Trust the Process

Philadelphia is in the midst of a renaissance that has it exploding out from behind New York’s cultural shadow — and a small hotel in Fishtown has helped lead the charge.

Book Wm. Mulherin’s Hotel on Tablet Hotels.

Something big is happening in Philly. You can forgive the New York media for thinking of it as “the new Brooklyn” — just remember that in their world there’s no higher praise. The food scene is exploding, as talented chefs are drawn to Philadelphia’s plentiful space and relative affordability — and many musicians and artists are doing the same. It’s a renaissance for a city that has lived too long in NYC’s shadow, and the hotel scene is no exception.

There was a time when Philadelphia’s grand hotels helped set the standard throughout the country. In the more recent past, though, accommodation options were mostly limited to major chains and old-money establishments that appeared to have had few renovations since the Revolution. It was a perplexing hole in the résumé of such a large and historically significant U.S. city. Thankfully, the second coming is at hand. In just a few years, the city went from having virtually no innovative, design-forward hotels to having a quickly growing collection.

“Trust the Process” is a phrase that has become almost as synonymous with Philadelphia as cheesesteaks and the Liberty Bell. It began as a rallying cry for fans of the local pro basketball team, but it could just as easily apply to the city’s hotel revitalization. This comeback has been been aided in part by the Airbnb-driven success of the apartment hotel concept, which has become a Philadelphia institution of its own. Travelers have an increasing desire for the trappings of home, and Philly has risen to the occasion with a number of options, breathing new life into a genre that tends to be associated with bland corporate housing or emergency residences.

Leading the way with apartment-style lodging is a huge step in the right direction, but it’s possible that the biggest impact on the local scene was made by a small hotel in Northeast Philly’s burgeoning Fishtown neighborhood.

Wm. Mulherin’s Sons started in 2016 as a wildly successful Italian restaurant. A year later, it added what immediately became one of the most exciting new hotels in the country. Co-owner Jordan Brand knew that the Philadelphia hotel scene needed a wake-up call: “It had been stagnant for long time and seemed ripe for something offbeat and unique to shake things up.” Enter Wm. Mulherin’s Hotel — and the stratospheric raising of the local bar.

Bringing the Brooklyn connection full circle, Brand lists 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge as an influence for his own project. The two hotels speak a similar post-industrial language, but where Wm. Mulherin’s separates itself is by pulling off the impressive trick of seamlessly borrowing from multiple eras of interior design. Working in the remnants of a 19th-century whiskey-bottling plant, designers Daniel Olsovsky and Christine Fitzpatrick have created something that grabs your attention: both fresh and well-worn, consciously designed and spontaneously evolved. Oh, and in case you forgot you were in Philly, all rooms come with full-size kitchens, living areas, and washer/dryers.

Some of the rooms even come with a relatively close-up view of the elevated train that runs by the front of the hotel. That may sound concerning, but trust us, you’ll never be more excited to see a train coming, especially if you’re an Instagram user. It’s rather thrilling, actually, and just another unique feature that adds to Mulherin’s charm.

The restaurant and hotel combine to provide a singular package deal at Wm. Mulherin’s. Brand recalls, “When the restaurant opened, we realized how much appreciation there was for the history of the building. We felt a hotel offering would translate well and make the entire experience even more special for guests.” When asked how often he personally takes advantage of that experience, Brand revealed the ideal use of the space: “I don’t stay there as much as I’d like, but I have plans to rent out the entire hotel with a few other couples and have an extended happy hour in each of the rooms before heading down for dinner.”

You don’t have to own Wm. Mulherin’s to do the same for yourself — it’s just four rooms — but you do have to decide far enough in advance. The restaurant and hotel are always in high demand, and Fishtown is in the midst of becoming one of America’s trendiest neighborhoods. That fashionable feeling echoes what’s being felt elsewhere throughout the city, as the nation’s former capital roars back to relevance. There was really no reason for it to have fallen so far from the cutting-edge to begin with, but that can all be forgiven now.

Philadelphia, its hour come round at last, proves the process is a success.

 
Interview originally conducted in 2017. See our entire selection of boutique hotels in Philadelphia. Or see some highlights below.

Wm Mulherin’s Hotel

Philadelphia, PA, USA

It’d been close to a century since Wm. Mulherin’s Sons transacted any business from their whiskey-bottling plant in Philadelphia’s Fishtown before the building reopened as a fantastically successful wood-fired Italian restaurant. Wm Mulherin’s Sons is a phenomenon that’s famous far beyond Fishtown, and before long it became clear that a few bedrooms, to accommodate far-flung travelers, wouldn’t go amiss.

Lokal Hotel Old City

Philadelphia, PA, USA

The Lokal Hotel Old City, on the city’s deeply historic North 3rd Street, pays tribute to the neighborhood with room names like Ben (Franklin) and Betsy (Ross), even as its interiors exhibit 21st-century urban-loft living at its finest — this means upscale details, contemporary design furniture, and an iPad loaded with intelligence on this uniquely interesting neighborhood.

Lokal Hotel Fishtown

Philadelphia, PA, USA

Lokal Fishtown fits perfectly into the eponymous Philadelphia neighborhood, known for its nightlife and youthful appeal; its loft-style apartments look sharp, modernist-inspired but unpretentious, and full of functional comforts, with hotel-style bathrooms and apartment-style kitchens — splitting the difference between boutique hotel and vacation rental.

Guild House Hotel

Philadelphia, PA, USA

A landmark 1855 rowhome in Philadelphia’s Midtown Village is the setting for the Guild House Hotel, a boutique hotel whose 12 rooms and suites are named for 12 notable women from the house’s earlier incarnation as the proto-feminist New Century Guild. The rooms and suites are notable not only for their eclectic, photogenic interiors, but for their comforts as well.

Roost Rittenhouse

Philadelphia, PA, USA

And why not give it another whirl if it worked the first time? The second Roost is a pitch-perfect duet between turn-of-the-century architecture and clean modernism, continuing a very gratifying tradition with 27 spectacularly appointed apartments and an enviable location right on Chestnut Street.

The Rittenhouse Hotel

Philadelphia, PA, USA

Overlooking Rittenhouse Square, this very modern 33-story high-rise gives away little about the luxurious small hotel that lies within. An elegant and charming classic, the Rittenhouse is one of the city’s most exclusive lodgings, offering not only the largest rooms in Philadelphia, but some of the most lavish as well.

Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia

Philadelphia, PA, USA

Despite a modern design, there’s little danger of losing sight of history at the Monaco. Some rooms provide views of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. While well-preserved period details of this 1906 Greek Revival building — original marble elevator banks, coffered ceilings — add to the effect without dragging the overall look too far back in time.

Anna and Bel

Philadelphia, PA, USA

Philadelphia’s hip Fishtown neighborhood is the setting for this substantial red brick structure, which was first a women’s asylum and later a retirement community. It seems the third time’s the charm — Anna & Bel sees this institution (and the neighboring buildings) turned into a stylish and modern boutique hotel.