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Philly Hotels: Cover Stories About Murder Don't Work Well in Our Rooms

The Four Seasons and Loews hotels in Philadelphia just say no to this month's issue of Philadelphia Magazine.

City magazines sometimes need to take on not-so-savory topics, but in Philadelphia, a cover story on murder is hurting the mag's hotel circulation.

In a message to members this week, Hotel Association executive director Ed Grose urged hotels to think twice before providing guests with copies of November's Philadelphia Magazine, whose cover story spotlights the city's recent bloodletting. Ordinarily, some 6,000 complimentary copies of the glossy monthly are distributed in local hotel rooms. But Grose's message argued that the magazine made the city look unsafe for the visitors who flock to those rooms.

In all fairness, most of the violence is concentrated in areas nowhere near where tourists are staying. But it seems the hotels are much happier when covers inspire a warm and fuzzy feeling about the city.

"Think of what a hotel room looks like, which is supposed to be warm and comforting," said Ruth Hirshey, director of public relations at the 364-room Four Seasons Hotel. "That on the table doesn't project what we want to project about the city."

Here's a great suggestion for next month's issue: "Philadelphia: We're WAY Safer Than St. Louis!"

Related Stories:
· A story on murder draws concern [Philly.com]
· Wake Up Tourists: St. Louis is Most Dangerous City in the US [Jaunted]