"Give us an overview of the space here?Housed on five floors of an upscale residential building in the city’s centrally-located Midtown Village neighborhood, the spacious, meticulously-designed luxury apartments here are meant for extended stays, from a week to several months. With sunlit rooms, high-kitchens, full size washers and dryers, and weekly housekeeping, it’s easy to imagine staying longer.
What's the backstory?Philly-based Method Co., founders of the Roost brand and local restaurants Wm. Mulherin’s Sons and Hiroki, opened their third apartment hotel inside a Center City luxury residential building. Designed by Morris Adjmi, the New York-based architect also worked on the brand’s first two hotels, as well as the rest of the residential building, The Girard, so there’s a beautiful continuity to the design. (i.e., rooms don’t feel like they were just plunked down inside an existing apartment building—you’re getting the same vibe when you step foot in your apartment as you did when you walked through the building’s front door.)
Tell us all about the accommodations. Any tips on what to book?All three room options—one bedroom, one bedroom with a den, and two bedrooms—offer a good deal more space than your average New York City apartment. Each is flooded with natural light thanks to the apartment’s walls of windows. Furnishings (a buttery leather couch, walnut stools) and decor (a vintage Persian rug, one-of-a-kind artwork) all give the feeling that you’re staying at a stylish and well-traveled friend’s apartment. Extra amenities include an Apple TV, Bang & Olufsen bluetooth speakers, Bosch washers and dryers, and Davines bath products.
Is there a charge for Wi-Fi?Each apartment comes with complimentary, high-speed Wi-Fi, so there’s no need to borrow your neighbor’s.
Drinking and dining—what are we looking at?The apartment hotel model usually means there’s no full-service restaurant on site, and Roost is no different. But the 24-hour front desk and concierge can direct guests to nearby dining destinations—the neighborhood has plenty. Less than a five minute walk from the Roost, the historic Reading Terminal Market sells Pennsylvania Dutch doughnuts, and one of the city’s best roast pork sandwiches. If you’re not ready to face the world just yet, rooms are equipped with coffee programs, which include Chemex coffee makers and grinders, plus whole bean local La Colombe coffee for brewing a stellar cup of coffee before having to change out of your pajamas.
And the service? While the vibe feels like an apartment building, the 24-hour front desk reminds you they’re in the hospitality business. Check in is warm and welcoming, and deciphering some of the room’s more technical amenities (the Bosch dishwasher, the Baratza Virtuoso coffee grinder) is a breeze with guidance from the staff.
What type of travelers will you find here?Extended stay guests, including those in town on business, plus families making the move to Philly and still scoping out a permanent place to call home.
What about the neighborhood? Does the hotel fit in, make itself part of the scene?Tucked into five floors of a residential building, the hotel fits seamlessly into the neighborhood of offices and high-rises. A prime position in Center City—steps from City Hall, historic Old City, the business district, and plenty of dining and shopping—makes Roost a supremely convenient place to post up while you’re in town.
Is there anything you'd change?If there was a soaking tub, I’d never leave. (Though the rainfall shower is perfectly soothing after a workout in the 24-hour fitness center.)
Any other hotel features worth noting?The Roost has everything you want in an extended stay apartment: a full kitchen, in-unit washer and dryer, weekly housekeeping, and, most importantly, a beautifully-designed space in which you’d actually want to unpack and stay a while. But it’s also got a raft of amenities that feel like they belong in a boutique hotel, including a sizable outdoor, heated lap pool overlooking Market Street, a complimentary bike share, and an “amenity floor” that features a landscaped deck with a community vegetable garden, and grills for the city version of a backyard barbecue.
Bottom line: Worth it? Why? If you’re looking for a hotel for one night, or a weekend getaway, this probably isn't for you. (They usually host guests for a month or more, but the minimum stay is typically 7 to 10 days, depending on the time of year.) But if you’re after a spacious home base, impeccably-designed and loaded with luxe amenities that will make you feel like you’re staying in a dream version of your own pied-a-terre, this is your place." - Regan Stephens
