The Logan is a luxury hotel, an art gallery, and a high class eatery in one. If you are looking for something trendy in Philadelphia, then this is the place to be.
After spending months at a time in far-flung corners of the world, every now and then Chris and I like to bring ourselves back to normality by returning to our home country. It gives as a chance to decompress and tell our family and friends about our adventures, as well as hear what they have been up to. Chris’ family live in and around Philadelphia so we find ourselves there fairly regularly. Last year we visited just before Christmas, and this is always a magical time to be there. While it may be familiar, there is still much to see and do in the city and we always try to discover new hotels and attractions when we visit.
For our visit this year, we wanted to check out The Logan -- which is one of Philadelphia’s newest hotels, having only opened in 2015. It is well located in the heart of the city center, and is surrounded by many of the iconic museums and cultural institutions for which the city is famous. Having stayed in many of the city’s best hotels, we wanted to see what this newcomer had to offer.
You would never know it, but the Logan is actually part of the Hilton hotel group. It is encompassed by their Curio Collection branch which specializes in boutique accommodation all over the world. Each one of these is unique, and they are all a far cry from the standardized (although admittedly still luxurious) corporate experience of the main Hilton set of hotels. It means that you have all the advantages of the Hilton group – such as HHonors members rewards scheme – while still getting the boutique experience – a winning combination.
The hotel is fantastic all round, and we will definitely keep an eye out for Curio Collection hotels in the future. It has all the facilities you could need, and its design is sleek and modern. The lobby was my favorite part of the hotel, and its large space was filled with comfortable places to sit – including a nice little nook in front of the fireplace which become my go-to spot. The color combinations of the dark teal rug, the black and white from the walls, and the steel sculptures was downright sexy – and this was all topped off with bouquets of flowers.
On top of the excellent general hotel design, the public spaces also double up as an art gallery. The building plays host to a number of collections by local artists and this gives it a distinctive character, as well as making it a destination for locals and visitors who are not staying in the hotel rooms. Amongst the exhibits are collections of framed silhouettes, statues, textiles, and photography. They have actually launched an app which can guide you around the gallery, as well as giving you more information on the individual pieces and their artists – a nice touch!
“The Logan is one of Philadelphia’s newest hotels, having only opened in 2015. It is well located in the heart of the city center, and is surrounded by many of the iconic museums and cultural institutions for which the city is famous.”
The Logan has 391 rooms and suites, of varying sizes and levels of comfort. We chose to stay in the superior king room, with its en-suite bathroom and large window. It was spacious and comfortable, with a similar modern design to the rest of the hotel. There was some nice abstract artwork on the wall behind the bed, and the color-scheme combined neutral whites with soothing browns. The bathroom was light and open, with marble fixtures and titled walls. It also had a nice range of bath and shower products for us to you during our stay there.
We had everything we needed within the room including a 42 inch HDTV, a coffee maker, a charging station, and a hairdryer. There was also a desk with a comfortable office-style chair, which we used to get some work done – on one day, we hardly left the room! We didn’t really mind this as it was such a pleasant space to be, so its safe to say we were happy with our choice of room (there was one suite however, which comes with its own pool table which we thought was a very cool feature).
The hotel has three options for dining, so you are sure to find something which suits your taste. For lighter meals, the Commons Lounge is your best bet. This doubles up as the bar, and you can order an array of snacks including things like flatbreads and oysters. A similar (although slightly more upmarket) experience can be had at Assembly, The Logan’s rooftop bar. Here you can order a baked brie, or charcuterie board to go with a cocktail or craft beer. while you enjoy the city views. Although it was too cold to spend much time on the terrace, you can’t stay here with out at least having a look. It’s a cool place with smooth stone furniture, and its a great place to watch the city go about its business.
“On top of the excellent general hotel design, the public spaces also double up as an art gallery — and the hotel plays host to a number of collections by local artists...”
The main restaurant is called Urban Farmer, and it prides itself on using local ingredients. It is primarily a steakhouse, although it also has loads of seafood options as well as soups, salads, and sharing platters. We had brunch there and can happily recommend it! One thing we were particularly impressed with were the English muffins (make sure you get one on the side), which were huge fluffy affairs – perfect for mopping up their home made jam. As it was brunch we pushed the boat out by going for burgers as well, and these were also excellent.
The Urban Farmer’s menu is also the one you choose from when ordering room service, and it is great to know that you can have food of this quality brought right up to your door. You should really eat in the restaurant at least once though, as it is a delightful space to be. It has a trendy feel to it thanks to its white exposed brick walls and the neon signs which spell out food related phrases.
There are things to do inside the hotel (apart from work!), if you find yourself with some spare time on your hands. There is a spa which bills itself as a ‘tranquil respite from the vibrant energy of downtown’, and which offers a range of treatments as well as a gym. There are plenty of different treatments including twelve different types of massage, various skincare and body treatments, waxing, and a nail salon. They also have a pool if you fancy having a swim.
Being downtown, the Logan is conveniently located close to pretty much everything Philadelphia has to offer. Logan Square itself, with its fountains and green lawns, is just outside and the Schuykill River is also very close. As it is in the heart of it all, there are plenty of shops, bars, and restaurants within walking distance as well as public transport connections. The old town with all its historic attractions is just a short trip away, as are Chinatown, city hall, and the Reading Terminal Markets.
The Logan is a great place to stay if you are ever in Philadelphia and want all the reliable benefits of a big name brand, with the twist of uniqueness. This is especially true if you are a HHonors member and would like something a little different to the standard Hilton experience. Whether you are in the city for business or pleasure, you can’t argue with the location, amenities, and arty design.
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