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New Philly Holiday Inn Express Opens in Ideal Location

Where: 100 North Christopher Columbus Blvd [map], Philadelphia, PA, United States, 19106

The Holiday Inn Express at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia is now officially open for business after a four-million dollar renovation converted the property over from a Comfort Inn. All 184 guest rooms were retouched while the lobby was completely remodeled. A business center and exercise room were also added.

We told you before how we were a little disappointed that the area didn't draw a sexier hotel, but that all said, it doesn't change how good the location is. In addition to the views of the Ben Franklin Bridge, guests of the Holiday Inn Express will be in good shape when it comes to visiting Independence Mall, Old City, and Penn's Landing -- all are within walking distance or a short cab ride. The area is also prime lodging during the summer when concerts are held at Festival Pier or across the river in Camden (you can take a ferry right to the venue).

Here's what the new hotel looks like now according to its website, but we'll try to swing by soon and check it out for ourselves.

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Harry Potter Hotels / Historic Hotels / Pennsylvania Hotels / → All Tags

Chestnut Hill Hotel Gets Ready For A Harry Potter Weekend

Where: 8229 Germantown Avenue [map], Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States, 19118

Oh, you thought the Harry Potter phenom was finished because J.K. Rowling has moved on to some other literary project? Oh, no! In fact, this is one HP weekend that true fans should move heaven and earth to attend. The place to be this weekend is in Pennsylvania's Chestnut Hill which is hosting its Harry Potter Weekend. From October 26-28 the town incredibly turns into a virtual Hogwarts that would make Ms. Rowling proud.

Local restaurants, shops, and businesses along Germantown Avenue morph into something straight off the pages of J.K. Rowling’s Diagon Alley.

There will be delicious Butter Beer (if you've tasted Universal Studios Orlando's delicious version, then curiosity will draw you to this batch) a “The Hunt for the Horcrux” scavenger game, a Knight Bus trolley, and, yes, a motherfriggin Quidditch Match.

We are losing our mind over that because there isn't a Harry Potter fan around who hasn't dreamt of what it would be like to play that game.

You'll need a place to stay during the festivities and even though the pickings are slim--it looks like the best base is the Chestnut Hill Hotel which is hosting a Sorting Hat Demonstration and a Spell Match.

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Gordon Ramsay Heads To Pennsylvania For More 'Hotel Hell'

Where: 210 2nd St [map], Milford, PA, United States, 18337

Yep, it's that bad

After discovering late last month that The Keating Hotel in San Francisco will be one of the hotels featured ripped apart by Gordon Ramsay on Hotel Hell, we've been dying to know which other towns across the country will be getting visits from his spiky-haired highness.

Now, we can add Milford, Pennsylvania to the list. The New Jersey Herald is reporting that Ramsay will be making over the River Rock Inn, a B&B housed in a 10-bedroom Victorian-style house built in 1876.

According to the hotel's Facebook page, producers for the show have taken over all bookings, and have so far received over 1500 reservation requests, from (we're guessing) hotel geeks trying to get front row seats of Ramsay working his magic. And judging from the pictures, this place really does need some magic. Or a sledgehammer.

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Hotel Crimes / Pennsylvania Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags

White House Shooter Captured While Chilling at a Hampton Inn

[Photo of a different Hampton Inn]

Look. If you fire a round of bullets into the White House, you will be found and arrested, even if you've checked in to a hotel hundreds of miles away from Washington DC, in Pennsylvania.

This is the case of 21-year-old Oscar Ortega, who on Friday used an assault rifle to hit the side of the White House (and some bulletproof windows) from his SUV on the road. President Obama was away at the time, but the reasons for Ortega's shooting haven't quite been deciphered. They do, at least, have the man in custody after a hotel employee at the Hampton Inn in Indiana, PA recognized Ortega from news reports.

No word on how Ortega paid for his nights at the Inn when he's believed to be mentally ill and formerly camping out at Occupy DC.

[Photo: Herald Tribune]

Hotel Openings / Hotel Hype / Casino Hotels / Pennsylvania Hotels / Las Vegas Sands / Free WiFi / → All Tags

Pennsylvania To Get Some Vegas Glitz With The Sands Hotel

Where: 77 Sands Boulevard [map], Bethlehem, PA, United States, 18015

The Sands Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is finally getting a hotel for its weary gamblers. The Sands Hotel at the Sands Casino Resort will have 300 guestrooms, 16 executive suites and not one, not two but six presidential suites.

Like its glitzy Vegas cousins (The Venetian and The Palazzo), The Sands Hotel will have an Emeril Lagasse restaurant (supposedly a new Italian concept from the chef) and guests will have access to the multiple bars and lounges in the casino.

But unlike its greedy Vegas cousins, the Sands Hotel will have free WiFi. Free. We know, it's hard to believe our good fortune this week. First, the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, now The Sands Hotel in um, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

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