Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Gas Lamp Hotel

Name: The Gas Lamp Hotel
Address: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Price range: From $140
Rating: 4.8

Five suites named for lighting pioneers, tucked into an 1845 rowhome by Elfreth's Alley.

Open · August 2024

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A row home from 1845 steps from Elfreth's Alley reopened in August 2024 as a five-suite boutique hotel, each room named for a pioneer of electric lighting. It's a small, design-forward conversion by a group of local investors rather than a branded chain property.

The essentials

Group: Independent
Opening: August 2024
Rooms & suites: 5 rooms
Segment: Luxury Boutique
Designer: Abigail Shapansky
Entry rate: From $140

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The place

The hotel occupies a row home dating to 1845 at 140 North 2nd Street in Old City, overlooking Elfreth's Alley, one of the oldest continuously inhabited residential streets in the United States.

The concept

A group of five Philadelphia-area investors, led by furniture designer Wendell Holland, converted the historic rowhome into a five-suite hotel that opened in August 2024: its first use as a hotel. Interior designer Abigail Shapansky based the decor on wallpaper patterns original to the building, and each suite is named after a pioneer of lighting and electricity (Edison, Tesla, Latimer, Davy, Adams), including a three-bedroom Edison suite with a full kitchen.

Dining & wellness

There is no full-service restaurant on site; several suites, including the Edison suite, include full kitchens, positioning the property closer to a design-led serviced apartment than a traditional hotel.

Google guest reviews

4.8/5 · 73 reviews

Booking was easy and parking was close by. The neighborhood was quiet, safe and not far from Old City restaurants and attractions. You enter your code to get access to the property, building and room. The room is gorgeous and super cozy. The bathroom is spotless, spacious with a unique design. There is a Nespresso machine with a great selection of coffee and signature mugs which you can purchase. They have beautiful stemmed glasses available for use. There is a cool wood framed tv on the wall. The bed was very comfortable and we slept well! I love the winding stairwell bc it has so much character but it may be difficult to navigate if you are not good on your feet or have difficulty climbing stairs. This is a fantastic place to stay if you just need a place to have a great night sleep. It is simple with no amenities, breakfast, restaurant or bar. Just peace and quiet. We will stay again!
John Mann · 5/5

We stayed in the Edison Suite for a couple nights during a brief visit into the city. The communication was great. The location was an easy walk to anything in Old City. The rooms were spacious and the amenities were overall very good. Having access to laundry and a full kitchen was great. The suite was overall clean, but there was some debris on the floors and still bits of food left in the sink. We were missing a TV in the master suite upstairs. There is only one TV in the whole 3 bedroom space and it is located high above a fireplace with a sofa too close for a comfortable viewing angle. It is impossible to relax in bed and enjoy the TV after a long day walking around the city. There is an outlet on the wall across from the master bed, it would be an easy install for another TV, especially in the Master loft. Also (and maybe this is a Philly thing) but water pressure was severely lacking in the Master shower. It is big enough for all guests to fit in at once, but the water pressure could not keep up with that kind of activity. Certainly do not flush a toilet or run the laundry at the same time. And they are playing it fast and loose with advertising a "rainfall" showerhead. We enjoyed the stay for the price and location and comfort. The king bed was comfortable, but they mattress topper makes it hard to keep sheets properly fitted to the bed. My other recommendation would be to have the ice maker turned on. Access to ice from the from the refrigerator would have been a nice touch. It was a good stay, just a little shy of great.
Mike Macdonald · 4/5

The gas lamp hotel excelled on so many levels. My teenage children and I stayed in the Edison suite and everyone loved the aesthetic. It was clean and every comfort thought of for a perfect stay. We loved its location in old city where we walked to many historical sites, some of which were on our block. This area of the city has things to do, but I liked that it was also a quiet neighborhood. The living room allowed us to congregate as a family and play board games or talk over a home cooked meal which we wouldn’t have gotten at a hotel. Fantastic memories and would definitely visit again.
Nikki Embler · 5/5

This is the perfect place to stay for the quiet and independent traveler. Check in is all online, pretty seamless if you follow the instructions! This is a small, but lovely hotel decorated with fine curation and homage to historical Philly. The room was just as listed and photographed— very clean and the bed was so comfortable! My room was a bit cooler (my preference) but space heaters were provided. The only feedback is that the water pressure of the shower was a bit weak, but I was given a heads up about water maintenance happening on the block before my check in. I absolutely recommend this chic and comforting hotel if you plan to stay in Old City! Also if curious, I parked overnight at Old City Parkominium. It was a safe, hassle free, and relatively inexpensive option, and only a 3 minute walk away from the hotel.
Jesse Alsdorf · 5/5

We stayed in the Latimer last night and it was fantastic. Great location, fun, quirky vibe, clean room, comfortable bed. The entrance reminded us of our favorite hotel in Venice, Italy. Will stay again if we find ourselves back in Philly.
Susan K · 5/5

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