 A
wise man once said, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what
you're gonna' get." Well, hotels are no different.
While
every hotel advertises that they are the best and have the most, it can often
be an entirely different story when you show up on their doorstep. For those of
us who travel frequently, we know that things are not always what they seem nor
are they always what we're told. Not
the case in the Philadelphia Crowne Plaza, a 24-story hotel in the heart of Philly
in which I recently spent a night. Although a little tricky to find because of
all the one-way streets in Philly, once there, you never have to leave for anything
unless you have a meeting or a sight-seeing tour in mind for the birthplace of
America. Let's
start with the parking, which can always be a hassle with some downtown hotels.
At the 445-room Crowne Plaza, the covered garage entrance is only feet from the
lobby entrance, where a bellman and a parking valet meet you. They immediately
unload your car and whisk it away while you walk only steps to registration. For
women traveling alone this is especially valuable because of the minimum risk
to your personal safety. You're immediately surrounded and escorted by hotel employees;
no dark garages, side streets, or alleys to navigate.
 The
lobby of the Philly Crowne Plaza is quaint with old-world style decor. The Elephant
& Castle Pub, a large English-style restaurant, is easily accessible from
the lobby and elevators so there's no need to leave the building in search of
a decent meal. In fact, the pub is broken down into several large rooms that offer
a quiet breakfast area, a lively bar area for the after-work crowd, and a more
remote section that gives you a sense of dining in an old medieval pub. I was
half-expecting wenches to come out and serve. If
you're not a big breakfast eater but rather more of the cappuccino and newspaper
type who likes a big stuffy couch to sink into while you wake up, the lobby of
the Crowne Plaza also offers a separate, more relaxing area for those less-ambitious
in the morning. There, you can choose from an assortment of muffins, snacks and
sandwiches, and just simply hang out. And, or course, there's always room service.
There's
also a private lounge on the 24th floor for those guests staying on the Concierge
floors, which is easily accessible but only by your special elevator key-card.
The lounge offers a complimentary breakfast and large screen TV in the mornings
and transforms into a Happy Hour suite for early evening. (CONTINUE...)
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