The Hotel Monaco Philadelphia is the newest property belonging to the Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group LLC, a brand born in 1981 when Bill Kimpton launched the boutique hostelry concept by opening the Bedford Hotel in San Francisco. The company specializes in buying older properties and giving them stylish makeovers complete with glitzy restaurants run by celebrity chefs. Guest rooms tend to be smallish, on the European model.
Kimpton aims to marry luxury with affability; at the Monaco, for example, guests can savor the skyline from the 11th-floor rooftop bar, bring along their pets or even request a goldfish in a bowl to keep them company in their room.
