Hilton Portland Hotel
A landmark Hilton hotel complex in downtown Portland, Oregon, consisting of the original Hilton Portland tower and the separately branded Duniway Hotel.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Hilton Portland Hotel is a downtown Portland, Oregon, hotel complex associated with the Hilton brand. Its principal building is a 22-story tower completed in 1962 and formally dedicated in May 1963. At 240 feet, or approximately 73 meters, it became Portland's tallest building during construction and held that distinction for about three years, until the Harrison West Condominium Tower surpassed it in 1965. The tower was designed and built as a large convention-oriented hotel at a time when Portland was expanding its downtown visitor and business infrastructure. The original property opened with 500 guest rooms, five restaurants and bars, and nine meeting rooms. Its scale and facilities positioned it as a major lodging and events venue rather than simply a neighborhood hotel. The building was constructed by Andersen–Westfall. Work was temporarily disrupted in April 1962 by a region-wide Carpenters Union strike, which included picketing at the construction site. After the upper full floor was completed in August 1962, the structure had reached approximately 229 feet and was already taller than Portland's Public Service Building; a penthouse was planned to bring the final height to approximately 249 feet. The property was dedicated with a ceremony attended by Hilton founder Conrad Hilton, U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield, and Portland Mayor Terry Schrunk. The complex later expanded through a second tower at 545 S.W. Taylor Street, located diagonally across from the original building. Completed in 2002, the 20-story building was initially called the Hilton Executive Tower. In 2017, following a substantial renovation, it reopened under the name The Duniway Hotel while retaining a Hilton affiliation. The name honors Abigail Scott Duniway, a Portland-based women's-rights advocate and newspaper editor. Ownership of the hotel complex changed several times. Hilton Hotels sold the property in 2005 to Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors for $83.9 million. Cornerstone sold it in 2012 to Walton Street Capital and Lodging Capital Partners for approximately $100 million. In 2015, Walton Street sold the complex for $270 million to Brookfield Property Partners and an unnamed partner. A renovation of both buildings began in 2016, with the Executive Tower temporarily closed before its conversion and rebranding as The Duniway. The combined complex contains 782 rooms, making it one of Portland's largest hotels and, according to the referenced account, the city's largest hotel by room count. The original tower omits a thirteenth floor. The property serves accommodation, meetings, conventions, dining, and business-travel needs in central Portland, while its two-building configuration combines the historic Hilton Portland tower with the more individually positioned Duniway Hotel.
History
The Hilton Portland Hotel originated as a major downtown Portland development intended to provide a large convention and business hotel for Oregon's largest city. The original tower was built by Andersen–Westfall and reached its upper full floor in August 1962. At that stage it stood approximately 229 feet tall, making it higher than the Public Service Building and temporarily the tallest structure in Portland. The planned penthouse brought the completed building to roughly 249 feet, or about 240 feet in the commonly cited building measurement. Construction was interrupted in April 1962 by a regional Carpenters Union strike, during which union workers picketed the site. The $12.5 million hotel was dedicated in May 1963 in a ceremony attended by Conrad Hilton, U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield, and Portland Mayor Terry Schrunk. The property opened with 500 rooms, five restaurants and bars, and nine meeting rooms. Its room count and event facilities reflected a deliberate convention-center role, and its tower became a prominent part of the city's skyline. It remained Portland's tallest building for three years before being overtaken by the Harrison West Condominium Tower in 1965. The original structure does not contain a thirteenth floor. A second tower was completed in 2002 at 545 S.W. Taylor Street, diagonally across from the original building. It was initially operated as the Hilton Executive Tower, creating a two-building Hilton complex in downtown Portland. The additional tower expanded the property's room capacity and allowed the operation to serve a wider range of lodging and meeting requirements. The complex changed ownership several times while continuing to operate under Hilton-related branding. In 2005, Hilton Hotels sold the two-building property to Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors LLC for $83.9 million. Cornerstone sold it in 2012 to Walton Street Capital and Lodging Capital Partners for approximately $100 million. In 2015, Walton Street sold the hotel complex to Brookfield Property Partners and an unnamed partner for $270 million. These transactions reflected the property's value as a large, centrally located hospitality asset rather than a change in its core hotel function. A renovation of both buildings began in 2016. The Executive Tower was temporarily closed during the work and reopened in June 2017 as The Duniway Hotel. The new name was selected to honor Abigail Scott Duniway, an early women's-rights advocate and newspaper editor associated with Portland. Although separately named, The Duniway retained a Hilton affiliation, leaving the overall complex connected to Hilton's distribution and hospitality system. Together, the two towers contain 782 rooms, making the complex one of Portland's largest hotel operations and, in the cited account, the largest hotel in the city by room count. Its current identity combines the historic Hilton Portland Downtown building with the independently named Duniway property. The complex continues to focus on downtown lodging, conventions, meetings, dining, and business and leisure travel.
- 2017
Executive Tower becomes The Duniway
[1]The renovated second tower reopened in June under the Duniway name while retaining its Hilton affiliation.
- 2016
Two-building renovation begins
[1]Renovation work began across the original Hilton building and the Executive Tower.
- 2015
Sale to Brookfield Property Partners
[1]Walton Street sold the complex to Brookfield Property Partners and an unnamed partner.
- 2012
Sale to Walton Street and Lodging Capital Partners
[1]Cornerstone sold the property to Walton Street Capital and Lodging Capital Partners.
- 2005
Sale to Cornerstone
[1]Hilton Hotels sold the two-building complex to Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors LLC.
- 2002
Executive Tower completed
[1]A 20-story second tower was completed at 545 S.W. Taylor Street and initially operated as the Hilton Executive Tower.
- 1965
Original tower loses Portland height record
[1]The Hilton Portland ceased to be the city's tallest building when the Harrison West Condominium Tower surpassed it.
- 1963
Hilton Portland dedicated
[1]The $12.5 million hotel was dedicated in May with 500 rooms, five restaurants and bars, and nine meeting rooms.
- 1962
Original tower reaches its full upper floor
[1]The original 22-story tower reached its top full floor in August and became Portland's tallest building during construction. A Carpenters Union strike had interrupted work earlier that year.
Products and positioning
An upscale, convention-oriented downtown hotel complex serving business travelers, meetings, events, and visitors to Portland.
Hotel accommodation and conventions · 1963
Hilton Portland Downtown
The original 22-story downtown tower, completed in 1962 and dedicated in 1963, is the historic core of the complex. It opened with 500 rooms, five restaurants and bars, and nine meeting rooms. The building was conceived as a large convention-oriented hotel and remains associated with Hilton's downtown Portland lodging and events offering. Its architecture and height made it a notable Portland landmark during the 1960s.
Hotel accommodation · 2017
The Duniway Hotel
The 20-story tower at 545 S.W. Taylor Street was completed in 2002 as the Hilton Executive Tower. Following renovation work that began in 2016, it reopened in June 2017 as The Duniway Hotel. The name commemorates Abigail Scott Duniway, a Portland women's-rights advocate and newspaper editor. The property retained a Hilton affiliation after the rebranding.
Events and hospitality services · 1963
Meeting and convention facilities
The complex was designed to support conventions and business events. At its original opening it included nine meeting rooms, complementing the large guest-room inventory, restaurants, and bars. Meeting and event capacity is a central part of the property's downtown business-travel positioning.
Brand decisions
2017
Rebrand the Executive Tower as The DuniwayStrategyBackground
The second tower had operated as the Hilton Executive Tower since its completion in 2002. During a renovation of both buildings, the operator chose to give the tower a distinct identity tied to Portland history.
Action taken
The tower reopened in June 2017 as The Duniway Hotel, named for Abigail Scott Duniway, while maintaining its Hilton affiliation.
Aftermath
The complex continued as a two-tower Hilton-affiliated operation, combining the Hilton Portland Downtown building with the separately named Duniway property.
2016
Begin renovation of both towersStrategyBackground
The two-building complex required modernization after the original tower's long operating history and the second tower's operation as the Executive Tower.
Action taken
Renovation work began across both buildings, with the Executive Tower temporarily closed during the project.
Aftermath
The second tower reopened in 2017 with the Duniway name and continued Hilton affiliation.
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