The food is good but not the star of this place; it's the many bars around the property and the property itself. It's a repurposed elementary school and the theme is everywhere you walk in this property. The halls feel historic and like the school it once was, the pictures and artwork are lovely and interesting, the bars are all over the place and cute, like "Detention", and all have the period pieces that make you feel like you are experiencing a part of the past history. The food is similar to regular pub food, and it's good and hearty but not high end. This property is worth a visit. read more

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Visiting with a friend outside on the courtyard of the restaurant was very enjoyable on a late spring day. A very pleasant place to visit again, although has been a long time gone by. The service was good & her checking with us & answering questions was greatly appreciated, as we lingered while talking up until closing time. What i wasn't thrilled about was the prices. I don't eat at restaurants much & exorbitant prices is the reason: $12.25 for a basket of fries is a bit much IMO. I'd like to return to watch a movie in the future. And this is a really fun venue to explore! So I'll be back for that as well. read more

McMenamins Kennedy School - Artwork! - Hotels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Of course, it gives a feeling of grandness and history, and of course it is pretty and unique with its boho decor, but I left last night feeling annoyed and disappointed. The food was the main issue. We were there for an awesome OMSI Science Pub talk. It was held in their main auditorium; the same one that is used to screen 2nd-fun films. There were a ton of people there. We got there only 15 min before the talk started and placed our order for food to be delivered to our seats. We were given a card with a # and we waited. We could see many other guest also waiting since they also had cards with #s. Almost an hour later, I had to go back to get popcorn since I was so hungry and I just couldn't wait any longer. It would have been nice if the person who originally took our order would have warned us that there would be a long wait. I would have altered my order to fit within that expectation and then enjoyed the talk that much more. The food was ok. Nothing to write home about, but after the wait and the pricey dollar amount, it wasn't really worth it. To make things worse, here it is the next day, and I now have a stomach ache. Maybe I'm not used to bar food now that I'm older than I used to be, but either way, I'm not ordering food next time we see a talk there. read more

Didn't realize this place is in a neighborhood so it's understandable that they close early. We got in there before 10pm (when most of the rooms close) and ordered. We did not get our appetizer but had to ask about it. Our waiter did not address until we did... So that was a bust. We did not see our waiter again as another lady took over. Not sure why. Anyway, the food was alright, nothing crazy, nothing too impressive. We ordered drinks at one of the rooms that was also closing at 10pm. The lady was taking our order when her friends showed up and she decided to greet and talk to them in the middle of me ordering. That's right, she literally stopped listening to me and started talking to them. She did a little, "oh I'm sorry" but definitely felt the ick. Weird vibes from that place and the restaurant. The Boiler Room was the best place cause it stayed open late and the vibes were chill. Ordered a few drinks that were delivered to us since the bar is downstairs & our table was at the top. Cool room and decor. read more

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Stayed here for one night. A Sunday to Monday. Not many events at that time. You can tell they can get busy and become pretty hectic. By 10pm, I had the place to myself on this night. At the restaurant, had the Diablo chicken sandwich. It was not edible. One bite and I knew this can't be finished. Later on had the brownies for dessert during happy hour. That was great. Happy hour does not leave you THAT happy. Couple bucks off. Mixed drinks are fine. Staff is pleasant for the most part. Seattle frost really is PNW frost if you ask me. I also had breakfast there and had a granola and yogurt. Fine. Stayed in a king in the school wing. 101. No ghosts (perceived by me). It smelled like it though. It's an old building. It was mostly clean although there were food crumbs all around my desk. Gross. See pic. Room was huge with beautiful windows. Loved the headboard with the cow. Overall was quiet. Slept fine. I enjoyed the free coffee at the front desk using the coffee mug provided. Cool. The whole building is great. The kitschy art is fine. I much preferred the photographic history. Overall, just the smell and dirt and bad food made it challenging. I was glad to go nevertheless. Completing my passport! read more

McMenamins Kennedy School - El Diablo Sandwich. Wasn't edible. Tots were good. - Hotels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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My wife and I decided to go on a mini "staycation" and checked ourselves in at the Kennedy School. When we arrived the service was phenomenal and we were upgraded to a larger suite. The room was clean and the ambience really teleports you to an old historic schoolhouse. We ordered dinner from the restaurant and it was brought to our room. The soaking pool felt incredible and wasn't as crowded as I anticipated. We found the secret room and were blown away by the art. If you stay the night you get a complimentary ticket to the onsite movie theater. We enjoyed the movie, snacks, and the overall vibe. read more

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I came here for a soak in the soaking pool and a drink at the bar. Both were fantastic. The soaking pool is like an Italian villa dream. The staff is beyond friendly, and the drinks (pricey) but make the ambiance even better. read more

McMenamins Kennedy School - Soaking pool - Hotels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We went for lunch , and my friends gave me a tour. The food was real good, reasonably priced for lunch, service was excellent, and it's a fun place to eat- indoors or on the patios. They also have a small public soaking pool. I hope we get to go back again to this historic, quirky, charming place. read more

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We wanted to show the kid this cool school that is also a restaurant, hotel, and bar. Well, we did not want to show her the bar, but the hotel and restaurant were cool. The kid said she could feel ghosts and some of the paintings in the hallway of the school are in fact creepy, So that added to the fun. We had breakfast here. The kid had pancakes and said they did not taste good. The wife tried them and agreed. I had the schoolhouse breakfast--two eggs, toast, meat, and potatoes. The eggs were cooked as I requested. Tasted fresh and had good flavor. The toast with fresh blackberry jam was outstanding. The potatoes looked burnt but were not and had good flavor. I asked for ketchup and got "Portland ketchup" which is a delicious organic product that I liked so much that I bought a bottle in the gift shop. The meat order was incorrect but was quickly corrected. The wife loved her biscuits and gravy and I tried a bite; it was delicious. Our server was friendly and efficient. The ambiance is outstanding. It's just a fun place to eat. Not only in the restaurant a throwback to previous history, you can walk the halls of the school afterward. The bathrooms are original from the school (founded in 1915) and still have showers. Plus, if that is not ambiance for you, while we were there the music was Grateful Dead circa 1971. I mean, how much more Portland can you ask for? read more

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One of my favorite places in Portland! I love their fun decor and variety of seating types. The service was great, friendly and attentive. There were more from food menu as well as drink menu. We ordered Ahi sandwich with soup of day (butter squash and pumpkin), fish and chips, and Ruben sandwich and paired with my favorite Ruby beer. We also took home the Ruby cans. Happy time!! read more

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In two visits to the restaurant, one for breakfast, one for brunch, i came away with a feeling this is over-priced food resting on someone else's laurels. the 2 egg breakfast featured wimpy bacon and a 20+ dollar price tag. The grits were almost not edible. the brunch had some bright spots- the crunchy french toast and biscuit and gravy were decent enough, but the Dungeon burger, basically a 6 ounce beef patty with mushrooms and Swiss cheese was a disaster. One of the worst burgers in Portland and it sports a $21- price tag. The lattes were decent. I love the vibe here, but the food is mediocre at tops. Wait staff was good. read more

For locals and visitors alike, you Must visit McMenamins Kennedy School. Whether you visit the boiler bar for some billiards and shuffleboard or get sent to detention to try some great whisky the atmosphere is always eclectic and serene at the same time. Sound juxtaposed? Just go and visit, you'll see what I mean. Feeling adventurous on a warm evening, visit the courtyard restaurant and order a Moscow mule but substitute the vodka for their signature Aval Potta whisky, while sitting next to the fire place. Trust me, this is the night out you've been looking for! read more

It's fun! It's quirky! It's a re-use space that used to be something else! It's also McMenamins, for better or worse. You know what you're going to get. Good tots, decent beer at a higher price point than it's value, and middling food otherwise. But it IS kinda neat to stay the night in a hotel that used to be a school. Or to watch a movie there. So definitely points for that. But does it have to be so corporate-quirky? read more

Had a great visit to McMenamins Kennedy School. We dined a one of the restaurants and took advantage of their brunch menu. I had the Communication Breakdown burger with fries and also a side of cheese and jalepeño grits. The food was good, but the burger was not very flavorful. I think it needed some salt. The fries were good and the grits were delicious!! The restaurant was clean and I loved the decor. The service was great. We were seated immediately and the server was attentive and helpful. read more

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One of the most unique spots we visited during our trip to Portland Oregon in June was Kennedy School. The historical elementary school circa 1951 has been renovated by McMenamins into a hotel, restaurant/bar, brewery and so much more. It was great walking around the hallways, looking at original artwork and historical photographs on the walls, ceilings, and even the doors. It was like walking through history. We went there for lunch at their Courtyard Restaurant. As the name suggests, Courtyard Restaurant have nice courtyard, which seemed to be very popular. For us, it was a bit too hot on that day, so we decided to sit inside. There were not many sitting indoor, seems the outdoor seating was more popular. We ordered Flagship Brewery Flight so we can try some of their beers made in their brewery. we chose six different types of beers; some dark, some fruity, and some light ones. Each one had distinctive flavors, and we enjoyed them all. For food, I ordered Agnes' Breakfast Sandwich, which was a nice sandwich, good size and all, but the price felt a bit high since it doesn't come with any side. Overall, it was very satisfying. Our friend ordered a burger with side of fries or tots, and she went with tater tots. Their tots are quite good! We did add an order of their Cajun Tots to share, with peppercorn ranch. It had a nice kick to it, and was quite addictive! My hubby went with JR's Jumbo Deluxe and substituted the side with a soup, since we already had a additional order of tots to share. The soup was comforting, and the burger came loaded with protein. It was juicy and tasty. We had a fun lunch, but unfortunately, the service was almost nonexistent. We felt like they focused more on the customer sitting outside, and we were completely forgotten. Due to this issue, the lunch took a very long time, causing us to cancel the next appointment we had on schedule. The server did apologize at the end when we talked to her about it, and gave us a few of discounts by giving us Happy Hour pricing on a couple of items we ordered. If it wasn't for the lack of service, we would've enjoyed the experience much more. read more

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I have been here before, but just to eat, and always with a big group. I get my family together when I'm in Portland, and this spot has always been accommodating and awesome. This is the first time I've gotten a room, and I'm glad I did. Coming for lunch or dinner is great, but you really don't get the full experience at all. First things first, thank you to megan at the front desk, fantastic service, hope you love your sticker! All the bartenders and servers were incredibly genuine and real, and I appreciate that. You're not putting on an act, you're just at work. Chelsea, Sarah and Jacob at the courtyard: thank you specifically! Jacob, love the earrings! Thanks for a great stay everyone, and if you're ever in Sedona, come say hi! read more

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Came in after a day at the coast with the family. Ordered a pizza and the food was great. Service was good but slow and forgetful. Place was great for ambiance. Overall would love to come back and explore this great location. read more

McMenamins Kennedy School - Principals Special - Hotels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I came to McMenamins about 10 years ago and I specifically remember Kennedy school. This place is so cool!! Seeing all the different rooms and bars is amazing, plus you can book a room here?! How cool! We ended up going to the boiler room bar where they had a special Halloween menu, my family ended up ordering drinks. Seeing the soaking pool was really cool as well. I still can't believe this was a real school at one point. I can't wait to check out more McMenamins next time I visit Portland read more

McMenamins Kennedy School - Boiler room - Hotels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Loved our stay. Alot of the restaurant were closed and we were able to attend drag bingo, but the overall experience was pleasant read more

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I have been here a handful of times for some epic events. I went to the Kennedy School prom twice, seen the Portland Cello Project perform as well here, been to the harvest celebration, dined out at the restaurants and done my time at the "School". Most recently a few weeks ago, - one of my friends had her 50th birthday party celebration at the Kennedy School. Wow, it was impressive. Fancy and way cooler than some weddings. They had live music, a cocktail drink bar, and a Mardi Gras themed buffet. The food was amazing. Some of my friends at the party thought it tasted way better than the food they had in New Orleans. It was so fun. One of the best parties I ever went to. The Jambalaya, beinets, and croquettes were so good. Just an impressive event with amazing planning by everyone. I will always remember it. The food was magnificent. The drinks were spectacular. I thought everything was amazing. Would definitely recommend them for a place to host an event. Always park in the parking lot. Years ago I made the bad decision to park in front and a drunk driver hit the back side of my car and kicked my wheels out of alignment. Be careful. read more

McMenamins Kennedy School - Fancy cocktails during special catered events, this one was Mardi Gras themed - Hotels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This was a fun, friendly, and quirky hotel to stay in. Our kids got such a kick out of the fact that it used to be a real school. We were in the original section, which included chalkboards and chalk. The Courtyard restaurant is great; we ate there twice. We didn't use the amenities this time, but we'd stay here again and would watch a movie in the theater if the film interested us. read more

Overall, it's a very cool place.It literally used to be a school, and they've converted the whole building into multiple restaurants, bars and places to eat. I went there with a friend who lives in portland at the recommendation of the same friends. We went to the basement boiler room, which was a good time. The bartender was very accommodating and made a manhattan.The way that I like it with a twist and not a cherry. He did a great job. The food was a B-. The Hummus plate was pretty good and it had fun things like cheese and grilled pita. The hummus, i'm a little bit of a snob, and I make my own. Definitely worth a trip. read more

Went to see "Elio" at the theater. It was a complimentary invitation event for McMenamins email recipients, with a creator Q & A after. There's a theater bar with a good array of food options like popcorn, sandwiches & pizza. Went for popcorn (super salty!) and a cider. The room is full of mismatched couches and cozy chairs. Found a loveseat toward the front with a table. Settled in for what turned out to be a very entertaining not-just-for-kids flick. The talk after was an enlightening session on how graphics and AI are used. Almost forgot my theater bar stamp but went back, finished up that page and collected a really cute Coffee Roastery Cat mug as a prize. read more

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My girlfriend and I went there for Halloween. Lots of kid made the time there exciting and crowded. A little too much for us.We're over 65.We have enjoyed the hot pool in the past and thought we would try the food.. Maybe some other time. read more

Even though I travel the world touring with "my" artists, this was my first time in Portland, Oregon. Our friends booked us a personal guide (Adam Thorn Smith, highly recommended! ) who showed us around and made Yelp even sent us a message on the day like "wow - you know how to explore all hot spots on one day". This was my first time at a McMenamins place. What a fun place! Loved the ambiance, their food (their Cajun Tater Tots are a must-try), and the service. This will be the #1 spot to visit whenever we return to the area and try out all the little gems inside this gem that were closed during our afternoon visit. Would I do a 30+ min detour to go here (mandatory in my rating scheme to achieve 5 stars)? Oh yes! Next step: get the McMenamins Passport! read more

fish and chips were good and it was very cute inside. the courtyard looked very nice as well.

This place was so friggin cool. This was one of the last places we went to in Portland and I really feel like we need to come back during the day to see how festive it is. Walking around at night was interesting. It felt like an After School night but after finding out that your kid is in danger of failing a certain subject and you need an alcoholic beverage to drink your sorrows away. Enter McMenamins. Every room is something different. Theres multiple different bars for different classrooms. Theres like a movie theatre here and also a swimming pool. Im pretty sure you can stay here too which sounds convenient being close to all the fun stuff. I think they have events periodically too so that probably is pretty convenient. This particular night we just wanted a nice little night cap to unwind and play some cards. We ordered a High Council Furnace and an Apple a Day. Both were pretty tasty. I loved the flavors of the cinnamon and whiskey blending with the apple cider. It was super autumn. It was super clean and relatively quiet when we went too. We just reminisced about our trip while we were there and agreed how theres so much personality to Portland. I mean the fact that some peeps took a school and turned it into an alcoholic haven is mind blowing. And we still didn't see everything there. I can't wait to come back! read more

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The hotel is NOT as advertised. You do not get central heating (and they did not warn us despite calling to make the reservation, the ceilings are also very high, so the little heat provided by their stupid plug-in heater just warms the air above us), the parking is absolute ass, and their solution? Oh- we'll provide you with blankets. Oh sure, those blankets will totally be enough after having to walk half the block in the freezing cold just to get to a damn entrance since 90% of the doors are exit-only. We had such a high expectation from how wonderful other McMenamins locations had been, but this has to be one of my worst hotel experiences. read more

It was a dreary rainy day when we arrived for our stay and it seemed to be affecting the place a bit. Having just come from McMenamins Elks Temple, our expectations were high so there's that! The staff were friendly, some took the time to chat a bit, most others smiled and offered appropriate service. It's an old school so it was expected to be older and have a bit of a repurposed feel to it but it felt a little too worn out and tired. The room was cozy and comfortable with all the amenities as promised including chalk for the chalk board! The choice of restaurants and bars is great and the service in those areas was great! Not gonna lie, we were a bit disappointed that there was only one secret room and it wasn't really that secret! We were looking forward to the promised hidden bar but in fact, it's not hidden at all, it's right there at the main entrance!! All in all, it was definitely a fun overnight stay on our road trip and we'd stay again if we happen to be in the area. read more

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My absolute favorite spot for an adult beverage, a soak in the soaking pool, a nice bite, and then to be on my way... I love the McMenamins properties and this one of my personal faves. Probably because I am a teacher and having a bourbon in the principal's office is a naughty little thing that only fellow teachers will truly understand. I love the school and its unbelievable and delicious bizarreness; I feel at home in the chaos. The pool is crazy easy to reserve online which I love (you can generally see days and times that are pretty clear). My kiddo and I had a full hour to ourselves on an absolute perfect sunny PDX day. We just floated. It was incredible. Really yummy dishes, super nice staff, and one of my favorite vibes in Portland. read more

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We had a conference in the old gym. Great space with a nice outdoor patio area. Also, the food was delicious. We had a sandwich bar but it wasn't a run of the mill sandwich bar; it was super yummy with interesting sauces and flavors. I hope to go back again soon! read more

Great atmosphere and nice bartenders. We got it togo and sat under the outside gazebo with a nice glass of Pinot noir. Recommend the steak wedge salad! read more

Went to pay and they refused to accept my cash. I get that some places have gone cashless but this felt like they didn't trust my money and it should be clear that they don't accept cash if that is the policy. Food good, drinks good, is this place cashless or was my server just rude? Please clarify so I know what to expect because I saw others using cash. read more

So many words to describe McMenamins Kennedy School -- historic, quirky, vintage, old-fashioned, cozy, maybe even haunted? ;) My company booked a conference for our team of 27 here, so I stayed here for 3 nights. I really LOVED this place! Immediately walking in, you can feel the history of the former schoolhouse with the artworks and murals covering the walls. Some artwork might give off a haunted feel, if you're into that stuff ;) Seems like McMenamins is well-known for turning these former buildings into boutique hotels, and I love that they kept so much personality of the buildings. The architecture was very interesting and seems to be remnants of the original building where there are small hallways connecting pairs of rooms that were former classrooms; it's not a huge hotel so has a cozy feel and even has rooms in an adjacent 2-story "English building". Each hotel room has its own original chalkboard or has literary-based decor. Mine had a cute drawing of a horse :) I love the HUGE windows for lots of daylight to stream in. The rooms don't have TVs which may be out of the norm compared to other modern hotels. My company had our small 2-day conference in the Jordan room, which was able to fit our group of 27 nicely. They also provided breakfast and lunch catering - eggs, bacon, pastries, coffee, tacos and sandwiches for lunch, nothing mindblowing but appreciated the service. Again, the room very schoolhouse vibes with chalkboards and nursery rhymes painted on the wall. I checked out a couple other offerings within the hotel. We ate at the Courtyard restaurant a few times, which had a varied menu of entrees. I got fish and chips and a cheeseburger when I visited. I also liked the cider and beer selections! We also visited the Boiler Room Bar after hours a couple of nights, with shuffleboard and pool to entertain us! A few colleagues also visited the soaking pool, a smallish warm pool with jets, located in the middle of the hotel, open to the public as well. It seems to be a popular spot for visitors and locals alike! Lastly, they had a cute photobooth tucked in one of the corners of the hotel, loved getting this little souvenir! So many fun spots within the hotel, it was nice that we didn't have to go far during our stay. Overall, loved it and hope to visit again soon! read more

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Interesting experience at a super unique spot! And friend and I visited for the soaking pool, and we enjoyed the tranquil nature of the space. The pool check-in was simple, and the front desk even offered us free towels since we were visiting town and not prepared with our own. We visited the courtyard bar to grab drinks, and it could've been a one-off experience but the bar tender was dry and acting like she didn't really want to be there. And when I asked for 2 drinks (because I wanted them for my 1-hour pool visit), she dryly relayed that patrons can order only 1 drink at a time. She doesn't make the rules but, whomp. I appreciated the changing area for the pool, but it smelled pretty gross (like urine)..it needed to be thoroughly cleaned. The pool area was lush and calming, and the pool temperature was perfect! One hour was definitely enough to soak in the full effect of the warm water, and while at one point I'd say the pool was at its capacity, it never felt over-crowded. It was overall a cool and nice experience! read more

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We went here Sunday the 23rd for our 40th anniversary. Employees were nice and friendly. We had our two dogs so we could not get a room with a king size bed. I would also check next time to make sure we were not on the street side again. And hearing all the car noise all night long. Also being across from the soaking pool and next to the reception area was not ideal either. Would like to give this place another chance if I can find a dog sitter. read more

McMenamins Kennedy School - Hotels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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It beyond sucked. I wouldn't recommend it at all, I'll be checking out McMenamins edgefield in troutdale in search for a nice pool spot.. but this was no where near worth the 20 minute drive, and $40 reservation for entry for an hour of swim, as soon as we got there I was very upset that this was what I paid for and immediately within 5 minutes of being there, left disappointed. Didn't even try the food that's how much we wanted to leave and the service workers were way more concerned about their pool key card than giving us back our cards of identification, (which was not told to us would be needed for entry so bring id..) than whatever short lived "pool experience" we got, it looks a lot bigger in the pics and even a few small groups of people will make it look and feel crowded and awkward, additionally to add there is the lovely ant trail on the side of the wall.. and dirty pool with a bandaid soaking with me, really adds to the "ambiance" of the whole place. read more

I love the soaking pools! I've never stayed overnight before but I love the soaking. It's so easy to book. The warm is perfect. I got my first ever drink here too. The staff are so nice. It's very rustic vibes. The pool area is nice. Small though. There are hooks for your stuff and lockers. There is a changing room. Bring flip flops. read more

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Attend a company get together that included a nights stay. Our team had the joy to experience the restaurant, bars, and Library meeting room. Where to begin. Let's start with, where else can you roam the high school grounds with a beer in hand. Be sure to bring my swim trunks next trip as I heard great things about the soaking pool. My room was fun. Chose one with bathroom though no desk or space to work. Heck who wants to work when you can enjoy the establishment, food, and beer. Do have to give a shout out to the Boiler Room Bar. Two story bar open in the evening. This is the fun bar with a shuffle board, pinball, and pool table. FYI each bar in here has at least one different beer not served elsewhere. Overall, fun place with history and lots to offer. Had a blast. read more

What a cool place. I've been bringing all my out of state friends to visit and they've all loved it. It's an old school converted into a hotel, multiple bars, theater, and just a generally cool hang out spot. My fav activity is wandering throughout the halls looking at the creepy art and exploring the eclectic bars. They often play both classic and out there movies in their theatre, and serve you hot food options while you're sitting on a sofa. They also have themed weekends (Harry Potter, Lord of the rings) sometimes in case you want to plan ahead. I'll probably be back multiple times next few years with friends. read more

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