I stayed at the Westin over MLK weekend for some shopping/leisure - and like some other reviewers, was disappointed with the property. First I do want to mention the good points of the hotel:
1) location - close to Rittenhouse Square for shopping and dining
2) the staff was VERY nice & efficient
3) room service was EXTREMELY fast
4) I recommend the room service Caesar Salad with chicken - very good & the iced tea. but rolls were inedible/stale and other room service food choices were odd. breakfast was very average.
Now for the downside - this property has NO ambience or Westin flavor to it - the two lobbies are inconvenient as a guest and just strange. There is a lot of unused space and the design is questionable - you are literally just walking through their special event space when you walk to the elevators to your room...so if there is a party as the previous commenter mentioned - you are walking THROUGH THE PARTY and there is NO LOBBY furniture out for you to sit on or relax in...it's like having NO lobby. I personally like having a nice restaurant and lobby bar where you can sit and wait for valet service or just people watch on your way in or out of the hotel. This hotel does NOT provide this. When they did put the furniture back - it was far from comfortable or lobby-like - very awkward and not cozy at all. And the restaurant bar is awful - no vibe and it is not street level with any views.
Also - the lobbies and rooms are in need of a serious refurbishment! the wall coverings were sagging, the decor is brown and dismal . yes, the marble restrooms are nice but do need work. And my 'preferred guest" floor grand room was very dark, with no wired lighting, and had a way too big desk placed across the room cutting off the window.
Next trip to Philly I will be trying out another hotel - there are several others in the area to try. Very disappointing for a Westin.
hotel reviews