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Phone: 215-222-0200

Street Address: 3600 Samson Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3299

* The Best Hotel In The University Of Pennsylvania Area *

Location Rating: Excellent if you need to be near the University Of Pennsylvania campus. Not so great if you need to be close to the airport. You'll need to hop on the subway (metro) to get to the business and historic districts).

Lobby Appearance: Definitely upscale. The lobby is upstairs. The entrance says this is a building of quality. Wow... upstairs at the lobby level, my expectations were definitely exceeded. I loved the public space they call "The Living Room." It is unique from anything else I have seen in a Philadelphia hotel. It feels like home there. A fireplace is on both sides of the room, plus numerous places to sit and relax. Sometimes a bartender works in the corner (when they are busy). I was extremely impressed with that room.

Room Appearance: Uniquely comfortable compared to the other hotels in Philly. Furniture is "mission style from the arts and crafts era." To give the rooms a residential feel, one thing they have added is wooden blinds. I really liked the room colors, the furniture and the lighting. These are really nice rooms. The corridors have a gloomy look, but the rooms are great.

Useful Nearby Businesses: This is a great neighborhood. A trendy cafe that serves only cereal is next door. Also next door is a huge 2 story bookstore with a nice cafe and places to sit. And more cafes and other shops are here. The hospitals of the University Of Pennsylvania are nearby.

Hotel Restaurants: "Penne Restaurant & Wine Bar." This is a new Italian restaurant with a great atmosphere. Looks like a fun place to dine. They say the best pasta in the city is here, and you can actually sit and watch them make the pasta. Breakfast (not included) is served upstairs in the "Faculty Club" I liked the atmosphere of Penne much better.

Other Amenities: They have a good fitness center which includes free weights. A full business center will be added soon. Rooms have laptop safes, wifi, "Penn Net access," web TV, dual line phones with data ports, terry cloth robes, extra pillows and blankets, iron & ironing board, hair dryer, coffee maker with coffee and tea, desk with a good ergonomic chair, individual climate control, electronic door locks and a copy of USA Today (newspaper) is delivered each weekday morning. Airport shuttle service also provided.

Would I Stay Here? Yes, it's very comfortable and I greatly admire this neighborhood.

Comments: The University Of Pennsylvania campus is so attractive with its collection of interesting old buildings. There are great places to go for a walk here. This hotel was a complete surprise to me. From outside, I guessed it had 30 or 40 rooms. But it is much more substantial with 238 rooms. So the hotel blends in very well with the neighborhood. It is located in an attractive 5 year old building. The hotel is considered to have a 4 diamond ranking. Self parking is not available. It is valet parking only. Current parking costs, as of December 2004 is $25 for overnight parking and $15 for daytime parking. (I parked on the street next to a meter - $1 per hour - a few blocks away.)

If I were staying here, I would definitely enjoy the Italian restaurant; I would have an afternoon snack at the nearby "Cosi" cafe, which is located in the same building. I would relax and enjoy the giant bookstore next door. I would walk and explore Penn's beautiful campus, and I would use the subway to get to the downtown area. I like this hotel a lot and I really like the neighborhood. But trying to drive out of here at rush hour is hell. (I hate sitting in traffic.) If you need to get to the airport, give yourself an extra large cushion of time to be safe.