Book the room, not the hotel. The tub you’re after lives in one room type, and the wrong king leaves you with a shower. At W Philadelphia, every suite category gets an oversized soaking tub. At Lokal Hotel Fishtown, the deep tub sits in the bedroom of a single apartment, so book that unit by name. Here’s the exact room I’d book at each hotel.
Table of Contents
Philadelphia Hotels
| 1. Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia by IHG Best Jetted Tub Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: 9-minute walk to City Hall Guest Reviews: Large bright rooms, jetted tubs, evening wine reception, room service, Rittenhouse Square location Best Room: Premium King Room with Jetted Tub and City View Price: From USD $300 – $345 per night |
| 2. Fitler Club Soaking tub plus club pool and spa Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: 19-minute walk to City Hall Guest Reviews: Elegant rooms, Dining Room restaurant, indoor lap pool, hot tub, cold plunge, gym, spa, bowling lanes Best Room: Deluxe Suite Price: From USD $520 – $1,065 per night |
| 3. Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center Highest Tub in Philadelphia Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: 10-minute walk to City Hall Guest Reviews: Floor-to-ceiling views, deep soaking tubs, infinity pool, spa, restaurant food, in-room dining, Center City location Best Room: Skyline Corner One Bedroom King Suite Good to Know: Book a corner suite if you want the tub right against the window. Price: From USD $1,445 – $1,515 per night |
| 4. W Philadelphia Soaking tubs in every suite Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: 6-minute walk to City Hall Guest Reviews: City views, pool, soaking tub suites, Chestnut Street location, clean rooms Best Room: Fantastic, Suite, 1 King, City view Good to Know: Light sleepers should bring earplugs, since this stretch of Chestnut Street stays lively. Price: From USD $450 – $570 per night |
| 5. Lokal Hotel Fishtown Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: 5-minute walk to Girard station on the El Guest Reviews: Handmade furniture, full kitchens, comfortable beds, soaking tubs, garden, Fishtown restaurants nearby Best Room: Two Bedroom Apartment with Garden View Good to Know: Trains run nearby, so pack earplugs if you’re a light sleeper. Price: From USD $300 – $340 per night |
| 6. Lokal Hotel Old City Best Clawfoot Tub Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Location: 10-minute walk to the Liberty Bell Guest Reviews: Hand-plastered walls, brass fixtures, factory windows, full kitchens, clawfoot tubs, Old City boutiques and cafes Best Room: Tina Good to Know: There’s no lift, so pack light for the climb to the upper lofts. Price: From USD $405 – $515 per night |
| 7. Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia by IHG Best-Value Soaking Tub Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: 2-minute walk to the Liberty Bell Guest Reviews: Liberty Bell location, bold decor, evening wine hour, rooftop bar, soaking tubs Best Room: Premium King Room with Soaking Tub and Shower Good to Know: The rooftop bar carries noise, so light sleepers should ask for a lower floor. Price: From USD $265 – $380 per night |
| 8. The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia City Hall views from the suite Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: Across the street from City Hall Guest Reviews: Historic building, lobby bar food and cocktails, spacious rooms, City Hall views, marble bathrooms Best Room: Suite, Club Lounge access, 1 Bedroom Suite, 1 King, Sofa Bed, City Hall view Good to Know: Only the suites get a separate soaking tub, so skip the standard kings. Price: From USD $510 – $565 per night |
Do Philadelphia Hotel Rooms Have Bathtubs?
Not always, so don’t assume. Plenty of good rooms in this town give you a big shower and nothing else.
- Look for the Word “Tub”: If the room you’re booking says “Tub,” “Soaking Tub,” “Jetted Tub” or “Clawfoot,” you’re set. If it doesn’t, you’re getting a shower.
- Will a Standard Room Do? Not if you want a bath. At Fitler Club, every room gets a big rain shower, a marble vanity and 12-foot ceilings, but the soaking tubs are saved for the suites.
- Ask for Lokal’s Tub Apartments by Name: Lokal gives every apartment its own name, and only a couple of them come with a tub. At Lokal Hotel Fishtown, they’re Big Jawn and Baller Jawn, the two-level, two-bedroom places up on the third floor. Say those names when you book so you don’t end up in a studio.
I’d never book off the photos; I’d book the room that actually says tub.
Soaking or Clawfoot: Which Philadelphia Hotels Have Which
Each style gives you a different bath, so pick the tub first and the hotel second.
- What Makes a Soaking Tub Worth It? Depth, no jets and room to stretch out. At W Philadelphia, the suites come with oversized soaking tubs, set among Danby marble and Chesterfield-style furniture.
- Choose Clawfoot for Old-Building Character: Lokal Hotel Old City has six apartments designed by Jersey Ice Cream Co., and the clawfoot tubs are in Tina and Betsy. Betsy is the second-floor family loft with built-in bunk beds, so couples should leave it to the families.
- Facing West Gets You the Sunset From the Tub: At Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center, some suites look west over the Schuylkill, and their deep soaking tubs catch the sunset with nothing in the way. Another suite has a freestanding oval tub beside an extra-large shower.
For the bath alone, I’d take a Four Seasons suite on the Schuylkill side.
Philadelphia Hotels With a Jacuzzi in the Room
Jets are rare in Center City, so know exactly where to find them.
- Jetted Tubs in Center City: Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia by IHG puts deep, Japanese-style tubs with jets in its spa rooms, and the room names say “Jetted Tub” outright. Over in Old City, Penn’s View Hotel has whirlpool tubs in select rooms, alongside fireplaces and exposed brick.
- Where Do You Find a Full Hot-Tub Suite? Head out to Bensalem, a suburb outside the city, where Inn of The Dove puts a jacuzzi and a fireplace in every suite. The room names spell it out, from the Junior King Suite with Jacuzzi and Fireplace up to the Presidential King Suite with Private Pool, Jacuzzi, and Fireplace.
For jets without leaving the city, I’d book Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia by IHG.
Best Area to Stay: Rittenhouse, Old City or Fishtown
Pick the neighbourhood for what’s outside the door once you’re out of the tub.
- Rittenhouse Square: The square is one of the five public squares William Penn laid out in the late 1600s, and the streets around it hold some of the city’s best food and drink. Parc, a French brasserie on the square, is the classic breakfast or lunch stop, and Vernick Food & Drink on Walnut Street is the one to book for a big night. Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia by IHG sits 230 metres from the park.
- Why Stay in Old City? It’s the city’s historic heart, with cobbled streets running out from Independence Mall. Fork, on Market Street, has anchored the Old City dinner scene for more than 25 years. Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia by IHG and Lokal Hotel Old City are your two bases.
- Head to Fishtown for the Restaurant Crawl: Frankford Avenue is the main strip, lined with bars, coffee shops and restaurants. Book Suraya, a Lebanese restaurant with a back garden, for one dinner and Pizzeria Beddia on East Girard Avenue for another. It’s also the city’s go-to nightlife neighbourhood.
On a first trip, I’d base in Rittenhouse and spend a day walking Old City.
Best Time to Book a Philadelphia Tub Weekend
Winter is when a tub earns its keep, and it’s also when the city’s hotels are cheapest.
- January and February: These are the cheapest months of the year for Philadelphia hotels, and the crowds are at their thinnest. It’s cold enough that a long bath feels earned.
- Is the Flower Show Worth Planning Around? It is if you love gardens, and it’s worth dodging if you just want a quiet room. The show fills the Pennsylvania Convention Center in early March, so book early if your dates land on show week.
- Aim for May: May brings warm days without summer prices. September and October stay busy, so May is the better shoulder month for a tub weekend.
- The Fourth of July Takes Over the City: The Welcome America festival runs from Juneteenth through Independence Day, with concerts and fireworks. Skip that stretch if a quiet soak is the whole point of the trip.
I’d book a midweek February night and put the savings toward the suite.
Getting From PHL and 30th Street Station to Your Hotel
Take the train in from the airport unless you’re hauling heavy bags. It’s cheaper than a cab, and its travel time doesn’t depend on the traffic.
- SEPTA’s Airport Line: The train runs from the airport terminals into Center City every 30 minutes, and the ride takes 20 to 25 minutes. Buy your fare at the kiosk in the terminal, and check which Center City station you need before you board.
- Which Station Should You Get Off At? The train stops at 30th Street, then Suburban, then Jefferson. Fitler Club is steps from 30th Street Station, Suburban serves the western side of Center City, and Jefferson sits beside the Pennsylvania Convention Center on the eastern side.
- Switch to the El for Old City and Fishtown: From Suburban Station, transfer to the Market-Frankford Line at 15th Street and ride east. Get off at 5th Street/Independence Hall for Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia by IHG or 2nd Street for Lokal Hotel Old City, and stay on past Old City for Lokal Hotel Fishtown.
- Amtrak Trains Pull Into 30th Street: Amtrak and NJ Transit both arrive at 30th Street Station. From there, catch any eastbound El into Center City, or ride Regional Rail one stop to Suburban Station.
I’d only pay for a cab when I’m hauling a week’s luggage.
FAQs
1. Do Philadelphia hotels have accessible rooms with a bathtub?
Yes, and the room name tells you which one to book. The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia lists a Standard King Room with Adapted Tub, and Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia by IHG has a King Room with Mobility Accessible Tub and Roll-In Shower. Those rooms are set up for guests with mobility needs, so leave them free if you don’t need one. Call ahead to confirm grab rails and the exact bathroom layout.
2. Do Philadelphia hotels charge for parking?
They do, and it’s valet at the big Center City hotels. Fitler Club, The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia, Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia by IHG and W Philadelphia park cars on site, while Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center and Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia by IHG send them to an off-site garage, and all six charge for it. Neither Lokal Hotel Old City nor Lokal Hotel Fishtown has parking, so book a nearby garage before you drive in.
3. Do you need a car for a weekend in Philadelphia?
No. Center City is a compact, walkable downtown, and a car mostly turns into a valet bill. The El runs under Market Street with stops at 15th, 13th, 11th, 8th, 5th and 2nd Streets, covering City Hall and Old City. Keep the car for trips out of town.
4. Can you walk from Rittenhouse Square to the Liberty Bell?
Absolutely, as long as you’ve got comfortable shoes. From Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia by IHG, right by the square, the Liberty Bell is 1.8 kilometres east, a walk of under 25 minutes. If your legs give out, ride the El from 15th Street to 5th Street/Independence Hall station, a short walk from the Liberty Bell.
5. Is Fishtown far from Center City?
Not if you take the El. The Market-Frankford Line runs from Fishtown into Center City in under 10 minutes, and the neighbourhood sits 2 miles north-east of downtown. Ride it straight through to 15th Street and you come up beside City Hall.
6. How far is Reading Terminal Market from Center City hotels?
Close enough for breakfast. The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia and W Philadelphia are both 1.1 kilometres away, a 14-minute walk, and Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia by IHG is 1.2 kilometres, or 15 minutes. The market is the city’s famous indoor food hall on Arch Street, with local vendors packed under one roof.
7. Is a jetted tub the same as a jacuzzi?
Practically, yes. Jacuzzi is a registered trademark that’s turned into shorthand for any whirlpool tub, so a room listed as “Jetted Tub,” “Whirlpool” or “Spa Bath” gives you the same bubbles. What matters is whether those jets sit in a private tub in your room or in a shared hot tub on a pool deck. Check the room description rather than the facilities list.
