|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| THE
RITTENHOUSE |
|
| Philadelphia, USA |
|
Society - Extraordinary
September - 2006 |
|
6 Stars
& 5 Stripes
Hotel & Service |
|
 |
|
The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
|
|
|
| Our arrival at The Rittenhouse in Philadelphia was
like in a scene from a perfect vacation movie, practiced over and over again;
uniformed valets all at once, rushing to open all four doors of this Daimler
Chrysler, welcoming, helping, guiding, and lifting. A treat and an
unforgettable first impression. The Rittenhouse is conveniently located in
Philadelphia's most prestigious downtown area, allowing one to experience the
unique historic charm and ambience of the famous Rittenhouse Square. It is all
within walking distance to major museums, important cultural attractions,
first-rate shopping, and the venture district. |
|
| Check-inn was quick, low
key and with just the right feeling of 'welcome home'. As we looked around our
moods shifted to a state of tranquility after a rather stressful trip. First of
all The Rittenhouse is much larger then it appears from the outside. The
sophisticated welcome area and lounge interiors were of precious mahogany and
coordinated with lavish fabrics, heavy hand-woven throw rugs on marble and
sparkling, precious chandeliers. The lingering scent of freshly cut flowers
were a promise to be kept. They were literally all over the house in every
corner and in most of the larger windows overlooking the famous
Rittenhouse
Park and the City's lights. |
|
|
 |
|
|
| Our accommodations were absolutely delightful, a grand
suite of great taste. The rooms are architecturally configured to enhance
unforgettable views over the park and downtown. On the living room table were
Lacroix pralines, chocolate covered strawberries (from the Rittenhouse
Chocolate Laboratory) and Fiji water, a nice welcoming gesture from the
management. We unpacked and noticed wide-ranging closet space. The bathroom was
of luxurious marble featuring a large tub, a shower and a small TV close to the
sink. |
|
 |
|
| We took a bath with a wonderful aroma soak by Aveda
and indulged on the chocolate covered strawberries; by now the tension had left
us completely. We slipped into heavenly, fluffy robes and matching slippers,
laid down on 'pillow top', so to say, and watched some HDTV. The Rittenhouse's
accommodations measure between 450 to 600 square feet, which, with all do
respect, are super large units in comparison to other hotels in the area. The
service level at The Rittenhouse is not only extremely high but it is also
presented with sincerity, which is hard to find. When I met with VP David
Benton, who has also been the General Manager of The Rittenhouse since 1990, it
became pretty clear that his success is the empowerment of his
staff. |
|
| "...it became pretty clear that Benton's success is the empowerment
of his staff..." ~ TB |
|
 |
|
| 2006 Seven
Stars and Stripers® - Award-Hand-Out at The Rittenhouse - Philadelphia,
USA |
|
|
| We spend some time at the European-style Spa &
Salon and their 10,000 square foot Health Club facilities. It is complete with
state-of-the-art
equipment and aerobic machines that allow each person to watch or listen to
their favorite station on an individual flat screen TV, fully equipped with DVD
and CD player. This enables each person to work out at his or her very own
pace. My wife spent some time at the well-appointed heated indoor pool and the
magnificent solarium and by the time we went back to our accommodations, our
bed was turned down, our shoes shined and we were oh so ready for a couple of
cocktails and an
elaborate dinner at Lacroix. |
|
|
|
|
by
Thorsten & Simone Buehrmann
Editor: Ingrid
Lemme
Editor-in-Chief: John Lomitola |
|
| © 2006 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
|
|
Back to Top
|
|
|
 |
|
