At the turn of the 20th century, railroad tycoon, A.J. Cassatt and his wife, Lois Buchanan Cassatt, built on the site. The building was sold to the Episcopal Church of Pennsylvania and was made into their headquarters. Later, it became the Academy of Notre Dame, a private school for boys and girls. Finally, in the 1960s, the property was slated to become a hotel.
Architect Donald Reiff drew the plans for the building that would become The Rittenhouse. Construction began in the early 1970s and after over a decade of construction, the hotel opened its doors to guests in 1989.[2] The design focused on showcasing the imagery of Rittenhouse Square, angling the windows to offer each room a direct view of the square below. Much of the hotel’s original design is still intact today and it has been renovated and modernized throughout the past 25 years.
Hotel Description
The Rittenhouse features 118 guest rooms ranging in size from 450 to 600 square feet and 25 suites ranging from 650 to 2,000 square feet.[3]
In addition to guest accommodations, The Rittenhouse features 8,470 square feet of meeting and event space, full service spa, salon and fitness center and multiple fine dining outlets including; Forbes Four-Star rated restaurant - Lacroix, Bar210, Scarpetta, the Library Bar and the Mary Cassatt Tea Room.
