HotelChatter

Anyway, we checked in at 3pm on a Saturday and found no line at the desk (score), free make-your-own Arnold Palmers in the lobby (score), and that we'd be slightly upgraded from a king bed with city view to a king bed with city view and spa tub (score).

Room Reaction: Heading up to the 22nd floor, to room 2022 we stepped into the place where the hotel most exhibits its humor: the elevators. The interiors of them resemble cozy rooms, with murals of fireplaces and painted masterpieces. It's a cute little mental detour before you eventually enter your room and collapse onto the bed, as we did.

Due to the fact that the World Cup final matches were on during our stay, we ended up spending more time in the room than a typical tourist would. Our favorite spot was—believe it or not—the desk. The white leather desk chair was awesomely squishy yet supportive, the hidden plug panel cubby was much appreciated, and the light streaming in from the tall windows really made it a cozy place to sit and dive into work.

If however your motives involve everything but work, then the focus is definitely on the bathroom, which was both the sunniest and most spacious-feeling part of our room. All of the city saw us naked and we didn't care, it was that nice. Plus, the spa tub built for two could also easily double as a kid-sized swimming pool, it's that big.

WiFi Connect: For members of Kimpton Hotels' InTouch loyalty program (free to join), internet is completely free. We had no problem connecting our Macbook, iPad and multiple iPhones to the network and we had strong and fast connections for all of them.

Amenities: Since the Palomar Philadelphia is in a historic building, it has some limitations. For one, you won't find any indoor (or outdoor) pool here, whereas the new Palomar Chicago boasts a sweet one. You also won't find a sundeck here, or a giant lobby lounge. Instead, the Palomar Philadelphia keeps it a little more conservative; there's a business center, a gym, a small lobby for the free early evening wine receptions, and the restaurant Square 1682, which is actually working on becoming an upscale destination restaurant—even for locals.

And as always with Kimpton Hotels, pets are allowed at the Palomar Philadelphia.

What We Liked: The location is beyond excellent as it's within walking distance of almost everything a tourist could want in Philly, plus the vintage building is a particularly nice touch. Rooms are comfortable and slightly feminine without being alienating business travelers, and all the typical Kimpton perks are managed well. The staff was also extremely gracious and knowledgable about the city, tolerating our inane questions with a smile and without the Philly crassness we feared. The Palomar also injects a bit of personality into an otherwise somewhat dull Philly hotel scene.

What We Didn't Like: Speaking of scene...there isn't one at the Palomar. This can be a blessing or a burden, but as we were down here for a fun weekend, we would have liked to see a few younger faces at the evening wine reception, and more buzz around the Square 1682 restaurant. The Palomar is quiet, and it's a hotel that's made for guests only, unlike other properties with multiple bars or space for the public to come and enjoy the environs.

Bottom Line: $149 and up for a night here sure isn't bad at all, especially with all the added freebies that come with being an InTouch member, but those looking for a livelier energy or the typical masculine, generic hotel experience should go elsewhere. Regardless, the Palomar is a hotel that Philly desperately needs; now just to pump up the volume a little bit.

[Photos: HotelChatter]

Disclosure: One of our nights was complimentary, the other was not.