Our 36 hours in Philadelphia were jam-packed with sightseeing, trying all sorts of culinary delights, (including indulging in a Philly classic – the Cheesesteak Sandwich), soaking up the warm rays of sunshine (once it had stopped raining!), learning about American history and of course, lots of photographing! We definitely made the most of our 2 nights and 1½ days in the city, and I left feeling like I had experienced a generous helping of the city, often referred to as ‘the Birthplace of America’.
After miles of walking, hopping on and off sightseeing buses (to rest our weary legs and maximise our time), plenty of map reading and camera clicking, heading back to our comfortable room in the evening was a pleasant relief! Here’s my review of the Sonesta Downtown Philadelphia (our hotel).
GETTING THERE
We arrived into Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station after an easy 1 hour and 30 minute train journey from Washington DC using Amtrak. Arriving in the station, we quickly found our bearings and began the short walk – estimated at 20 minutes – along Market Street towards the hotel. The walk was very straight-forward, literally walking in a straight line the entire way, and in total, only took us about 15 minutes, which was a really nice surprise.
Philadelphia is also served by a number of international airlines and the hotel can be easily reached from the airport either by SEPTA Regional trains or by using a Shuttle service. Train tickets cost approximately $8 with a journey time of 20 minutes and the shuttle service needs to be booked in advance. Alternatively a taxi journey is estimated to take roughly 20 minutes and cost approximately $30.
LOCATION
The hotel is conveniently located along one of Philadelphia’s main thoroughfares, which runs past 30th Street Station right up to the City Hall itself, and then out towards the Delaware river. Just steps away, you will find the Financial District and the bustling Rittenhouse Square, which is filled with restaurants, bars and upscale shopping outlets. Sonesta Downtown’s central location also means that the majority of the city sights, including the City Hall, Independence Hall and the famous ‘Rocky Steps’ are all within walking distance.
ON ARRIVAL
Arriving in the hotel, which is housed in one of Market Street’s imposing high-rises, you are greeted with an open, airy and newly refurbished Lobby with reception and concierge desks.
We received a very pleasant welcome from the reception staff, who checked us in, quickly and without fuss, and explained what we could expect from the hotel’s facilities, before sending us on our way (via the welcoming drinks and ‘tasty cakes’ set up) up to the 24th floor where our room was located.
THE ROOM: CLUB LEVEL GUEST ROOM
On arrival we were very kindly upgraded from a Deluxe Guest Room to a Club Level Guest Room – offering not only a chic, comfortable and modern space to rest at the end of the day, but which also provided access to the Sonesta club lounge.
Our spacious room (340m2) was well kitted out with everything you could possibly need to make your stay comfortable – crisp white linen, a flat-screen LCD television, free WiFi, an iPhone docking station and charging point, an in-room safe, a handy coffee machine and mini fridge as well as bath towels, bathrobes and a selection of toiletries. We also had a large writing desk, plenty of storage space in the bedside chest of drawer units and a sofa.
FOOD & DRINK
As I previously mentioned, the entire hotel has recently undergone extensive refurbishment and when we visited, back in March, they were still working on their in-house, full-service restaurant, which will be christened Ruth’s Chris steakhouse. However the hotel does offer another dining option – the funky Art Bar – located on the ground floor, accessible from both inside the hotel and from the street.
The Art Bar offers a variety of fresh bar dishes – including burgers, salads and small bites, and at the bar you can treat yourself to one or two innovation cocktails, such as ‘Whistler’s Mother’ which uses Philadelphia distilled gin… it’s not like you have far to go at the end of the evening!
OTHER FACILITIES
Unfortunately our off-season stay meant that we were unable to make use of some of the Sonesta’s facilities, most notably the rooftop swimming pool – open from Memorial day (for those who don’t know, that’s the last Monday in May) to September, but for anyone visiting in summer, I can imagine it’s the perfect place to unwind at the end of a long, probably sweaty day of sightseeing.
THE VERDICT
The Sonesta Downtown hotel definitely exceeded expectations and proved to be the perfect base for a visit to Philadelphia. The location of the hotel meant that, had we wanted to, we could have popped in and out of the hotel during the day for sightseeing-breaks, and whilst there we were never far away from somewhere to eat, drink or shop. I found the service impeccable and the staff were always willing to go that extra mile to help you out (shout out to Fran who provided me with an excellent variety of itinerary and eatery suggestions for my trip – tailored to my alternative taste for unique and hidden spots). The hotel’s newly revamped look is very stylish and modern, and it is evident that a great deal of thought has gone into equipping the rooms and the hotel itself with everything a modern business or pleasure traveller may need.
Perfect for: modern city breaks and business travel
What did you think of this hotel? Are you planning a trip to Philadelphia and considering a stay here? If you enjoyed this post or have any questions regarding the hotel (or city), please let me a comment in the box below!
Want to read more about Philadelphia? Check out my post on 36 hours in Philadelphia – there will also be a city guide coming soon!
*images courtesy of Sonesta Downtown’s website
