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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Hotel Reviews
By Ed Ryder

*Alphabetical Listing*

Alexander Inn - buried in an interesting residential neighborhood. Close to Kimmel Center and Antique Row.
Appel's Society Hill Bed & Breakfast - desirable Society Hill location. Close to Independence Hall.
Bank Street Hostel - not bad at all for the money.
Best Western Center City - the only Center City hotel with free self-parking for all guests. Closest hotel to art museum.
Best Western Independence Park Hotel - great location near Independence Hall. Also has the best chocolate chip cookies.
Club Quarters - Near classy "Liberty Place" mall in business district. Looks decent, but they refused to show rooms.
Comfort Inn - Downtown Historic Area - fresh, new-looking rooms near the river. A good value.
Comfort Inn - Philadelphia Airport - three miles south of airport. Not an interesting neighborhood.
Conwell Inn - the best (and only) hotel in North Philadelphia.
Cornerstone Bed & Breakfast Inn - an excellent B&B in the University City section of Philadelphia.
Crowne Plaza Philadelphia - looks quite comfortable. In business district. Nobody was available to show rooms.
Days Inn Stadium - it's actually 1.6 miles away from the stadium. It has a "so-so" aura.
Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia - excellent "Avenue Of The Arts" location. Stopped by 4 times and never saw a room.
Econo Lodge - Philadelphia Airport - a little dated. Inexpensive. Renovation to begin soon.
Embassy Suites Hotel - Philadelphia Airport - a top recommendation for an airport hotel. Love the atrium. Nice suites.
Embassy Suites Hotel - Philadelphia Center City - renovation underway. Close to City Hall.
Extended Stay America - Philadelphia Airport - recent, inexpensive, plain. With kitchens.
Fairfield Inn by Marriott - Philadelphia Airport - boring neighborhood near airport, but close to Ruby Tuesdays.
Four Points Sheraton - Philadelphia Airport - $5 a day to park. Sheraton Suites next door is nicer.
Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia - everyone is so nice and polite here!
Gaskill House Bed & Breakfast - exceptional! A top recommendation.
Hampton Inn - Center City Philadelphia - modern, comfortable, next to Convention Center.
Hampton Inn - Philadelphia Airport - comfortable, fresh rooms in a boring location near the airport.
Hilton Garden Inn - Philadelphia Center City - next to Convention Center. Love their 10th floor restaurant.
Hilton Philadelphia Airport
Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue - nice lobby and fitness center. Would not show rooms.
Holiday Inn - City Line - In between Center City and King Of Prussia in a busy suburban setting.
Holiday Inn - Express Midtown  - a happy surprise.
Holiday Inn - Philadelphia Airport - comfortable rooms 3 miles south of airport. Bar has various arcade games.
Holiday Inn - Philadelphia Historic District - busy hotel near Independence Hall. Had a frustrating inspection visit.
Holiday Inn - Philadelphia Stadium - complete recent renovation. Within walking distance of stadiums.
Homewood Suites - Philadelphia City Avenue - brand new. Looks very comfortable.
Hyatt Regency Philadelphia At Penn's Landing - great city views.
The Inn At Penn - A Hilton Hotel - I really liked it here. Very well located in University City.
La Reserve Bed & Breakfast Inn - near Rittenhouse Square. They have a former White House chef.
Latham Hotel - excellent location along ritzy Walnut Street. A little old, yet still comfortable.
Loews Philadelphia Hotel - unique. Interesting high-up city views. It's $10 extra to use the fitness center.
Philadelphia Downtown Marriott - a city within a city. Very big. Connected to Convention Center.
Marriott - Philadelphia Airport - the only hotel connected to the airport. Excellent quality. Top recommendation.
Marriott Courtyard - Philadelphia Airport - in an isolated area with several other hotels near airport.
Marriott Courtyard - Philadelphia Downtown - among the best views of the City Hall tower.
Marriott Residence Inn Hotel - Philadelphia Airport - feels like the suburbs. Love the 2 bedroom suites with vaulted ceiling.
Marriott Residence Inn Hotel - Philadelphia Center City - the very best up-close views of the City Hall Tower.
Microtel Inn & Suites - Philadelphia Airport - cheap and not bad at all.
Motel 6 - Philadelphia Airport - refused to show a room.
New Market Bed & Breakfast - just two rooms available. Steps away from wild and crazy South Street.
North American Motor Inns - budget hotel on the edge of the city in Bala Cynwyd.
Omni Hotel At Independence Park - closest hotel to Independence Hall.
Parker Spruce Hotel - not recommended... at all.
Park Hyatt Philadelphia At The Bellevue - a top recommendation. Unique, historic building. Best gym.
Penn Tower -
Penn's View Inn - Old City location. Close to Penn's Landing. Unusual, extensive wine bar.
Quality Inn - Philadelphia Airport - just renovated. Brand new rooms.
Radisson Plaza - Warwick Hotel Philadelphia - I like their Club Lounge. Rittenhouse Square area.
Ramada Inn - They have some new rooms. But the hotel has been let go too long without a complete renovation.
Red Roof Inns - I only recommend first floor rooms. The second and third floor are too noisy because of a highway.
Renaissance Philadelphia Hotel Airport - attractive pool area. Shuttle every 20 minutes to airport.
Rittenhouse Hotel - borders Rittenhouse Square Park. Nice facility. Rooms a little plain for the money.
Rittenhouse Square Bed & Breakfast - a top recommendation for a romantic get-away.
Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia - a top recommendation. Superior. Fascinating, unique hotel. Beautiful bathrooms.
Rodeway Inn - Excellent location, but I didn't like it.
Sheraton Society Hill
Sheraton Suites - Philadelphia Airport - $5 to park. Attractive atrium. Pleasant water sounds near the bar.
Sheraton University City Hotel Philadelphia - it's okay. But the "Inn At Penn" is better.
Shippen Way Inn - quaint, just 9 rooms. Close to South Street.
Society Hill Hotel - excellent location, but not very comfortable.
Sofitel Philadelphia Hotel - great location near Rittenhouse Square. This hotel has a unique, distinct style.
Spruce Hill Manor Bed & Breakfast - University City location. Unusual, ornate, preserved interior architectural features.
Studio Plus - extended stay hotel near airport. Inexpensive.
Tokio Bed & Breakfast & Dancing
Thomas Bond House Bed & Breakfast Inn - has a colonial theme. Did not feel cozy to me.
Travelodge - new. Next to Convention Center. Wouldn't show rooms.
The Westin Philadelphia - nice. Connected to Liberty Place Mall at the base of tallest skyscraper. You can buy their beds.
Hotel Windsor - nobody has more closet space. Close to City Hall.
Wyndham Philadelphia At Franklin Plaza - new rooms. Major renovation underway.

Not reviewed:

Carriage House Bed & Breakfast
Divine Tracy Hotel            Phone: 215-382-4310  University City area. Seems a little strange.
International House - for students or those affiliated with higher learning.
The Castle Bed And Breakfast - Email: thecastlebb@hotmail.com
The Gables Bed & Breakfast Inn - appears to be a highly regarded Victorian style inn.

Notes from the author...

Philadelphia is sort of my city. I live in the suburbs. Over the years I would drive into the city from time to time. Sometimes I'd go into the city to do some cityscape photography. Throughout all this time that I have lived here, 15 miles away, I never really appreciated what is here in Philadelphia. In going from hotel to hotel, writing my reviews, walking through the neighborhoods, I came to discover that there is much more to this city than I ever realized. And there are so many interesting little places waiting for you to discover too. We've got some great hotels here and a lot of great places to eat.

For your visit, I have a number of recommendations. I think a high quality hotel with an interesting view is the way to go. One example is the Hyatt Regency at Penn's Landing. I especially like their "Skyline Suite." It's got a dynamite up-close view of busy Center City Philadelphia. If that room is too costly or unavailable, ask for a high-up city view room. This hotel is easy to find and easy to get to from interstate highway I-95. It is also very well-located for enjoying the fourth of July fireworks along the river. And during the warm months you can take a ferry to the Aquarium across the river. The Battleship New Jersey is there too, which you can tour.

Other quality hotels with interesting views - definitely the Ritz-Carlton. This is my favorite hotel in Philly. It's a very interesting one-of-a-kind building with 7000 tons of marble in just its lobby. The rooms are very comfortable. The bathrooms are the most attractive of any hotel here. It's truly an adventure to be there and discover their restaurants and places. And the Club Lounge on the 30th floor has terrific close-up views of City Hall. The room still has the original hand-carved French walnut panels from when it was the boardroom of the Girard Trust Bank. Unless your room includes it, the cost to have access to this room for a day is an extra $100. That includes 5 food offerings throughout the day. I think it's worth it.

The Park Hyatt at the Bellevue is another one of my favorite hotels. It is a grand old building with a lot of history and it has been beautifully restored. There are shops and a food court on the lower levels. Offices occupy a large part of the building, which includes the Governor's Philadelphia office. The hotel lobby is on the 19th floor. I was wowed when the elevator door opened and I saw the lobby, (which they refer to as the Barrymore room, named after a famous theatrical family with Philadelphia ties). No other hotel impressed me so much that way. Also on that floor is the Founders Restaurant. Wow! It's beautiful. What an elegant place for a meal. It's really something. The Park Hyatt also has the best fitness center in the city. It is called the Sporting Club and has 93,000 square feet on its 5 floors, which means it's huge! It's a terrific fitness center and it is free for hotel guests.

The Loews Hotel also has interesting high-up views. The building has some unusual features. It was the first modernist skyscraper and opened in August 1932. You can easily find it by looking for the big "PSFS" sign on the top of it. I think the room decor is a little funky. It's modern. The standards are high here. I don't like that they charge $10 to use the pool or fitness center. But the location is quite good.

The Marriott Residence has the best close-up views of the City Hall tower. It is intended as a hotel for extended stays and the rooms have little kitchens with full-size refrigerators. But you can certainly stay for just one night too.

Next door is the Marriott Courtyard. They also have excellent high-up views of the City Hall tower.

At the Four Seasons Hotel, everyone is so nice and polite (among the staff). I especially liked their one room suites overlooking the Swan Fountain. The suites are huge and feel like home.

A noteworthy hotel is the Sofitel. This hotel has a distinct style. The standards are very high. And the hotel has a great location near the Rittenhouse Square area and is within easy walking distance of the business district (where all the skyscrapers are).

In that same area, I really like the Rittenhouse Square Bed & Breakfast. This would be a good place for a romantic getaway. It's modern, private, cozy. Only 10 rooms.

At the nearby Rittenhouse Hotel, I liked their Boat House Bar for their great Boathouse Row mural. That is the best mural of its kind I have seen. I also really liked their brand new massage room area. I felt so calm there. They have a couple other good restaurants in the building. The rooms seemed a little plain for the money.

A good deal is the Holiday Inn Express Midtown. Beautiful brand new rooms in a good location at a value price.

I really liked the 10th Floor Grille at the Hilton Garden Inn next to the Convention Center. It seems like a nice place to eat.

The Marriott, with more than 1400 rooms, is like a city within a city. You could spend all day indoors there. You can access the Convention Center and the 5 story Gallery shopping mall without ever stepping outside. I would recommend asking for a high-up corner room with a view of City Hall.

The Omni Hotel has a great location just steps away from Independence Hall. The Bourse is next door with it's food court. Interesting old Society Hill residential neighborhoods are steps away. And interesting restaurants are close. Check out "Dolce" and their nifty ever-changing light system. The entire floor changes colors, and next door at "Paradigm" they've got a cool euro-disco beat thing going. Reminds me of wild Moscow.

The Westin is nice. Comfortable-looking beds. And it has direct access to the classy Shops At Liberty Place Mall (which also has a food court).

My favorite bed & breakfast is the Gaskill House. It is a very, very nice millionaire's residence. Classy. Very well-located near South Street in Society Hill. The manager, Guy Davis, is a delight and his whippet (dog breed) "Zephyr" is a wonderful dog.

In the University City part of Philadelphia, the best hotel is the Inn At Penn, which is a Hilton Hotel. It has a great location on the University Of Pennsylvania campus. They've got a very attractive Italian restaurant there. A very large book store is in the same building, plus other places to eat, including a cafe that sells cereal - just cereal! The students appear to love it.  

In this area I also very much like the Cornerstone Bed & Breakfast Inn. This is a 6 room residence that dates back to 1870. It is a mixture of old with new comforts. I found it very comfortable.

The Crowne Plaza looks like it might be pretty nice. I liked their "Elephant & Castle Pub and Restaurant. But nobody wanted to show me any rooms during my visit.

The best airport hotels are:

1. The Marriott, which has direct access to Terminal B. Windows are sound proof. You can't hear any noise. The rooms are quite comfortable. And their "Riverbend Bar & Grill" is really, really nice.

2. Embassy Suites Hotel. I love the atrium and the fish and ducks. Their restaurant "Embassy Grille" has a great atrium atmosphere with soft sounds of nearby water. And the suites are quite nice. You could forget you are in a hotel in one of their suites.

Both of these hotels can offer a refreshing stay in my opinion, however, these are at the airport. The city energy is far away.

The Quality Inn near the airport is "motel style" where you can park your car outside your room. They just spent $3 million renovating it. The rooms are brand new and nice. 

The Marriott Residence at the airport has really nice 2 room suites with 2 bathrooms, a living room with vaulted ceiling and kitchen. It feels like the suburbs there too. I am concerned about stink from a nearby sewage treatment plant, but I noticed no smell during my visit.

The Microtel Hotel near the airport is an excellent value. And local and long distance calls are free.

The one and only hotel close to the stadiums is the Holiday Inn Stadium. It has been completely updated. A giant off-track horse race gambling place is across the street. The Days Inn Stadium isn't as nice and is actually 1.6 miles from the stadiums.

Back in the city, if you are poor, the Bank Street Hostel is pretty nice for the money.

The Penn's View Inn has some interesting rooms. They are all different there. They also have "the mother of all wine bars." But there could be highway noise. I-95 is close.

If you have a comment about any of the hotels here that you would like to share with other travellers, please send it to me at ideamaned@yahoo.com

Thanks!

Ed Ryder
www.Hotelinspector.com