Best Starwood Hotel in Philly?
 

Hi! The whole family (me, husband, my 3 and 4 year old boys) are going to Philly for two days. Which is the best Philly Starwood hotel to stay at? We do enjoy staying at luxury properties but would also love if there were some kid friendly things nearby? (playgrounds, etc)

First of all, I'm a resident of this area and thus VERY rarely stay in a hotel here. My "expertise" on any Starwood place is based *SOLELY* on location. In other words, any statement of mine along the lines of "This place is well located" is NOT the same as "This place is not a dump."

I checked out the location of Starwood properties in the Philly area and, of the ones I can recommend for location, all are in Center City. Forget the two near the airport, and the two near the University of Pennsylvania ("U-Penn Neighborhood") are perfectly fine but are farther from the interesting stuff in Center City.

> love if there were some kid friendly things nearby

Not a lot of places I'd call kid-friendly in Center City; the closest to that would probably be Rittenhouse Square (18th Street). Both the Warwick and the Sofitel are within a block of there.

On the other hand, the history stuff is near Fifth Street, so you may want to stay closer to there -- ie, the Kipton or the Franklin.

I should mention that (almost) all kids love zoos, and the Philadelphia Zoo is a real winner in getting people close to the animals.
http://www.frugalphillymom.com/wp-co...elphia-zoo.jpg
If you can arrange the time and transportation to get there, your children will love you for it.

Paul - which exact Starwood property would you pick then? The Westin in Rittenhouse Square?

> which exact Starwood property would you pick then?

I have absolutely no clue on which Starwood property near Rittenhouse Square would best meet your needs. There are three such places within a block or so of that area, and I have no idea which is the best for your needs and budget.

I wish I could give you more & better advice on hotel choices beyond what I've said, but I simply won't pretend that I can. Sorry.

When we were in Philadelphia in October, RS was being dug up in several parts, so not all the kid friendly. I suggest you take them to Fitler Square instead. There were several kids that age playing there. http://www.fitlersquare.org/photos.html
https://www.yelp.com/biz/fitler-square-philadelphia-2

If you go down to the Society Hill/Independence Mall area, take them to the Three Bears Park play area on Delancey Street between 3rd and 4th. http://threebearspark.org/about/

None of the Starwood hotels locations strike as that appealing or family friend (the Sheraton Society Hill might be best for your needs, but I prefer my old neighborhood of Rittenhouse Square). That Sheraton also has an indoor children's pool.

Sorry, my keyboard needs replacing...the keys are sticking so some of the words I've typed never actually show up on the screen...

Weisser - it seems like you think Rittenhouse Square is a nicer part of the center city?? (Vs. Society Hill) There is a Westin right in Rittenhouse Square. Once we walk outside the hotel, we would probably have them in the stroller...

And thanks to everyone for responding!

"it seems like you think Rittenhouse Square is a nicer part of the center city??"

Absolutely not. They are both wonderful neighborhoods, just very different in feel. The small streets with their lovely row homes in Society Hill give it more of a well-tended village feel. Rittenhouse Square is more sophisticated urban. I lean toward RS only because it's more our style and we lived longer in that area than we did down in Society Hill.

To be honest, none of the Starwood properties seem all that great. On our visits over the past three years, we've stayed at the Sofitel, the Latham (now closed), and the Warwick. I'd pick the Sofitel over the Westin or Sheraton SH.

(IMO, the best located hotel in Philadelphia is The Rittenhouse, but it needs an upgrade/renovation. Would love to see a small, luxurious boutique hotel close to Fitler Square)