Icelandic social hotel concept KEX is set to launch its maiden U.S. property in Portland, Oregon next month within a restored 1912 landmark. Designer Hálfdan Pedersen is spearheading the hotel’s functional interiors, conceived to evoke the woodland aesthetic of the Pacific Northwest. The 152 guestrooms of KEX Portland will comprise both private and shared configurations to accommodate solo travelers and families.
All guestrooms and public spaces at the hotel will be decorated with repurposed furnishings that are installed alongside pieces from European and African locales to compose an eclectic look, while also echoing the ethos of Portland by weaving in Nordic principles of sustainability.
Set to open on its ground floor, Vivian will be the signature restaurant of the new KEX location. In addition, flexible, 850-square-foot event space and a modular music venue will be featured on the property’s lower level.
