Hotel Palomar Philadelphia

Located just a block from Rittenhouse Square in Center City, Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar Philadelphia makes its home in the former headquarters of the American Institute of Architects. No surprise — the 1929 Art Deco building is a beauty, and the hotel does well to make art and architecture its theme. Period details and contemporary, eye-catching works by Philadelphia artists abound. Not that it feels like a museum; the place positively glows with warmth — in the lighting, in the soft carpets and neutral-toned furnishings, and neither last nor least in the gorgeous fireplace that forms the centerpiece of the lobby lounge.

The 230 guest rooms are just as inviting, with white and zebra-print Frette linens on the beds and L’Occitane amenities, marble vanities and recycled glass tiles in the lavish bathrooms. Leopard-print bathrobes are a playful touch, and they’re all the better after a soak in one of the Spa Suites’ Japanese-style tubs. Children get special gifts on arrival, and their parents can request child-size animal-print robes to match the grown-up versions. Register a pet (feline and canine friends of all sizes are welcome) and your room will be ready with a bowl and a doggie- or kitty-bed. Grooming, walking, pet-sitting, and even pet-massage services are all available as well.

For the rest of us, nightly wine tastings, Wednesday yoga classes, jogging maps and bike rentals are all free of charge. Business travelers are within easy range of Philadelphia’s largest concentration of office buildings, in Center City. Alternatively, let associates come to you at the hotel’s own 24th and 25th floor meeting rooms, its enormous penthouse ballroom with views of Philadelphia’s skyline on three sides, or in the two-story bar and restaurant, Square 1682.