The Rittenhouse hotel

The Rittenhouse is a luxury hotel in Philadelphia offering guest rooms and specialty suites located on Rittenhouse Square. It is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World. In addition to accommodations, The Rittenhouse is home to two restaurants, two bars and a tea room.

History

At the turn of the 20th century, railroad tycoon A.J. Cassatt and his wife Lois Buchanan Cassatt built on the site. The building was sold to the Episcopal Church of Pennsylvania and made into their headquarters. Later it became the Academy of Notre Dame, a private school for boys and girls. Finally, in the 1960s the property was slated to become a hotel.

Architect Donald Reiff drew the plans for the building that would become The Rittenhouse. Construction began in the early 1970s and after over a decade of construction, the hotel opened its doors to guests in 1989.[2] The design focused on showcasing the imagery of Rittenhouse Square, angling the windows to offer each room a direct view of the square below. Much of the hotel’s original design is still intact today and it has been renovated and modernized throughout the past 25 years.