The Vibe: A non-standard Aloft.

The Area: In Philadelphia’s Downtown, next to the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

The DNA: When the design team at New York-based Stonehill Taylor first encountered the abandoned, Liberty Title & Trust Building from 1925, they found the soaring space littered with graffiti and concertina wire. “It looked,” says principal Michael Suomi, “like a war zone.” But the good bones hidden under the dust and grime wound up being incorporated into the Aloft Philadelphia Downtown‘s lobby, which features an original clock, marble balustrades, and huge arched windows. There is is even a nod to the graffiti in the altered portraits of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson that greet guests as they ascend a set of steps from the street. Echoing the shape of the structure’s windows, two niches flank the elevator bank. One envelops the bar, while the other contains built-in shelving furnished with vintage safety deposit boxes painted aqua. In between, another arch is outfitted with the brand-standard digital ticker that sits next to a neon art piece. On the mezzanine level, the team designed a small two-story addition, the roof of which operates as an outdoor terrace bar called Back Yard. Other amenities include grab and go café Refuel, the signature XYZ bar in the lobby, and a fitness center nestled into the bank’s original vault.

Suite-Me-Up: In the guestrooms, abstracted sections of a Liberty Bell medallion from the lobby adorn the walls, and navy striated carpets reminiscent of graffiti brushstrokes cover the floors. White-tiled bathrooms are offset by gray slate flooring and teal walls.

Seen: Hospitality Design

✅ free Wi-Fi • size matters: 179 rooms (19-33m2) (205-355 sq ft) • hotel opened: 2018 • architecture & interior design: Stonehill Taylor • parking possible nearby (charged) ✅ pet friendly, no charges • 24-hour front desk • wheelchair accessible