The Rittenhouse Philadelphia

We just finished a four-night stay at The Rittenhouse (three of those nights this past weekend), and I left feeling genuinely disappointed — especially at this price point and for a hotel that markets itself as a true luxury property. We’ve stayed here before and always found it beautiful, but this stay fell far below what we expected. I do want to recognize the two bright spots in the experience. Kai at the front (I believe a bellman) was absolutely exceptional — warm, attentive, and incredibly kind to our toddler. He genuinely made our son feel special, and his level of care is exactly what you expect from a hotel in this category. Mo, our server each morning at LaCroix, was equally wonderful — thoughtful, friendly, and consistently welcoming. They were outstanding and deserve credit. Unfortunately, the rest of our stay was defined by repeated service failures — the most frustrating of which was how the hotel handled our swimsuits being accidentally taken to pool laundry. After visiting the pool, our swimsuits were mistakenly gathered with the towels — accidents happen, and we understood that part. What was unacceptable was that it took two full days for the hotel to locate and return them. During that time, we had to repeatedly call the front desk ourselves to chase updates because no one followed up, no one seemed to know what was happening, and there was zero urgency or ownership from the hotel. We have a two-year-old, and the pool is one of the main reasons we chose this hotel — it’s a core part of how we plan our trips as a family. Losing access to the pool for nearly half our stay completely disrupted our plans and took away one of the key experiences we were paying for. When the swimsuits were finally returned — on the morning of the day we were leaving — there was no acknowledgment, no apology, and no effort to make it right. For a hotel positioning itself at this level, that is simply unacceptable. The same lack of follow-through showed up in other parts of the stay. The phones in our room didn’t work when we arrived, and despite asking multiple times, it took two days for anyone to come fix them. Housekeeping repeatedly removed empty shampoo and conditioner bottles without replacing them. We called to request more, waited over an hour and a half with no response, called again, and still waited another two hours — and when items finally arrived, the body wash was missing and had to be requested separately. We asked for toddler slippers and were instead sent women’s slippers. Small error, but reflective of the broader issue — details weren’t being paid attention to, and requests weren’t being handled with care. On our final day, after again waiting for toiletries that never arrived, my husband finally went to Target to buy body wash because we were tired of chasing basic amenities. We also booked through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, which includes a $90 daily breakfast credit. When we checked in at LaCroix, we were explicitly told that it applied to breakfast or brunch. At checkout, we were informed that it does not apply to brunch — and we were charged the full amount. So we lost the credit entirely because we relied on incorrect information from the hotel’s own staff. None of these issues on their own would have defined the stay — but together, they made it clear that the service culture simply isn’t operating at a luxury standard. At this level, guests shouldn’t have to repeatedly follow up, wait hours for basic room items, receive conflicting information, or lose key parts of their stay due to staff mismanagement — especially when traveling with a young child. The Rittenhouse is a stunning property and physically a beautiful hotel, but the service we experienced was far below what you’d expect for the price — and frankly, far below what comparable hotels in Philadelphia deliver. We’ve consistently had exceptional experiences at the Four Seasons, and based on this stay, that is where I’d recommend travelers go if they’re looking for a true luxury experience.

Always a great experience. Excellent service from everyone

Very beautiful hotel located in a part of Philadelphia where you can see everything from the art museum to City Hall and all the treasures of the city staff was wonderful