Le Meridien (Philadelphia, Reading, York: 2013, city hall, hotels)

[K 22]

I'm going to be staying at Le Meridien in Center City around Christmas time. It's right by City Hall on Arch between Broad and 15th. Anybody got some helpful info on this spot or generally how it is? I've heard mostly good things about it.


Also, how's Franklin Mills these days? Been a while since I've been there and I always took the #20 bus from Frankford to get there.

[bryson662001]

Originally Posted by K 22

I'm going to be staying at Le Meridien in Center City around Christmas time. It's right by City Hall on Arch between Broad and 15th. Anybody got some helpful info on this spot or generally how it is? I've heard mostly good things about it.


Also, how's Franklin Mills these days? Been a while since I've been there and I always took the #20 bus from Frankford to get there.

It isn't the greatest location, surrounded by office buildings and very quiet in the evening except that it is close to the convention center. It faces the loading docks of the Muninciple services building and the closest activity (resturants etc) is 3 blocks to the east around the Reading Terminal Market where there are also many other hotels. The best stores and resturants are 4 blocks to the south on Walnut st. They are large blocks btw.

Franklin Mills is still there, probably not as good a mix of stores as there once were. If you want shopping ask about the bus (123 or 124 or 125 from JFK Blvd) to King of Prussia Mall. It's the largest in the US and worth a trip from anywhere.

[acenturi]

Just walk out the front entrance, turn right and then left (South) on 13th Street and walk until things look interesting (2-5 Blocks). La Meridien is a smaller 4* hotel. I've stayed at several, but not the local one and they all were top rate. Having been inside the Philadelphia lobby to meet visiting friends, I can say it's very attractive and low key - not a lot of hustle and bustle like many other Center City hotels. My friends thought it was impressive and would stay there again - if the rates cooperated. Ref. The King of Prussia suggestion. I really can't see why anyone would travel to King of Prussia to shop. You can get the same stuff at Macy's, on Walnut, or elsewhere in Center City. I do understand however, Franklin Mills - which is an Outlet Mall.

[bryson662001]

Originally Posted by acenturi

Just walk out the front entrance, turn right and then left (South) on 13th Street and walk until things look interesting (2-5 Blocks). La Meridien is a smaller 4* hotel.

You might want to rethink those directions. They will put you on 15th St. This hotel is no where near 13th St, which is just as well unless you seek a transvestite prostitute.

King of Prussia has stores you simply won't find any place else. Try it sometime.

[acenturi]

Originally Posted by acenturi

Just walk out the front entrance, turn right and then left (South) on 13th Street ....

Change 13th Street to 15th Street - Same directions though. My comments regarding why a visitor to Center City would go all the way out to King of Prussia to shop - still stands.

[Marius Pontmercy]

Walk towards Rittenhouse Square.

[joseph dewan]

New York now has 1,776 new sky scrapper . Why don't Philly build to the height of there founded year ? It would be a good story tell.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by bryson662001

It isn't the greatest location, surrounded by office buildings and very quiet in the evening except that it is close to the convention center. It faces the loading docks of the Muninciple services building and the closest activity (resturants etc) is 3 blocks to the east around the Reading Terminal Market where there are also many other hotels. The best stores and resturants are 4 blocks to the south on Walnut st. They are large blocks btw.

Franklin Mills is still there, probably not as good a mix of stores as there once were. If you want shopping ask about the bus (123 or 124 or 125 from JFK Blvd) to King of Prussia Mall. It's the largest in the US and worth a trip from anywhere.

You're not quite right about the restaurant options. Midtown Village restaurant row starts at 13th and Sansom, for instance.

Dilworth Park is a block away and attracts plenty of people depending upon the weather. Ben Franklin Pwk also starts a block away. No need to care about the Municipal Bldg, at all, OP, imo.

Rt 123 bus requires a trip to 69th St transportation center. Rts 124, 125 are the Center City bus routes to KoP.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by bryson662001

You might want to rethink those directions. They will put you on 15th St. This hotel is no where near 13th St, which is just as well unless you seek a transvestite prostitute.

King of Prussia has stores you simply won't find any place else. Try it sometime.

You have not been to 13th St lately have you? The place is hardly a red light district anymore and has not been that way in a decade. Any of the kinds of people you are referring to can be ignored if you they don't interest you. The restaurants along there are the point.

Agreed about KoP though.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by joseph dewan

New York now has 1,776 new sky scrapper . Why don't Philly build to the height of there founded year ? It would be a good story tell.

Philadelphia was founded in 1682. There were Swedish colonists here before that but that colony failed. And, of course, native Americans were her for centuries before Europeans showed up.

The Declaration of Independence was written and ratified in 1776, in Philadelphia, which is what you are talking about, I suppose.