I Visited Philadelphia For the Cheesesteak … and the History
Philadelphia, the “City of Brotherly Love” is known for the cracked Liberty Bell, the iconic Rocky, Phillies baseball, Eagles football, and much more including my favorites, Philly Cheesesteak and soft pretzels.
At first, I was a bit concerned with the safety of such a city but once I arrived, I felt at ease. I heeded the advice of previous Philadelphia visitors and rather than try navigating the crowded city streets on our own, we booked the Philadelphia Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour. I always appreciate letting professionals do the driving, especially in the city.
This Loews Philadelphia Hotel in Philadelphia came highly recommended, so we booked it. We did not pay attention to the fact that it was located directly across the street from the Pennsylvania Convention Center. We may have been in the minority of hotel guests that were NOT visiting Philadelphia for business. However, we tried not to look too touristy (no cameras hanging from our necks) and spent most of our day out of the hotel, sightseeing around the city.
About the Hotel
This historic Philadelphia hotel is located on Market Street, right in the center of downtown historic Philadelphia. You can literally step outside Loews Philadelphia Hotel to explore all the city’s most popular attractions.
Technically, the hotel is within walking distance of the Reading Terminal Market, Independence Hall, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and more, but I’m still glad we took the tour bus excursion. It’s also conveniently located near many colleges and universities, so we lucked out visiting the area after the Spring semester at colleges and commencement services were already completed.
Loews Philadelphia Hotel is described as a luxury four-diamond hotel offering 581 freshly renovated rooms and suites. It was nice to see a full-service concierge team that can help guests plan anything hotel or Philadelphia-related. I was impressed to see that the hotel is home to an actual architectural landmark, the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society (PSFS) building. It’s also recognized as one of the nation’s first modern skyscrapers.
And speaking of skyscrapers, I want to discuss my experience with our room selection.
Reserve a Room on a High floor For Amazing Views, They Said
Our friends that recommended this hotel kept raving about the city view from their hotel room. It was suggested that we select a room on one of the higher floors between 25 and 32, to take advantage of views that expand 20+ miles. So, we did. We booked a “City View High Floor” room type and was assigned a room on the 27th floor.
I will suffice what I’m about to say with the fact that we sail aboard cruise ships multiple times each year. We even spent a weekend on one of Royal Caribbean’s larger ships, Utopia of the Seas, boasting 18 deck levels. I have never experienced any fear of heights on a balcony or walking at the highest level of a ship.
After a quick and easy check in at the front desk we hit the elevator to check out our room’s view. “Wow!” The view was spectacular Talk about being on top of the world!
We were hungry so we headed back down the elevator to go explore the nearby city to enjoy an early dinner. When we returned to the hotel, the evening view from our 27th floor hotel room, featuring the mesmerizing city lights, was even more magnificent.
Loews Philadelphia Hotel Room Amenities
Simply stated, my room was beautiful. It was spacious with high ceilings, a comfortable king bed with fluffy pillows, and featured contemporary décor with what can be described as calming colors of gray and blue. The blackout shade provided perfectly dark sleeping conditions. There was a flat screen tv, mini refrigerator, coffee machine with gourmet coffee, alarm clock/radio, and a convenient desk area to charge our mobile devices. The room also offered free and fast WIFI, a safe, an iron, and ironing board.
The renovated bathroom with fancy porcelain mosaic tile was beautiful and we appreciated the free Julien Farel Restore hair and skin products. I loved using the room’s make-up mirror and professional hairdryer.
Loews Philadelphia Hotel Amenities
While this hotel offers many guest-appreciated amenities, take note that it no longer has a pool. Some travel websites still list “pool” as an amenity. However, the hotel does feature an incredible fitness center, a full-service spa, and dining/beverage options.
The recently renovated fitness center includes new equipment and the popular Peloton bikes. Guests also get complimentary access to the steam room, sauna, and showers located inside the locker rooms. Fitness center hours: open daily from 5am – 10pm.
Loews Philadelphia hotel features a salon and spa by the renowned Joseph Anthony Salon & Spa. While I didn’t visit the spa, I heard the massage and other body treatments are top quality.
Pets under 75 lbs. are allowed to join you at the hotel but requires a $40 per stay fee. Apparently, the hotel provides extra thorough cleaning in pet-friendly rooms.
You already know that visiting for a few days in any major metropolitan city will yield hefty parking fees. Loews Philadelphia Hotel offers valet parking for $60.02 per day, inclusive of a 25% city park tax. There are self-parking options near the hotel but that is not part of the valet parking amenity. To get around the city, SEPTA is Philadelphia’s public transportation system. Again, another reason we booked the guided bus tour, as we didn’t want to tackle the train.
For business travelers, there’s a convenient FedEx Business Center located on the lobby level.
Loews Philadelphia Hotel also offers dry cleaning and laundry services. And – extra cool and nostalgic – it also offers a complimentary “shoe shine” that can be arranged through the hotel’s Bell Desk.
Dining and Drinks in the Hotel
Inside the Loews Philadelphia Hotel, you can enjoy a sit-down restaurant, have a cocktail, or grab and go items from a market.
Bank & Bourbon restaurant and bar offers an American-themed menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The bar features a special “bourbon barrel-aging program” for house-aged cocktails plus craft beers and lots of wines.
You can also grab a drink and a snack at the Lobby Lounge. This was a really cute area featuring comfortable sofas and chairs, and library-style tables equipped with outlets to charge your mobile devices or laptop.
The POD Market, located on the lobby level, offers Philadelphia’s own La Colombe coffee, fresh pastries, snacks, salads, beverages, and more.
The hotel also offers in-room dining so you can order a meal or snack to enjoy in the comfort of your hotel room.
Let’s Talk Philly Cheesesteaks
We ventured out of the hotel and found many nice restaurants within walking distance. Our goal was to taste a few different cheesesteaks in the area.
What is a cheesesteak? Imagine sliced or chopped rib-eye beef, smothered with melted cheese and onions sitting in a soft, yet slightly crusty, long roll.
We enjoyed three meals of different cheesesteaks: Pat’s King of Steaks, Jim’s Steaks, and Campo’s Philly Cheesesteaks. We split the cheesesteak and hilariously spent too much time discussing the pros and cons of the meat, cheese, onions, and bread. While each was delicious in its own way, the unanimous winner was Campo’s restaurant … it was authentic, delicious, and “phill-ing.”
City Sightseeing: Philadelphia Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour
When it came to sightseeing in Philadelphia, we took the easy way. We booked the Philadelphia Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour. And it’s a good thing we did because the morning was a bit rainy. The bus had a roof.
Having a live guide was such a treat. He kept us informed with a ton of interesting Philadelphia facts and other historical information. There were plenty of stops, 26 stops to be exact. We were able to see all of the popular tourist spots in addition to many locations that we didn’t know about. It was a smart way to see and photograph so much of Philadelphia’s history in a short amount of time.
We visited so many sights during the tour that I couldn’t do it justice by explaining each and every sight. So, I thought it would be best to list the 26 stops that the Philadelphia Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour features:
>> The Bourse Building and Independence Mall
>> Betsy Ross House, Fireman’s Hall Museum
>> 3 National Constitution Center, African American Museum in Philadelphia
>> Chinatown, Friendship Arch
>> Reading Terminal Market, Reading Terminal Market, Masonic Temple
>> 6 Love Park, Academy of Natural Sciences
>> Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Parkway Central Library
>> Logan Circle, The Barnes Foundation
>> Rodin Museum, The Oval XP
>> Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art
>> The Perelman Building, Boathouse Row
>> Rocky Steps & Statue, Rocky Steps & Statue
>> Franklin Institute, Moore College of Art & Design Galleries
>> Mutter Museum, Rosenbach Museum & Library
>> Shops at Liberty Place, City Hall Tower
>> The Bellevue
>> Avenue of the Arts, Academy of Music, Wilma Theater
>> Antique Row, Physick House, Old Pine Street Church & Cemetery
>> Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, Tindley Temple
>> Headhouse Square, Headhouse Market, Shane Confectionery
>> Vietnam & Korean War Memorials
>> Penn’s Landing, Spruce Street Harbor Park
>> Marriott Old City
>> Museum of American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin Museum
>> Museum of Illusions, Christ Church Burial Ground
>> Liberty Bell Center
The best way to describe how this unique tour operates is that you join the tour at any stop and hop on and off for the duration of your ticket. We did a 1-Day Pass for $39 but you can select one, two, or three day passes. One day gave us an ideal sightseeing experience, a comprehensive overview of the city, and the guides and drivers were truly outstanding.
Wonder-Phil Visit to the City of Brotherly Love
Loews Philadelphia Hotel lived up to the hype for blending modern luxury with historic charm. Our hotel room was spacious, modern, comfortable, and clean. It was a treat to stay in a room that along with the bathroom, had been recently renovated.
The downtown location made it easy to get to local landmarks and restaurants. Besides our favorite part of eating too many cheesesteaks, we also can’t stop talking about running up and down the iconic steps featured in the Rocky movie. Typically, I would have been embarrassed but everyone was doing it as well. I highly recommend a guided tour to see as many Philadelphia attractions as possible.
I have zero regrets staying at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel and would gladly stay there again. It was top notch and deservedly a 4-diamond hotel.