Latest reviews in Pennsylvania, United States of America

Carambola - Great Neighborhood Place - BYOB by BYOBcom

BYOBcom — Tue, 06 May 2008 20:16:27 +0000

Review by BYOBcom

Rating: 4.00

Phone: (215) 542-0900

Website: www.carambolabyo.com

Tags: american, good value, family & home feel

Went in for a quick small meal. We had the calamari and the chicken portobello pizza. Both were excellent and went well with our own bottle of wine.Went in for a quick small meal. We had the calamari and the chicken portobello pizza. Both were excellent and went well with our own bottle of wine.

Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn's Landing - River View & Swimming by Angella

Angella — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 08:26:45 +0000

Review by Angella

Rating: 5.00

Phone: (215) 928 1234

Website: pennslanding.hyatt.com

LOCATION & VIEWS
I passed the Hyatt on a bus tour and we were told it's the only hotel on the riverfront. It immediately shot to the top of my hotel wish list.

SWIMMING POOL & GYM
A fellow passenger said that the baseball team stays there so I guessed it was a top hotel or had good sports facilities. Their website shows you pictures of all aspects of the hotel including the gym with a river view.

I went on line and found it had the other feature I was looking for in a hotel, an indoor pool and therefore all year round swimming.

PRICE
My only doubts were that it might be too expensive. But you can get discounts for being a member of the AAA (American Automobile Association). Being British, I am a member of the AA (Automobile Association). I found that in Australia and New Zealand hotel staff were happy to accept that instead - they just want a reason for offering certain potential guests a discount in order to secure the booking from tourists who are on a budget without necessarily discounting prices to everybody who will happily pay more. Apparently other price-conscious people have found discounts though Priceline.

WHICH HYATT?
I had assumed that telling a taxi driver you want the Hyatt would get you to the right place. Or hunting on line for Hyatt Pennsylvania would be enough. But it turns out that there are two Hyatts in Philadelphia, the other one being downtown and perhaps a good choice for shopaholics. Plus a couple of Hyatt suite hotels.

PHOTOGRAPHY
Sorry, I haven't stayed here, but I've been all round the city on a bus tour and this is the hotel I picked for location. It's on Columbus Boulevard and steps away from the monuments to Christopher Columbus and Penn who gave his name to Pennsylvania.
So you can dash out at sunrise or sunset for a photo opportunity of the river, the tall ships, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, and monuments and waterfront museums. I've researched carefully and this Hyatt is the one on my wish list for a return visit to Philadelphia.LOCATION & VIEWS
I passed the Hyatt on a bus tour and we were told it's the only hotel on the riverfront. It immediately shot to the top of my hotel wish list.

SWIMMING POOL & GYM
A fellow passenger said that the baseball team stays there so I guessed it was a top hotel or had good sports facilities. Their website shows you pictures of all aspects of the hotel including the gym with a river view.

I went on line and found it had the other feature I was looking for in a hotel, an indoor pool and therefore all year round swimming.

PRICE
My only doubts were that it might be too expensive. But you can get discounts for being a member of the AAA (American Automobile Association). Being British, I am a member of the AA (Automobile Association). I found that in Australia and New Zealand hotel staff were happy to accept that instead - they just want a reason for offering certain potential guests a discount in order to secure the booking from tourists who are on a budget without necessarily discounting prices to everybody who will happily pay more. Apparently other price-conscious people have found discounts though Priceline.

WHICH HYATT?
I had assumed that telling a taxi driver you want the Hyatt would get you to the right place. Or hunting on line for Hyatt Pennsylvania would be enough. But it turns out that there are two Hyatts in Philadelphia, the other one being downtown and perhaps a good choice for shopaholics. Plus a couple of Hyatt suite hotels.

PHOTOGRAPHY
Sorry, I haven't stayed here, but I've been all round the city on a bus tour and this is the hotel I picked for location. It's on Columbus Boulevard and steps away from the monuments to Christopher Columbus and Penn who gave his name to Pennsylvania.
So you can dash out at sunrise or sunset for a photo opportunity of the river, the tall ships, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, and monuments and waterfront museums. I've researched carefully and this Hyatt is the one on my wish list for a return visit to Philadelphia.

The Independent - Boutique Hotel by Angella

Angella — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:47:50 +0000

Review by Angella

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 215-772-1440

Website: www.theindependenthotel.com

The hotel is clean and new, having opened in 2008. The strap line on their address card reads 'A Boutique Hotel for the Independently Minded.' It's an easy name to remember, because the city features the Independence Visitor Centre and Independence Hall.

Bedrooms
Kingsize bed. Wonderfully comfortable pillows.

Bathroom
Lights with dimmer switches.
Power shower.
Face flannels folded to make a pocket in which your own toothbrush is placed.
Toiletries provided by hotel.

Breakfast
Sit in an armchair in the lounge hall.
Bottled orange juice. Cereals. Toaster. Bagels can be toasted in the toaster. Kraft Philadelphia cheese. Muffins. Coffee.

Facilities
Internet room.

Decor
Old-fashioned elegance. Multi-storey mural with pastel and gold paint.

Location
Walking distance of shops and restaurants. A restaurant next door is patronised by gays, my local friend told me. The city of 'brotherly love' is famous for welcoming all communities and has a Gayborhood.

Easy to find your way to the hotel first time and to get back to it? Philadelphia is famous for its giant murals. Two colourful giant murals in this street will help you find your way to your hotel and the car park on the next block.The hotel is clean and new, having opened in 2008. The strap line on their address card reads 'A Boutique Hotel for the Independently Minded.' It's an easy name to remember, because the city features the Independence Visitor Centre and Independence Hall.

Bedrooms
Kingsize bed. Wonderfully comfortable pillows.

Bathroom
Lights with dimmer switches.
Power shower.
Face flannels folded to make a pocket in which your own toothbrush is placed.
Toiletries provided by hotel.

Breakfast
Sit in an armchair in the lounge hall.
Bottled orange juice. Cereals. Toaster. Bagels can be toasted in the toaster. Kraft Philadelphia cheese. Muffins. Coffee.

Facilities
Internet room.

Decor
Old-fashioned elegance. Multi-storey mural with pastel and gold paint.

Location
Walking distance of shops and restaurants. A restaurant next door is patronised by gays, my local friend told me. The city of 'brotherly love' is famous for welcoming all communities and has a Gayborhood.

Easy to find your way to the hotel first time and to get back to it? Philadelphia is famous for its giant murals. Two colourful giant murals in this street will help you find your way to your hotel and the car park on the next block.

Bob and Barbara's - Jazz, Drag, and Cheap Drinks by BeverlyGeesin

BeverlyGeesin — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 15:56:39 +0000

Review by BeverlyGeesin

Rating: 5.00It seems that I'm posting the first review in Philadelphia...

Then it's fitting that it should be for Bob and Barbara's.

It's kind of like if the TV show Cheers had been directed by David Lynch. It's that good!

Bob and Barbara's is easily my favorite bar in all of Philadelphia. It's dingy and tattered in that way where it's just letting you know that you can come however you like. Take your shoes off, make yourself comfortable, pass out on the dance floor. Nobody will mind, everyone's your friend.

Friday, Saturday and Monday it's Nate Wiley and the Crowdpleasers doing the jazz thing. I've been countless times and I've never been bored by the jamming on the Hammond organ. Generally old friends or random strangers show up with an instrument and join in. It's that kind of place.

Thursday is the super famous and popular drag night. It's an equal opportunity affair and brings in all sorts of people. There's always a Cher but maybe also a Nancy Sinatra. Hostess Miss Lisa pulls men from the audience on stage to show their underwear, gets women to flash their chest and, if it's your birthday, you get dragged on stage and the whole club screams "Fuck You". The night ends with the DJs taking over and everyone gets together for a bit of drunken dancing to end the night.

This is the quintessential Philly experience. Better than a cheesesteak.

The Bob and Barbara's crowd is about as diverse as you're ever to find in the US. All ages, races, sex and subcultures hang out here. Oh, did I mention that the drinks are also insanely cheap? I like a whiskey sour, myself, served in a pint glass and goes for about $5.

Philly's really been changing a lot over the past few years. I'm glad that Bob and Barbara's always stays exactly the same.

It seems that I'm posting the first review in Philadelphia...

Then it's fitting that it should be for Bob and Barbara's.

It's kind of like if the TV show Cheers had been directed by David Lynch. It's that good!

Bob and Barbara's is easily my favorite bar in all of Philadelphia. It's dingy and tattered in that way where it's just letting you know that you can come however you like. Take your shoes off, make yourself comfortable, pass out on the dance floor. Nobody will mind, everyone's your friend.

Friday, Saturday and Monday it's Nate Wiley and the Crowdpleasers doing the jazz thing. I've been countless times and I've never been bored by the jamming on the Hammond organ. Generally old friends or random strangers show up with an instrument and join in. It's that kind of place.

Thursday is the super famous and popular drag night. It's an equal opportunity affair and brings in all sorts of people. There's always a Cher but maybe also a Nancy Sinatra. Hostess Miss Lisa pulls men from the audience on stage to show their underwear, gets women to flash their chest and, if it's your birthday, you get dragged on stage and the whole club screams "Fuck You". The night ends with the DJs taking over and everyone gets together for a bit of drunken dancing to end the night.

This is the quintessential Philly experience. Better than a cheesesteak.

The Bob and Barbara's crowd is about as diverse as you're ever to find in the US. All ages, races, sex and subcultures hang out here. Oh, did I mention that the drinks are also insanely cheap? I like a whiskey sour, myself, served in a pint glass and goes for about $5.

Philly's really been changing a lot over the past few years. I'm glad that Bob and Barbara's always stays exactly the same.

nina at home - job well done !!! by brianwilson

brianwilson — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:18:35 +0000

Review by brianwilson

Rating: 5.00What kind of a room would it be, if it wasnâ¬"t comfortable? The question would pop in my head every day. Then I started working on getting the room to look better. I saw Nina At Homeâ¬"s designs on the Internet. The company is based in Pennsylvania but services areas of New Jersey as well. I contacted them to come help me with redesigning my family room. It was easy working with Nina and her team as she helped me work around my needs without compromising the comfort of the room. My family room looks much more comfortable now.What kind of a room would it be, if it wasnâ¬"t comfortable? The question would pop in my head every day. Then I started working on getting the room to look better. I saw Nina At Homeâ¬"s designs on the Internet. The company is based in Pennsylvania but services areas of New Jersey as well. I contacted them to come help me with redesigning my family room. It was easy working with Nina and her team as she helped me work around my needs without compromising the comfort of the room. My family room looks much more comfortable now.