The website for this hotel belies how incredibly beautiful this hotel is, which makes arriving such a sweet surprise.

The parking lot directly across the street charged us $20 for the night. The front desk of the hotel mentioned a parking lot that charged $15 but it wasn't as close, so we decided to pay the extra $5 to be directly in front of the hotel.

The first floor of the hotel is being renovated and turned into, what looks to be, a nice place to eat. The elevator in the small lobby takes you up to the second floor where you are greeted immediately by a small desk and a receptionist.

We checked in quickly and went up to our room on the 5th floor. The hotel really isn't very large, but there is a gorgeous 4-story painting that hangs from the 5th floor down to the 2nd floor/reception area. Loved it!

Our room was beautiful! Hardwood floors, king-sized bed, three floor-to-ceiling windows with thick wooden blinds, cathedral ceilings, contemporary art and nice looking furniture. They even deliver a continental breakfast to your door in the morning.

I have a some complaints, though. The television was not working very well. Hardly any channels would come through. The vent in the bathroom was incredibly loud. The hotel staff had no idea where we could order food in the area. We had to guess.

Other than that, we had a great stay. The room is beautiful and quiet. The hotel is cozy and warm.

I will definitely be back. This time armed with the knowledge of places to eat!

Good price, very clean, GREAT location. It is an old building, so the 2nd floor(which is the lowest floor for the hotel) can get a little noisy due to the restaurant and street. We also have stayed on the 4th floor which was silent. Overall great stay in a great location.

I frequent Philadelphia quite often. Sometimes I stay with friends and sometimes I like to splurge a little and treat myself to some of the quality accommodations the City of Brotherly Love has to offer. While I often stay at many of the more well-known hotels in center city, (Sofitel, Palomar, and the Double Tree) to name a few, The Independent has become my NEW FAVORITE. This was my second time staying here. A quaint and comfortable stay nestled in the heart of the "gay-borhood", The Independent makes me feel more like I am a guest in their home rather than just another client who happens to need a place to stay. The management and staff (Jim and Colin) are always so professional, friendly, and efficient. Check-in and departure are absolutely effortless. They offer a few 5-star amenities that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else...healthy, complimentary breakfast selections (delivered to your door!!) and FREE internet?? Oh, wait; there's more! On my most recent stay (New Year's Eve), I arrived in my room only to have a complimentary split of champagne waiting for me! Am I in hotel heaven? The room, of course, was spotless and the bed very comfortable. Folks, I can go on and on about this hotel but the proof is in the stay. If you typically frequent the usual chain hotels, I invite you to give The Independent a try. You WILL NOT be disappointed. On my future visits to Philadelphia, The Independent will not only be my first choice for accommodations, it will be my ONLY choice!

Had an incredible weekend @ The Independent. I've had multiple trips to Philadelphia for both work and pleasure and this was my first stay @ The Independent. It was more than pleasurable. The room was pristine, clean, comfortable. The staff was incredibly helpful. The Independent gave a very warm feel to a busy city. Excellent walking distance to South Street, 9th Street, Reading Terminal and all conference related areas.

Breakfast was included in the price and was delivered per my requested time. Coffee and tea always available 24/7.

The staff/management (Jimmy, Rodney) were more than hospitable and helped me with everything. Free internet is a plus.

The area/neighborhood felt incredibly safe and the parking accommodations were very close.

Truly, The Independent was a great stay with small town amenities. As I tweeted, "I found hotel gold in Philly."

No question in my mind that I will absolutely stay here again in Philly.