Philadelphia – Modus Hotels and Parkway Corporation have opened Pod Philly, Philadelphia’s first micro-hotel. The 252-room property is located at 31 South 19th Street, between Chestnut and Market Streets in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. Following the model of the successful Pod Hotels in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Washington D.C., Pod Philly features well-designed guestrooms and food and beverage spaces, where travelers are encouraged to socialize.
Centrally located in the hub of the city’s business and retail districts, the streamlined and efficient Pod rooms are affordable and cater to travelers seeking a modern hotel stay in a city environment.
Pod Philly’s 234 guestrooms average 180 square feet, and 18 larger studio rooms offer an alternative to the typical hotel experience. The guestroom design is modern and influenced by the city’s industrial past through select finishes and details. Unique pieces from local artists appear throughout the property.
The interiors are designed to maximize the use of space in the Pod Philly guestrooms. The bed features integrated storage nooks for guests to stow luggage, and additional storage can be found within the laminate bedside bench. Curved hooks allow for easy access to clothing and bags, and guestroom ceilings make use of the building’s pre-cast concrete floor slabs and metal joints in the design. Expansive floor to ceiling windows expose views of Philadelphia, while select window seating allows for reclined observation of the busy street life below.
Designed and operated by Defined Hospitality, Pod Philly has three food and beverage spaces. Occupying the ground floor, Condesa is a contemporary 140-seat eatery, named after the vibrant neighborhood in Mexico City. The bar, helmed by Aaron Deary (R&D cocktail bar), showcases a significant list of mezcal- and tequila-based spirits, and El Café is an all-day offering serving coffee, breakfast tacos, and made-daily pastries. El Techo, the 11th floor taqueria, offers a more casual Mexican menu, communal tables, and views of the Philadelphia skyline with retractable glass windows and a rooftop that allows for year-round, open-air dining.
Pod Philly’s commitment to efficiency extends throughout the property with each floor featuring a Brita water station to encourage re-usable water bottles. Eco-friendly bath products, paperless check-in, and linen and terry exchange upon request minimize the hotel’s environmental footprint. The hotel’s neighborhood partnerships allow guests to enjoy complimentary fitness classes and co-working space.
“Modus Hotels is looking to energize the Philadelphia hospitality scene with the addition of Pod Philly,” said Aaron Katz, president and CEO of Modus Hotels. “We believe there is a place in the Philadelphia hotel market for a fun, value-driven hotel – one that places travelers in the center of the city’s happenings, inspires an outreach to local adventures, and offers them a social experience that is new and fresh to Philadelphia. Pod Philly will allow travelers to do all that without breaking the bank.”
