Penn's View Hotel in Old City

When we were planning a weekend trip down to Philadelphia with friends, it was important that we stay somewhere right in the heart of the historic sites since our time was limited and we needed easy access to them. We also prefer to stay in less conventional places. Hotel chains dull the excitement of visiting a new city. So when we came across the boutique Penn’s View Hotel at the Delaware River, steps away from all that the Old City neighborhood has to offer, we jumped at the reservation.

Old World Room Decor

Weekend rates run anywhere from $140 – $210 for a standard King thanks to several package/specialty rates consistently being offered. Our room was $160 under a special rate offered at the time. (disclosure – on top of that an additional discount was provided due to my UpTake credentials) The décor was what I would call Old World with exposed brick, hardwood floors, decorative rugs and rich colors in the fabric of the bedding and drapery. The room was furnished with a nice desk and armchair to accompany the bed, which was very comfortable. The bathroom sparkled and was stocked with terrific lotions and other toiletries, plentiful towels and a Jacuzzi tub – which would have felt wonderful after the long days of walking during our stay, but our evenings were just as busy so we didn’t get to try it out.

Marble Bath with Jacuzzi Tub

The front desk manager, Antonio, acted as our personal concierge. This being a small hotel, service is key and we were not disappointed. Antonio gave us maps, explained transportation options, rattled off restaurant descriptions for all tastes and times, and was happy to help with any questions, problems or concerns. And he did this for every guest who came through the doors. The same quality service was on display in the hotel’s bar – Il Bar, a part of the hotel’s Ristorante Panorama. Il Bar boasts an incredible wine selection and unique preservation and dispensing system, allowing them to serve wine by the glass for extended periods of time without compromising the wine. The staff was happy to take the time to explain, advise and serve. A special wine tasting event occurs on Friday evenings for an extra charge, but we were content to sample on our own.

Impressive Il Bar Wine Selection

We did not frequent the restaurant other than to take advantage of the complimentary breakfast buffet each morning. This went a step above your typical continental style set-up, allowing for hot stations to serve yourself. It was laid out in the attractive dining room, though you could bring it back to your room. Those traveling with laptops could make use of the free WiFi from the comfort of their room. I left the laptop at home for our trip, but it was nice to be able to hop on quickly to the common area computer’s free online access to print out boarding passes for our return trip.

Upgrade to a Spacious Premium King

To us, the biggest draw for this hotel was its terrific location. We checked in, had our choice of lunch options within a few blocks, and then spent all afternoon walking through historic Philadelphia, visiting all the sites we wanted to see without having to hop on public transportation, take a tour bus or grab a cab. A large variety of bars and dinner options were all around. And a quick walk over the highway put us on Penn’s Landing – a pretty waterfront section filled during the summer season with watercraft rentals, historic ships, outdoor performances, and the Seaport Museum.

Our only complaint? That above mentioned highway. Penn’s View Hotel is not on the water, as we had understood it to be. And our room did not overlook a view of anything particularly scenic, though their website advertises select rooms with balcony river views. However, not a peep could be heard of the nearby traffic from our room so you would never know the highway was there. We weren’t in Philadelphia to hang out in our room anyway. The excellent service, cleanliness, competitive prices and convenient location made our choice a winner. Highly recommended.

Penn’s View Hotel
14 North Front Street (@ Market Street)
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(800) 331-7634
www.pennsviewhotel.com

By Molly G. @ The Bumbles Blog

All photos credited to Molly G. @The Bumbles Blog