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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ka ʻĀpala Nui, Nuioka
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Posts: 18,683
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia
What is your Rewards Club status? Spire Elite and Ambassador
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay? Yes
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive? Corner King Spa; received the same on the seventh floor on the corner of 5th and Chestnut (no higher room classes were available).
How are the rooms? The view from the room was amazing, with a panoramic view starting from Camden and the USS New Jersey to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Despite being so close to the street, I didn't notice any road noise that was disturbing. The expanded size of the room was nice and the soaking tub was put to use.
[if you are Spire]
How was your complimentary welcome amenity? N/A
Did you raid the minibar? Yes, beef jerky for $10.
Were you offered a Chef's Taste at Dinner, If so, what did you receive? N/A
Did you use the free spa credit / did the hotel participate? If so, was it a good value? N/A
What was good and what was bad? Friendly and helpful staff; we were given a very good tip for a cafe nearby that had excellent pastries. I've generally had very good stays here in the past. The valet parking is up to $50 a night, but if you don't need in and out service, the Bourse Garage on the same block is $28 per night. The food hall at the Bourse next door is also much improved with high-end vendors. The location is great for Center City points of interest; we were able to score a reservation at Zahav and it was only a five minute walk from the hotel. It's also convenient to subway and bus transit. Minor quibbles would be the small elevators and a tub drain that didn't completely seal.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return? The Monaco is often more expensive than the Palomar but if you find a good promotion rate, decent rooms can be found at reasonable prices. We end up choosing the Monaco if we have a car and are visiting restaurants and points of interest closer to Old City than Rittenhouse Square.