How to Select Best Restaurants and Hotels in PHILADELPHIA with Affordable Rates of all classes

Whenever I get out with my family or abroad, the first thing I check is I have to eat in some of the best or memorable restaurants and sleep in a quality place, hotels. You probably don't wanna get out and experience nothing exciting. PHILADELPHIA is one of the trendiest destinations for both local and international guests thus choosing a good hotel or restuarant is a requirement for the trip to be complete.

Key things to consider first before  making a decision

1. Know what is most important to you.

If you don’t know what you want from a hotel, how can you ever hope to pick the right one for you? Before searching for accommodations, make a quick list of the things that you require to have a good night’s stay. Is it a free breakfast? Do you feel more comfortable in a smaller, intimate property with staff that will learn your name? Are you willing to splurge on something luxe? Do you like old-fashioned decor, business-like rooms, or over-the-top interior design? To break it down simply, first think about what you want in terms of price, basic amenities of the hotel, and location. From there, you can then branch out to things like history of a property, environmental practices, and the personality of a place, such as “party vibe” or “romantic atmosphere.” Once you have a good grasp on what you’re looking for, Homekazi reviews in PHILADELPHIA can help determine whether or not a property fits your exact wish list. 

2. Know the Holy Grail of amenities.

In the same vein, there are four amenities you should be sure a hotel offers before you arrive (the Holy Grail), as these are the most often cited complaints on review sites like our parent company TripAdvisor. They are air-conditioning, parking, Wi-Fi, and breakfast. And, you should always check see if there are any costs associated with these amenities. You don’t want to arrive at the hotel assuming Wi-Fi would be free, only to find that it costs a fee (yes, there are still many places that charge for this basic amenity). Check our reviews for this information, and call or e-mail the hotel to double check, if you’re still concerned.  

Here are some other tips about the Holy Grail of amenities: 

• Hotel websites might list an amenity like breakfast or parking without a price next to it. That does not always mean it is free. Make sure you check!
• Though air-conditioning is usually a given in the U.S. (but there are exceptions), this is not often the case in other countries. If it is not listed in the room descriptions, it is generally not provided, or is only provided in certain rooms. 
• Sometimes hotels will advertise that they have parking, but it is actually a third-party garage that isn’t located on-site.
• When you’re booking a room, sometimes one rate will include breakfast, while another will not. Look closely before booking to ensure you select the right option you’re looking for.

3. Check the hotel’s website.

While our own reviews are exhaustingly comprehensive, sometimes it takes us a little time to update them when hotels change policies, add amenities like a new restaurant or a spa, or undergo a renovation. It’s a good idea to double check a hotel’s own website. Calling a hotel directly doesn’t hurt, either. Most of our hotels have websites and valid telephone numbers that you reach out to especially in PHILADELPHIA

4. Look at a map to determine a hotel's exact location.

Traveling is all about location, location, location, and if you don’t know where your hotel is in relation to where you want to be in the city, you aren’t going to be happy when you arrive. You probably shouldn’t trust the hotel’s own description of their location. They often say things like “The Louvre and the Eiffel Tower are easy to reach from our hotel.” Many people assume this means they can walk to the attraction, but what the hotel might be saying is that you can “easily” walk to a metro stop 15 minutes away, then “easily” take a 20-minute metro ride to a station near these attractions. Before booking a hotel, check a map to determine the location of the hotel. Be sure to see how long it would take you to reach attractions, dining options, shopping, and other points of interest on foot. If nothing is walkable, where is the closet metro or bus stop? Are there only two restaurants on the surrounding streets? To make it easier on yourself, look up the hotel on homekazi. We not only show you a map of the hotel’s location in PHILADELPHIA, but we also give you honest time estimates from the hotel to major attractions, restaurants, and shopping on foot or by car. We also provide assessments on the area’s location in terms of safety, type of neighborhood (commercial, residential, historic city center, etc.), and overall atmosphere.

5. Find out when both the rooms and public spaces were last updated.

Travelers often put their trust in hotels to provide them with a clean, modern stay, and too often, that’s not the case. Before booking a hotel, find out when the whole property was last updated. Remember, a hotel’s photography can lie. This is something we take very seriously, and it’s why we send photographers to honestly capture a hotel’s offerings. We even show side by side comparisons between our images and marketing photos.

If the hotel has updated or renovated their spaces within the last four years, you can usually expect clean, well-maintained decor. No one wants to see grime in the showers or peeling wallpaper! Between four and six years is when things start to look dated and any more than six years—well, you might not be satisfied. Don’t just focus on the decor when it comes to asking when the hotel was updated. You also want to know things like when the mattresses were replaced, so you don’t end up sleeping on a saggy, spring-riddled bed. 

6. Focus on guest reviews published within the last year.

If you decide to read guest reviews on TripAdvisor, Google, and other sites, interpreting the rating can be tricky. Some hotels were fantastic five years ago in terms of management, decor, and amenities, and therefore may have received an overwhelming number of positive reviews. However, a lot can happen in five years, like a change in owners, dating decor, or the hiring of new staff. Therefore those positive reviews from five years ago might interfere with the negative reviews from the present. So when researching, be sure to focus on reading the reviews from within the last year. This will generally provide you with a good sense of you can expect during your stay. 

7. Read the “Terrible” and “Poor" reviews on our site.

This might be the best tip for anyone looking to book a hotel room, as you will find the underbelly of a hotel’s problems. Read through the ones within the last year and you’ll start noticing a pattern of issues. It may be Wi-Fi connectivity issues, cleanliness problems, or booking complaints—whatever the case may be, notice the trend and consider if those major issues would be a problem for you. For instance, no air-conditioning in a hotel isn’t a problem for all guests, especially if they are traveling to London in December when it isn’t needed. 

8. Find out the hotel’s main clientele.

PHILADELPHIAis visited by all classes and types of clientelle but we try to bring this perfectly. One of my jobs as a hotel reviewer is to explain what type of clientele visits each particular hotel. Couples, business travelers, families, solo travelers, backpackers, adults in their 20s, groups of friends, and budget travelers are all drawn to different types of hotels. Before booking a hotel, find out what kind of traveler tends to visit that hotel. You can do this by reading the Homekazi review of the hotel, or by going to the TripAdvisor page for that hotel and scrolling down to “Traveler Type” (right above the reviews section). If you want a quiet getaway, but you discover a hotel is popular with families with small children or groups of friends, you might want to look elsewhere. 

9. Read the Pros and Cons on homekazi

Last but not least, I want to share with you the easiest thing you can do to pick a good hotel. Go to hotels, find the hotel, and just read the Pros and Cons section. The Pros and Cons section are bulleted points that give a quick overall summary of what you will find—or not find—at a hotel. It’s very easy to eliminate hotels that wouldn’t suit you and figure out which ones would be perfect.

How Do You Choose a Restaurant?

In most cases you'll get an hotel that serves food in PHILADELPHIA. However, you might want to try out restaurants in the area since they are more relatable.

So?

How do you choose a restaurant in PHILADELPHIA? Will the occasion shape your choice? Or is food a significant factor? Aren't service, ambiance, and location important, too? Or, do you go for Michelin stars? Whether we are conscious of it or not, we have reasons for choosing a restaurant.

Which Restaurant to Choose?

When you take the time to choose, you often get your rewards—a great gastronomic experience built around the restaurant's ambiance and the attitude of the staff serving you.

In choosing a restaurant, one faces many considerations. Word of mouth or reviews is valid. They give you an idea of how other people experienced the restaurant. That would be a vote for the restaurant

But why not take the risk and try out something new each time? This risk, too, could result in gastronomic surprises.

Street restaurant 

Tips for choosing a restaurant

Best Guide for How to Choose a Good Restaurant in PHILADELPHIA

Sometimes, all we want to do is get a table and eat. But once in a while, we want to have a unique experience, a culinary delight or something beyond blah. Often we just ran out of ideas, so here are some tips to a great restaurant experience.

Restaurant

1. Location

Choose a restaurant you can easily walk to from your place. Driving afterward can pose a real problem when you want to have a great time. Another $50 for a cab to a restaurant adds unnecessary expense.

Of course, it is different when the location is superb: a lake, seaside, riverside, or a spectacular view of the mountain or an architectural gem. But food must be excellent to enjoy a $50 cab ride value.

Beautiful restaurant

2. Ambience

Sometimes, the restaurant may be beautiful, but the décor is not to your taste. It jars your senses. Go to a place where you enjoy the general atmosphere.

Do they play music? How loudly? Check out the people who go to the restaurant. If you find it pleasant to be around these people while eating your dinner, book a table. Maybe a specific table away from the kitchen doors and not under the air conditioner.

Sometimes, you have to work when you're in a restaurant. For meetings where you need to discuss serious deals, go to restaurants that have private rooms.

3. Food and Wine Pairings

There are evenings when you want a particular cuisine especially now that you are in PHILADELPHIA. And if that restaurant is the only one available where you live, there is not much choice. After returning from Asia, many folks go for that big chunk of beef. The revenge of the tidbits, they say.

Other evenings, the menu has to be titillating to your taste buds. Choosing is easy when the restaurants are all clustered in an area, and you have choices.

The wine list is also essential. The wine list consists of highly-priced bottles of six wines from France in some restaurants. Or overpriced bottles from you don't know where.

But often, there are two or three choices for a particular cuisine. Check out if their chef comes from the country where that cuisine originates. You are more likely to get the real thing, not the stylized version. There is nothing wrong with stylized cuisine, as some real ones are hard to take anyway.

Culinary Trends to Try in Restaurants which PHILADELPHIA provides in plenty

Culinary Trends in Restaurants

The video above showcases the latest culinary trends you must try in restaurants. What is the latest for one may not be for another. We have different preferences, especially for food. So, go for what is best for you. But in case you're curious as to the latest trend, view this video.

4. Good Value

Price matters when it comes to restaurants.

When you are bringing a big group, look for one that will give you value for your money. This choice does not mean being cheap but getting a good deal for your money. You are satisfied with what you get.

As an example, in PHILADELPHIA, why would I pay $25 for a pad thai that tastes average in a restaurant when I can buy a better-tasting one in the street for a dollar?

Or, in PHILADELPHIA, the street restaurants offer tastier local food than fancy restaurants.

Street food in 

5. Excellent Service

Want good service in a restaurant? Don't just expect it. Make it happen. When you find a restaurant you like, befriend the waiters and waitresses. Treat them kindly as you would treat your friends and you will find that you will get excellent service all the time.

Sometimes, these waiters are super busy, and you demand a hundred things. When you see them carrying many items to your table, be helpful. Give them space to place it.

Take some of the hard things for them to place on some sides of your table. These may be little things, but when you help them, they will go out of their way to serve you to your utter satisfaction.

Over and beyond this, of course, are restaurants with impeccable service no matter who you are.

Good service can make a dining experience great

6. Good Hygiene

Here's a tip: Check out the washroom.

You may want to check out the restaurant before you decide to book a table. Have a drink first and check out the place. Using the washroom is my friend's standard procedure. Use the bathroom, and when it is clean, chances are hygiene standards are followed in the restaurant.

Renaissance Restaurant 

7. Tried and Tested Restaurants

For significant events, this is my most important criterion.

When it comes to those really important events, it is always helpful to go to places you have tried and tested. You can better focus on the evening when the site is familiar, and the staff knows you.

You can make recommendations, know the wine list, and be familiar with how they do things. You don't have to worry. Just enjoy the meal and the experience of good service and a happy environment.

You know, there is comfort in places, even for just a regular going out. Every Saturday, we go to FCC, a riverside restaurant here in PHILADELPHIA. We have been doing this for years, so we have attended staff weddings. We know their kids and families and their desires and dreams. We go back to get updates.

Here, we can ask what we want to eat even if it is not on the menu. Comfort food. How can it be better than this?