My spouse and I
stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Philadelphia Midtown on a Saturday night in
late June 2017. (We stayed at this hotel previously in December 2012; see our
review titled “Some of the Friendliest Staff Ever”.) We remitted Priority Club
points for a free night’s stay, which we booked online on the InterContinental
Hotels Group (IHG) website.
The hotel is located near 13th and Walnut Street in the
Midtown neighborhood of the city. Many bars, restaurants, and shops line the
streets surrounding the hotel, and you can walk to important historic sites
(like the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the National Constitution Center)
and nearby hospitals (like Jefferson). The Convention Center, Reading Terminal
Market, and Penn’s Landing are also walkable, although a bit farther. A
deli/market across the street from the hotel sells snacks and drinks (including
beer). Parking is available for $27 in an adjacent parking garage; hotel guests
are permitted to leave a car in the garage until 3:00 pm as part of the nightly
parking fee.
We reserved a standard room, which was spacious and well-maintained. The
bathroom (tub/shower and toilet) was small, but because the sink/vanity was
located outside of that room, it was a good design for multiple occupants. Our
king-bedded room contained two nightstands, an easy chair/ottoman, large desk/chair,
and large flat-screen TV. It also contained a small refrigerator, microwave,
and coffee maker. Wi-Fi is complimentary. From our window, we had a nice view
of the pool deck several stories below.
The hotel provides a complimentary breakfast buffet every morning, and
computers and a printer are available in an alcove off the breakfast area. One
of the best features of this hotel is its outdoor seasonal pool, which offers a
spacious sundeck filled with lounge chairs, regular tables and chairs (with
umbrellas), and some comfortable all-weather lounge furniture groupings. An
attendant provides towels and supervises the area (although he is not a
lifeguard). We were impressed by how relaxed and uncrowded the pool was, even
on a hot summer weekend! (We stayed at some NYC hotels last summer with outdoor
rooftop pools, and they offered a party-like atmosphere packed tightly with
people, but the pool at the Holiday Inn Express Midtown was relaxing and
unhurried and suitable for families.) Meeting/event space and a small fitness
center are located on the same floor as the pool.
We enjoyed our
second stay at this property just as much as our first - the location is
excellent for our purposes, allowing us to walk to sites, shops, and
restaurants.
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