The Ace Hotel stands clean and unapologetic, out of place in a neighborhood teeming with shifty goods that fell off the back of trucks. The hotel's exterior recalls moneyed old New York, but the interior suggests something altogether more loose. Carefully-lit and casually-appointed, its aspirations are clear. The front allots space to Project no. 8 (the type of place that sells $75 keychains), Opening Ceremony (the type of place that sells $175 tank tops), and Stumptown Coffee (who would dare sell coffee for $275). In between, there is a common seating area that beckons you to take a seat and join the scene.
