McMenamins Kennedy School Soaking Pool

So this is a really cool and interesting place!
So this chain of a few restaurants take old schools or buildings and fully transform them!
This is a very cool place where they have school rooms transformed into hotel rooms. The cafeteria is a restaurant where you can dine without staying overnight. They alway have a theater that actually has showings. Old school bathrooms and hallways with authentic artwork on the walls. There is a few bars that have chill atmospheres. Overall this is a go to place when you are in the area!
I’ve eaten in the cafeteria a few times and the food always delivers! The have happy hour daily! 3p-​6p and 10p-​close. They have a great variety on the happy hour menu. Like the Cajun tater tots! Yum!
I had the communication break down. And let me tell you… this was broken down like any communication you would want! It was so good! You can have a choice of fries salad or tots!
They had such a great selection of pizza that is made fresh too! My cousin that was dinning with us let me try the bbq pizza and it was need I say
!
Service was nice and the atmosphere was lay back.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE!!!

My girlfriend has been coming to the soaking pool here for years. She has the way it works down to a science. We walked to the front counter and were told there was a wait for the pool, but we would be texted when we could go. We were also texted a link that allowed us to see how many people were ahead of us. A neat way to do it.
Since the pool is part of a middle school, my girlfriend showed me around. There are 4 – 5 bars built into the building as well as hotel rooms you can rent. There is even a movie theater to boot. We entered one of the bars and got a pitcher of apple cider while we waited for our spot at the soaking pool to open up. The pitcher was $ 19.50, but it looks like the single drinks are around $ 6-​$ 7 and you get 4x as much in the pitcher, so the pitcher is the better value. Since you can bring your drink to the soaking pool (and it’s easier to carry), she opted for the pitcher.
After about 15 minutes, we could go to the pool. There is a unisex changing area with 3 changing stalls. The lockers are in front of the stalls. My girlfriend just changed in front of the lockers. I went across the hallway to the men’s bathroom to change and that was awkward as there really isn’t a place to do it. I guess you are supposed to wait for a stall, but that takes forever.
The soaking pool itself was great. Kids can’t be in there from 6pm-​8pm, so that’s when we went. The pool isn’t that big, so when it started to fill up, people were occasionally bumping into us. And since my girlfriend is fairly attractive, there were many people wanting to talk to her there. The pool isn’t too hot (like a hot tub where you sweat). It was just right. It is also outdoors which is kind of neat.
We got the boot at 8pm, when only people staying at the hotel can remain in the soaking pool. With so many people leaving, it would take forever again to get a changing stall. So my girlfriend and I just changed in front of complete strangers. It would have taken 15 more minutes to do it otherwise.
We decided to see a movie (007 was showing) at 8:15pm, so we went and got seats. They don’t have normal theater seats — it is MUCH BETTER here. There are loveseats and recliners. Up front they have tables so you can eat (there is an ordering station outside of the theater and they bring you the food!). So we snuggled up on a loveseat and our food was brought out to us while the movie was playing. The food was pretty good. Was reasonably priced for what it was ($ 12 or so for the burger and fries). It was very comfortable and we got to be up against each other while we watched.
Overall, this is not a bad place. I wish they had more changing stalls, so if I go again, I apologize in advance because you will see more of me than you probably want to. But other than that, it was a blast and I will definitely go back with my girlfriend again!

We’ve eaten here for lunch and dinner and enjoyed the food and atmosphere. However, we were not impressed with breakfast. Food was not seasoned and we were charged $ 2.50 to replace chorizo with tofu in a breakfast burrito. That’s what block of tofu costs and it’s less expensive than meat. So we paid $ 13 for mostly flavorless burrito. We also ordered the biscuits and mushroom gravy. I did not care for it, but my wife liked it. We’ll be back, but not for breakfast.

Hours are:
10:00 AM-8:00PM for adults
11:00AM-6:00PM for adults w/​minors
The last adult soak starts at 7:30, kiddos at 5:30. You get half an hour soak then.
$ 5 for an hour soak, kids 6 and under are free.
Bring your own towels. They used to rent them out, but don’t any more.
Bring your own lock if you want to lock up your wallet, phone, etc in a cubby in the co-​ed changing room.
You need a photo ID to leave at the front desk while you soak.
If you want to bring a drink in you go to the bar with your ID first, order one in a plastic cup, then go pay and leave your ID at the front desk. Booze in the pool!
If you have a legible, valid ID with your Concordia neighborhood address you can soak free.
(Here are the boundaries:
) FREE!
Closed the 1^st and 3^rd Tuesdays of every month for deep cleaning; 1^st & 3^rd Wednesdays = crystal clear water.
There can be a MASSIVE WAIT LIST on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and holidays. If the pool is at capacity you sign up on the wait list in person and give them your cell phone number. You’ll get a text when a spot opens up, then you go pay and give them your ID.
When it is busy there can be 40+ people ahead of you. Expect to wait around an hour, sometimes longer. You can call ahead and ask if there is a list, but you can’t get on the list until you are there in person. All of Portland has the same idea when it gets rainy and nasty out– «I can’t handle this weather– I must get in hot water now!»

Such an amazing and historic place, didn’t stay at the hotel, but went to the restaurant and soaking pool! The soaking pool is so lovely, you can even take your beer or cocktail in with you! It was a perfect end to my day!

They don’t provide towels if you’re not a guest at the hotel even though you have to pay $ 5 to use the soaking pool. We had to literally get out of the soaking pool into the main building dripping wet without a towel to use, walk to the front desk to return our key, all the while dripping wet. The front desk workers either didn’t seem to care, or seemed completely oblivious. They literally saw us standing there dripping wet and didn’t seem to have any capacity to provide us towels.
How do you have a soaking pool, charge $ 5, yet cannot provide towels? This seems very odd.
Also, the pool isn’t that warm, it felt lukewarm. Wasn’t the relaxing warm jacuzzi-​like experience I was expecting.

$ 5 dollars to take a dip in a large heated, partially jetted tub with an adult beverage in hand –count me in for the fun!
Birthday Stop #4 Soaking Pools
what I have learned:
–get your adult beverages first, upon checking in and paying for the soaking pool, they will hold your ID and in return you will get a card key to enter in, so again, get your drinks in hand first.
–change in the bathrooms and store your stuff in the soaking pool room. the door to the soaking pool is co-​ed, rather small and the changing rooms tend to be wet all day, skip this place, change in the bathrooms where there is often an unused shower that you can shimmy out of your clothes with ample room.
–don’t expect to get a tan, the soaking pool is outside but it is flanked on all sides with greenery and palm trees. the only time to get prime sun is during the high sun.
–there are no servers, so if you would like another beverage it is up to you to get out, grab your id and head back to the bar.
one thing I really like is they will not let the pool get overrun with too many, they will hold down a wait list when the pool his max occupancy, so why not have an other drink while you wait?

I’m never gonna soak again, guilty kids pee in the soaking pool. Though it’s easy to pretend you know I’m not a fool. So I’m never gonna soak again the way I soaked with you.
Remember when the Kennedy school soaking pool was peaceful, serene, and heated to a proper temperature? Me too. Now it’s over ran with kids whose parents allow them to bring flippers and snorkeling gear and pool toys. They’re loud and splash and wiz in soaking pool. Notice how I said SOAKING pool NOT SWIMMING pool? And because children are weak they have turned down the temperature to that of tepid bath water.
Onto the good. Great artwork in a repurposed old school. Cheap movies and decent seats in the movie theater. Food is ok and beer is decent. All of the food is over priced and the service is slow just like every other McMenamins.

$ 48 lovely dinner with outstanding service and $ 10 (2 people) for the soaking pool and we even hit up the gift shop to stock up on local goodies to send to our family in NY. We both agreed that this was the perfect date night. until a kid simultaneously knocked over my $ 9 cocktail I just squeezed the garnish into AND kicked me in the face while we were in the soaking pool. I was so excited to come here and relax with the fiancé…now we are at home trying to figure out where there is an urgent care because I now have a blurry (most likely scratched) stinging with pain, bloody filled eyeball. I really wish that this hadn’t of happened.

I so enjoy coming here and I love Kennedy School. I’ve been here a handful of times, both when it’s been crowded, to just a few people, and at various times of the day. It’s very relaxing to go grab a drink and soak whilst still basking in the outdoors.
My big gripe however though, is that I really believe it should be adults only. For one, it’s a soaking pool, not a swimming pool. Secondly, I’ve seen some pretty young kiddos in here, I thought they aren’t even supposed to be in hot tubs?! Most of the adults have alcohol or are chatting away and frankly aren’t really even supervising their children anyway. And not to go all over the top here, but I wouldn’t think OLCC could be too happy about this– alcohol present, all ages, no staff, I don’t know, some sort of liability thing? I mean if I were 20 and had some of age friends bring me in drinks purchased from Kennedy School, I think that would be pretty darn easy to get away with. That being said, they could even make participation 21+ and I wouldn’t complain! I can imagine there would be some fairly upset parents if they did this, and I’m sure they especially want to respect the hotel guests actually staying there, who may not have a choice not to bring their kids in. However, at the absolute very least I think they ought to change up the hours a bit, perhaps have 1 – 2 designated hours in the afternoons/​evenings that kids can participate.

Lovely atmosphere, I left completely relaxed after 2 hours of soaking.
They do close when there are thunderstorms and the price is $ 5 per person– they hold onto your ID after payment. You can buy a drink and take it with you to the pool as long as it’s in a plastic cup.
Go with a friend, a loved one, or if you’re me– by yourself. It’s a great outing for 1 or 5 :)

So awesome. Want to see a budget movie and sit on a comfy couch and then drink some well priced beers and good food?! How about soaking in a hot tub after for only a few bucks more? I love this place.

Great atmosphere! Fun for the family or a date night. Kids are welcome in the theatre until 7pm, Grab a slice of pizza, order anything off the regular menu everything’s good.

Used to be great, now it’s pretty awful. It’s just a kiddie pool now, parents dont control their kids, you’re guaranteed to be splashed, have some kid grab your leg as they wander around. I don’t know what changed in the last year but even if you are OK with kids, there is now frequently a line to get in due to the influx. Plus, kids (and some adults) pee in pools, it’s a fact, more kids = more pee. Some of these kids are too young to be potty trained, is there feces in there? I don’t know or care about underwater diapers. I can’t blame parents for utilizing this resource, but it’s pretty miserable for those that want to enjoy their childless lives. I’m done going, getting a hot tub

I crave this place after a long week of work. Nothing makes me feel better then a nice drink and an hour in these restorative waters. I take almost eveyr personI know here at least once just to show it off. Needless to say I think I will be the dutchess of this place very soon. It will happen sooner if they decide to instill some «adults only» hours at the pool. I love kids to death but sometimes I just want to have my drink and relax around other adults only.

The pool is great! Had such an amazing time however the process of getting a drink after already being the pool is a royal pain. After the pool, our party of about six people sat outside and ordered dinner. Such a long, miserable experience. Our server was bad, who needs water, napkins and forks to eat your salad. It took thirty minutes to get drinks, ugh. The place was busy but not that busy to get horrible service. Best of luck to everyone.

Yeah the Soaking pool at the Kennedy School used to be an alright place. The pool used to be divided between children/​family friendly hours and adults only hours. this system worked out alright actually. However now that children are allowed in all times of the day and the pool is free for people who live in the neighborhood, this means the pool is always overcrowded with children.
This once relaxing soaking pool, is now overcrowded with screaming, splashing noisy, rowdy children that take any enjoyment out of the experience.

I’ve been wanting to visit Kennedy Soaking pool over a year now. It was good, I really enjoyed it but the pool could be a little hotter. Parking was tough!!! The staff was nice & helpful, they were actually very patience with us, first timers. Thank you. :)
NOTE: I’m not blaming the School at all but I wish that some parents could learn how to control their kids and keep their eyes on their kids. Most guests visiting the pool for relaxation, please have some respect for us paying guests!

The Kennedy School soaking pool used to be an amazing experience but that has all changed in recent months. I attribute the change to the fact that McMenamins decided to officially allow alcohol in the pool. It used to be that weeknights after 8pm (when the kiddies are kicked out) the pool was usually quiet and relaxing. Tonight (a Wednesday) the pool was packed to capacity and beyond and nearly everyone was drinking (someone even came in with an entire pitcher of beer, which he sloshed all over the place). Many of the patrons were loud and rowdy. It had the feel of a meat market. Someone in this drunken crowd was even crazy enough to think it would be okay to smoke a cigarette in the pool. For the first time in my experience, the employee at the front desk marked my hand when I paid and there was an employee stationed at the door checking people’s hands before they went in.
McMenamins…alcohol and pools are a bad combination. Especially hot pools. It’s only a matter of time before something very, very bad happens. Soaking should be calm and relaxing. As it stands, this soaking pool feels like a bar. I imagine that if I were a guest paying for a room I would find this experience especially disappointing.

While I am generally a fan of the soaking pool, my last visit was less-​than-​idyllic. Having decided to go in the early morning rather than late at night when the shroud of darkness veils the horrors that lay beneath its surface — I was profoundly disturbed to see what appeared to be CLOUDS of dead skin floating in the water and forming soggy little iridescent piles along the benches. Cutting my visit short, I left the pool drenched in the smell of stinky feet and running desperately for a shower.
Also, Moms — while I appreciate your homogenized attempts to raise your sons into annoyingly entitled white men, perhaps while they are still just annoyingly entitled young boys, you could stop them from continuously flailing about and kicking water into the faces of the people around them who came to the soaking pool for a relaxing, quiet soak?