85 replies to this topic

[amtrakwolverine]

I booked the travelodge hotel about 2 miles from the station I think.

1227 Race Street

Off Hwy 676

Philadelphia, PA 19107 US

109.00 a night

Edited by amtrakwolverine, 08 February 2012 - 05:39 PM.

[Acela150]

Hotels by the Airport are a good deal.. Just take the train to the Airport from PHL. Trains leave on the :04's and :34's. You can get off at any terminal but I suggest E and F as it seems to be least traveled now that Southwest has a fewer travel destinations now. Fare is $7 and shuttles run to and from the Airport often. The Hilton at the Airport is a Nice Stay and Offers Philly Tastykake's which are a treat when you check in. $110 a night. If your looking for an affordable place to stay without going over $250 a night I suggest The Embassy Suites on the Ben Franklin Parkway and Across the street is the high rated Four Seasons which goes for about $330 a night. Both are with in walking distance of Suburban Station which if you get on Regional Rail is the next station stop after PHL. It's about a 5-10 minute walk without luggage. If you have luggage and your getting off at PHL and you choose one of these two get a cab at PHL. There's also the Best Western Plus around 3rd an Chestnut. That goes for about $200 a night. Hyatt Regency on Penn's Landing for around $225 a night.

If anyone has questions shoot me a PM. I'll be glad to answer them. But the one I recommend out of all these hotels is the Hilton at the Airport. My girlfriends Family stays there when they are in town from Massachusetts and it's a real nice place.

[AlanB]

I booked the travelodge hotel about 2 miles from the station I think.

It may be 2 miles from the Amtrak station, but it's about a 4 block walk from the Market East Station of SEPTA. So it's a decent choice, at least in terms of location, you'll be right downtown with easy access to everything. If you're arriving via Amtrak on Thursday, then you can just show your Amtrak ticket stub if challenged on the SEPTA commuter service. Head for the upper level and board any commuter train headed towards Center City. First stop is Suburban, the second is Market East.

Get off and walk towards the rear of the train, even after you get upstairs to the ticket window level. If you go up the stairs at the end of the public area, turn left upon exiting the doors, you'll be on 12th Street. Turn right on 12th Street and till you reach Race Street. Turn left on Race and your hotel is some where on that block. You'll actually walk right past the Philadelphia Convention center and the old Reading RR terminal made obsolete by the cross town connector.

If you're arriving Friday, which means that you'd miss some of the riding on Friday coming from the west as you are, then you would by the one day Independence Pass and you could use either that or your Amtrak ticket stub for the ride on SEPTA Commuter.

[AlanB]

Hotels by the Airport are a good deal.. Just take the train to the Airport from PHL. Trains leave on the :04's and :34's. You can get off at any terminal but I suggest E and F as it seems to be least traveled now that Southwest has a fewer travel destinations now. Fare is $7 and shuttles run to and from the Airport often.

Actually many of the so called "Airport" hotels are best served by getting off at the Eastwick station, one stop before the airport and one stop after University City. By getting off at Eastwick, although one must be sure that your hotel is near that stop, you avoid waiting for the shuttle and you avoid the surcharge fare for the Airport.

Of course, another way to avoid that surcharge if you are going all the way to the airport is to buy the one day Independence Pass for $11. Of course one needs to be taking at least one other trip besides that airport trip for the pass to pay off. For example, someone arriving on Thursday night and going out to their hotel at the airport with no plans to return to the city and ride anything else would not be well served buying the pass that day.

But on Friday morning coming in, it would pay to buy the pass from the conductor on the train.

[Acela150]

Hotels by the Airport are a good deal.. Just take the train to the Airport from PHL. Trains leave on the :04's and :34's. You can get off at any terminal but I suggest E and F as it seems to be least traveled now that Southwest has a fewer travel destinations now. Fare is $7 and shuttles run to and from the Airport often.

Actually many of the so called "Airport" hotels are best served by getting off at the Eastwick station, one stop before the airport and one stop after University City. By getting off at Eastwick, although one must be sure that your hotel is near that stop, you avoid waiting for the shuttle and you avoid the surcharge fare for the Airport.

Of course, another way to avoid that surcharge if you are going all the way to the airport is to buy the one day Independence Pass for $11. Of course one needs to be taking at least one other trip besides that airport trip for the pass to pay off. For example, someone arriving on Thursday night and going out to their hotel at the airport with no plans to return to the city and ride anything else would not be well served buying the pass that day.

But on Friday morning coming in, it would pay to buy the pass from the conductor on the train.

Getting off at Eastwick is always there. But I don't believe the shuttles stop by there unless someone calls. Which I'm sure one of the drivers wouldn't mind. But the Pass would be a good idea in general. I've only bought one once to go Round Trip to/from the Airport then to Chestnut Hill West then hop on the Bus home. Probably saved me $10. Some people buy them for basic round trips though which is a waste depending on Zone Fares. I can tell you there is one hotel directly across the street from Eastwick but the name escapes my head.

Eastwick is Zone 2 while Septa decided to make the Airport Zone 5 for those who aren't aware. The fare is much more steep to the Airport. It's worth getting that Pass. The passes are sold on the trains but save your self some time and buy them at the ticket office. Conductors take cash only too. Ticket offices take Credit/Debit cards. Should one want to pay that way.

[AlanB]

Getting off at Eastwick is always there. But I don't believe the shuttles stop by there unless someone calls. Which I'm sure one of the drivers wouldn't mind.

Many of the hotels in that area are within a 2 to 3 block walk from the station. So save a downpour, for most it's easily walkable.

[Shanghai]

Hotels by the Airport are a good deal.. Just take the train to the Airport from PHL. The Hilton at the Airport is a Nice Stay and Offers Philly Tastykake's which are a treat when you check in. $110 a night.

If anyone has questions shoot me a PM. I'll be glad to answer them. But the one I recommend out of all these hotels is the Hilton at the Airport. My girlfriends Family stays there when they are in town from Massachusetts and it's a real nice place.

The Hilton at the Airport sounds good to me. How far is it to the airport subway station and how do you get there?
Does the hotel have a shuttle service to the subway? Thanks.

[The Davy Crockett]

Mrs Crockett has given me a green signal, so I'll highball my coon skin cap tail up there...

Maybe this is a stupid queston, but in looking at lodging, is 30th st Station going to be the center of activites?

UPDATE -- jis is spot on about things booking up fast in PHL that weekend. I booked at the Hampton Inn Airport as the downtown location is now full on either the 5th or 6th as well as the 7th now.

And THANKS jis for the 411!

Edited by The Davy Crockett, 09 February 2012 - 08:46 AM.

[AlanB]

The Hilton at the Airport sounds good to me. How far is it to the airport subway station and how do you get there?
Does the hotel have a shuttle service to the subway? Thanks.

Dick, yes, the Hilton runs a shuttle to/from the airport. So you just take the train to the airport and then find the shuttle to the hotel.

Note: The subway doesn't run out to the airport, it's SEPTA Commuter services that run out to the airport. This is a train similar to what you'd catch along the Morris & Essex line, not something similar to a NYC subway.

[AlanB]

Maybe this is a stupid queston, but in looking at lodging, is 30th st Station going to be the center of activites?

Philly is a unique city in some sense that there are 3 major stations all on the same commuter lines in the downtown area, with 2 stations in what is considered Center City. The odds are good that Saturday's activities will launch from 30th Street, but on Friday & Sunday one will probably be able start from any of the 3 stations. It's hard for me to say for sure yet, since I've not looked at or started planning any itinerary. But I'll probably try to set things up so that our first ride of the day is on a commuter train that will call at all three downtown stations, Market East, Suburban, and 30th Street.

I will say that the odds are good that our group dinner would occur someplace within Center City, so being in the 30th Street area would put you out from that a bit. Of course with a day pass, it really wouldn't matter where you are other than the time required to get to/from the starting point.

[Sorcha]

Oh my gosh. I'm so excited. I've never been to Philadelphia.

[the_traveler]

IIRC thru my foggy memory, wasn't there an unadvertised benefit that you could show your Amtrak ticket and ride free from 30th Street Station out to the airport on SEPTA? Is that still in effect? If so, it could save those staying by the airport money the 1st day - OW out to the airport!

[Sorcha]

I might see about getting a B&B downtown. I love old buildings.

ETA: My boyfriend might be coming too. Neither of us have been to Philly, so we might make a vacation out of it. I already have a huge list of museums I want to see, and we're considering going to NYC for a couple of days since it's so close (we've never been there either).

Edited by Sorcha, 09 February 2012 - 12:01 PM.

[Railroad Bill]

Hello All,
Just got off the phone with Hampton Inn City Center and was able to book a room for the four nights Oct 4-8. The desk booking agent said it is a convention of the National Dietetic Association filling up all the rooms downtown very quickly. But there were still a few rooms with two beds left as of 11:30am.
We wanted rooms downtown so that Mrs RRB can ride the Purple Phlash trolley around the city.

Since all of these dieticians will be in town, I would suppose the Philly Cheesesteak people may be hurting

[Acela150]

IIRC thru my foggy memory, wasn't there an unadvertised benefit that you could show your Amtrak ticket and ride free from 30th Street Station out to the airport on SEPTA? Is that still in effect? If so, it could save those staying by the airport money the 1st day - OW out to the airport!

Dave the only stations that Amtrak tickets are good for are the center city stations. So you can ride between PHL and market east or surburban on that Amtrak ticket. But to my knowledge not to the airport.

[Acela150]

I might see about getting a B&B downtown. I love old buildings.

ETA: My boyfriend might be coming too. Neither of us have been to Philly, so we might make a vacation out of it. I already have a huge list of museums I want to see, and we're considering going to NYC for a couple of days since it's so close (we've never been there either).

To my knowledge to get a true B and B in the Philly area you have to go to the Suburbs. The closest one I can think of is Lancaster. Which means you would have to go to PHL on a Keystoners each day. I'm sure theres others closer. But I doubt there's any close to Center City Philadelphia.

[MrFSS]

I might see about getting a B&B downtown. I love old buildings.

ETA: My boyfriend might be coming too. Neither of us have been to Philly, so we might make a vacation out of it. I already have a huge list of museums I want to see, and we're considering going to NYC for a couple of days since it's so close (we've never been there either).

To my knowledge to get a true B and B in the Philly area you have to go to the Suburbs. The closest one I can think of is Lancaster. Which means you would have to go to PHL on a Keystoners each day. I'm sure theres others closer. But I doubt there's any close to Center City Philadelphia.

Go to this SITE.

Type in Philadelphia. I quickly found 15-20 B&Bs in the downtown area. One even not far from 30th Street Station.

[Acela150]

Never knew about that site. Thanks for pointing that out. I looked at all of them to see if any of them would be in the iffy areas around University City. Which there was one. I believe it was the second. After dark that would be a little bit of a iffy neighborhood. Plus that is the Frat House neighborhood. It's part of it. But the very tail end of the Frat House neighborhood.

[reefgeek]

Boo Hiss, a big hardware weekend (computer changes) where I work, including working the holiday. Curse you, _______ _______ Bank!

[the_traveler]

Boo Hiss, a big hardware weekend (computer changes) where I work, including working the holiday. Curse you, _______ _______ Bank!

Making you work on the Canadian Thanksgiving? How dare they!

Sorry you can't make it to PHL!