The Best Hotels to Book Near Independence Hall, Philadelphia

Checking in at the Hotel Monaco Philadelphia, you get a unique gift: a live goldfish to keep you company in your room for the duration of your stay. It’s a touch that typifies the personal, homey appeal of the Kimpton. Glass coffee pots, repurposed into lights, hang from the ceilings. On a wall in the lobby is a display of all sizes of paint brushes. Decor in the guest rooms and suites is eye-catching, in shades of deep purple, blue and gold. You couldn’t be better positioned for sightseeing: the hotel is in the middle of the Historic District; across the street are the Liberty Bell Pavilion, Independence Hall and the Museum of the American Revolution.

The Sofitel enjoys a prime location near Rittenhouse Square – one of the city’s original parks, as well as a celebrated neighborhood now. It’s also walking distance from the Historic District. This place is all about the wow factor – not least the lobby’s floor, composed of slabs of blue, gray and white marble laid out in dimensional patterns resembling hand stitched-quilts. Standard rooms are good sized, at 350sqft (32sqm); suites measure 500sqft (46sqm); or splurge on a suite with a king-size bed, living room and 50-inch flat-screen TV. Top tip: dine in the French-inspired Liberté Lounge, with its dramatic oval-shaped central bar, where the team shakes up delicious artisanal cocktails.

Built in 1903 in what was the carriage house for a Rittenhouse mansion, 1715 Rittenhouse is a romantic retreat: guest rooms are cozy cocoons with plush carpeting and fireplaces. This place may be over a century old, but anticipate all the bells and whistles of the 21st century, from marble tubs to Molton Brown bath potions, Frette bed linens to evening wine and cheese receptions. It’s a walkable distance to the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and historic Rittenhouse Square, ringed with stylish shops and some of the city’s best restaurants. In a nutshell: you’ve arrived.

If you are a fan of 18th-century Federal-style architecture, the Morris House Hotel built in 1787 will dazzle you with its rich-red-brick facade, Georgian fanlights, hulking columns and polished-wood period interiors – unsurprisingly, this beauty is on the National Register of Historic Places. Rooms are filled with a mix of antique Victorian and colonial furnishings, and painted in elegant shades of yellow, blue, green and pink. Bathrooms are large enough to dance in. A 15-minute walk from the hotel brings you to theaters, restaurants, the Old City and the Historic District – get your grab-and-go hotel breakfast and start exploring.

From singles to deluxe kings, rooms at the Alexander Inn are clean, unfussy and business-smart, in warm caramel tones with absolutely no wasted space. On the walls throughout hangs intriguing contemporary art by local creatives. Breakfast is served daily in the lounge, and for dinner you’ve got a host of options in the neighborhood – the location, at the edge of Center City, is ideal. Within walking distance are many cultural venues: the Philadelphia Museum of Art with the Rocky-movie steps (take a selfie with the Rocky statue), the Franklin Institute with its science exhibits, and the 1893 Reading Terminal Market, the oldest open market in the country.

The Canopy by Hilton Philadelphia is located downtown in the midst of Center City – Philadelphia’s lively core. The 236 guest rooms are all painted the same color, pale blue. Furnishings are reminiscent of mid-century modern in design. Within 1mi (1.6km) of the hotel are numerous attractions: the African American Museum, Old City, the Historic District, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Barnes Foundation with the largest collection in the country of works by Renoir and Cézanne, in addition to many works by Matisse, Picasso, Modigli­ani and Van Gogh.

Set in an elegantly restored 19th-century building, the hotel offers six one- and two-bedroom apartments. These units have pedigree, with exposed-brick walls, art by local creatives, industrial-chic furniture, kitchens and laundry facilities. It’s so modern that there’s no front desk – check-in requires an automated code sent to you. A preloaded iPad has apps for restaurants, grocery stores, historic sites and transportation. For example, open the activity planner, tap an icon (e.g., Independence Hall) and information plus a map will be downloaded. Top tip: if you’re itching to take a classic horse-and-buggy ride, this is the right part of town.

Welcome to the up-and-coming Fishtown neighborhood, where Wm. Mulherin’s Sons Hotel attracts a fashionable young clientele with its funky utilitarian decor. The hotel has four one-bedroom apartments decked out with exposed-brick walls, shiny ducts running overhead, custom-made funky furniture, polished-cement floors, kitchens and laundry. The Historic District, site of Independence Hall, is an easy walk. To check in, show up at the adjacent Wm. Mulherin’s Sons Restaurant (stopping perhaps for some bang-on-trend Italian food), and the host will supply your access code.