Saturday, April 16, 2016

Philadelphia - Residence Inn, Philadelphia Center City

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/phlri-residence-inn-philadelphia-center-city/

We stayed in two really good hotels, and three that were not so good on the trip, but our Philadelphia hotel was the best, with Bloomington a close second.

This was a Residence Inn, and the doors really did look like entrances into homes.

The rooms were fine, and that's not really something we are picky about, but there were a few things that are really worth mentioning.

Location:  Kitty corner from City Hall and adjacent to the Wanamaker Building, the Residence Inn is conveniently located for tourist purposes, close to many locations and with easy access to transportation for things that are farther away. This helped us use our time productively. In addition, the 7-11 and Dunkin Donuts that were right there were also pretty convenient.

One possibly drawback to the location - and this is minor - is that appears that the address was changed recently, so not all navigation aids recognize the One East Penn Square address. Our cab driver had some difficulty finding it, and the existence of another Marriott very nearby did not help. Nonetheless, we did get there, and we liked it.

The Breakfast Buffet: We love when breakfast is included with the stay, as something that saves time and money. Usually the spreads aren't that great, but because of the convenience you don't care.

Their breakfast buffet was so good! It had hot and cold items, with several choices, including some basics that were there every day and other items that were new and surprising. All of this was wonderful, but what really clinched it for my Diet Coke dependent sisters was that there were fountain drinks available too.

There were also several people there to help you, without being obtrusive, and this leads to the next factor.

The Staff: All of the staff was so friendly, thoughtful, and helpful. Whether it was getting change for the laundry or not being able to figure out the remote control for the television, this was easily the most attentive and pleasant staff that we have ever encountered, and truly a pleasure to work with.

Even as we were leaving they were helpful. We asked about getting to the bus station, and they gave us advice that we needed and could not possibly have known. From this location, cabs don't like taking people to the bus station. It is fairly short, and they will suggest you walk. We are not against a walk, but it was early enough in the morning to still be dark, we had luggage, and we did not want to make that navigation alone and on foot. The hotel staff told us to get loaded in the cab before telling the driver where we were going, and they helped us get loaded in quickly to make it work. And then the driver did say we could walk, but it was too late!

Thank you Residence Inn, Philadelphia Center City staff! You were the best!

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