Parteau Z.
Yelp
I had an absolutely wonderful stay at the AKA Rittenhouse Square earlier this month. The hotel is beautiful. I had read that they had recently just finished their renovations and they truly did a fantastic job. I was in one of their studios and this space in particular was well appointed and quite large. The rooms are modern/contemporary in feel and there is a great large TV in the bedroom. The TVs are smart TVs and so if you do have a Netflix subscription you are able to log into your account. This was certainly an added bonus and I wish all hotels did this! There is wifi in the guest rooms as well as in the shared common spaces. The bathroom was beautiful and the entire space was exceptionally clean. There was ample storage for my luggage in the closet and there were many shelves to organize my clothes into. I was lucky in that, although I was on the second floor, I had a nice view of the square from my room. Surprisingly, although my room was facing the street and I was actually directly above the hotel entrance, there was absolutely no noise from the outside. Great people watching and very bright. Please note that housekeeping is not every day like a regular hotel, however, my understanding is that you may request this at an additional charge. For my 5 night stay I had housekeeping once and the trash was removed everyday.
The second floor also had a small, but useful gym (they do have access to a larger gym in the area for those who are interested), conference rooms, a beautiful sitting area, and a small cinema. You are able to "rent out" (free of charge) the cinema if you just let them know ahead of time. If you are visiting friends in the city and just want a night in, it is a neat option. They do also have laundry facilities on the second floor which you are able to utilize. The building has a mixture of residents vs. short term guests so I personally enjoyed staying here as it felt like a non-traditional hotel stay.
The staff were wonderful, kind, and very polite. Darren, the doorman, was an absolute gem. Although I was only there for 5 days, he made me feel right at home. He was always willing to help and has a wonderful attitude. I would stay at the AKA Rittenhouse again solely because of Darren and his wonderful service. Jill, at the front desk, was also very warm and helpful. She was always available for questions and is a smart addition to the staff there. While I do not know the remainder of the staff by name, I can say that everyone I interacted with during my stay were respectful and kind.
I initially chose this hotel for its location. It is in prime real estate and at the heart of Rittenhouse Square. This is generally regarded as one of the nicest areas in Philadelphia and the hotel is priced exceptionally well for its locale. There are plenty of restaurants, coffee shops, and bars all within the doorstep of the hotel. I honestly had a hard time picking where to go because there are so many wonderful options there. The hotel itself also has its own restaurant and bar. While I did not have the opportunity to dine at either, I have read and heard wonderful things about both. The bar was absolutely packed almost every evening during my stay and I know from some of my local friends that the restaurant serves a very good brunch. There is also very good shopping in this area and generally most places I intended to go to were within walking distance.
All in all I would highly recommend the AKA Rittenhouse to my friends and family. I intend to stay here again on my next trip to Philadelphia and am excited to try out their hotels in other locations as well. 5 stars.