivery.
• Signature Report: 189+ verified metrics across AV, F&B, capacity, responsiveness, and more. AI analysis combined with live phone verification. Delivery within 24 hours.
• Custom Report: Everything in the Signature, plus a stakeholder-ready summary deck. For high-value contracts and flagship events. Delivered within 72 hours, includes a 30-min debrief call.