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4.0
#34 of 95 hotels in Philadelphia
Location
Cleanliness
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Value
The Notary Hotel Autograph Collection blends historic architecture and modern luxury. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, our landmark hotel in downtown Philadelphia showcases an inspired 1920s décor combined with all of today's modern amenities. Satisfy your cravings with Spanish tapas and sangria at our signature restaurant, fuel up with a latte at our onsite coffee house or stay fit in our modern gym. Explore Philadelphia from our hotel's prime Center City location. We provide everything you need for an unforgettable stay in Philadelphia at The Notary Hotel, Autograph Collection.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
The Notary Hotel, Philadelphia, Autograph Collection
1,541 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The Notary Hotel in Philadelphia garners praise for its spacious and clean rooms, offering comfort and scenic views, with some guests noting occasional inconsistencies. Its central location is frequently lauded for proximity to city attractions, though opinions on value differ, with concerns over high parking fees and room feature issues.
While many guests commend the cleanliness and charming atmosphere, the hotel's service receives mixed reviews, ranging from exceptional to inattentive.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Well-appointed
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My husband and I recently stayed at The Notary Hotel for NYE with the intention of seeing the Mummer's parade the next day. The decor is very cute and Alice at reception made sure I had all the necessary information. The location of the hotel to the parade's judging platform can not be beat - and with check out being at noon we were able to run back to the hotel to warm up or use the restroom. For those not staying at the hotel for the parade, Reading Terminal Market (my favorite stop in Philly) is just outside the door. The rooms were clean and quiet. My only two suggestions would be to automate check out either via app or thru the TV - The lines to check out were unnecessarily long and the parking rate is quite high considering there is a garage next door that charges $35 dollar less for overnight parking.
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Date of stay: January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TeamMarriott, Manager at The Notary Hotel, Philadelphia, Autograph Collection
Responded 7 Jan 2020
Dear MerryForDean, We are glad you chose to stay at The Notary Hotel, Autograph Collection while you were here for the Mummer's parade. Thank you for letting us know our convenient location perfectly suited your needs and that Alice took excellent care of you. However, we are sorry for not meeting all of your expectations. It was a pleasure having you as our guest, and we look forward to seeing you soon. Sincerely, David Kidd, Resident Manager
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We arrived at check in to find the valet parking to be complete chaos. Additionally, the hotel’s parking lot was full. And they had no solution but to tell us to “try some lots nearby.” Both the valet and check-in attendant at the desk basically shrugged us off and left us to find our own parking—when we had been counting on using the hotel’s valet parking service. If the hotel offers parking (for almost $60/night) and I’m spending almost $300/night to stay, I’d at least like a convenient place to park on site; we were shocked it was full and they just blew us off with no offer to help. My husband found a lot on the other side of the block, which took him and hour to drive to because traffic was horrendous.
While we waited for my husband to find a parking lot, we sat in the lobby (because our room wasn’t ready yet, which based on another review seems to be common). They lobby needed a good vacuuming, there was trash on the floor and empty cups on several tables. Needless to say, this was not a positive way to begin our stay.
Other things to note: there are no cups at all in the room, so bring your own or call down for one. There is also no coffee/tea service in the room or lobby. The only option is buying coffee at the cafe in the hotel or walking to a nearby coffee shop. Also, if you do use the provided shampoo/soap, don’t expect it to be replenished by housekeeping; we ran out of shampoo the first day and that was it.
This hotel does have a great location. I do wish they had a shuttle to take guest to points of interest (especially when it’s cold), like other hotels do.
Ideally, if they can work their parking kinks out (or train employees to better respond to guests who need parking), and provide guests with cups and more toiletries, we would consider staying here again.
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Date of stay: February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TeamMarriott, Manager at The Notary Hotel, Philadelphia, Autograph Collection
Responded 18 Feb 2020
Dear pinkbird_creates, Thank you for staying with us and for your review. It is great to hear you enjoyed our central location. However, we apologize for the problems you experienced with our service, amenities and parking. Your total satisfaction is our top priority, and we regret any inconvenience this caused. Please know, though, that we are addressing each issue you noted internally. We appreciate your patience and hope you will stay with us again for a more gratifying experience. Sincerely, David Kidd, Resident Manager
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We just came back from a 1 night stay at The Notary and what a wonderful experience it was! From the moment we arrived until we left, everyone we encountered provided great service. The hotel is centrally located, one side of the entrance brings you across the street from City Hall, the other entrance puts you a block from Reading Terminal Market. There are multiple bus stops and a subway all within a block from the hotel, so it really doesn't get more convenient than that!
The customer service was fantastic. Being a Marriott Gold member, I were provided with a complimentary upgrade without even having to ask. A request for a late checkout was granted in literally 5 seconds. The room was spotless clean and the bed and couch were both very comfy. We also had a fantastic view of the city from the room.
I particularly love the tasteful decor and the efforts the hotel took in paying homage to the building's historic past. Walking around it really makes me feel steeped in history. I also appreciate the fact that the hotel provided things like mini bath amenities, bathrobe and complimentary bottled water for tea/coffee. These days, with so many hotels cutting back on things in order to increase profit, it's nice to see The Notary keeping up with the standards. Even though this is not considered a luxury hotel, it's far superior than some of the 5 stars places I've stayed at. I was rather sad when SPG was taken over by Marriott, but my 1 night trip here has really made me rethink my opinion of Marriott for the better.
Great job The Notary! Thank you for a fantastic stay. Please stay as you and I look forward to revisiting!
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TeamMarriott, Manager at The Notary Hotel, Philadelphia, Autograph Collection
Responded 3 Mar 2020
Dear shir1027, As a Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite member, we appreciate your loyalty to our brands, and we are glad we could welcome you to The Notary Hotel, Autograph Collection. We are dedicated to blending timeless design with modern comforts to create a compelling combination of history and modernity. We also appreciate you mentioning our central location and exceptional service. We will enjoy sharing your kind remarks with our team. It is always a joy to hear our guests are excited about returning; we are looking forward to it! Thank you and safe travels. Sincerely, David Kidd, Resident Manager
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The staff were friendly and helpful. Even though the elevators were close to our room we did not hear any noise. The bed was very comfortable and we ended up having a good night's sleep, rare for me in a hotel. It was a perfect location for us as well. The Reading Terminal market was a block away and Chinatown just a couple of blocks.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TeamMarriott, Manager at The Notary Hotel, Philadelphia, Autograph Collection
Responded 4 Feb 2020
Dear 245randallc, Thank you for choosing to stay at The Notary Hotel, Autograph Collection. We are enchanted to know our charming hospitality, upscale accommodations, and superior location exceeded your expectations for an enriching experience. It was a pleasure serving you, and we look forward to doing so again soon. Sincerely, David Kidd, Resident Manager
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I stayed here with my teenage daughter who was in the city for rehearsals during the last weekend in April. Normally I stay at hotels in the Hilton chain. However, there was a massive teen volleyball tournament at the convention center this weekend, and just about every 2 bed room in the Hilton chain in Center City was booked. I luckily found that this hotel which had a 2 queen bed room available and managed to book it with a AAA rate for $224 a night. Closer to this volleyball tournament, hotel rooms in the city were going for upwards of $400-$500/night, so I was fortunate to get this rate.
The hotel was fabulous. It's a upscale Autograph branded Marriott hotel, built in the old City Hall Annex where residents used to get documents notarized, thus the name "Notary".
Everything in the room was great. Very clean and comfortable, and spacious for a city hotel room. 12 foot ceilings too. Room had a very large TV and a mini-fridge. The sink was separated from the shower/toilet area by a sliding door. Shower had multiple showerheads for various types of shower. Beds were comfortable. Plenty of desk space and storage space. Lots of vanity room at the bathroom sink. It was also very quiet despite being in a busy part of Center City.
Only issue that I had was with the TV. There were limited TV channel options. There are also streaming options (Netflix, HBO, Showtime, YouTube), and the TV is supposed to have an option to plug your device or PC into an HDMI port, but that option didn't seem to work. HBO streaming did not work, and there was no NBC Sports Philadelphia in the TV. Philadelphia seems to be the only city where the hotels don't broadcast the local sports channel.
We didn't use the hotel restaurants or bars. There is a full service breakfast restaurant and a little café. But there's a Dunkin Donuts down the street where we grabbed breakfast instead.
Location wise, the hotel is close to Reading Terminal, Jefferson Station, The PA Convention Center, City Hall, and both major subway lines. It's a great place to stay if you're here for a sporting event, because the Broad Street Subway line, which takes you to the Sports Complex, is just a block away.
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Date of stay: April 2022
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have stayed at this hotel multiple times due to business travel. The service provided by the hotel staff was great and many of them would recognize me and made feel at home.
During my stays at the Notary, I enjoyed the bathrobe provided, it was soft and light. I would like to know the brand that makes it so I can purchase it now that I am working from home. Thank you!
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Date of stay: January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I have enjoyed this hotel many times in the past when it was the Marriott Courtyard. We were not pleased with our visit this past weekend . We rented a king suite as we usually do. After a harried day we arrived at four o’clock, waited in a long check in line and were told our room was not ready. We went our for about an hour to waist time, returned, waited in line again and our room was still not ready. We took the hotels offer to sit at the bar and enjoy a drink. We appreciated this. Some time later we were informed our room was ready, and back we went to the tedious line again to check in. It would have been much better at this time if we were handed the key to our room when they told us it was ready. When we finally were able to get into our room it was approximately 5:45 and we had to rush to get out the door for our evening plans. I unfortunately bought some wonderful cheeses to enjoy later that night. I could not remember if we had a mini refrigerator in the room in the past but thought it would be ok because I could just put them all wrapped up in an ice bucket to keep them cold. Nope, no ice bucket in the room. We were told we had to call down for one. So, first of all I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in a hotel that didn’t supply an ice bucket and calling for one certainly would take more time to be delivered than we had to spare . Needless to say we ended up throwing out some very expensive cheeses. We brought a bottle of wine to enjoy but once again ... not a single glass in our deluxe suit. Also, how were we to brush our teeth and rinse? So, another call, another hour wait ... There is no coffee or water in the room. There is a Starbucks and a La Colombe near the lobby that you can go down to and purchase your morning coffee from. They do have complimentary water near the reception area. The fitness center is pretty well equipped. The king suites In this hotel are very spacious, but it wasn’t until this particular stay that our tv was so very far from the bed that it was not possible to lay in bed and watch tv. We really did enjoy a glass of wine and the complimentary breakfast the hotel gave us but with all the flaws we had to put up with we unfortunately will be looking for a new “favorite place to stay” in Philadelphia.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TeamMarriott, Manager at The Notary Hotel, Philadelphia, Autograph Collection
Responded 17 Feb 2020
Dear Lovetotravel2034, Thank you for your continued support of our hotel and for taking the time to share your concerns regarding this particular visit. We are disappointed to know that you had issues with our amenities, as well as with our service, and we would love another opportunity to show you this is not our standard. Please know your comments will be reviewed with the team and corrective action will be applied. We appreciate the feedback and hope to see you the next time you are in Philadelphia. Sincerely, David Kidd, Resident Manager
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First off, this hotel smells fabulous! I thought I was crazy as every time we walked in the lobby, I noticed the smell but then someone else we were traveling with commented on the fabulous smell! The decor is cute, books piled and arranged all over the lobby, little items like an old fashioned key, a little chalk board in the room- it gives a chain hotel a more kitschy feel. Our room was a nice size with huge windows overlooking the city. It was a bit loud at night but nothing like staying in the middle of Manhattan. The bathroom is nice and updated. However the bathroom itself literally has the shower, the toilet and one hook. So while it’s a decent size space, there is no place to put anything. I put a towel on the hook and there was no where to place my clothes for after my shower. Outside the bathroom is the sink and a little shelf and mirror where one can get ready away from the main bedroom area. The door to the actual bathroom is a barn door and it doesn’t fully shut. The top half of the door is a frosted glass, so while you can’t see in per day, you do see shadows of someone in there. If you are sharing the hotel room, you might want to make sure you are very comfortable with your roommate. Hallways are dark and the doors to the rooms are scratched, dinged and would benefit from a fresh coat of paint. Service was very attentive and they cleaned the rooms daily- something that has been hard to find since Covid. We ate dinner in the restaurant one night. When we got there we were a bit taken aback as on line they have a great looking tapas menu. When we got there, it looked more like a diner and they said that they no longer offered tapas. There was a very, very limited menu but we were tired after a long day so we stayed. We are so glad we did as the wait staff was incredible! They were so upbeat and happy. I believe our server’s name was Kyra. She was amazing. The hotel is located in a great spot if you need to go to the convention center. We would consider this hotel again if in the area.
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Date of stay: March 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The hotel was actually the Courtyard Philadelphia Downtown when I had visited. Had a very good experience. Rooms were very spacious, modern and had high ceilings. We were upgraded due to our Bonvoy Gold Elite status. The Front desk was very helpful and handled our super late check in and early morning checkout superbly They even arranged for a microwave oven in the room at our request. The toilet was huge complete with a bathtub. Location is absolutely perfect. There’s a Starbucks inside the hotel which makes matters simpler. The on site restaurant was superb and accommodated our vegetarian dining preferences very well. Huge portion sizes too. My only complaint is that there isn’t 24 hour room service and they do not provide bathroom slippers. Toothbrush kit also needed to be requested. Anyway I will surely stay here again and recommend the hotel to all. Great value for money!
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Date of stay: May 2019Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TeamMarriott, Manager at The Notary Hotel, Philadelphia, Autograph Collection
Responded 12 Jan 2020
Dear rohitkant01, Thank you for taking the time to share about your stay at The Notary Hotel, Autograph Collection. It is our goal to deliver great value at a fair price, and we liked reading that we have accomplished just that. We believe that fresh and comfortable accommodations, excellent customer service, and ideal location make us an excellent choice. We are especially glad you were able to take advantage of our on-site dining options. We appreciate you being a loyal Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite member and look forward to welcoming you and your family back soon. Sincerely, David Kidd, Resident Manager
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I was a little wary of staying at an Autograph property because they can be a little grumpy, stingy, (or pick your own negative adjective), when it comes to honoring Bonvoy elite program benefits.
However in this case we were able to use Titanium suite nights to upgrade to a “studio” suite. While only one room, it had great views and was a large space for our stay. The location was very convenient to shopping, restaurants, and some of the attractions.
I’m usually disappointed with the free elite benefits breakfast options outside of the core Marriott hotels. While not great, it was ok at this property. You had three choices ((1)continental, (2)pancakes, (3)OR eggs, toast, potatoes, and bacon) of a fairly substantive breakfast with coffee and juice. Service was also good.
A couple of minor annoyances to pass along for you to consider/ prepare accordingly. HBO did not work the entire time. While not offered in the published amenities list there are no robes. For me this is a nice amenity, and I just assumed at this price point, but I don’t blame the hotel, since they never promised one, but if you like having a robe you may want to pack one.
As a final tip, consider skipping valet parking and think about parking your car in a nearby garage. We used the SpotHero app and saved even more than the published, garage rates. The total garage price was about $30 for three days! However, you may need to do valet parking if you plan on driving your car during your stay. For us, walking or Uber/Lyft was a more convenient option and saved over $100.
Would we stay again? Yes, given the room size, view, and location, this is a solid choice for visiting Philadelphia in a comfortable environment.
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Date of stay: July 2021
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:studio suites in the 09 tier had great view of the city hall..higher floors give a great view of...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
New Hope, Pennsylvania2,223 contributions624 helpful votes
Don't know. The concierge desk is your logical route. Depends when you are coming and when you want them. I would suggest contacting the hotel directly.
Los Angeles, California93 contributions40 helpful votes
Yes on the safe.
Not sure about laundry. Usually not in higher end hotels. They may have a service and charge accordingly- which from experience can be pricey.
Yes on the luggage - it was offered - but we ended up getting our room early (without any added fees) so there was no need.
Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey6,140 contributions3,502 helpful votes
Just ask the concierge at the hotel before you get there and I am sure that they can provide it. I would check with reservations when you are booking that they can do this ahead of time so it is there when you arrive.
There are more places to choose from in the Philadelphia area.
PRICE RANGE
S$316 - S$559 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
courtyard philadelphia downtown hotel philadelphia, philadelphia marriott, philadelphia courtyard
LOCATION
United StatesPennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaCity Center West / City Center East
NUMBER OF ROOMS
499
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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