Pittsburgh hotel recommendations (Franklin Park, Carnegie, Franklin: 2015, rent, best hotel)

[Bette]

We have to visit Pittsburgh over a weekend for a memorial service. We have not invited to stay with relatives b/c there are so many other relatives coming in.

I think my husband would like to stay in a hotel and see Pittsburgh. I have looked at downtown Pittsburgh - is that where the action is? We are in our 50's (yikes) but very healthy, active, younger thinking people.

We are flying in from Fort Lauderdale. We will stay 2-3 nights.

I'm a bit of a nitpicker when it comes to hotels so please tell me the truth. I'm more into modern, contemporary places but also respect nice, older well kept places too.

PS - If there are places we should see, please let me know that too.

[UKyank]

Downtown is where you are most to find the type of hotel you are describing (The Fairmont should fit the bill). As to that being where the action is at - yes, there is action, but its not limited to there & there will invariably be more 'action' in the various neighborhoods in the city, but lacking the hotels you're looking for.
As an alternative there are some brand new hotels in the SouthSide Works area.

[Bette]

Yes, I was looking at the Fairmont. Also looked at the Renaissance.

Where is Franklin Park? Any hotels in that area?

PS - We will rent a car but walking around downtown - is that safe to do?

[greg42]

Fairmont and Renaissance are the top hotels in town I'd say. Fairmont is in a new building that was in part built especially for it, so it's new and modern. Ren is an old office building that was renovated to be the hotel. Take your pick. Parts of the Ren face right out onto the Allegheny River with no obstruction (towards PNC Park) if that appeals. Oh, there's also the Omni William Penn, which is a real grand old hotel building. But if modern is your favorite, you can't go wrong with the Fairmont.

Certainly safe to walk around downtown. If you rent a car (which you'll probably need for the memorial and such), you'll have to pay to park it at the downtown hotels. Just something to be aware of.

Franklin Park is almost entirely a bedroom community to the north of downtown. I can think of one cheap hotel off I-79 at PA Rt 910 that would be in Franklin Park. The closest hotels to (most parts of) Franklin Park are in Cranberry Township. Top level there is a regular full-service Marriott which is fairly new, then there's a brand new Hilton Garden Inn and they go lower grade from there. They are standard generic suburban hotel buildings.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by Bette

Yes, I was looking at the Fairmont. Also looked at the Renaissance.

Where is Franklin Park? Any hotels in that area?

PS - We will rent a car but walking around downtown - is that safe to do?

There are a handful of hotel chains near Franklin Park in Wexford and Cranberry- its near a major intersection of I-79 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Maybe 20 minutes to drive into town from there.

[onwardandupward]

If you need to be anywhere near the East End, the Spring Hill Suites at Bakery Square are very nice - very contemporary, and in a great location. You could visit the Carnegie International at the Carnegie Museum of Art, Phipps Conservatory, and you have access to lots of good restaurants in the East Liberty/Shadyside area.

[Bette]

Originally Posted by onwardandupward

If you need to be anywhere near the East End, the Spring Hill Suites at Bakery Square are very nice - very contemporary, and in a great location. You could visit the Carnegie International at the Carnegie Museum of Art, Phipps Conservatory, and you have access to lots of good restaurants in the East Liberty/Shadyside area.

Is that near Franklin Park? We're here for a memorial service but lots and lots of relatives will be in town -some that have not visited in 20 years - I have met a few of them; not all of them either. I have a feeling the host's home will be packed so I just want to go ahead and make our own plans.

The flights are a bit quirky - found only one non stop which I prefer - I don't have time to be 7 hours in the air somewhere - and I'd rather get to my destination - also I do prefer Southwest and Delta and SW is the non-stop flight. (Virgin is also a favorite but Pittsburgh is not on their radar!)

Also, how is Pittsburgh weather? Does it rain a lot? (Second weekend in November)

(I have been spoiled by the sunny weather and it's been beautiful where I live lately - no complaints!)

[greg42]

Yeah it's not a place where you get a lot of frequency in nonstop fights. But at least you have one as an option given that you're in FL.

Second week in Nov will probably be cold to you and could be rainy. The current forecasts that go out to about 2 weeks from now suggest high temps in the 50s and lows around 40 at night. Really, it could be worse, that's not bad. Rain forecasts are not reliable this far out.

Bakery Square is the wrong direction from Franklin Park, in the East End of the city. Franklin Park is north and a little west. Downtown would be closer. I'm assuming the host's house is in Franklin Park, and if you'd rather the hotel be a little nearer to the house the best choices are in Cranberry. Depending upon where the house is though, it's possible the drive to Cranberry wouldn't be much if any shorter than the drive to downtown Pittsburgh. Although I-79 and I-279 cross through Franklin Park, there's a long 5-mile or so section through there with no interchanges, so the accessibility to the highway varies a lot.

[pman]

if the fairmont is in your budget its both modern and hands down the best hotel in town. ive stayed at springhill suites and while theyre mostly nice the beds were motel 6 quality.

[steindle]

Note: If you want to stay "where the action is," Cranberry is like the opposite of that. Downtown would be massively preferable in that sense.