The bar at Philadelphia's new Le Meridien hotel.

Le Méridien opened earlier in May in Philadelphia (that’s the East Coast city you keep saying you’re going to visit because you’ve “heard nice things,” but always opt for New York or Washington, DC instead).

Here’s a rundown of what folks are saying about the 201-room hotel in a 10-story Georgian revival-style building that used to house a YMCA (what a way to cop out of having to come up with an original review of my own):

• “With so much history steeped in its walls, the hotel is a melding of past and present…The furniture is minimal, functional, and stylish in a natural palette accented with red and chrome throughout. An example: sliding red barn doors in each bathroom, which help conserve space.” [Philadelphia Inquirer]
• 

  One of Le Meridien's 201 rooms.

  “The setup of Le Méridien (1421 Arch St.), which opens May 7, is unique in that the first thing you see upon entering is the long, illuminated 18-person bar — lots of restaurants like to brand themselves food-forward, but this is a very geographical step in that direction.” [Philadelphia City Paper]

• “Have you ever wished you could recharge your cell phone or laptop while you’re refueling yourself with lunch or dinner? Now you can—thanks to Amuse, the restaurant inside the new Le Meridien Philadelphia.” [Hotel Chatter]

Rates start at $189 a night.

Le Méridien
1421 Arch St.
Philadelphia, Penn. 19102

Photos: Courtesy Le Meridien