Five new and renovated hotels are opening in the City of Brotherly Love.
As a top East Coast tourist destination, Philadelphia’s historic sites and iconic museums have always drawn visitors, but it hasn’t exactly welcomed guests in luxury. There were a few five-star hotels in the city just a few years ago, and a few great upscale restaurants (that’s why it is so hard to get a reservation at Zahav, Vetri Cucina, or Vedge).
According to the Philadelphia Business Journal, Philadelphia’s occupancy rate has increased by over 300% in the last two years, with many of the new properties being luxury hotels. In fact, Philadelphia has seen the biggest growth in room occupancy year-over-year than any other U.S. city. The city has also seen an increase in new restaurants, including K’Far Café from Zahav’s team and Hiroki Fujiyama, who trained under Morimoto, as well as private clubs that offer social and wellness services, as well as luxury services. You can start planning your next trip to Philadelphia now—and stay at these five new and recently renovated hotels.
Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center
This sky-high stunner, designed by Norman Foster and located on the top floors of the city’s tallest skyscraper, offers unparalleled views of Philadelphia in its most exciting opening in years. In the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, guests will find elaborate floral designs by Jeff Leatham and floor-to-ceiling windows. A high-speed elevator whisks guests to the lobby. With a vaulted glass and mirrored ceiling and massive windows, Jean-Georges seems to float amongst the clouds thanks to its vaulted glass and mirrored ceiling and dramatic staircase leading down to Jean-Georges, Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s signature restaurant (his first in the city).
A 57th-floor infinity pool and fitness and spa area add drama to the 57th floor; the latter is adorned with 700 pounds of crystals embedded in its walls and offers signature treatments like the Crystal Anti-Pollution Facial and Warm Crystal Massage. Another part of the building houses a coffee and pastry bar owned by lauded local chef Greg Vernick, called Vernick Fish. As part of the Comcast Center’s award-winning X1 Video Experience, which includes approximately 300 TV channels and an on-demand library with more than 50,000 movies and shows, every room offers unobstructed views of the city, soundscapes created by musician/producer Brian Eno, and bath amenities designed by Guerlain.
Fitler Club
The Fitler Club is a new private lifestyle club that is making its debut in Philadelphia (with plans to expand to other cities). Hotel guests are granted access to this members-only club, which offers world-class entertainment, social, wellness, and business services, as well as membership—and access to its facilities—for the duration of their stay. In addition to a 14-room hotel, Fitler Club offers a massive wellness club, workspaces, private office suites, a screening room, a game room with a bowling alley, and an art-filled dining room led by acclaimed chef Marc Vetri. Fitler Club was founded by David Gutstadt, formerly with Equinox Hotels. There are two master suites to choose from, one designed by French furniture retailer Roche Bobois, and the other by Philadelphia modern-furniture retailer Minima, both with custom furniture, built-in bars, dining areas, and soaking tubs. One of the highlights is the wellness center, which houses machines from Life Fitness, Peloton, and Woodway; spinning, meditation, Pilates, and cardio studios; a climbing wall; a 75-foot, three-lane lap pool with hot and cold plunge pools; a golf simulator; a giant turf training area; and a full-service spa and salon.
The Rittenhouse
As part of the Rittenhouse’s 30th-anniversary celebrations this year, a $10 million renovation was carried out on the hotel, including redesigned and refreshed rooms, suites, and public spaces, including The Rittenhouse Spa & Club, Library Bar, and Mary Cassatt Tea Room. Champalimaud’s designers designed these rooms with a color palette of beige, gold, and jewel tone accents, and they include plush beds, traditional writing desks, and comfortable seating. The Leading Hotels of the World-member hotel is located right in the middle of the city, on Rittenhouse Square, and is also known for its large spa with a wet room and indoor pool, as well as its upscale restaurant, Lacroix, and afternoon tea service in Mary Cassatt’s Tea Room.
A lavish 30th-anniversary package that starts at $30,000 is available until the end of the year at the hotel. Roundtrip transportation and a two-night stay in the Rittenhouse Suite are included in this experience, along with champagne and caviar upon arrival and afternoon tea at Mary Cassatt Tea Room. Six guests can experience a Rittenhouse Luxe Ritual including a private dinner party at Lacroix, a picnic in Rittenhouse Square with lunch from Lacroix, a chauffeured Jaguar car to explore Philadelphia, and a Barnes Collection tour. In addition to a $5,000 LAGOS shopping experience, a $500 gift certificate to Egan Rittenhouse, a sunset cruise on a private yacht including dinner and cocktails, a private mixology class at the Library Bar, and a donation of 300 meals to Broad Street Ministry, the winner will also receive a $500 gift certificate to Egan Rittenhouse
The Notary Hotel
A 1926 building that was the City Hall Annex and is on the National Register of Historic Places, the Notary Hotel, an Autograph Collection hotel, will open in Philadelphia’s historic Penn Square in July 2019. In keeping with its past, the hotel offers a curated collection of local products with the staff’s “Philadelphia Stamp of Excellence” in the lobby retail store, as well as a custom seal engraved on guests’ cards.
Marble floors, chandeliers, coffered plaster ceilings, decorative bronze molding, and original finishes are among the original finishes at the hotel. A large-scale neon LOVE sign, a nod to the city’s iconic LOVE Statue, as well as bronze art sculptures of vintage hats and antique typewriters in the lobby bring together elements of local history and culture. In the airy, brightly colored Sabroso + Sorbo restaurant, Spanish tapas are served with vibrant sapphires and emeralds. Rooms feature deep blues and gray with splashes of vivid sapphires and emeralds.
Renaissance Philadelphia Downtown Hotel
A previously nondescript hotel near Independence Park was completely remodeled and rebranded as the Renaissance Philadelphia Downtown Hotel last year, resulting in a high-end, art-filled hotel that honors the city’s heritage. Just a few of the nods to the city’s past include railings that mimic Ben Franklin’s famous spectacles and wallpaper displaying the Declaration of Independence. With pop-art-inspired images of famous Philadelphians, furniture that echoes mid-century modern design, and pops of red color in strategic places, the guest rooms, and bathrooms—which were completely gutted and redesigned—reflect the historic location.
A stone-clad bar, wine cave, and café counter featuring coffee from Philadelphia’s own La Colombe are located on the ground floor of the Franklin Social Lounge cocktail lounge. Through a path designed to evoke Elfreth’s Alley in Philadelphia, once home to artisans and tradespeople of the 18th century, the area connects the front desk with Navigator (Renaissance’s local-expert concierge service). A local artist has hand-painted a piece of art on the tile floor of the hotel’s indoor pool, which is one of the hotel’s most interesting pieces of art.
