Jazz_and_cocktails
Google
I have stayed in a number of Center City hotels and was underwhelmed by this property. Arrival went smoothly, the parking valet had us in inside in no time. There was no wait at check-in, and I was "recognized as a Gold member." But recognition was it - there was no amenity or enhancement offered - no free breakfast, no food or beverage credit, no bag with drinks and snacks, etc. The desk clerk told me I would receive an upgrade - to a higher floor room. When we arrived at the room in the 13 series, I noted that the room type was exactly what I reserved. The city views were relatively open but unspectacular. I did not feel I received any "upgrade."||The room itself was on the smaller side. The repurposed Girard building was not built as a hotel and thus the room had no closet. There was a furniture unit that offered a space to hang your clothes, some drawer space, a refrigerated drawer, and a small safe. This was sufficient for our needs, but guests who are staying longer, or who plan to have a bottle or two in the room, might want more space. The Nespresso machine was a nice touch.||Sleep quality was excellent. The room and HVAC were very quiet. The bedding and mattress were very comfortable, and the elaborate headboard worked well for reading in bed. I could only get one of the two reading lamps to work though. Outlets and USB ports were more than sufficient.||The bathroom was large, modern and well appointed. Hand soap, lotion, shower gel, and conditioner were all provided in pump bottles. I requested a small bar of soap but was advised that none were on offer in keeping with the hotel's environmental practices. Robes and slippers were not provided, nor were there any of the smaller amenities (shoe shine pad, q tips, etc.) on offer, except for makeup remover sachets.||Housekeeping was hit and miss. The room was very clean or arrival, but when we returned to our room just after 4 pm on the second day, our room had not been refreshed. A housekeeper showed up soon after, and we received fresh towels.||In the absence of any credit, we did not try the restaurant. A breakfast of donuts and coffee from Federal Donuts (in the building) was disappointing. We had much better coffee at Black Turtle, and breakfasted at the Reading Terminal Market day 2. ||The hotel's main advantage is its central location. Reading Terminal Market and the Convention Center are steps away, and you can easily walk east to the Independence Mall area, or west to Walnut Street shopping and Rittenhouse Square. The cultural attractions on Broad Street are also quite close. We walked everywhere, from Fairmount, to South Street.||Overall, there is nothing wrong with this hotel and the four star rating reflects that. However, the hotel should do more for Hilton Gold members. There was no advantage to staying here over some more compelling Center City properties.