THE WARWICK HOTEL. Philadelphia, PA.
For our second stop on The Traveling Tuna east coast trip, we drove to the great city of Philadelphia! We originally made the decision to stop in Philadelphia because we were invited to visit a quaint town called New Hope, which is located about an hour outside Philly. Since neither my husband nor I had ever been to Philadelphia before, we were anxious to see all that The City of Brotherly Love, and it's distant neighbor in New Hope, had to offer.
In Philadelphia, we knew that we wanted to stay somewhere very centrally located, so we ended up booking at the beautiful Warwick Hotel Rittenhouse Square. First opened in 1923, the nearly 100-year-old property underwent a $17 million renovation in 2015. Previously the building was inhabited by a Radisson Hotel until the property was rebranded The Warwick Hotel Rittenhouse Square to reflect the nearby historic square.
When we walked into the lofty main lobby, my eyes were immediately drawn to the large, bold text that was printed all over the 20-ft high walls. Allegedly the text is a fictitious conversation about the meaning of life between two brothers, since Philadelphia is The City of Brotherly Love. After reading some of their interesting banter, I noticed the beautiful mid-century style furniture, particularly the oversized sofas upholstered in a colorful Missoni-inspired print. I couldn’t wait to take a photo of Tuna on them! The lobby also showcased two impressive ornate fireplaces flanking one another from across the room, and many gorgeous multi-light chandeliers and globe pendants that imitated a starry night’s sky.
The pet-friendly rooms were cozy and spacious, decorated in monochromatic tones with pops of color in the bedspread and art. I really loved that the headboard featured framed artwork and photographs that paid tribute to the past and present attributes of the city’s rich cultural aspects including some of Philly’s recognizable landmarks. I also loved the chic black Barcelona chair that made for a cosy resting place for Tuna when he got tired of the bed and the loveseat in our room.
We didn’t end up spending much time relaxing in the rooms because we were seeking some adventure, so the first day we arrived, we took an hour drive to New Hope in Bucks County PA. The town was adorably quaint, and though modernized, I felt like I stepped back in time a few hundred years, especially when I found out that The Landing Restaurant, where we ate lunch, which overlooked the Delaware river, was near the same spot that George Washington crossed the river during the Battle of Trenton on Christmas Day 1776. From New Hope, we drove a few miles down the road to a lovely family-owned winery called Crossings Vineyard where we enjoyed the stunning grounds and a few glasses of amazing wine! I highly recommend taking a day trip to Bucks County if you want to see more of historic Pennsylvania.
That evening, we returned to Philly, and we indulged in fine-dining at The Prime Rib, which is attached to the Warwick. With it’s 1940’s supper club decor and impeccable service, it’s no wonder that the restaurant is named the best steakhouse in Philadelphia- Zagat rated #1. My husband ordered the restaurant's namesake, and I ordered the Chilean Seabass. They were both seriously some of our favorite dishes to date, which says a lot since we travel extensively and eat out often. Please make sure you go there if you are ever in Philly! You won't regret it!
The next day, after we checked out of the pet-friendly Warwick hotel, we ventured nearby to Rittenhouse Square and then to the adjacent retail shops of Walnut Street, and just a few more blocks east, we found ourselves at the steps of Philadelphia City Hall, built in 1901. The building was just magnificent! In fact, that was our sentiments about Philadelphia as a whole, and we can't wait to come back for another visit with Tuna in the near future. #tunapproved