The Nordic, conveniently located at 11942 NE Sandy Blvd., is a real motel. Beware. If you're one of those
Westworld yuppies looking for the "authentic" motel experience in your la-de-da boutique hotel replication of the motel experience, you're barking up the wrong pinetree, mate. The Nordic is the real deal.
Don't let the five digit address scare you. While residing out PAST the airport, the Nordic puts you in position to explore the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Hood, and get out of town fast to the east, should that be necessary. And it's not all that far to the city center, either, by car. Portland is a miniature town, so nothing is far away. Lately, travel guides would have you believing that random bands of vigilante bicyclers will stop your car and beat you to death with bike chains, but that is just not true. A car is a fine way to get around, just so you take it easy-- there ARE a lot of people riding bikes! Also, it's recommended that you use a good street map or GPS, because Portland streets have a way of suddenly becoming one way, turning ninety degrees, or just ending in someone's compost pile. And while there are a multitude of bridges that cross the Willamette River, there are very few crossings of the Banfield Expressway, the river-like stretch of dreaded I-84 that divebombs in on downtown from the east before its last minute bailout on I-5 north and south. The Banfield effectively separates Portland (the part east of the river) from north and south (much more in reality than Burnside Street, which is the border for street designations, NE and SE), and never the twain shall meet.
As illustrated by the empty toilet paper roll, don't expect to be pampered within an inch of your life at the Nordic. There is no French speaking "concierge" to act like your mommy. Getting the wrapper off that little bar of hotel soap was one of the ten hardest things I've had to do in my life. My room did, however, feature a beautiful, clean fullsize stove and refrigerator, though curiously enough, no utensils, pots, pans, cups, plates, or cheese graters (thus explaining how it was kept so clean). Fortunately, I always travel with a complete set of Cuisinart Chef's Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized Cookware, so I was able to prepare an occasional meal. Portland has more than a few noteworthy restaurants, so you may not want to cook in your room at all. But if you do, there are fantastic grocery stores a short drive away, and a Big Kmart practically in your backyard if you are missing any essentials, like salt or Flav-R-Ice. Anyway, come prepared to the Nordic. And NO CRYBABIES!
The shower is just adequate, but the shower curtain, one that bows out from the tub, is top of the line. There is an air-conditioning unit, but you might want to open the window for some of that fresh Northwest air. The window opens just far enough to not admit the neighborhood meth addicts, except ones with very small heads, so you might want to lock the windows while sleeping. Speaking of which, if the sound of the ever present air ratchet from the Bob Brown Tire Center next door doesn't relax you, there are frequent freight trains passing just on the other side of Sandy Blvd. Personally, I sleep well to sounds of industry and machines, though not so much to police detectives knocking on the door, During my stay, there was a homicide just behind the motel, and I was questioned at 4am. Not to make light of such a tragedy, it did lend a
Twin Peaks flavor to my stay, along with the trees topiaried into strange ball shapes, and the young woman sitting in front of her room in a plastic chair with a cigarette and a diet Coke, reading Cormac McCarthy's
The Road.
The Nordic Motel is located in Portland's "Park Rose" district, perhaps thus named because it's a rare neighborhood that has few parks or roses. Well, there are roses. There are roses everywhere. For onion rings, there's a Burgerville just to the south on NE 122nd, along with a Post Office for mailing your postcards. There is a very good drive-up coffee place right across the street from the motel. If you head west on Sandy Blvd, then you'll quickly encounter more cheap motels, in some of which you might find things not recommended here. There's a few taco joints and sports bars, and then an Elmer's, which is a western family restaurant chain, and recommended over Perkins and Denny's (but then, what isn't). And then lying before you, the whole city of Portland to explore.
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