A former sailor's lodge was overhauled to create this boutique hotel in downtown Portland, Oregon, which includes hostel-style bunkbeds and compact rooms, aimed at design-conscious travellers on a budget.

Located in Portland's Old Town Chinatown, The Society Hotel occupies a cast-iron front building, built in 1881. It was previously used as a hotel for mariners, a hospital and then a Chinese dance hall, but it was abandoned in 1975 and its interiors fell into disrepair.

Matt Siegel, a local building contractor specialising in historic preservation, teamed up with friends Jessie Burke and Jonathan Cohen, and colleague Gabe Genauer, to transform the building into a hotel ? with more reasonable prices than local competitors.
"Our aim was to create a unique experience in hospitality in a historic building," Siegel told Dezeen. "We wanted to appeal to adventurous travellers of all ages and to offer a high-quality product on a budget."
"As Portland grows into an internationally recognised destination, affordable lodging is being pushed to its perimeters," he explained. "The Society Hotel is here to fill the gap with low hotel rates and a preserved piece of Portland history in the heart of downtown."
"Lovingly curated as an experiential space for visitors, it brings easy access to the city's exciting downtown, and surrounding neighbourhoods to a whole new group of travellers."

Local firm Integrate Architecture wa...