Blog, Business Travel, Oregon, Packages & Specials

Image Credit: Travel Portland

USA Today recently announced the results of a study commissioned by the National Business Travel Association that identified the best and worst “tax” cities for travelers in the U.S….and topping the list for Best Tax City? PORTLAND, OREGON!

The study looked at 50 U.S. cities with the most air passengers and calculated that travelers pay not only local sales taxes on goods and services when they go to a U.S. city, but up to 144% more each day they rent a car, stay at a hotel and dine.

Everyone knows this is the place to come for tax free shopping and enjoyment and we are proud to provide a great value to travelers- especially during tough economic times.

The study found that travelers in the worst tax cities pay up to $101 in sales, hotel, rental car and other extra taxes aimed at them on an average three-day domestic trip- but in Portland, Oregon a traveler pays the least amount of taxes — an average of $52.49.

Be sure to read USA Today’s Article Chicago is worst tax city for travelers; best: Portland, Ore. for more information.

With lush scenery, hills, and beautiful summer weather, Oregon is a truly golf lover’s paradise.   While it is enjoyable to play golf year round, summer is our favorite season to tee off and we invite visitors to check out our local courses during your stay.

It is a little known fact that we are located close to some of the finest 18-hole, championship courses and executive nine-hole and public courses in the region.  Here are a couple of recommendations for nearby course, but we recommend visiting the Washington County Oregon Visitor Association’s Golf Guide!  Enjoy!

Golf Courses Close to The Grand Hotel at Bridgeport

Summerfield Golf Club: Summerfield Golf Club is a beautiful executive golf course in a park-like setting with nine holes for a par of 33. The course features a chipping area, putting green, driving range, an on-staff pro, golf cart rentals, and a restaurant and lounge. (503) 620-1200

Tualatin Island Greens Features an impressive driving range, putting course, and Island Grill restaurant. Also offers golf instruction from our PGA Teaching Professionals, along with club fitting and repair services.(503) 691-8400

It is a little known secret that The Grand Hotel at Bridgeport is one of the best options for Group Meetings and events in our area.   Our hotel is ideal for wedding parties, family functions, church, garden tour, wine tour, professional, convention and government groups.  Whatever your needs are, we have  over 2,150 square-feet of flexible meeting space to accommodate your event.

Here are 7 reasons why you should consider hosting your next event with us:

1. Exceptional Services and Amenities

Business, meeting and leisure travelers are frequently impressed with the level of service and amenities our hotel offers:

• A luxurious indoor pool and Fitness center,
• Our spacious and warm hotel lobby- ideal for meeting and socializing,
• Free Covered Parking,
• Free Wifi,
• Free Breakfast Buffet.

2. Location Location Location

We are located across the street from the Bridgeport Village Shopping Center, the Pacific Northwest’s preeminent fashion and lifestyle shopping center. Endless shopping, dining and entertainment options are available for our guests.

We are also less than 30 minutes away from The Portland International Airport (PDX) and a 20 minutes or less to many of Portland, Oregon’s  top attractions.  We are located right off of I-5 and easy to find.  See our map for exact location.

3.  Our full-service, professionally trained staff:

We take a great deal of pride in our outstanding level of customer service.  At every turn, you’ll find uniformly friendly and professional service from our staff at every level.  From the front desk to catering to cleaning and hotel maintenance to management – we are here to serve you!

4.  Our Unique and Sustainable Approach to Banquets & Catering Services

Inspired by sustainable, local farms and ingredients, our on-site catering team brings the Northwest’s freshest seasonal offerings to the table. Select items from our extensive menu or work with our staff to create a customized meal that you and your guests are sure to remember.

4.  Guests Will Be Impressed and Comfortable with their Accommodations

The warm, inviting interior will let your guests know they are staying at a  distinctively different luxury facility.   Each of our over-sized rooms and suites comes standard with leather furniture in the living room area, a working desk and ergonomic office chair, complimentary high-speed Internet access (either hard-wired or wifi), refrigerator, microwave, coffee station complete with organic NW coffee and local teas and a double-sized bathroom complete with a separate shower and tub.

5.  Our New Technology Equipment and Outstanding Staff to Assist with all Needs

The Grand Hotel can provide:
• LCD Projectors
• Screens
• Plasma Television
• Wireless Microphones and House Sound
• DVD/VCR Players
• Flip Charts and Whiteboards
• Speakerphones

6.  Flexible and Impressive Meeting Spaces:

Here is a description of the meeting rooms we have available- click on the link to each room for additional  information:

Bridgeport Room
The Bridgeport Room offers 1,750 square feet of flexible meeting space, perfect for your next special event. In the summer months, open the French doors for access to almost 600 additional square feet on our stone patio.

Breakfast Room
Available in the afternoon and evening, our Breakfast Room is perfect for casual luncheons, dinners and social events. The Breakfast Room features 1,650 square feet of meeting space on an as-is basis.

Board Room
At 415 square feet, our Executive Board Room is ideal for board meetings, breakout sessions and workshops. Located past our lobby on the first floor, the Board Room offers natural lighting and plenty of privacy.

7.  We are a “Green Hotel”

Our company engages in sustainable practices in everyday operations, and strives to do business with other companies who share dedication to “green” business practices.  A few of our green operational practices include:

• Use 100% recycled paper for all printed material
• Utilize Earth friendly cleaning solutions
• Installation of earth friendly drainage systems
• Energy Star appliances used throughout the hotel
• Sleeping room towel and linen program
• Recycling in all guest rooms as well as public areas
• Use of compact fluorescent light bulb throughout the hotel

Please contact our Special Events Coordinator for more information.  Call us at 503-968-5757 or toll free at 866-968-5757 and ask for “Special Events”….

Bridgeport Village Recommends Relaxing and Pampering at Coldwater Creek ~ The Spa in Bridgeport Village

We love being a part of this unique and special community that attracts thousands of visitors each year. As members of the Bridgeport community, we are knowledgeable about the surrounding businesses and are happy to make recommendations to our guests to make their visit with us even better.

Many of our guests are here for special events such as weddings or reunions and/or business travel and they want to know of the best place to unwind and indulge in a little pampering after a long day. I usually recommend our indoor pool and spa of course, but sometimes a visit to Coldwater Creek ~ The Spa in Bridgeport Village will certainly do the trick! Their customers appreciate the soothing ambiance and their special attention to detail.

The spa is located across the street and around the corner from the Coldwater Creek store in Bridgeport Village…though we are just steps away, Bridgeport Village has abundant public parking.  Visit the Coldwater Creek ~ The Spa Website for a list of services or call 1-503-598-0524 to set up an appointment and enjoy your experience!

Got a local business to recommend that we share with our guests? Let us know! Email us at reservations@grandhotelbridgeport.com or share your idea on our Facebook Page!

Since opening in August of last year, many of our guests have praised us for providing Free Wi-Fi.  I have heard time and time again how they are fed up with being charged extra fees so they may access their wireless Internet (sometimes as much as $14.00 a day!!).   In fact, we are hearing more and more that Free Wi-Fi is one of the services our guests value the most.

The costs of providing wireless Internet have come down- it simply does not make sense to nickel and dime our guests….or make them join some Loyalty program or jump through hoops.  From the beginning, our hotel has been committed to providing our guests with the most luxurious and comfortable accommodations in the area- and this means Free Wi-Fi .

The article Business travelers winning battle for free hotel Internet access in USA Today by Barbara DeLollis posted last month addresses  this issue:

More business travelers are getting what they say they want most from hotels: free Internet access in their rooms……Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst at Forrester Research, says that it’s time for hotels to drop Internet charges. ”Hotels realize that companies and individuals are fed up with paying extra for Wi-Fi,” he says. “Consumers are smart enough to know the cost of providing it has come down.”

Thoughts from The Grand Hotel at Bridgeport General Manager Josh Sanders….

An interesting article came out just this week in the New York Times that addresses a question that many of us in the travel industry get all the time!!   With the emergence of new technologies- is it better to plan your vacation or business trip online or by printed guidebooks?

I myself am an online planner kind of person…. I want access to the most current up to the second news and reviews on a particular establishment. I never leave to go to a restaurant before I check out reviews and see if I can find an online coupon.

But there is something to be said for checking out a trusted travel book from the Library or ordering a copy to keep. The article mentions Frommers Guides which has always been a beloved travel book for me- and the book often can serve as a souvenier- to remember your trip.

This article suggests there is value in utilizing both. So I encourage those of you who are strictly online people to also check out a guide book…or one of Portland’s many travel magazines to take with you on your journey. And those who only use guide books- you may be missing out on some very interesting information and deals when you ignore online travel sites like Yahoo Travel or TripAdvisor (one of our favorite sources!).

Read exerts from the article and let us know what you think! Tell us what tools do you use to plan your trips?

From: Travel Sites or Guidebooks: Why Not Dip Into Both?

By JOE SHARKEY
Published: February 15, 2010

WHERE do you turn when you’re looking for reliable, practical travel information? A printed guide with a well-established brand and a $19.95 price tag? An online review site with millions of opinions, mostly anonymous? Or an online site that hires reporters who visit hotels and post hundreds of photos?

The answer is all of the above, because none alone is enough, and each has unique virtues.

Most travelers I know use the sprawling TripAdvisor.com sites, which claim 30 million reviews and posts from everyday readers in all areas of travel, including hotels. But they don’t use them exclusively. The same person who may browse through 75 reader reviews of a particular hotel may then also click over to a competing site, IgoUgo.com, which is less expansive but offers user-generated travel blogs, reviews and forums, some copiously illustrated.

Of course, the online sites offer immediacy, a distinct advantage over traditional printed guidebooks, which contain hotel, restaurant and other service information that is usually at least a year old but which are written and edited to professional standards…….

In surveys, TripAdvisor found disdain for information in printed travel guidebooks, and not a lot of faith in the established travel media, he said. “When we asked the question, ‘Would you prefer the opinion of one professional travel writer or 100 ordinary travelers,’ almost without exception, everybody said they preferred the 100 ordinary travelers,” he said.

Is there a future for the general travel guidebooks, whether it’s the hearty veterans like Frommer’s or Fodor’s, or the younger guides like Lonely Planet?

Of course, said Jason Clampet, the senior online editor at Frommers.com. The Web site has carried the content of the print Frommer’s guides for about eight years, he said, along with unique online features. “We haven’t seen any cannibalization of our print product,” he said. Whether online or offline, readers “turn to both user-generated and professional content when making decisions.”

That is what Susan Toby Evans, an anthropology professor at Pennsylvania State University, said she does when traveling or planning a trip. The Web is the best source of hotel, restaurant and other timely, practical information, but she said she usually packed a DK travel guide. “They deliver insights about the landscape/cityscape and main features in a format that no e-reader could match,” she said in an e-mail message.

Mr. Seidman at Oyster said he had been thinking about the virtues of print guidebooks, and weighing them against the disadvantages, including that many were cumbersome to carry.

He said he figured a focused, custom-made guide with the features Ms. Evans likes in print should run about 50 pages. “Why couldn’t you just collate the information specific for any trip and put it in a PDF?” he asked.

I was thrilled to discover MeetingsNet.com earlier this month, a wonderful resource for Meeting and Event professionals to network and find the latest industry news and information.  If you have not had an opportunity to explore their site, I highly recommend doing so.

I appreciate their articles for planners that provide sound advice and tips on locating and managing the most ideal venues for their event.  The first step is for planners to identify their objectives.  Here are is a list of excellent questions to ask directly from an article written by Wesley Harrington and Hugh K. Lee: Setting Objectives Before You Select a Site

There are 10 main things to consider when setting meeting goals:

1. What is the purpose of the meeting? Can we create a clear written statement of why this event is to be conducted? Does it agree with the top priorities of our organization?

2. Can we establish quantifiable goals for this event and clear thresholds of achievement by which we can determine its success? Make the objective specific, measurable, attainable and realistic, relevant, and time-based.

3. Whom are we trying to attract? Identify all stakeholders in the meeting (attendees, organization leaders, facilities professionals, etc.), and set priorities. Which group’s needs come first?

4. What do I want attendees to remember most about the event? Can we summarize the experiences our attendees should have?

5. What can prior history teach us about this meeting? Is there information that would be useful to us in determining the potential for success – or failure – of this meeting?

6. Who else has conducted the same type of meeting, and what can we learn from their experiences? Talking with meeting planning peers can be a big help in setting effective and realistic goals.

7. Do we have the resources necessary to achieve our goals? Can we successfully conduct the event with the staff we have, or do we need to consider outsourcing part or all of it? How much can we rely on volunteers, and how will we go about recruiting them?

8. Have we sought input and commitment from our staff? Have we asked previous attendees for their comments and suggestions?

9. How will we reach our intended audience? What type of marketing and promotion will we do to spread the word about the event?

10. How will we monitor and determine the success of this effort? Develop measurement tools that address the pre-meeting process, all on-site meeting elements, and the various post-meeting outcomes.

Unless you are living under a rock, you have heard that the airline security scare from last month has caused even more safety restrictions to air travel and is testing the patience of business travelers throughout the world.  On one hand, of course we want to do everything we can to support new ways to prevent violent and hostile acts to air travel- but the downside is these new measures will likely burden an already stressed travel industry.

Most airline passengers are frustrated by the new measures- but are willing to tolerate new restrictions if officials think they will keep them safer. Here are some of examples of what we may see for a while:

Airport police operating checkpoints for vehicles entering International Airports; Extra screening and new limits on carry-on luggage from Aviation security officials; Extra long security lines; Increased police patrols at checkpoints and screening stations at the airport; and less freedom to move around the airplane during flight.

It is unknown how long the measures would be in effect and the limits could vary from airport to airport.   Here are some of our suggestions to prevent additional headaches:

Be Prepared!! Review and/or familiarize yourself with the most recent TSA Guidelines before entering the airport by going to their site and following their Travel Assistant tips.   This section does a great job addressing many air travel questions including:

* The Screening Experience
* Dress the Part
* What You Need
* Do I Have to Remove My Shoes?
* Keep Your Experience Simple
* Travel Tips to Make Your Screening Experience Hassle-Free
* Know What to Expect

PACK LIGHTLY & BE PREPARED TO BE SEARCHED: After reviewing these guidelines- pack as lightly as possible and be prepared for your items to be searched- and possibly searched again.  The closer you can stay within the TSA guidelines- the easier it will be for you to get through airport security and on your way.   If you are delayed due to increased screening procedures- remember that it is nothing personal, it is their job to do this and keep all passengers safe.  Most travelers I talk to pack for their journey a day ahead of time so they are not rushed or frantic while packing (making it lightly they will forget some of the travel guidelines).

Check Your Flight Status Before You Leave for The Airport! Go to your airline’s Website or contact their customer service prior to

ARRIVE REALLY EARLY- I know this sounds like common sense, but you would not believe how many passengers find themselves in a pinch or experience unnecessary stress because they have failed to arrive with enough time to check in and move through security.  You must plan to arrive early to make your flying experience more enjoyable.  At this time- the TSA recommends passengers arrive 3 hours prior to their flight for all domestic flights. If you find that you have allowed too much time- enjoy a book or a favorite magazine and be grateful you are not in jeopardy of missing your flight.

Be Patient!  Be Polite! Please do not make things worse for other passengers by expressing your frustration at the new security measures.   If nothing else, think of the excellent service and luxurious accommodations you will be receiving once you arrive in our hotel- visualize yourself relaxing in our Grand Lobby…In all seriousness- as I stated before-  do not take it personally if you are subject to increased searches or delays due to heightened security.  It is a small price to pay for safety.

Here are some additional statements from the TSA:

Q: What additional security measures is TSA taking domestically?
A: TSA has a layered approach to security that allows us to surge resources as needed on a daily basis. We have the ability to quickly implement additional screening measures including explosive detection canine teams, law enforcement officers, gate screening, behavior detection and other measures both seen and unseen. Passengers should not expect to see the same thing at every airport.

Q: What additional security measures are being taken for international flights to U.S. destinations?
A: TSA issued a directive for additional security measures to be implemented for last point of departure international flights to the United States. Passengers flying into the United States from abroad can expect to see additional security measures at international airports such as increased gate screening including pat-downs and bag searches. During flight, passengers will be asked to follow flight crew instructions, such as stowing personal items, turning off electronic equipment and remaining seated during certain portions of the flight.

Q: Do passengers need to do anything differently to prepare for checkpoint security procedures? Has anything changed in terms of what passengers can bring in their carry-on or checked bags?
A: At this time, security checkpoint requirements for passengers departing U.S. airports remain the same. Passengers do not need to do anything differently, but they may notice additional security measures at the airport.

Q: Should passengers plan to arrive at airports earlier than normal?
A: Passengers traveling within the United States should give themselves extra time to check in and proceed through the security checkpoint before their flight, especially during the busy holiday travel season. TSA advises that passengers traveling on international flights to U.S. destinations allow extra time for security and arrive an additional hour earlier.

Q. How long will these measures remain in place?
A: TSA will continuously review these measures to ensure the highest levels of security.

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I recently came across this fantastic video highlighting Portland, Oregon from Travel Portland and had to share on our blog.  This fast paced video demonstrates the diverse activities in this area- from the hustle and bustle of downtown Portland to the serene natural surroundings in areas like the Oregon Coast, Columbia Gorge and more.  TravelPortland.com is a great resource for visitors to plan their trips to Oregon with a wealth of information on events, attractions and other tips.

If you have not visited Portland before, this piece shows you what you are missing and will likely entice you to check it out!  Portland and the surrounding area is actually a great place to visit AND live (a rare combination!)  Enjoy!

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