The Rittenhouse Hotel

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!

Its not as swank as the four seasons but its nice, right in the middle of everything and a 1/3 of the price of the four seasons. Hotel bar was old school and cool. The italian restaurant was not good. Get a drink at the lobby bar and go out to eat. Everything right there.

We just finished a four-night stay at The Rittenhouse (three of those nights this past weekend), and I left feeling genuinely disappointed — especially at this price point and for a hotel that markets itself as a true luxury property. We’ve stayed here before and always found it beautiful, but this stay fell far below what we expected. I do want to recognize the two bright spots in the experience. Kai at the front (I believe a bellman) was absolutely exceptional — warm, attentive, and incredibly kind to our toddler. He genuinely made our son feel special, and his level of care is exactly what you expect from a hotel in this category. Mo, our server each morning at LaCroix, was equally wonderful — thoughtful, friendly, and consistently welcoming. They were outstanding and deserve credit. Unfortunately, the rest of our stay was defined by repeated service failures — the most frustrating of which was how the hotel handled our swimsuits being accidentally taken to pool laundry. After visiting the pool, our swimsuits were mistakenly gathered with the towels — accidents happen, and we understood that part. What was unacceptable was that it took two full days for the hotel to locate and return them. During that time, we had to repeatedly call the front desk ourselves to chase updates because no one followed up, no one seemed to know what was happening, and there was zero urgency or ownership from the hotel. We have a two-year-old, and the pool is one of the main reasons we chose this hotel — it’s a core part of how we plan our trips as a family. Losing access to the pool for nearly half our stay completely disrupted our plans and took away one of the key experiences we were paying for. When the swimsuits were finally returned — on the morning of the day we were leaving — there was no acknowledgment, no apology, and no effort to make it right. For a hotel positioning itself at this level, that is simply unacceptable. The same lack of follow-through showed up in other parts of the stay. The phones in our room didn’t work when we arrived, and despite asking multiple times, it took two days for anyone to come fix them. Housekeeping repeatedly removed empty shampoo and conditioner bottles without replacing them. We called to request more, waited over an hour and a half with no response, called again, and still waited another two hours — and when items finally arrived, the body wash was missing and had to be requested separately. We asked for toddler slippers and were instead sent women’s slippers. Small error, but reflective of the broader issue — details weren’t being paid attention to, and requests weren’t being handled with care. On our final day, after again waiting for toiletries that never arrived, my husband finally went to Target to buy body wash because we were tired of chasing basic amenities. We also booked through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, which includes a $90 daily breakfast credit. When we checked in at LaCroix, we were explicitly told that it applied to breakfast or brunch. At checkout, we were informed that it does not apply to brunch — and we were charged the full amount. So we lost the credit entirely because we relied on incorrect information from the hotel’s own staff. None of these issues on their own would have defined the stay — but together, they made it clear that the service culture simply isn’t operating at a luxury standard. At this level, guests shouldn’t have to repeatedly follow up, wait hours for basic room items, receive conflicting information, or lose key parts of their stay due to staff mismanagement — especially when traveling with a young child. The Rittenhouse is a stunning property and physically a beautiful hotel, but the service we experienced was far below what you’d expect for the price — and frankly, far below what comparable hotels in Philadelphia deliver. We’ve consistently had exceptional experiences at the Four Seasons, and based on this stay, that is where I’d recommend travelers go if they’re looking for a true luxury experience. We’re grateful for Kai and Mo, who were wonderful — but overall, this was a deeply disappointing stay, and we won’t be returning.

We stayed at The Rittenhouse for two nights and three days to celebrate our engagement, and the experience was exceptional from start to finish. From the moment we arrived at the parking square, we were greeted with warm, attentive service from the valet team, which immediately set the tone for our stay. When the hotel learned we were celebrating our engagement, we were surprised with a room upgrade along with strawberries and champagne waiting for us. It was such a thoughtful touch and made the weekend feel even more special. The room itself was beautiful and comfortable, and the details really stood out. The Rittenhouse uses Le Labo toiletries, which was a lovely surprise and added to the luxury feel. We also enjoyed daily room service, which was consistently excellent. Dining at the in-house restaurant, Lacroix, was a highlight. The food was delicious, and having it available via room service made it even better. We also highly recommend booking a spa treatment during your stay. It was absolutely worth it and one of the most relaxing parts of our weekend. The location is ideal, right in the heart of the city, with convenient overnight parking and electric vehicle charging stations available. By the end of our stay, we truly didn’t want to leave. The Rittenhouse made our engagement weekend unforgettable, and we wouldn’t hesitate to return for another special occasion.