This is a gorgeous and trendy boutique hotel in Philly. The lobby is very chic and the elevators remind me of various art galleries. The rooms are very well appointed with lovely views. However, for the money, you could find a much more spacious room at a slightly less fashionable hotel.

The staff were graceful and the beds quite comfy. We did not stay long as we were only in town to see a local concert.



All in all, the Palomar is a cool hotel that provides an interesting guest experience for the money.

Spent a few days/nights here as I was in a conference held at the hotel. First the good things I noted:
1) For an old building the hotel was rather clean, impressively so; perhaps they have recently remodeled, but not sure
2) The thermostats worked well in the rooms, with no vent above the bed blowing air onto you while sleeping
3) The bathroom lighting was GREAT, as was the blow dryer; having long thick hair this is a much appreciated appointment. I'm always amazed how dim the lighting in some hotel bathrooms are for the sake of style.
4) The style of the room itself was very nice; rather small, it would have been too tight for two, but for me, it was doable.

Now for the items I felt ratcheted down my experience:
1) The hotel, perhaps because it is in an old building, was very very cold.
2) The meeting room on the top floor was especially cold and the thermostat provided no real control; it was all or nothing, so we'd go from freezing (most of the time), to finally feeling some warmth, when it became too much for some of the men.
3) For a meeting with a group of Finance folks how could the hotel not expect everyone to have computers????? When we asked the staff if they had extension cords with power strips to allow us of the power outlets around the room they replied NO. Really? You had folks computers on the floor next to the wall outlets charging up as much as folks could get to them. This is just plain ignorant when a meeting is held.
4) Housekeeping was erratic, sometimes they left me toiletries, and sometimes not. When I called down for some I was brought a different assortment than prior days (ie. shampoo/conditioner on some days, shampoo/body wash on others???????). I think the line up was supposed to be shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and body lotion.
5) for two days I requested that my kleenex be replenished, each time I received a "no problem"; alas, I even pulled up the dispenser, pulled out the empty box, and left it on the counter for them to easily see I needed another. I even called down, went to dinner, came back, and they left me shampoo, but no Kleenex?
6) The hotel offers to print your boarding pass; I called and requested this service, provided the confirmation number, and indicated they should have it in an envelope for me at check out. Went to the front desk during a break, and they had no knowledge of it, asking "who did you talk to?". Hhhhm, I did not think to get the individuals name and position while requesting this offered service. I had to go back to the conference, get my confirmation number and go back to the desk.
7) Not controllable by the hotel, but the first night sleep was disturbed by the garbage trucks and breaking bottles, the second night there was some event with loud music and late/early morning revelers. After two nights of bad sleeping conditions the third night I slept fine.

The days I stayed here they may have been off for the hotel, but I will not recommend this hotel or stay again, and I do travel to Philly quite a bit.

I would stay here 24/7. The team at Palomar made our stay feel like home, or better yet, "third place" by encapsulating comfort, sense of community, and in this case stunning architecture & design accompanied by world class hospitality. My boyfriend and I were beyond impressed with the sincerity and joyful attitudes of the staff. His review (below) goes into specific acts of kindness that we experienced-- at the risk of being redundant I must mention Kayla, Darrin, Sean, Jason, & Chef George for creating individually special experiences with their equally extraordinary personalities. I wish I had the opportunity to get the names of everyone with whom we crossed paths; we felt well cared for every moment.

What really blew me away was the genuine nature of each interaction. Being in the hospitality industry myself I often say and hear the expression “my pleasure”, enough that the meaning sometimes gets lost. The weekend at Palomar revived the intention of the phrase as it was evident that it was truly gratifying to make our stay memorable. The Palomar crew gets that one size does not fit all when it comes to hospitality, and I have no doubt that they find ways to make each guest feel like the best guest as they did for us.

The truffle oil popcorn, complimentary wine reception, bicycle loaners, décor and amenities are well-thought out examples of how outstanding quality is built into the culture at Hotel Palomar, and the people are what brought it all to life. Kimpton aced it.

A great staff, great rooms, great location! A first rate choice in Philly! This was exactly the kind of hotel a seasoned traveler will appreciate. There is a wonderful mix of travelers which makes for a great stay- especially during he complimentary wine hour!