PF Cheng's Law Blog

I am not a fan of the Inter-Continental Hotel group; never has, and likely never will be.  I just find the hotels too old fashioned, and I don’t mean that in an elegant, classical sense, but “ you feel you have aged 10 years by simply being there” kind of old fashioned.

That said, I have the opportunity to visit the Holiday Inn Express in downtown Philadelphia tonight, and while it is not going to turn me into a believer, I must admit it is better than I imagined.  For people coming to Philadelphia looking for budget accommodation without sacrificing convenience, this is definitely a hotel you should consider.

Lobby is small and uninspired.  This is budget accommodation and it shows.  The staff is friendly, but service is quite slow.  Holiday Inn really needs to do a better job training its employees if it hopes to compete with other budget chains such as the Courtyard or the Hampton Inns. 

The room however, exceeds my expectations.  It is quite large for a budget hotel, and looks to be renovated recently.  It even has a 32” flat screen TV (unfortunately no HD channels.  Why use a HD set if you have no HD channels is beyond me).

Bathroom is quite small, and the sink is located on the outside, separated from the rest of the bathroom.  I guess the thinking behind this is to allow other members of your group access to the sink when someone is using the toilet; but by having the sink outside, it also means he who uses the toilet will be opening the door with unwashed hands, not really hygienic if you ask me.

The single biggest reason for staying here however is its location!  1 block away from Philadelphia’s famed “Avenue of the Arts”, 3 blocks from City Hall, and within 15 minutes by foot from the Independence Park, Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia Convention Center, Reading Market, Gallery Mall, and Chinatown.  There are plenty of restaurants and bars around the hotel, and public transportation (be it Greyhound, Subway, or regional rail) are all just minutes away.  I can’t think of another budget hotel in Philadelphia that has a more convenient location.