Latham Hotel closes for renovation

In a crowded field where looks, style, and comfort are increasingly scrutinized, one of the city's smallest hotels has closed for a six-month makeover.

The 138-room Latham Hotel - once considered the Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton of its time - closed last week for renovation, according to sources in the industry.

Matt McCauley, the hotel's general manager, could not be reached for comment, but a hotel employee said the Latham was not accepting new reservations through June.

The employee, who was not authorized to speak for the hotel, confirmed the Latham was undergoing a six-month renovation that began the first week of January, but offered no other details.

Until the Four Seasons opened in 1983, the Latham was the city's finest small hotel, and one of the finest hotels in the city regardless of size, said Peter Tyson, vice president of Colliers PKF Consulting USA, which tracks the region's hospitality industry.

Tyson said the Latham was a boutique hotel "before its time" and resembled some of the idyllic hotels in New York City. It had an active restaurant and lounge and was the "in" place to stay and socialize.

"Since the mid-1980s, however, its restaurant and lounge were closed, rethemed and reopened several times (they have been vacant for some time now)," he said in an e-mail, "and, frankly, its guest rooms became less and less competitive as newer hotel product entered the market.

"Hopefully, this renovation will once again place the Latham at the forefront of the Philadelphia lodging market," Tyson said.

The Latham's location at 135 S. 17th St. - near major office buildings, high-end retail on Walnut Street, prestigious Rittenhouse Square, and a number of upscale hotels - remains a clear advantage.

Nearby competitors include the 294-room Westin Philadelphia at 99 S. 17th St., along with the 230-room Palomar and the 306-room Sofitel, both a block away.

"We've reached out to them since we've been through this process," said Nick Gregory, director of operations at the Palomar, 117 S. 17th St. "Anytime you go through a renovation in an existing operation, it's very difficult. . . . We reached out to see if there is anything we can do with customers and employees who may be affected."

"The Latham is a great property," said Ed Grose of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, which represents 87 hotels, including 44 in Center City. "They provide an alternative to a corporate hotel and provide a boutique-hotel experience.

"They will be missed over the next six months, and we look forward to their return to the market."