Philadelphia Marriott Downtown Rating: 3.5 Pearls

Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This 23-story building takes up a whole block near City Hall with entrances from each side. The main circular entrance is in the rear next to parking garages, while the front entrance leads out to bustling Market Street. There is an even mix of office workers and tourists in the area, and the Starbucks, attached to the hotel, receives a lot of foot traffic. The lobby is a spacious area for meet-ups, while the Circ Lounge -- taking up the center of the room -- is the perfect place to set up the laptop. This hotel only has one restaurant option and a lobby bar, meaning that with a hotel of this size, both are frequently busy (and some complain, too loud).

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The Philadelphia Marriott Downtown hotel has a central location one block from City Hall and is connected via skywalk to the Pennsylvania Convention Center. It is also close to dining, shopping, and nightlife (and other Marriott properties) -- all within walking distance.

Center City is Philadelphia's commercial and cultural center, and the vast majority of the city's hotels are clustered in this neighborhood. Popular historical sites, including Independence Hall, are located here, as is the Philadelphia Museum of Art (fronted by the stone steps made famous in the Rocky films). The picturesque Rittenhouse Square Park, located in the southwest area of the neighborhood, is surrounded by some of the city's best restaurants and bars. The ornate City Hall, built in 1901, is the second tallest masonry building in the world; its tower is a prominent fixture of the Philadelphia skyline.

• 18-minute drive or 35 minutes by train to Philadelphia International Airport
• One block to City Hall
• 3-minute drive or 10-minute walk to the Shops at Liberty Place
• 3-minute drive or 5-minute walk to the Pennsylvania Convention Center
• 5-minute drive, 8-minutes by bus ,or 24-minute walk to 30th St. Station
• 5-minute drive or 16-minute walk to Independence National Historic Park (home to Independence Hall, the National Constitution Center, and the Liberty Bell)
• 6-minute drive or 16-minute walk to Rittenhouse Square Park
• 8-minute drive to the Philadelphia Museum of Art
• 9-minute drive or 18 minutes by bus to Penn's Landing, a waterfront neighborhood that's home to several historic ships visitors can tour, Adventure Aquarium, and the Independence Seaport Museum
• 11-minute drive or 33 minutes by bus to the Philadelphia Zoo

The King Guest Room at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown

Cookie-cutter hallways on each of the 23-floors lead guests to the 1,332 rooms and 76 suites of this colossal hotel. Since the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown is in the center of the city, all rooms come with city views -- the higher the floor, the better the view. Rooms are contemporary and cozy, with modern furniture and fluffy duvets. Bathrooms are basic, but shower/tub combos have rain showerheads and toiletries are from Paul Mitchell.

• Quality linens, duvets, and numerous pillows
• Big desk and ergonomic chair
• Flat-screen TVs
• Coffeemakers
• Central air and heat
• Rain showerheads
• Shower/tub combos
• Toiletries by Paul Mitchell
• Twice daily housekeeping service
• Wi-Fi for a daily fee

Pool at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown

This colossal hotel, with its close proximity to the Convention Center, is fully equipped to meet business needs. The hotel has an incredible amount of meeting space, the largest being the Grand Ballroom with maximum seating of 4,500.

• Spacious lobby with a virtual concierge, free water, and seating areas for laptop use
• Car rental agency and ATMs on-site
• Fully staffed business center
• Newspaper delivered to room, upon request
• Coin-operated laundry service
• Indoor pool and fitness center
• 24-Hour room service
• Valet and self-parking options (both come with hefty fees)
• See Full List of Amenities

Starbucks at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown

The enormous Philadelphia Marriott Downtown has somewhat limited food options, but with its central location is within easy walking distance of several great restaurants. Circ is the lobby bar open for evening cocktails and light meals (the space is also used for laptops during the day). A full Starbucks is adjacent to the lobby entrance. The hotel has one restaurant on-site, called 13, that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The menu is American-inspired with a contemporary twist.

• Starbucks adjacent to the lobby
• Circ lobby bar for cocktails and light meals
• Restaurant 13 serves three meals a day.
• 24-hour room service is available.