Portland in mid-March

My favorite walkable area is Sunnyside. Nice neighborhood, cool restaurants, etc. All of the public transit is super convenient, but the best idea would be to get a place close by the TriMet (train that connects you to the other neighborhoods and downtown). I like spending time in the neighborhoods more than downtown, but it is all quickly accessible by the TriMet. Here is the link with more info: http://trimet.org/

anywhere Downtown Portland will give you access to public transportation.  Look for hotels near the "Max" or "Street Car".  They may not run as frequently as in other cities but it is more extensive than some other cities of similar size.   Residence Inn By Marriott is a family friendly and centrally located hotel.  Yes, it is a chain but location and services are good.  The street car is right outside.  It is likely to rain in March/April.   Walking to many places in downtown is also an option though.

Anywhere in the downtown core is going to give you good accessibility to the rest of the city via public transportation. The nice thing is that anywhere in Portland that you stay is safe, about the biggest issues you may have at 3 am are drunk college kids or hobos asking you for change.

While I like the hotels downtown, I would consider AirBnB not only from cost but also locals can provide better information on the area as many of the hotel staff can live outside the downtown core.  

If you do like staying at a hotel, I would look at Hotel Lucia Hotel Rose, Hotel Modera, The Nines, Portlandor The Paramount Hotel.  

For places to eat or drink check out pdx.eater.com (I would link it but the feature appears to be not working at the moment).

Ace Hotel Portland

I would stay anywhere in NW Portland, or the Pearl District. I would avoid Pioneer Square area during the evening. The Heathman Hotel would be fine however.

Come on down, DMae B! Virtually all of our downtown hotels are on or near transit lines, and Portland is a great walking city as well. There's a major transit mall all along 5th Street, and Pioneer Courthouse Square is where the bus and light rail (Max) intersect. The street car runs along 10th and 11th.  

So, lodging really depends on your budget and taste....   The Benson Hotel, A Coast Hotel, The Governor Hotel (with Jake's Famous Crawfish on its corner) and  The Heathman Hotel are traditional, while the Omni Hotel and The Nines, Portland are more modern (The Nines has a great top-floor restaurant/bar with great views).  A cozy boutique is  Hotel Lucia, or you could stay on the waterfront at  RiverPlace Hotel.

You may find lower rates at motels in the Lloyd Center area near the convention center (The  Red Lion Hotel on MLK Blvd has a another great rooftop bar with city views), and there are frequent Max trains across the Willamette into the heart of the city.

Check out the Trip Planner on http://trimet.org - it's helpful in planning your way around town.  Enjoy and savor!

The MAX Lightrail is free in the downtown core.  Portland is also a very walkable city swell.  There are plenty of Starbucks, but for a local brew, try Stumptown served Clyde Common.