I enjoyed my stay at Sonder a lot.

Good location, central to a public transpo, dinong and entertainment. Not luxurious but clean amd comfortable. Good for short stays. Checl in process is a breeze. Unit uad heating issues that were resolved but also flooring had multiple spots with dents.

I was very impressed with the property and my room. It’s in a great happening part of Philadelphia close to everything signing in to get my door code when arriving was a bit of a nightmare. It wouldn’t let me create a password. Other than that, I was definitely very impressed And I rang the number on the door and they did help me out with the code.

Everything was great, the area was great, it was EXTREMELY loud outside but we stayed over a weekend. On Sunday it was great, and I think a weeknight stay would be perfect here.

The internet in my room did not connect properly to my laptop. I had to have zoom meetings in the lobby by connecting to the free restaurant internet downstairs. Even though I have never had an issue connecting before with my computer, the staff insisted there wasn't a problem with their system and would not relocate me to a different room. The property is run down - coffee table falling apart, shower head loose, coffee machine not working properly, worn areas in the bathroom. I would never stay in a Sonder property again.

Great Spot on Locust Street

The stay was great, hotel room was in good condition and entering / exiting the building was accessible. Hotel is in a good location for local eats and transportation.

Dislikes, it was noisy around 9am and you dont have any other parking options but pay to park which an add up depending on your stay But the good, walkable to everything we wanted to see. Great location, fantastic dining options, rideshare was fast and efficient in the area.

It was cool

This place is like if Temu was a hotel. It's very convenient to downtown Philly and the app works well. But don't expect niceties like working coffee machines or hot water in the shower.

Shower floor was filthy. Coated in grime. Glad to share a photo. I’ve also reported same to Sonder/Arco. No response yet.

It is better to clean the room everyday for several-days resident.

Parking can be a little dicey but no worse than any otherplace in the city. Room was lovely, very clean, staff was kind & helpful. Overall, we would happily stay here again.

I love Sonder and this one meer our needs perfectly.

Good value for the price. Great central location.

No hotel employees on the property

Very close to Broad St. and the Academy of Music. Nice room, and bathroom.

Aweful, could not access the room upon arrival due to a tech issue with their login system. There is literally no staff on the property to assist and I had to contact a customer service center to help while I was in the “lobby.” (The lobby is a couch by the elevator) The process was excruciating trying to troubleshoot a login issue and took over half an hour on the phone when I arrived. Pathetic..this is not even a hotel, it’s a lousy building with a series of rooms that are each locked by a key code that you have to punch to get room access. Despite this, I was still forced to provide them a trove of personal information including my birthday, my address, email, phone, and a photo of my passport…all just so I can get the key code to enter the room that I already paid over $250 for one night! Sucks!!

Perfect

Beautiful and comfortable rooms and bedding. Amazing location.

Clean, good location, they should provide som

The hotel is in a great location and it is a short walk to everything. Make sure you do the online check in before arriving. We did it and used the app key entry was super easy. The free lockers were nice as we arrived before check in. The room was beautiful and clean and you get a white noise maker. There are two things you should be aware of. 1. There is an open karaoke cab that runs wwll into the night. It is loud and people can't sing. 2. Woodys is really close and they blare their music until 2am. So this is not a quiet hotel by any means. In my ppinion the karaoke cab was the worst of the two as it wasn't a constant noise and would come for a few minutes sound like a cat screaming and go. So it tended to wake me up. Where as I could tune out Woodys, which in general was a constant loud music.

Pretty dumpy, exceptionally loud, tv only works with phone streaming, outlets in stupid spots, coffee pot with nothing to stir sugar or creamer, elevator didn’t work so we had to haul luggage up three flights, pay to park only. The luggage storage area is like four cubbies which were all full. We just stayed at a Sonder in Montreal and it was LOVELY so this was extra disappointing

I liked the property itself, except the coffee maker wouldn't shut properly so I had to be creative. My only issue was that I wish there was some kind of warning that there was a street festival happening this weekend, and it was sooooo loud all night especially in the room facing the street. Parking was not allowed on the street because of the street closure too.

Overall a good experience. Negative points: The pre-verification process does not work, second time without receiving your sms verification, so I had to call twice! Bathroom door was damaged and sheets smelled too much of bleach. The rest was great and I would recommend it and come back there

There were bugs everywhere

Really enjoyed the look and feel of the room. I loved the style. It was convenient and just what I was looking for.

Room was big and clean and comfy. A little "bare bones" in terms of amenities and the area is very noisy. But that was all to be expected!

Not much nature light, but otherwise easy and practical. Very nice bed.

room was spacious and fine. hallway smelled like pee.

It was right in the heart of center city...close to everything you needed and wanted to see. Room was clean. The only problem i had was the elevator broke one evening. The sonder chat person could not tell me where there was another way up to my room. Eventually another guest who couldn't get to their room found the emergency exit door but our codes wouldn't work. Finally with help from some random passerby we got the door open!! The elevator was working in the morning. Other than that it was a great stay...id still give it a 4.9 outta 5

LGBT FRIENDLY

This is my second stay and overall it is nice, but I saw an earwig plus I woke up with some big bites so it seems like there may be some type of bug in the room.

This is the place to stay if you want to go out in Philly!! This area is where everyone goes to eat, drink, and party!! Apartment was beautiful- parking lot directly in front that charges $25 a day…

the contemporary layout and design of this space was so beautiful and put us in an entirely different environment. its true about the noise from the busy streets and late nights, but that's to be expected in the lively vicinity that Arco by Sonders lies. the surrounding shops, bars, and restaurants allow traveling folks a downtown Philadelphia experience. The bus lines and subways allow simple travel to basically get anywhere you need or want to go throughout the city. although they claim to have storage lockers available, they are super limited and get occupied early in the morning.

Sonder is always a clean and beautiful space to stay at.

It was a great location -- very walkable to sites, bars and restaurants, and the subway was right outside the door. The design of the room was nice -- modern and well done. The finishes weren't super nice -- for example there were small issues like a leak in the ceiling in the bathroom, the sink leaked and there was no stopper for the sink either. That said, it was a nice building - especially for the price -- and I'd gladly stay there again.

Very nice and clean space

I love the self-check in and easy communication/modifications that can be done on the Sonder app. The staff in the building were incredibly helpful when I arrived and looked a little confused- they directed me everywhere I needed to go and helped me check in earlier which was a plus. I have already recommended this location to a few friends and would absolutely stay again! Beautiful, spacious room and conveniently located in center city so very walkable to all points of interest and close to local train

You’re out of luck if there’s an issue.

Be warned that there is no one near the building to deal with maintenance issues. I immediately contacted through sonder app when I arrived to find that my hotel room had a disconnected toilet and a flooding shower. All they did was send a message to a maintenance team that does not work evenings. Four hours later, after multiple messages and holding on the phone, they confirmed they could only offer a new room the next day. Maintenance fixed the shower and toilet 10 am the next morning. For a two day trip. this is absurd.

great cleaning staff I didn't miss the clerical staff

good

The property was wonderful! No complaints!

Wouldn't stay here again

We stayed in the Double Room, 2 Queen Beds. The main pro for this place is the location. It's within walking distance of the Liberty Bell, other museums, public transportation, and restaurants. However, the cons outweigh the pros. The beds were very hard and uncomfortable. We stayed multiple nights, and the street noise was unreasonably loud on Friday night. They provide ear plugs and a cheap white noise machine, but we ended up using a white noise app on our phones because it was better. The windows do nothing to sound proof the room. The wall was at an angle in our room, so the curtains did not block out the light, and the room was very bright at night. There are no overhead lights in the rooms, just lamps, so the room was very dark in the evenings. There were soft spots in the floor like there had been a leak recently. The room itself was dirty. Our white socks did not stay white for long with the dirty floors, and the walls were covered in dust. This place needs a lot of work, and we wouldn't stay here again.

It wasn’t the best outside but it was pretty nice inside. Everything was clean and neat. Also like how you need a code to get into the building. Felt safe the whole time.

Cute and clean but not really worth it

The room itself was nice. It was cute and clean. The toilet sounded like an airplane taking off every time you flush it and the hot and cold water were neither hot nor cold. The main drawback is the check-in process. I spent two hours trying to track someone down to email me the check-in information that was supposed to have been sent the week prior. Nowhere during the booking process was I made aware of this. This crucial information was buried at the bottom of an email about purchasing trip protection. The email never came. Once you’re registered with Sonder and do a facial scan and ID verification on their website, you can check-in. At this point, you’re really longing for human interaction. But don’t worry- on your check out day, the maid will start trying to enter the room every ten minutes starting an hour before check out. Even when you’ve already alerted them to your exact check out time. They don’t want you to check in and they can’t wait for you to leave.

High ceilings, clean.

Representative Grant was very very helpful and professional. He was a shining light following my problems at their locust street property.i am very thankful.

Philly time out

Great quiet room at rear of hotel but plenty of light

Ok

The place was great! Super close to a lot restaurants, bars and Philly attractions. Walking around was really easy. It is in the city so a bit loud but they provide ear plugs and a white noise machine so I had no issues.

Had a great stay!

The hotel was clean and checkin was seamless (which was great since we arrived in the middle of the night). There’s no on site parking but plenty of street parking and parking garages in the area. The street the entrance was on isn’t the best, not unsafe, but a bit sketchy. Just the kind of street where you want to keep your head up at night. Easily walkable to lots of main strips, attractions, bars & restaurants, and right next to major transit. I would stay here again!

Nice rooms and great location!

It was very good except the power was out in the morning and the door at the bottom of the stairs was a bit tricky. There was an alarm going off in the main entry all night so surprised it didn’t notify anyone to come and check on the building. That said it was otherwise wonderful and I would recommend and stay again!

Great stay but pretty loud.

The room was nice and clean. One thing you should know before going is that this is definitely a party section of the city. Located next to several local bars and restaurants. When the bars close the streets get pretty loud. It was fun watching people stumbling out of the bars from the safety of our room. Some people don't realize they can be heard from more than a block or two away. Overall it is centrally located in the vicinity of several attractions in the city. We used Lyft to get around and it was not hard to find a driver at all. Their is no front desk or anyone to bring you additional amenities like toilet paper if needed. The lobby does have extra coffee, sheets and a few other items. No breakfast available.

Walking distance to the academy of music which was where our visit was centered around. Room was hood size and very clean, plenty of nice toiletries. . Monitored parking lot right across the street. Left our car there for a few days and used Uber or took the bus. I recommend you stay away from taking the subway here. Hotel close to excellent restaurants. Like all major US cities, a lot of homelessness in this neighborhood, but had no issues with that.

Pawsitively Pungent Aroma of Cat Piss

Hallway smelled like cat pee, got stuck in a handicap room, clunky check in process. Coffee maker didnt work. Iron barely worked.

THIS IS NOT A HOTEL! I arrived at 9pm after starting the day on a train at 6am to find out that I could not even get in the front door without entering extensive identity data, including a video of myself into a Web app that jammed halfway through -- all while standing on the dark streets of Philly. Thankfully it's summer!

Great location, great room!

Stayed here for Pride, perfect location and would definitely stay again. If you’re willing to give up the hotel amenities for a cheaper room, this is definitely good bang for your buck!

There was a parade outside on the street that went on for most of the night & into the morning with cars honking & loud music.. Impossible to sleep

Great place to stay near the historical town!

Nice property in the center of the Gayborhood.

WiFi is weak - could not utilize tv, at all. Lack of working outlets and those few that were - not in efficient areas - such as, no outlets by the beds.

After a previous reservation felll through, Hotels.com booked us a stay at the Arco powered by Sonder for a weekend college reunion trip (a much more expensive hotel than the one we originally booked). It was very easy to manage the self check in, getting in and out of the building via code, and the room was generally clean and comfortable, with ease of access to walking around center city and with a good selection of restaurants around. A couple of nitpicks that kept it from being a perfect stay - the shower floor felt rather cramped / floor was slippery with some near falls - the bedside outlets were just far enough from the bedside table that it wasn't possible to use the phone in bed while charging - we didn't realize the minifridge provided wasn't plugged in so the food we left in overnight wasn't kept cold - there was no bottled water available either in our room or in the "essentials" locker on the second floor, so we had to make a trek to the nearest convenience store late at night. - the elevator went out twice in two days - we were notified via email when it did go out, but never received a follow up when it was fixed. Overall I can't complain too much given that this is a pricier hotel than what I had originally booked and there were positives, but if I had paid full price I would be somewhat disappointed.

Worst Check in Experience in my life.

This hotel is terrible because there is NO manned check in desk. There was nothing on Hotels.com that warned me that check in had to be fully on line, and NO email from the hotel about any sort of link to establish check in. As a result when I got to the hotel, I discovered a keypad needing a code, and had to spend the next hour providing a ridiculous amount of personal info via two iphones in order to get the needed access code from Sonder. I had to scan and send my driver's license, birth date, etc.. to pass their security - speaking to someone with no idea of their security protocols on line. Stay away!!!!

The great: The process, location and overall value The not so great: The very hard mattress. I mean. I like a firm mattress but this was like sleeping on the floor. The really not so great: It was noisy outside but being from Brooklyn, that didn't bother us at all. The noise inside the building in the middle of the night was like an air conditioner but 100x loud.

Fast checkin and checkout

It’s a great place and also has Fantastic views Hope to be back again..

The property was nice and clean. But the walls are thin, you can hear everything in the halls and outside in the neighborhood.

Clean rooms, should provide water and coffee machine was not working correctly

great location and great hotel :)

Great stay! I loved the location and how easy check- in was.

Arco

I really loved staying there location was everything the room was roomy and it was peaceful

This wasnt as well equipped as our last sonder but still amazing the bed was comfy and the room bright and airy

A great experience from pre-arrival to departure.

A day after booking I was prompted to complete the pre-checkin form. Until that point, I had not realised that the hotel didn't have a reception and used automation for access. Not an issue since I have stayed in other hotels that operated like that too. Arrival was easy I used my door code as needed to get in. I was amazed by the size of the room and bathroom. High ceiling and a spacious layout, all in an immaculate condition. Another great advantage was the location, only a 3 block walk to Market Street. Plus only a single block to the main subway line, plus the Jersey service is literally below the hotel. The TV had a Chromecast so I was able to catchup with Youtube content late in the evenings to finish my days. Overall I had a great time in Philadephia and the stay at the Arco was a big contribution to that!

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To be honest, not having "active" staff on-site was a unique bonus. I took my partner to Philly to revisit her old stomping grounds. Not having a typical hotel experience felt like added privacy, and it allowed us to feel separate from a tourist experience. The Arco being located in the heart of the Gayborhood was amazing. Transit is easily accessible, but everything is within walking distance.

There were very few working lights! Couldn’t see in to the closet.

It was quiet and convenient to where I wanted to be. Very much like an AirBNB ~ no on-site services.

Beautiful modern safe and modern space! Efficient check in! Walkable to Reading Terminal and Italian Market.

I could not believe how spacious our room was! Combined with the vaulted ceilings, the room felt ENORMOUS! The bed was beyond comfortable and supplied with ample & equally comfortable pillows and warm bedding. Everything about the space was thoughtfully considered, from the level of lighting and options by space, placement of the furnishings, to the clever appointments (art books that were more than just decor). The lobby area was equally as thoughtfully appointed, including complimentary luggage storage lockers that blended into the decor. This simple and thoughtful feature allowed us to check out on time without having to tote our luggage around town with us before our flight home. The hotel, although deep in the heart of the city, was safe and easy to access in entry and exit. The restaurants located in the same building and within steps on either side, were exceptional and delightfully different in cuisine and clientele. It was an all around excellent experience for us during our stay. I would go back in a heartbeat, and I seek out Sonder hotels whenever I make travel plans now.

Great!

The day we were supposed to check in, we were told that we had to switch locations because there was a plumbing issue. We got moved to a place very close by, thankfully. After another plumbing issue, we got moved again to another room but after that, it was fine. Location was central to everything, safe and all in all, it was great.

The Arco, not the best stay.

The hotel was not the best for peace and quiet. They should have a disclaimer about the loud noises around the hotel and in the room with the HVAC. They make you download their app to check in and out, and made it impossible for early check in. There was no person to person contact if you had questions. The chat option on the app was available, but the wait time for a response was 10 to 15 minutes. I will not be booking their for future business or pleasure trips.

Love the idea of remote check in and getting a code. Didn't need anything during the stay. Would have loved some vending machines though, so it might be nice to add that to the lounge area.

We really enjoyed our 3 night stay at this lovely boutique hotel. Our king room was spacious, comfortable and clean. We could easily walk to all popular Philadelphia attractions (City Hall, Art Museum, Liberty Bell, Pats and Genos) within 30 minutes or less. The neighbourhood felt safe and there were a lot of restaurants and pubs close by. Also very easy to take the subway to the sporting complexes. I would absolutely stay here again!

Very clean and quiet. Every other guest we encountered was so nice. It’s a unique stay as you keypad yourself in and out so you don’t encounter staff at the hotel. We had a wonderful experience. There was HDMI Doris to stream our own movies off a laptop for that true at home experience. Dining couldn’t be better. Literally Little Nonna’s is the BEST Italian you could ask for and the same owners own Bud and Marilyn’s and BOTH are right downstairs. Other great places are very walkable or drives Le within such a short distance it’s insane. We even did Chinatown one night. You will not regret a stay here. It’s comfortable. We even had a concert violinist stay next door and were serenaded one day- how cool is that? I will be staying there again next month.

I absolutely object to forcing me to agree to allow you to share my info and send me notifications.

It was a convenient location as everything was near by, but also noisy. It is built over a subway. Out of their control but a lot of homeless. There was no concierge and no vending machines for extra items such as drinks. Also everything was stained, towels & blankets. A little gross considering the price you pay for the hotel.

The room was large and had a nice closet. Appreciated the wine key, ear plugs and white noise machine. However, to plug the white noise machine in, you had to move the bed. Same to plug in your phone or other device. Great neighborhood. Public transportation available to go anywhere in Philly. The restaurant we were eating at was right across the street. The full length mirror fell off the wall in the middle of the night, but we just propped it back up. There was no signage to tell you the elevator wasn't working. There was no signage to tell you where the other entrance was. At 11pm, it is hard to see doors on a dark side of a building. We did get to speak to someone on the phone, but there should have been signage so we didn't have to wait on hold. Also, we arrived at 3:55 for a 4:00 check in and the door would not allow us to enter. Luckily, there was staff present to help us get in 1 minute early.

the lack of front desk makes things complicated

I really like the Sonder concept, but just wish the arco had looked like it appeared in the photos. It’s just very mid. Totally fine, but I would have felt safer, more comfortable, in a 3 stair chain for sure. The rooms are old, dusty, and a bit sad. I don’t fault the staff at all, I think housekeeping did as well as they could.

It is a great location

Loved being in a quiet place yet still in center city. Would definitely stay here again.

The room was in need of a deep clean and had several broken fixtures.

Older building so I understand that it’s not soundproof so I could hear through floor and walls but the ceiling tiles in the bathroom looked like someone was trying to trying to pull out the insulation. No staff I guess is the Sonder experience because there’s no one to go to when the tv repeatedly lost signal. The app I was forced to download to even get into the building “app key” didn’t work on the room door only on the lobby door. The major issue was when I was getting ready for the event I was in town for the iron ruined a new white shirt by transferring rust and creating a stain. Obviously the app concierge is your whole business model because I stayed at this same location when it was the independence Inn and it’s unmatched you’re reusing and relying on the existing design style and the buildings history and character but the attention to detail that made The Inn “grand” is missing.

Everything was nice except the room was so hot! The air was on but it was like it did not cool the room down even though it was as low as it could go

Hotel was in a really fun downtown area with lots to do at night. Contactless check in made it really easy to check in late. Just needed a code for the building and for the room.

We loved having a queen bed upstairs and also a queen bed downstairs. We loved the historic building so expertly renovated. We loved having 1&1/2 baths. Excellent location, just blocks from Rittenhouse square and an easy walk to UPenn. We had fun using the cool Chromecast TV. We would stay here again!

Good value for the price. Basic amenities. Good location.

Gorgeous building in a party district

The Arco was lovely and I will be staying again! Cons: It’s a historic building with huge windows, so take that into account. Room temps could be labile (but the AC corrected quickly), and on Friday we could hear the people partying outside. The building provided a white noise machine and earplugs so it was fine. I wish there was an easier way to contact staff for assistance (our toilet needed a small fix), like an intercom button or in-room phone. The pros: This room was lovely!! The bed was comfortable, the ceilings were very high, and it was perfectly romantic. You couldn’t beat the location—we were able to walk to all of our trip destinations except the Mann center. Having key code access was much easier than a room key, and there were a couple of very large day-use lockers in the lobby for storing our luggage. This is my first Sonder experience and I really loved it. It’s missing some of the amenities of a traditional hotel, but the trade-off is a much more private experience in a more unique setting.

The room was fine but I got conflicting information about storing luggage after checkout and I am concerned that I may not be able to get back in the building to pick it up.

I liked the self service aspect. However the unit I stayed in needed a little attention. The toilet rocked/clunked each time I sat on it. Some of the ceiling tiles in the bathroom were askew. The room was very clean and I loved the convenient location. I would book here again.

Had a wonderful long weekend in Philly to enjoy some soccer. Philly is a beautiful city, totally walkable, and so many wonderful things to do and see. The hotel was in the perfect location, close to all the major attractions and tucked away from the hustle and bustle, that allowed us to see parts of Philly we may not of seen. Quite and very comfortable rooms, best nights sleep. Highly recommend and we would definitely stay here again.