Research Your Hotel Options At Hotelinspector.com
100% Hotel Reviews
No Reservations Offered
Just info, opinions, recommendations... and THE BRUTAL TRUTH

Phone: 215-735-1137

Street Address: 1804 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Rates: From $140 to $175 as of December 2004.

* In An Interesting
Old Residential Neighborhood.
Close To Rittenhouse Square.
How Did They Get This Chef? *

Location Rating: Very good. A five minute walk from Rittenhouse Square Park.

Lobby Appearance: Antiques. High ceiling. A 1903 Steinway piano is in the large living room. Classical music plays quietly in the background.

Room Appearance: Varies by room. They have 7 guest rooms. The first one I saw was old and did not appeal to me. (They said it will be renovated soon.) The second room I saw was the Paprika Room. Oh, this was much, much nicer and more comfortable. It had a fireplace that looked like it could work, but you can't use it. The room has red carpet and maroon-ish walls and was recently updated. My only major beef with the room is that it had a 13" TV. It doesn't cost much more to buy a 26" television. I think a large TV is expected for this price range. Another room I saw, which was referred to as the "Tea For Two" room, had two single beds which were high off the floor. It was a very simple, plain room. It didn't excite me.

Useful Nearby Businesses: Pierre & Carlo European Salon & Spa will come to La Reserve to do your hair, nails or whatever. There are restaurants within a short walk. A book store is near.

Hotel Restaurants: None. But a full breakfast is included in the price. The selection includes waffles, French toast, pancakes, muffins.

Other Amenities: Pet friendly. It's an extra $25 to bring your pet along. Free wifi internet access. There is a small relaxation room on the main floor with a 26" TV and VCR/DVD player. They have an arrangement with a parking lot for reduced rate parking (a half a block from La Reserve). Currently as of December 2004, parking is $7.

Would I Stay Here? Yes, in the Paprika Room.

Comments: Marty gave me the grand tour. He doesn't look older than 35, but he says he just retired from the military. He is fluent in French and Japanese and can speak a little Italian. He was a former White House and Camp David chef, so I guess the breakfast he makes for the La Reserve guests must be pretty good. I'm confused why he is working at La Reserve. He seems to be an entrepreneurial whiz kid - owns a restaurant in Cape May, New Jersey and has other endeavors.

It seems Marty has raised the standards here. Details and service are big with him. He seems highly motivated to provide a high level of service. And he's a very nice fellow.

The house was built in 1853. It has 7 guest rooms. The one front room I saw had street noise (Tea For Two room). The Paprika Room, which I liked very much, was very quiet.

There is a small, semi-private outdoor patio area that can be enjoyed during the warm months. The kitchen is old and will be renovated soon.

Outside, the street is lined with other old 4 story houses of similar age. An advantage to this location is its close proximity to the Rittenhouse Square area. And from there you can easily walk to the fancy restaurants and shops on Walnut Street, or continue walking towards the business district. The Avenue Of The Arts, including the Kimmel Center is also within walking distance (12 to 15 minutes).

I like the Boathouse Bar at the Rittenhouse Hotel (great mural of Boathouse Row). They have two other restaurants there, and this is close to La Reserve.

I like the Paprika Room, the very friendly and accommodating service attitude of Marty, and the idea of living in an old residential neighborhood in this upscale area.

Street parking will probably be difficult unless you know where their cooperating lot is. And if you do park on the street, feed the meter well and pay attention to the time limit. It may look like the coast is clear, but those ticket writers are watching you somehow, believe me. They probably became rich enough from writing so many tickets to buy their own spy satellite. That's probably how they do it. As soon as the time is up - Boom! They got ya!