Old City, United States
Near Old Town, walking distance to Liberty Bell and Independence Hall
Spacious rooms with flat-screen TVs with HBO and coffeemakers
Small fitness room with two treadmills and stationary bike
Small business center with computers and printer
Free shuttle pickup and drop off within two miles of the hotel
Free daily breakfast buffet with pancake machine
Concierge and ATM machine on-site
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Generic chain decor
Traffic is audible in rooms facing I-95
Parking incurs an extra daily fee
Surrounding area lacks ambiance
The Holiday Inn Express Philadelphia Penns Landing is located between major roads and freeways along the Delaware River and within walking distance of Philadelphia's historic Old Town. As a mid-range chain property, it offers tasteful -- if generic -- rooms and a handful of convenient features like a fitness room and a business center. Its 185 guest rooms include standards like flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers, free Wi-Fi, and en-suite bathrooms. The hotel offers a free buffet breakfast with hot and cold options, as well as a free area shuttle. But extras, such as parking or in-room mini-fridges, cost an extra fee. Travelers may want to compare rates with the nearby Hilton Philadelphia at Penn's Landing, which offers more property features (like a pool), but Wi-Fi costs an extra fee.
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Scene
Mid-range chain hotel with pleasant decor
This Holiday Inn Express is located in a cream-colored high-rise with a bottom-floor stone facade and a porte-cochere entrance. The lobby is small but welcoming, decorated in neutral shades of beige, gray, and brown. A small sitting area near the windows offers a cozy stone accent wall with a fireplace and a wall-mounted flat-screen TV, while armchairs, couches, and ottomans are gathered around a wooden coffee table to give guests a chance to relax. While the space is somewhat generic, it's tasteful, well-kept, and clean. The hotel attracts a wide array of guests, including tourists, business travelers, or those on their way to nearby hospitals.
Location
Next to freeway, but within walking distance of Old City, restaurants, and public transportation
Located in the center of Penn's Landing and right on the border of the Old City, guests of this Holiday Inn Express can walk to some of Philly's most popular historic sights as well as restaurants, shops, and public transportation. The hotel's location is a mixed bag, however, being situated on a traffic-filled road, with busy bridges over the nearby waterfront. The surrounding freeways and major roads make the property feel more isolated than it is -- some of Philly's hottest spots are only a couple of blocks away. Market street is a 10-minute walk from the hotel, while the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall can be reached in about 15 minutes. The hotel offers a free shuttle that can take guests within two miles of the hotel and also pick them up. Philadelphia International Airport is a 15-minute drive, or 45 minutes away via public transportation. The hotel has on-site parking, but it incurs an extra daily fee.
Rooms
Spacious rooms with neutral decor, flat-screen TVs with HBO, and coffeemakers
Rooms are spacious and clean with standard chain-hotel style, which is generic, but functional. A neutral color palette includes patterned wall-to-wall carpeting, beige walls and curtains, white bedding, and dark wood furniture. Rooms include desks and chairs, dressers, and wardrobes with safes and irons and ironing boards. Flat-screen TVs have cable and HBO, and all rooms include coffeemakers. Bathrooms are beige with white tiling and usually include standing showers along with toilets, vanity sinks, individual toiletries, and hairdryers. All rooms have individually controlled air-conditioning and free Wi-Fi. Guests can rent a fridge, crib, cot, or microwave, but these cost an extra fee. Rooms facing the I-95 can get traffic noise, though the front desk offers ear plugs and white-noise machines. Some rooms have excellent views of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, and such rooms have the added bonus of facing away from traffic.
Features
Freebies include breakfast buffet with pancake machine, Wi-Fi, and area shuttle
The hotel offers a free daily breakfast buffet that includes omelets, bacon, sausage, biscuits, and a pancake machine, plus typical standards like cereal, muffins, and fruit. There is otherwise no on-site restaurant, but the hotel has soda and ice machines. Guests are particularly pleased with the hotel's free shuttle, which operates on a two-mile radius and includes pickup. There is a small business center with two computers and a printer/scanner, plus Wi-Fi is free throughout. A boardroom can host up to 10 people for meetings or events. A small fitness room is equipped with two treadmills and a stationary bike, but no exercise mats or weights. The hotel offers dry-cleaning and laundry service, an ATM machine, and concierge services.
