Palomar Philadelphia - A Kimpton Hotel

Wonderful experience, superb service, friendly vibe! A bit older than their Kimpton sister hotel in Philly, this place has much to offer. Interesting artwork, great location, (easy walking distance to the historic district and wonderful eating establishments. One block from one of more interesting bookstores in the country, and a fascinating Italian market/restaurant. Of course, the daily wine social (included for all guests) was a wonderful way to meet people. We actually met a nice couple with whom we are corresponding. Keep up the wonderful job! Nice rooms with plenty of space. The only negative--the "hot" water for baths and showers never exceeded "very warm." Otherwise, first class experience. Read less

Exact rating 4.51 stars due to minor issues (details below), rounded to 5 stars. I'm nearing the end of a 7-day stay. I am an IHG Club Spire Elite & Kimpton Inner Circle member, and I made my room reservation online on the hotel website. Because I'd requested early check-in, I called the hotel to tell them that it didn't matter to me whether my room had 1 bed or 2, or what bed sizes were. My hotel stays are work-related, and during my stays at most IHG hotels, I bring additional guests: clients who fly in and stay at the hotel for stays concurrent w/mine so that they can meet w/me. One reason why I choose Kimpton hotels from the IHG lineup is b/c most Kimptons offer plenty of quiet seating spaces in common areas where I can meet w/clients. Here are some notes regarding my stay, in no particular order: -- WiFi is excellent & fast. WiFi signal strength & speed in my 18th floor room was great. -- I'd requested early check-in of 11:30 AM when I made the reservation; I arrived at the hotel to find my room ready; checkin was prompt. -- Rooms, hallways and all common spaces are bright, spotlessly clean and neat, spacious, well-lighted and airy. Hallways are wide! -- Unexpectedly, I had a significant problem w/noise in my room, perhaps the first time I've experienced this issue at ANY IHG hotel (even low-end inexpensive IHG hotels). 85% of the noise problem was due to the flimsy connecting doors btw. my room & adjacent room. All sounds from the adjacent room (talking, movement, TV) came unimpeded through the flimsy connecting doors (both were closed & locked) into my room. These doors are very flimsy and offer very little soundproofing. I discussed this issue w/management & was told that all connecting doors had been "upgraded" during a soundproofing project done 1.5 yrs. ago. Well, I can tell you that the project FAILED! I suspect that most of the complaints I see from other reviewers about noise in rooms is due to this connecting door issue! -- My room was clean & fairly bright. One strange issue: All 3 lamps w/dimmer knobs had LED bulbs installed, and all flickered annoyingly (no, this was not due to dirty AC power; I checked); not sure whether this was due to defective LED bulbs or to the fact that these LED bulbs (all same brand/model) were not designed to be used w/dimmers. I duly reported this problem to the Engineering team, along w/ some suggestions re cause & remedy. -- Although this hotel technically does not have any concierges, the guest services team, same as at most other Kimptons, is more than willing to perform such services: I asked for a concierge to run out and buy me 4 large jugs of spring water for my stay, and staff handled this request well. -- Housekeepers are very helpful and friendly. -- Bathroom in my King Cityview Deluxe room was clean and fairly roomy, but smaller than in most other Kimptons. BTW, I always had plentiful hot water in the shower at all hours. -- Like many other Kimptons, this hotel offers a great deal re green housekeeping: for every day that a guest opts out of housekeeping services (via doorknob sign), their account is credited $10 toward meal charges! I love this, b/c I'm a minimalist when it comes to housekeeping. -- Lobby seating space was less plentiful & far less comfy/plush than I'd expect for any Kimpton, much less one of this size. Specifically, the lobby seating options were largely not very comfortable, did not afford privacy for individual seating areas, and worse, the lobby was often quite cold (the lobby is so cold that the front desk staff use a portable electric heater!) I always notice this kinda thing, b/c I often wish to use lobby seating space to meet w/clients during my stays. Worse, the limited lobby seating space was often quite quite crowded and noisy. -- All staffers that I encountered during my stay, including front desk staffers, managers, housekeepers, engineers & restaurant staff, were very helpful & attentive. -- As many other reviewers have noted, elevators are a PROBLEM: This hotel has 25 floors and a basement level. There are 4 guest elevators, and one service elevator for staff. While the 4 guest elevators are individually fast, these 4 elevators are simply not sufficient, at most hours of the day & evening, to handle the massive elevator traffic, and thus you can end up waiting many minutes for an elevator to arrive, even at lobby level. VERY FRUSTRATING! Part of the problem is that the one staff elevator is not sufficient for a hotel of this size, so staffers often use guest elevators, compounding the speed problem even further. This hotel badly needs 2 more guest elevators, and one more staff elevator (kitchen elevator doesn't count: it serves only G & B levels). -- I requested, and received, a loaner fridge & microwave oven, both were clean & useful. -- Bottom line: This is a workable & "doable" hotel for my needs, but just barely. It is not really a true Kimpton hotel, but rather a "Kimpton wannabe" that has several outstanding issues that beg to be addressed. Read less

What a fantastic location. What fabulous service. Danielle at the front desk is as friendly, caring, and professional as they come. I wish I could hire her! The hotel is within walking distance of most of the main attractions, and the free wine hour, free internet, comfortable beds, and excellent restaurant make this place a slam dunk on all fronts. Just stay here. You won't be disappointed. Be sure to visit the bar for fantastic drinks (and really great food). Read less

We were traveling during Easter weekend for a business / leisure trip. I spoke with Danielle prior to my arrival and she was a great help. In addition to having a nice property the room had a deep jacuzzi tub perfect for a relaxing evening. The only negative part of our stay was breakfast. It was a beautiful morning and we asked the host to sit outside and it appeared we were inconveniencing her. Then our server must have been having a bad day. He was very unresponsive and also acted as if we were inconveniencing him for sitting outside. Overall the Palomar is a great property thanks again Danielle and the front desk staff for a great stay. Read less

Very convenient location - within walking distance to the major attractions and excellent restaurants. Convention center is a 15 minute walk. The staff were extremely friendly. We were in a suite on the 20th floor which was clean and nicely decorated with a spacious sitting area. The hotel is relatively quiet although you still hear a lot of street noise during rush hour, so thicker windows would be nice. The cleaning staff on our floor could have been quieter as well. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this hotel. Read less