The Rittenhouse Hotel

Arrived for one night in 15 degree weather but immediately warmed by friendliness of staff and beautiful room with lovely view overlooking the park. Indoor saltwater pool a little cold for my tastes but sauna and steam room were lovely treats. Enjoyed dinner nearby and a nice nightcap in their bar upon return. Had a good gym experience and took one of the classes where my husband and I were the only participants so it was like a private session….really great! Had a delicious breakfast in La Croix with some unique menu items. Wonderful service. Then topped it all of with a relaxing facial in their spa. Felt like we’d been gone a week but actually just one night. So worth it to recharge in such luxury!

The hotel is spectacular and so is the staff. The rooms are exceptional. the location is perfect for center city attractions and dining

I don’t mind paying high prices for true luxury. This is high prices for so-so luxury. First, there are big tour buses parked in front of hotel so it’s hard if you haven’t been here before to properly see where to turn, much less get any sense of the exterior of the place. The lobby is kinda weird, very open—pretty, I guess, in its way but also kind of cold. No signs telling where anything is. The room seemed dated and down-at-the-mouth— cheesy, chipped furniture, chipped bathroom floors, poorly-applied wallpaper that was actually dirty, cheesy lamps and fixtures—even the shades were crooked and dusty. I was supposed to have a “city view” but the windows are too dirty to really enjoy it. Worst of all, the plastic, faux wood flooring, some of it coming loose—yikes! Last time I had that was in a tired Marriott in the middle of NC. Bathroom floor looks dirty but I think it’s just old? One thing I love when I’m doing a weekend R&R break is ordering room service. I even checked the menu before I booked. Looked promising. But I should’ve done more research…The woman who took my order seemed less-than-thrilled and had to go ask the kitchen twice what seemed like pretty basic questions about the menu. My overpriced dinner was middling at best. The heating system is noisy and inefficient, room gets cold pretty quickly between blasts of hot air. I guess what you’re paying for here is the location? IMHO, still doesn’t justify absurd prices…

Let me preface this review with the fact that we had a lovely visit to The Rittenhouse for a night away during the holidays. The staff were lovely, the room was great. We booked through Amex FHR, but the hotel is also a member of the Chase Edit Program. However, until The Rittenhouse reconsiders its relationship with Towne Park for its valet service, I cannot recommend this hotel. We dropped our car off with the valet on December 29. Valet parking is the only option at the hotel - there is not an option to self park. When our car was retrieved the next morning, I immediately saw damage to our back hatch door and reported it to the valet and front desk. The parking manager was not present, so the front desk connected us with them via email at which time we filed a claim with Towne Park for damage to our vehicle. Over the next few weeks, I repeatedly emailed Towne Park for status updates to no avail. I finally heard from a representative on Jan 19 who indicated we would have an answer on our claim by COB. We did not hear back until Jan 24 at 4:30 pm. Towne Park indicated they were denying our claim because the damage existed when they took possession of the vehicle, which is patently false. I asked for the investigative file to see the photographic or video evidence of the damage existing at drop off, but was denied and told I had to file a claim through my insurance at which point we would be subject to “binding arbitration” for any claims against Towne Park for the damage they caused. This type of anti-consumer, dishonest business practice is unacceptable. I have contacted nearby businesses as well as the DRPA for footage of our car that day, which will unequivocally prove there was not damage to our vehicle until Towne Park took possession. After reading the many reviews about other people having similar issues with Towne Park, I filed a consumer protection claim with the PA Attorney General. I will also contact the Members of Congress who represent Towne Park locations. Doing business with a deceptive company like Towne Park tarnishes The Rittenhouse and Amex FHR brands. 2 stars because The Rittenhouse has agreed to refund the $70 we spent on the valet.

The Rittenhouse has a reputation as a premier accommodation in Philadelphia and I can attest that it has earned that and more with our recent visit. This was a Christmas gift to my girlfriend who has a special birthday in January. We arrived hopeful for early check in and our room was ready despite being over an hour early. The only problem that we encountered was some standing water around the toilet, noticed when we arrived. Glancing around the lobby, we knew we were in a different, luxury environment that we were not accustomed to! A call to the front office, and a maintenance man was at our room in five minutes. Ten minutes later the problem was resolved, After an all day pub crawl and a nice dinner at a local restaurant we ended the night at the hotels luxury bar, "The Library". Although pricey, I had the best Old Fashioned I ever had the privilege of enjoying. The location is amazing. We enjoyed gazing out the windo onto the square watching the many dogs enjoy their park. On the way home we already were lamenting going back to the humdrum of the real world and talked about making this an annual event. Although the stay was pricey, for a special occasion or special treat it was well worth it! Can't recommend the Rittenhouse enough!