Lokal Hotel Old City — Hotel in Philadelphia

The Lokal Old City is pretty good. Here are some outstanding features: tons of space; my sons loved the bunk beds; the location is awesome for touring the historic parts of Philly--all walkable. Parking was close and convenient. There's a washer and dryer that we didn't test, but look promising. There are also a whole bunch of things that, if they worked, could make it great, but they don't really work: 1) There is an iPad that theoretically has room instructions and info on it, as well as a way to engage with the in-room Sonos. The iPad is on a magnetic "launch pad" that theoretically should charge it; but the launch pad is kind of ripped loose from the wall and the charging function doesn't work, so I texted the manager, found the spare charge cord and plugged it in (had to remove it from its launch pad case). Unfortunately, once I got it charged up, I found that someone logged that iPad out of its iCloud settings, so you get a long loop of iCloud sign-in attempts, if you try to use it. Also, the Sonos app crashes over and over and can't be used. But hey! I just downloaded the Sonos app on my own iPhone and tried to use it that way, which you can. Sort of. It's not findable as an Apple-music-compatible device unless you make it one by logging in from the registered user Sonos app (which I wasn't). So we listened to Sonos radio with ads, which is essentially just... you know... radio. 2) There is a curtain that almost shields the morning light out. Only it's translucent and doesn't reach all the way across the window. 3) There is an awesome bar setup that even includes some artisanal bitters (wasn't sure if they were free for use, but pretty sure they were). However, there are no wine glasses? 4) The decor is pretty cool, but it's a little dilapidated, especially the couch. No dimmers on the lights, just bright or off. Then there are a couple of things that are a little rough: the bathroom fan is on and can't be turned off, so it's sort of like listening to a distant propane generator all night. Overall, we liked it. We think it could be great with a...

I really wanted to like this hotel, but the truth is the value proposition sucks compared to other hotel offerings in Philly relative to price. We stayed in the Ben room fyi

Pros: very spacious and tasteful interior design. Well stocked and equipped kitchen. Washer/ dryer in unit. Good central location

Cons: no staff on site, so doesn’t feel as safe. No daily housekeeping. Shower pressure is terrible. It’s an old building so quite a lot of squeaking in the floors and the insulation isn’t as good (there is a working ac/heater though). Stairs to every room, and in this case a 4th floor walk up. Bedding is clean but the bed is not nearly as comfortable as other 4/5 star chain hotels. Terribly slow and old(?) tv that struggles to pause/play/skip when using Netflix. No slippers available. Quiet hours after 10pm (this isn’t a problem but given the old bldg and not knowing how thin the walls were, we felt we had to be overly careful even with tv volume).

Again I really wanted to like this hotel and support a smaller local business but the pricing seems out of touch with its value proposition compared to larger corporate hotels with similar prices. Unless you needed a kitchen/washer dryer or wanted the extra space for kids, not sure this place could make sense. Even with kids you could get 2 rooms at other hotels for the prices here. This hotel feels a lot more like an Airbnb than a hotel, but at these prices airbnbs tend to offer much more space. I think for a hotel at above $200 per night in a city like Philly, let alone the $350 per night here after all taxes/fees, you should be getting at least a shower with good pressure, a tv that works well, daily housekeeping, an elevator (or 1 floor walk up only) and a luxury comfortable...

Simply Brilliant!

My wife and I spent a weekend in Philadelphia recently. I looked around at lodging options and kind of stumbled across the Lokal. I am SO glad I did. The Lokal is a gem. The rooms are appointed perfectly. The materials, textures, colors, fabrics...everything is simply brilliant. When it comes to design I am a modernist/minimalist, and my wife is probably more modern contemporary/comfortable. The Lokal fit perfectly in the middle of our sensibilities. The amenities in our rooms (we were in the Billy and the Will) are high end. You definitely will feel like you're in an urban oasis. The near floor-to-ceiling windows with the linen drapes will make you feel like you're in Paris or some tony flat in Europe.

The location is perfect. Old City is pretty cool. Nice small shops and coffee houses. Some good restaurants are withing walking distance, and it's just a short $7-8 cab ride to some of the hot spots off Broad or Rittenhouse Square. The Lokal has invisible service, but the owners, Courtney and Chad, are amazing. Great communication and they are really responsive to questions and concerns.

Note: It's worth noting that the Lokal is a walk-up. The stairs are pretty steep. We were on the 2nd, and then 3rd, floor. There are 16 steps between floors (I'm a counter) and the risers are pretty high. It wasn't an issue for us, but we noticed a family coming in with large suitcases. They walked in and saw the staircase. The look on their faces said it all. I share this not to deter you, but simply so you know what to expect.

I highly recommend the Lokal Hotel if you're visiting, or passing through, Philadelphia. My next trip to Philly will be planned around what's available...