The Rittenhouse Hotel

The Rittenhouse Hotel

Walk out the doorman's door onto West Rittenhouse Square and you're standing on the address itself, not near it. The Rittenhouse Hotel occupies that square directly, a five-floor, 116-room property that belongs to Leading Hotels of the World and has held a Green Key Global Eco-Rating for its environmental practices, a distinction most Philadelphia hotels of its stature don't bother chasing. InterAct Theatre Company and First Presbyterian Church are close enough to reach on foot, and check-in doesn't open until three, so mornings here are unhurried by design. Inside, the pool comes twice, indoor and outdoor, alongside a sauna, steam room, and massage rooms staffed by a doctor on call, plus a fitness center for anyone unwilling to skip a routine on the road. Business travelers get an actual conference hall and business center rather than a repurposed corner; couples get the Mary Cassatt Tea Room for afternoon tea and a restaurant, bar, and cafe for everything after. Rooms range from a 470-square-foot standard king up to a 785-square-foot executive suite, several with working fireplaces, bathrobes, and slippers rather than the minibar-and-done treatment. Pets are allowed for a flat fee, unusual at this level of formality. None of this suits someone chasing anonymity inside a 500-room tower, or a traveler who wants a stripped-down room and nothing else. It suits someone who wants Rittenhouse Square itself as a front yard, a dog at the foot of the bed, and a spa appointment before dinner, all under one five-story roof. The Rittenhouse sits directly on Rittenhouse Square, a 116-room, five-floor property with indoor and outdoor pools, a full spa, and a Green Key Eco-Rating rare among luxury peers. Dogs are welcome, afternoon tea runs in the Mary Cassatt Tea Room, and check-in waits until three.