Hotel Spotlight: Family review of Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel

After completing the southern portion of our #HotMamaDoesAmerica road trip, we headed up to explore what the east coast had to offer. One of our most anticipated stops was Philadelphia. My daughter was especially excited about this visit. She was learning all about the Liberty Bell in school and couldn’t wait to see it in person.

We had a jam-packed weekend planned in this historical city. So, we needed suitable Philadelphia accommodations to rest our heads at the end of these long days. Luckily, were invited to stay at the Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel. Here is what we thought about our stay.

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Where to Eat in Philadelphia:

There are many Philadelphia hotels to choose from. However, if you happen to be attending an event at the Philadelphia Convention Center, then The Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel would be the perfect location. It is literally right across the street. We weren’t planning on visiting the Philadelphia Convention Center, but we were planning on eating a lot. I mean you kind of have to when you visit Philly. Happily, the hotel is located in Center City Philadelphia surrounded by good eats. If you love Asian cuisine, then you will be a happy traveler as The Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel is in the heart of China town. In fact the Vietnam Palace, known as the jewel of China Town is less than a mile away.

In addition to the city’s best Asian dishes, the hotel is also across the street from the famous Reading Terminal Market. Recommended by both locals and visitors alike, the Reading Terminal Market is a foodie’s paradise. As I said, our family likes to eat and this delicious attraction was at the top of our list. I just wish we had more time and more room in our bellies to try all the vendors in the exciting indoor market.

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Philadelphia Historical Sites Nearby:

Like I said earlier, we had a lot we wanted to see while visiting Philadelphia. There are so many things to do in Philadelphia, but top of our list was seeing Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Rather than stay in hotels in downtown Philadelphia or hotels in South Philadelphia, Center City Philadelphia hotels may actually be a preferred choice. It is right there in the name, Center. The central location of The Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel made it easy to navigate throughout historic Philadelphia. For instance, the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall were only a mile away, and it was less than a mile for Logan Square, a neighborhood full of historical buildings and museums.

See more about our time in Philadelphia in our Ultimate Guide to Philadelphia with Kids.

Only a mile and half away from The Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel is the infamous Eastern State Penitentiary. I wasn’t sure if we were going to have time, but I am so happy we had the chance to tour this historical prison. For one, it is the first prison of its kind, paving the foundation of the modern prison system. Second, Eastern State Penitentiary housed one of the most infamous prisoners in US history – Al Capone. Third, it is haunted. Lastly and most personally interesting, this is where my dad had performed in the 1940’s as a child.

Thanks to the convenient location of The Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel, we were able to everything on our list, including a few extras in just one weekend. Check rates and availability.

About the Hotel:

Although The Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel as been welcoming guests since 1920, the hotel is set in a simple yet modern building facing the Philadelphia Convention Center. Unified with its neighboring buildings along the low-key commercial street in which the hotel resides, it is almost hard to spot if you are not looking for it. In fact, many of our Uber drivers didn’t even know the hotel was there. It is one of the few hotels in Philly that still feels like a little secret. Check rates and availability.

Here is a little video of us enjoying our first day in Philly & Best Western Plus.

Parking:

For a big city hotel, parking wasn’t too bad. Like many hotels in Philadelphia, it cost to park your car overnight at the hotel. To self-park it is $20 per day and you can come and go as you please. However, the parking lot is two blocks away from the hotel. If you are not familiar with the city, I recommend taking advantage of the valet for $35 a day. For unloading there is a convenient spot right in front of the lobby entrance. The front desk will give you a 20 minute pass for your car upon check in, so you can get all your stuff and people out before parking it the off-site lot. Not the best parking situation, but not the worst in our experience given the location in the center of a big city.

Amenities:

The Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel is 100% smoke-free and is stocked with many of the modern amenities to suit most travelers’ comfort needs. For instance, there isn’t a pool, but there is a 24 hour fully equipped exercise facility. For those on business, there is a 24 hour business center with printers, faxes, computers and a photocopy machine.

Like many big city hotels, there is a need to maximize space. Although the rooms are smaller, they have many in-room comforts. Happily, every Best Western Plus we stayed at had HBO, allowing us to never miss an episode of Game of Thrones the entire summer! The Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel was no different. Every room has a refrigerator, which is great for storing baby’s milk or mama’s beer. If you are traveling with babies, there are cribs available for your room. Let me just say, the view of the Philadelphia from the rooms is breathtaking. After a long day of sightseeing, it was so nice to come back to the room and look at the city aglow.

One of my favorite parts of the Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel was the cocktail lounge. This was the spot we ended each night in Philadelphia. Open 7 days a week from 5:00pm to 11:00pm, the bar is located at the entrance to hotel with a big scenic window for viewing the city outside. The bartenders were so nice and loaded with great information about their city. One night the bartender even put on the Disney Channel for our kids, so we could enjoy another round of drinks. Honestly, The Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel cocktail lounge was one of the highlights of our trip.

Complimentary Breakfast:

You have to love complimentary breakfast. Every morning in the lobby, the Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel puts out a full breakfast buffet with a selection of hot and cold items. Everything was so nicely done. Even the waffles came complete with a Liberty Bell branding, which my daughter loved.

Competitive Rates:

Staying in budget on a big trip is no joke. Best Western Philadelphia is a great choice option for cheap hotels in Philadelphia without sacrificing style and comfort,  What I love is that the competitive rates of Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel allowed us to have lovely accommodations in a big city without breaking the bank. In addition, we earned Best Western Rewards through their loyalty program. Not only did we save by staying with Best Western Plus, but we continue to save on future travels. The great thing is that the points never expire and the program is free to join.

That’s A Wrap!

If you are looking for where to stay in Philadelphia, look no further. We started each morning with a complimentary breakfast and ended each night with a cocktail at the cozy hotel bar. We were close enough to Philadelphia attractions that we could easily see everything we wanted in one weekend. All in all our stay at the Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel was a huge success. Check room rates and book your stay today!

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