The Rittenhouse Hotel

Overlooking Rittenhouse Square in one Philadelphia’s toniest districts, this very modern 33-story high-rise gives away little about the luxurious small hotel that lies within. An elegant and charming classic, the Rittenhouse is one of the city’s most exclusive lodgings, offering not only the largest rooms in Philadelphia—each spanning some 450 to 600 square feet—but some of the most lavish as well, decked out in rich mahogany and vibrant fabrics and offering far-ranging views of the Square and the city.

Facilities are big for such a small hotel, from plentiful meeting and events space to the Adolf Biecker spa and salon, offering massage and beauty treatments, fitness programs, and an indoor pool.

Same goes for the cuisine; the Rittenhouse is home to more than one of Philadelphia’s top eateries, from the award-winning Lacroix at The Rittenhouse, rated #2 restaurant in Philadelphia, to the Smith & Wollensky steakhouse, and the Mary Cassatt Tea Room and Garden, serving an authentic British afternoon tea in an ornate living room and an outdoor garden hung with a few of Cassatt’s original works. Upstairs, works by local artists adorn the guest-room walls — talk of Philly as New York’s sixth borough may be exaggerated, but this city has always been big on culture, and is home to a thriving art scene, a scene that has found a champion in the Rittenhouse.