CHECKING INTO THE RITZ-CARLTON PHILADELPHIA
Checking Into The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia
Hi there. Lately I just can’t seem to keep my feet on the ground. With grandbabies’ birthday parties in DC and future daughter-in-laws graduating from medical school in Philly, I’ve been traveling a lot this month.
Flying Over Salt Lake City
Last week my family converged on Philadelphia for what’s called “Match Day” at The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. It’s when the graduating medical students find out which hospital they have matched with for their Medical Residency. In order to attend the ceremony one son came in from Chicago, another came in from DC with his family and Brad & I flew in from California, with all of us checking into the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Philadelphia. So today I thought I’d take you inside for a look around. The lovely historical hotel is strategically located right across the street from the beautiful and iconic Philadelphia City Hall.
Ritz Carlton Hotel on Left/ City Hall on Right
Situated on the Avenue of the Arts in downtown Philadelphia’s Center City just steps from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the hotel was originally built as a bank. To prove it the large walk-in bank vault remains and is now used for private parties. Giant neoclassical-style marble columns, made from 9,000 tons of Georgia marble decorate both the entrance of the hotel and the large open lobby area. In fact the hotel, which first opened its doors in 1908 as The Girard Trust Company, was originally built as a reproduction of the Pantheon in Greece.
Our family made good use of the lobby, meeting here for cocktails each evening before going out to dinner.
A cocktail waitress circulated the lobby or one could belly up to the bar where bartenders served exoctic drinks and fresh seafood from a raw bar.
While the room is somewhat imposing in size, it has been thoughtfully designed in a way that affords comfortable seating areas inside intimate, private alcoves.
So, now please join me for an elevator ride upstairs for a tour of our Jr. Suite, room number 1005. Having just undergone a 25 million dollar hotel renewal project, I found every space tastefully decorated, clean and refreshed.
Located on the corner of the building, our room consisted of a bedroom and separate living room, with the 2 spaces divided by the bathroom. This was our tastefully decorated and comfortable bedroom. There were plugs at the base of the bedside lamp for charging phones, a safe in the drawer of the night stand and 4 fluffy feather pillows on the bed. The bed linens consisted of a soft, high thread count duvet and comfy, crisp sheets. The small sofa at the foot of the bed was a nice touch, and was also useful for dropping purses & packages.
Adjacent to the bed was this desk, which came in handy for my husband who had to spend 1 day of the trip working. He missed our visit to The Barnes Institute, one of the best art museums I have ever been to. More on that in an upcoming post.
Down the hall that separated the bedroom from the living room was the bathroom. It consisted of a spacious shower, private water closet and a seperate tub with a city view. Two bathrobes were hung in the hall closet, high quality bath toiletries & a hair dryer were provided, and the towels were plush and absorbent.
To the right of the tub was a large pedestal sink. My only complaint about this pretty bathroom was there was virtually no counter space. And they did not have my obligatory magnifying vanity mirror. Thankfully I now travel with one. The hot water was slow to come, something I guess you must expect from these historical old buildings.
This was our little living room. The couch was comfortable and beautifully upholstered and I loved the velvet accent pillows.
Adjacent to the couch was a console unit that housed a Mini Bar and a Nespresso Coffee Bar. Curiously there was no cream or sugar provided. While we did not partake in any of the mini bar snacks, they were some of the nicest I’ve seen in a hotel room. Above the console was a large flat screen TV where my basketball loving family was able to catch bits & pieces of March Madness.
Now let me take you upstairs to room 20717 where my DC dwelling son and his family of 4 stayed in a Concierge Level Suite. His bedroom and living area was virtually identical to ours but was enlarged. The spacious suite also had 2 bathrooms, which comes in handy when traveling with kids.
His suite also had an improved view, with a magnificent bird’s eye vista of the City Hall Clock Tower, the whole of Philadelphia and the Delaware River in the distance. It doesn’t get much better than this!
These suites also had access to the beautifully decorated Club Lounge where cocktails and snacks were available around the clock.
Along with the renovation of the hotel they also welcomed the addition of a new restaurant, bar and lounge called Aqimero by acclaimed chef Richard Sandoval.
Our rooms included a $40 per person breakfast credit so our family enjoyed a delicious breakfast here every morning. The restaurant is also open for lunch and dinner as well, neither of which we tried. A wood-burning grill is the centerpiece of the new restaurant, which specializes in Latin-American influenced food.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this virtual tour of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel of Philadelphia. I would certainly recommend it and hope to return here again.
Are you planning a trip to Philadelphia? You might enjoy these informative posts…
A Philadelphia Cheesesteak Throwdown
A Visit To The Fabulous Italian Market In Philly
So there you have it: CHECKING INTO THE RITZ-CARLTON PHILADELPHIA
The Ritz-Carlton
10 Avenue of the Arts
Philadelphia, PA 19102 United States
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/philadelphia
+12155238000
Thanks so much for dropping in!
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All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission.
