Greetings from Portland, Oregon. Below is an update on the area's newest travel-related developments. We hope you will find this information useful. If you prefer not to receive future media updates on Portland, you may unsubscribe here.

• Luxury Travel: Resort at The Mountain Opens Luxury Spa
• Accessible Travel: Wheelchair Destinations DVD Profiles Portland
• Green Travel: Mark Spencer Hotel Achieves Green Seal Certification

The Resort at The Mountain, a golf–ski–dining destination situated on the western slopes of Mount Hood (50 miles from downtown Portland), has opened a new luxury spa. The addition of the spa to the resort’s facilities is part of the property’s recent $14 million renovation and expansion. The Spa (its proper name) combines natural elements found in mountain flora with the healing traditions of indigenous cultures. These elements are reflected in such treatments as the Salmon River Rock Massage, Purifying Green Tea Facial, Alpine Purification Body Polish, Himalayan Salt Exfoliation and Earth Cocoon Body Wrap.

The full–service, 3,500–square–foot spa features seven treatment rooms, including three massage rooms, a skin–care treatment room, a wet treatment room with Vichy shower, a deluxe doubles room with two–person soaking tub, and a manicure/pedicure room. Also on–site are separate steam rooms for men and women, a garden reflection area and a distinctive water feature symbolic of northwest Oregon’s many waterfalls.

Located 15–35 miles from Mount Hood’s major ski areas (Timberline, Skibowl and Mt. Hood Meadows), the 300–acre resort is a magnet for winter sports enthusiasts. During the spring, summer and early fall, the 27–hole golf course, croquet grounds, new 18–hole putting course and outdoor pool are prime draws. For more information on The Resort at The Mountain, visit www.theresort.com.

Media Contact
Sarah Biggerstaff, Richmond Public Relations
206.682.6979
sarahb@richmondpr.com

Most guidebooks, travel DVDs and brochures employ a wheelchair symbol to indicate that an attraction, hotel, restaurant, etc. is accessible. But just how accessible is accessible? The symbol won’t tell you that the wheelchair ramp is so steep that it can only be used by power chairs. Or that the entry doors are too narrow to accommodate larger wheelchairs. Or that the paths are graveled. But Wheelchair Destinations, a first–of–its–kind video destination guide, will.

The pilot for the Wheelchair Destinations series highlights Portland and the surrounding region, including the Pacific coast towns of Seaside and Cannon Beach, the Columbia River Gorge, Mount St. Helens and other nearby locales. In the DVD, host John Williams, a wheelchair traveler himself, employs a scaled rating system to give travelers a better idea as to the challenges they may face. Attractions with a 5 rating are the most easily accessible; those with a 1 rating aren’t recommended without a power chair that can tackle steep inclines and unpaved paths.

Like other destination videos, Wheelchair Destinations’ Portland DVD includes lots of scenic footage and great cinematography, making the video enjoyable for everyone – wheelchair user or not. And Williams, a successful radio personality, has both the voice and the enthusiasm to serve as an engaging host/guide. With the Portland DVD now launched, Williams and his partners are currently working toward creating guides for other destinations.

For more information on Wheelchair Destinations, visit www.wheelchairdestinations.com.

Media Contact
John Williams, Wheelchair Destinations
503.936.0737
john@wheelchairdestinations.com

The Mark Spencer Hotel is the most recent Portland property to achieve Green Seal status. In September 2009, the hotel received its Green Seal Environmental Standard for Lodging Properties – Silver certification from Green Seal, an independent, nonprofit organization that gives its imprimatur to lodging properties that meet stringent environmental standards for waste reduction, energy efficiency, water conservation, wastewater management and environmentally responsible procurement. Five other Portland hotels have Green Seal certification: the Doubletree Hotel Portland, Hilton Hotel & Executive Tower, Hotel Monaco Portland, Marriott City Center and the Marriott Downtown Waterfront.

Originally opened as the Nortonia Hotel in 1907, the Mark Spencer was an immediate draw for artists performing in Portland’s surrounding theater district. The hotel still retains that artsy appeal, often serving as a home base for touring Broadway companies and symphony musicians. Throughout the year, the hotel offers a number of packages geared to cultural travelers interested in theater, musical performances and major traveling art exhibitions. The hotel, which is pet–friendly, also offers daily afternoon tea and is entirely nonsmoking. For more information on The Mark Spencer Hotel, visit www.markspencer.com.

Media Contact
Gus Castaneda, The Mark Spencer Hotel
503.265.4260
gcastaneda@markspencer.com