OverviewLocated about a 2-minute walk from the 13th St. metro entrance and a 1-minute drive from Highway 611 in downtown Philadelphia, Loews Philadelphia Hotel is suited to business or vacation travellers who prefer a centrally located hotel with meeting/conference space, on-site dining and easy access to public transit and the highway.
Each of the hotel's air-conditioned guest rooms and suites is equipped with cable TV, a coffeemaker, a bathrobe for each guest, an in-room safe, a desk, free daily newspaper delivery, an iron and ironing board and a hair dryer. Rooms with a separate bedroom and a mini-bar are also available, as are wheelchair-accessible rooms. In-room Wi-Fi is an additional $12.95 per 24 hours.
Hotel amenities include an indoor pool, a spa and wellness centre, a fitness centre, 42,000 square feet of meeting/conference space, a lounge, a business centre, laundry services, vending machines and a gift shop. Valet-only parking is an additional $38 per day and pets are permitted for $35 per pet, per stay.
On-site dining is available at Sole Food, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.
Reading Terminal Market is a 2-minute walk from the hotel, while the Liberty Bell can be found roughly 10 minutes away on foot. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is a 12-minute drive away and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is a 15-minute drive away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Wi-Fi $12.95/day, parking $38/day, pets permitted for $35/pet/stay, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: September 11, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with much praise going to the hotel's location, staff and rooms.
The hotel's location was praised by numerous guests, who found it close to Reading Terminal Market, restaurants, public transit, shopping and attractions. One patron noted, "Perfectly located, close to the convention center, Starbucks across the street, loads of restaurants just blocks away, shopping, sightseeing, all within a short walk".
Many reviewers were pleased with the level of customer service they received, and characterized the staff as friendly, responsive, professional and accommodating. One guest remarked, "Everyone working at this property is focused on serving their guests. My wife and I were amazed. They anticipated our needs, our questions, and looked for ways to make our stay better".
Several lodgers enjoyed the hotel's accommodations. They described their rooms as clean, spacious, modern, quiet and beautifully decorated, with comfortable beds and linens and great city views.
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few common complaints about added costs and noise transfer.
A few lodgers were disappointed with the added costs they incurred during their stay. They found the extra Wi-Fi charge and the valet-only parking to be expensive ($12.95 and $38 per day, respectively).
Noise transfer was mentioned by a few reviewers. They reported noise from guests in the hallways and adjacent rooms as well as noise in rooms located near the elevators.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #18 of 84 Philadelphia hotels with an average rating of 4 out of 5 from 1,190 reviews.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.4 out of 5 with a 93% recommendation rate from 1,145 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 8.9 out of 10 from 150 reviews.
The author called the hotel on September 11, 2013 to verify some information.
