Cascada Thermal Springs Hotel, Portland, Oregon: T+L’s first in hotel review

Nowadays, any hotel that has a spa refers to itself as a “wellness location.” Cascada Thermal Springs + hotel in Portland’s Alberta Arts District feels like a well-deserved “wellness destination.” After checking in on a rainy, cold spring evening in Portland I lay flat on my back, lit by lanterns in a room with a dozen people who had come from the outside. Together, we felt like we were transforming to another dimension as our practitioner. Stephanie StarnesThe combination of crystal singing cups, gongs, her own melodic vocals, and other instruments created a high-vibration sound bath that exceeded anything I have ever experienced before. (And I’ve been doing sound baths for a long time.)

Cascada offers a variety of health and wellness classes, such as yoga, guided breathing work and meditation, pilates and high intensity interval training. Cascada is located in one of the most vibrant areas of the city, but it feels like you are in a wilderness retreat, away from the frantic pace of city life. That feeling is also largely thanks to the property’s centerpiece: The thermal springs and spa, a vast, two-floor collection of pools, saunas, and treatment rooms, which can easily take up a half-day if guests partake in the full hydrotherapy circuit of differing soaks and temperature-controlled plunges.

“This is our first hotel project,” says Danya Feltzin, executive vice president of SolTerra, a Pacific Northwest–based company that initially focused on alternative energy, on a tour of the new LEED platinum–certified building. Cascada’s location is different from most high-end hotel in Portland. Most are located downtown. The people passing by the building are mostly locals. “We did not want to feel isolated from the local community,” Feltzin explains. Indeed, I noticed that most people in the large lobby area were Portlanders, who were either meeting up with their friends, having meetings or grabbing a cup of coffee between appointments.

By the time I checked out a few days later, after chatting with a handful small business owners that run the cafés and art galleries lining Alberta Street, I was all-in on the boutique feel of Cascada. You will leave feeling centered after amazing sound healing sessions or meditations, and spending hours in a series of otherworldly therapeutic baths and swimming pools. You’ll also love its minimalist interiors, which are beautifully designed. After staying in a hotel that is embraced by its neighbors, you will also feel like you have a better understanding of Portland.

What’s it like to stay in Cascada?

The Rooms

I was lucky to snag a two-bedroom suite on the fourth floor, which felt like my very own apartment—a feeling that’s heightened by the views over the Alberta Arts District, with no other hotels in the immediate surroundings, only charming craftsman homes and the lovely indie businesses that line Alberta Street. There is a strong sustainability element in the hotel, with the use of timber ceilings, cork-upholstered furniture, organic cotton and wool, king size mattresses, and limestone plaster walls. Even the rooms in the lowest category come with washer/dryers and kitchenettes, which is a nice feature for guests who prefer to cook themselves or stay for an extended period of time. The bathroom, with its slate gray stone slabs, deep soaking bathtub, and natural botanical-scented shampoo and body wash, was an absolute delight.

Food and Drink

Cascada eventually will have four food and beverage outlets. However, during my visit only two were available: Terra Mae was the hotel’s main restaurant, while Alberta Street Coffee was a casual cafe in the lobby. Terra Mae’s lively dining room was full of hotel guests, as well local Portlanders (clearly tables were in high demand). The theme of the restaurant is Japanese-Portuguese fusion. (The Portuguese were the first Europeans who reached Japan in the 16th century.) Among the best dishes I had was a Fisherman’s Stew made with black cod and miso with tiger shrimps and clams.

Alberta Street Coffee was great to get a caffeine fix in the morning, and then grab the nutritious, high-protein sandwiches and bowls for lunch. (In line with their wellness philosophy, they don’t use seed oils in the food preparation).

Activities and Experiences

The thermal springs, saunas and underground pools (called The Sanctuary by the hotel) were the highlight of my Cascada stay. Initially, I was only going to use them once. But I loved them so much that I went twice. Before you reach the subterranean area, The Conservatory is another popular hangout. It’s an 82-degree tropical space with a pool, a living wall of 25 feet, and rare flora that was curated with the Portland Botanical Garden. This area, enclosed in energy-producing glass that allows natural light to flood in, is a social, sunny place. It’s a contrast to The Sanctuary, where phones and conversation are prohibited to create a peaceful, quiet atmosphere. On my visits it seemed that the majority were locals, including couples and friends. This further proved my guess that Cascada could be a neighborhood hangout just as well as a luxury hotel. Later this year, Cascada will open an outdoor thermal pool.

Elsewhere, there are two large, bright and airy gyms—one for strength training and one for cardio, both using TechnoGym equipment.

One of the best things to do is just outside your door. Walk down Alberta Street for about 20 blocks to experience the vibrant, creative Portland neighborhood. (My favorite was VivienneA shop that specializes in cookbooks.

The Spa

The subterranean level also contains rooms for massages and facials. It’s popular to jump straight from a few soaking hours and sauna sessions to a meeting with a facialist or therapist. Massages are tailored to each person and can include deep tissue massage, Swedish massage, or aromatherapy. (Add-ons such as CBD, hot salt stone, and botanicals sourced ethically are also available). Before my facial, I talked to my aesthetician in detail about my skin concerns, my preferred aspect of a face-lift (a scalp massage) and my personal preferences. She delivered. Like my sound bath, I’ve had plenty of massages and facials — the ones at Cascada were some of the best.

Offers for Families

While the larger apartment-style guest rooms can be great for families who want more of a residential experience while staying in Portland (the ability to cook in the kitchenette and the washer/dryers are major bonuses), it should be noted that The Conservatory and The Sanctuary—Cascada’s major draws—are for those 21 years of age and older.

Accessibility and sustainability

The hotel is fully accessible, and the sustainability bona fides are many: Cascada is only the second LEED platinum-certified hotel on the west coast, and its environmentally-friendly elements range from the “green” roof (which supports biodiversity, and extends roof longevity while growing herbs and vegetables for the on-site restaurant) to the rainwater harvesting, which supplies 15 percent of the hotel’s annual sanitary water use. Three living walls, each with almost 1,000 plants on them, improve air quality and regulate indoor temperatures.

Location

Cascada’s location in the Alberta Arts District is one of its biggest advantages. You get a real sense of how Portland is for locals. The hotel is located on Alberta Street in the Alberta Arts District. This area has many independent restaurants, cafés, bars and bookstores. It’s easy to spend a whole weekend without a car because everything you need is within walking distance. The area was lively and vibrant, even on the few chilly days that I visited. This is due to the pedestrian traffic and the people who were enjoying the local businesses. Portland’s international airport is also only a 20-minute drive away.

How to make the most of your stay

We are an independent hotel. Cascada It is not a part of any loyalty programs. Hotel guests receive a discount on the use of baths, which is an extra fee. Doubles starting at $299 per night.