The Notary Hotel, Philadelphia, Autograph Collection

The Notary Hotel opened in July 2019 inside Philadelphia's former Municipal Court Building, a 1926 Classical Revival landmark facing City Hall. Braemar Hotels & Resorts spent roughly $20 million converting what had operated for years as a standard Courtyard by Marriott into a 499-room Autograph Collection property, trading brand-standard anonymity for the building's original marble and vaulted spaces.

The place

Set on North Juniper Street directly behind City Hall, the hotel occupies one of Center City's most visible civic corners: a two-minute walk from the Pennsylvania Convention Center and Reading Terminal Market, inside the historic core most visitors come to see rather than a business district on its edge.

The concept

Built in 1926 to house Philadelphia's municipal courts (architect Philip H. Johnson, the city's official architect for three decades under the Department of Health and Charities), the building served government functions for over 70 years before a long stretch as a standard Courtyard by Marriott stripped much of that history from view. Braemar Hotels & Resorts' roughly $20 million renovation and Autograph Collection conversion, completed in 2019, restored period details (marble corridors, high ceilings) while adding contemporary furnishings.

Dining & wellness

Sabroso+Sorbo, the lobby-level restaurant and bar, serves Spanish-inspired small plates and cocktails through breakfast, lunch and dinner; an on-site Illy coffee house covers the daytime trade, and a Peloton-equipped gym rounds out the amenities.