Living History: A Historic Boutique Hotel in Center City

The Franklin on Rittenhouse is a historic boutique hotel in Center City Philadelphia, set in a restored 1903 carriage house at 1715 Rittenhouse Square. Its rooms draw on France's Golden Age, and its cocktail bar, the Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., takes its spirit from the Prohibition era of the 1920s. Here is what makes a stay in this building, and this neighborhood, a lesson in living history.

What makes The Franklin a historic boutique hotel in Center City Philadelphia?

The Franklin is a historic boutique hotel because it occupies a former carriage house rather than a purpose-built tower. In the late 19th century, the wealthy families who built mansions around Rittenhouse Square kept their horses and carriages in brick stables on the smaller streets behind the main avenues. Many of these buildings survive today as homes, garages and, in The Franklin's case, an intimate hotel.

The building is the former Harrison stable and carriage house, completed in 1903 for the residence of Alfred C. Harrison. It was designed by the Philadelphia architects Cope & Stewardson, whose elevation drawing is dated 1902, and it is listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. The hotel keeps the proportions of a private house, with 25 uniquely crafted rooms and suites, a parlor and a scotch library rather than a lobby built for crowds.

From Gilded Age stables to a boutique stay in Philadelphia

A Gilded Age boutique stay in Philadelphia makes most sense in Rittenhouse Square, the neighborhood that defined the city's high society from the mid-19th century onward.

Rittenhouse Square was laid out in 1682 as one of the five original public squares in William Penn's plan for Philadelphia, then named after astronomer David Rittenhouse in 1825. By the late 1800s, brownstone mansions lined its edges, and carriage houses filled the streets behind them. In 1913, architect Paul Philippe Cret redesigned the square with the balustrades, urns and diagonal paths visitors walk today.

When automobiles replaced horses in the early 20th century, many carriage houses were converted into garages, studios and shops. In the 1920s, some of the neighborhood's former stables gained French-style storefronts as their streets became fashionable shopping corridors. Several of these stable rows now sit within the Rittenhouse Fitler Residential Historic District, designated in 1995, which protects the scale and brickwork of the neighborhood's 19th-century buildings.

The Franklin continues that story of adaptive reuse: the building now welcomes travelers instead of carriages. The brick facade and modest height recall its original purpose, while the interiors were reworked into guest rooms, a parlor and a scotch library. Long known as Rittenhouse 1715, the hotel was renovated again in 2022 and now welcomes guests as The Franklin on Rittenhouse.

The 1920s spirit behind the red door

The 1920s live on at The Franklin through its cocktail bar, the Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., which shares the hotel's address.

The bar hides behind an unmarked door, a nod to the Prohibition era (1920–1933), when South Philadelphia bootlegger Max "Boo Boo" Hoff used a business called the Franklin Mortgage and Investment Company as a front for his alcohol trade. The bar first opened on South 18th Street in 2009, was named one of Bon Appétit's 10 best new cocktail bars, and reopened at 1715 Rittenhouse Square in April 2022. Inside, the Art Deco setting, low lighting and jazz recordings recreate the atmosphere of a 1920s speakeasy. The bar is open from 5 pm to midnight Sunday to Thursday, and until 2 am on Friday and Saturday. Guests who book directly with the hotel receive 10% off at the bar.

Read more in our insider's guide to Philadelphia's speakeasy and craft cocktail scene.

Inside the rooms: French Golden Age design and modern comfort

The Franklin's rooms and suites each have their own name and character, inspired by France's Golden Age: The Rocco, The Colette, The Jane, The Monarch, The Dumont and The Salon.

Historic character does not mean giving up comfort. All rooms include Frette linens, Molton Brown bath amenities, luxury bathrobes and a personal safe. Select rooms add a kitchenette or a sitting area, and one- and two-bedroom apartments suit longer stays and families. Two guest rooms are dog-friendly, with a dog bed, treats and a water bowl waiting on arrival.

Browse every category on our rooms and suites page. For the design story, see Paris Meets Philadelphia: French-inspired elegance in Center City.

Rittenhouse Square historic stays: landmarks within a short walk

Rittenhouse Square historic stays come with a neighborhood full of 19th- and early 20th-century landmarks, most of them within 10 minutes on foot.

• Rittenhouse Square: 0.2 miles from the hotel, a 3-minute walk; the 1913 Paul Cret design is still intact. See our Rittenhouse Square location guide.
• Church of the Holy Trinity: the Romanesque Revival church at 19th and Walnut Streets, facing the square, designed by John Notman and opened for worship in 1859.
• Curtis Institute of Music: founded in 1924 and housed in former mansions on Locust Street, facing the square.
• The Rosenbach: rare books and manuscripts in two 19th-century townhouses at 2008–2010 Delancey Place.
• Philadelphia City Hall: 0.5 miles away, a 13-minute walk; completed in 1901, it is topped by a statue of William Penn.

Why choose a luxury historic hotel in Philly over a chain?

A luxury historic hotel in Philly offers what larger properties cannot: a building with a past, a small number of rooms and staff who know guests by name.

At The Franklin, that translates into a complimentary continental breakfast, a concierge who can book tables and timed museum entries, and private spaces for small gatherings. The Raj Scotch Library seats up to 10 guests and The Parlor up to 30, and the entire building can be reserved for weddings or retreats. Learn more about private event venues at The Franklin or read why independent hotels near Rittenhouse Square excel.

Key Facts

• Address: 1715 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103
• Building: restored 1903 carriage house designed by Cope & Stewardson
• Design: rooms inspired by France's Golden Age; Art Deco speakeasy bar
• Rooms: guest rooms, suites and one- and two-bedroom apartments; two dog-friendly rooms
• Included: complimentary continental breakfast, Frette linens, Molton Brown amenities
• Check-in / check-out: 4 pm / 11 am
• Parking: no on-site parking; Latimer Garage at 1510 Latimer Street, $30 per 24 hours (cash only)

FAQ

Is The Franklin on Rittenhouse in a historic building?

Yes. The Franklin on Rittenhouse occupies a restored 1903 carriage house at 1715 Rittenhouse Square in Center City Philadelphia. Carriage houses like it were built behind the square's mansions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to house horses and carriages, and many have since been converted into homes and small hotels.

What is the connection between The Franklin and the 1920s?

The hotel's cocktail bar, the Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., recreates a Prohibition-era speakeasy. It hides behind an unmarked door, features an Art Deco interior and plays classic jazz, a reference to the bootlegging culture of the 1920s and early 1930s.

Where is the best area to stay in Philadelphia for history?

Rittenhouse Square suits travelers who want 19th-century architecture, a walkable neighborhood and easy access to museums. Old City has Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, which are 1.5 miles from The Franklin on Rittenhouse, about 12 minutes by car, so both areas are easy to combine in one stay.

Does The Franklin on Rittenhouse have parking?

The hotel has no on-site parking. The team recommends the Latimer Garage at 1510 Latimer Street, which charges $30 for 24 hours and accepts cash only. Most of Center City's landmarks, including Rittenhouse Square and City Hall, are within walking distance of the hotel.

Stay in a piece of Rittenhouse Square history, with French-inspired rooms, a 1920s speakeasy at the same address and breakfast included. See our current hotel offers and book directly for the lowest rate guarantee.