Jim and Britta Kennett have been steadily creating a lodging village from a cluster of Victorian-era buildings in Northwest Portland’s historic Alphabet District.

After 22 years of checking travelers from all over the world into their Northwest Portland Hostel & Guesthouse, the couple have achieved their goal:

To receive their industry's prestigious award, an Oscar if you will, called Hoscar, from the giant Hostelworld online booking agency.

The award for third best medium-size hostel in the world was based on a 1.1 million customer reviews of 17,700 properties listed on Hostelworld in 2019.

The awards were announced Jan. 20, 2020.

--Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman

Northwest Portland Hostel & Guesthouse

Top points were given for value, location, atmosphere, cleanliness, security, staff and facilities. The Hi Portland Hostel has a rating of 9.5 -- 10 being the best -- from 3,550 reviews on Hostelworld.

The hands-on owners transformed historic buildings, like the Italianate-style 1889 Elliston mansion, built for a wealthy merchant on the corner of Northwest 18th Avenue and Northwest Glisan Street, into low-cost lodging praised by new and seasoned travelers.

Today, they have 130 hostel beds and 45 B&B-style rooms. There are also apartments for rent.

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A new building, erected on a corner parking lot in 2017, includes the Hostel Café that's open to the public and hosts Live Folk Music on Tuesdays, $10 pasta dinners on Saturdays as well as sports viewing and other events.

NFL's Ndamukong Suh, a native to Portland, has been to the Hostel Cafe. Nadine Angerer, FIFA World Player of the Year, now Portland Thorns goalkeeper coach frequents the cafe and James Mercer of the Shins has eaten at the cafe.

Musician Zac Leger regularly performs at the Hostel Cafe with vocalist Andrea Wild and Uilleann Pipe player Preston Wilde. Leger performed here on Jan. 29 before taking off on a tour with The Chieftains.

Famous people coming to the hostel "isn't so important to us," says Jim Kennett. "Our goal is to be there for down-toearth travelers and people of our local community."

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Northwest Portland Hostel & Guesthouse

Founders Jim and Britta Kennett are appreciated by neighbors like Dan Volkmer, a real estate agent who specializes in Northwest Portland's architecturally significant houses.

"Jim and Britta are awesome neighbors, historic preservationists and ambassadors representing all that's good about Portland's inner city neighborhoods," he says.

Volkmer, who helped organize historic home tours, says the Kennetts open their doors for fundraisers, invite neighbors to mingle with guests at cultural events held in their "secret garden" and promote the neighborhood's livability.

"Most people do not realize that the main building on the corner of Northwest 18th Avenue and Northwest Glisan Street is actually new," he says. "It was Jim and Britta's desire that it fit seamlessly into our Historic Alphabet District as if it was built the same year as 1889 building next door at 425 N.W. 18th."

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Northwest Portland Hostel & Guesthouse

The new, five-story building was designed specifically as the hub of the hostel complex, say the Kennetts.

Some ideas came from their travels. "We always noticed that the best hostels had cafes, pubs or bars that added a great vibe and created a place for travelers to gather and intermingle," says Jim.

Portland Timbers' Diego Daleri attended the grand opening of the new building and Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz cut the ribbon.

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Northwest Portland Hostel & Guesthouse

A bunkbed in a dorm-style room is $32 a night. The hostel has female-only, male-only and mixed dorms. Bunks include a reading light, personal shelf, charging station, backpack-size locker and single-use hall bathrooms.

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Northwest Portland Hostel & Guesthouse

A private room for two guests with a shared bathroom starts at $69 a night, depending on travel dates.

The Kennetts meet with guests who first visited the hostel as young backpackers and return years later with their children.

"We have had several couples tell us they met at our hostel years ago and are now married," says Jim Kennett.

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Northwest Portland Hostel & Guesthouse

Courtyards, lounges and other social spaces let guests meet fellow world travelers.

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