I visited The Study at University City last night for drinks at a second-floor happy hour, and I want to be precise about the scope of this review. I did not stay overnight or see a guest room, and I did not dine at CO-OP. I also cannot assess room pricing, bedding, or the full overnight experience. Based solely on the drinks, hospitality, and spaces I experienced, I came away genuinely impressed. Visually, The Study is one of the most compelling hotels I have entered anywhere. The interior feels fresh, progressive, and stylish, with a clear point of view running through the entire space. It has considerably more personality and visual confidence than I normally associate with a college-adjacent hotel. The overall aesthetic is cosmopolitan while remaining perfectly calibrated to its academic surroundings. Upstairs, the happy hour offered a practical demonstration of how well the hotel functions as a social venue. The drinks were great, and the staff was welcoming, relaxed, and genuinely cool. An outdoor terrace and elevated views over the surrounding streets brought more dimension to the evening, especially as people moved between the indoor space and the open air. Being slightly above street level created enough separation from the surrounding university traffic to make the gathering feel like an occasion. What impressed me most was how naturally the hotel fit Penn, while also making sense for Drexel and the broader University City community. The Study understands that a university hotel can feel intellectually grounded, internationally aware, and genuinely cool at the same time. I could easily picture a recruiting reception, an academic conference, or a visiting family gathering working beautifully here. The atmosphere is sophisticated without becoming stiff, and stylish without losing its sense of purpose. Learning that The Study also has locations at Yale, the University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins made the concept even more compelling. Together with Penn, that is an extraordinary cluster of institutions with prestige, intellectual seriousness, and a forward-looking culture. The portfolio feels selective, coherent, and unusually well aligned. There is something genuinely cool about a hotel brand building its identity around universities of this caliber while giving each property a strong connection to its own campus. Its location also makes intuitive sense for travelers coming to this part of Philadelphia. Penn, Drexel, and 30th Street Station are all nearby, while the city's major museums are within easy reach. That combination should appeal to visiting families, university guests, and international travelers who want convenient access without sacrificing atmosphere. CO-OP also gives guests an on-site restaurant and bar option, although my own visit was limited to drinks at the happy hour. Ultimately, I can only review the portion of The Study that I actually experienced: its public spaces, hospitality, and second-floor gathering environment. Within that scope, the hotel made a strong impression and felt like a standout in University City. It is hipper, fresher, and more design-conscious than most campus hotels, while still feeling polished and appropriate for its setting. I would gladly return for drinks and would strongly consider it for a professional or university-related event. read more

Uhm... not sure what to say here... First time I stayed, it was all fine, nothing major either way... This time... between getting a first room that wasn't clean, going to the room I'm assigned and it being quite damp (feels a bit like a hothouse really...) and the food ending at 22h.... While the bartender informs me food is done, I can get drinks (not the same!!!)... it's not the first impression I got here for sure.. Can't say I recommend it... come at your own risk. read more

The Study at University City - My first Assigned room - Hotels Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I have a son at the University Of Pennsylvania and spend many a night in University City hotels. But what a surprise it was to spend five nights at this beautiful hotel. First of all the restaurant is excellent with the greatest wait staff in University City. Secondly the "living room " in the lobby is a great place to spend time reading and catching up on your life. Each time I returned to the lobby with bags it was so inviting. I just wanted to sit down and gather myself before heading to my room. During my most recent stay, my departure date kept getting pushed back. I don't know if you've ever had this happen to you, but there are very few hotels that will keep you in the same room day after day when that happens. My original stay was Sunday to Tuesday and I had to push it back to Wednesday, then Thursday, then Friday, due to unforeseen circumstances. There were no histrionics at the front desk. They simply worked on figuring out a way to keep me in my room for each of those extensions. read more

This is easily one of the best hotels I've stayed at. I recently stayed at the hotel with my father for a short visit in Philly. First, I want to big up all the guys who work at the door and valet. They were all so kind, welcoming, and extremely helpful. Everyone went above and beyond to make sure my father, who uses an electric scooter, was taken care of. The rooms were really nice and clean. The restaurant has amazing food and great service. Overall I have nothing but good things to say about this hotel, and I highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a really nice hotel in Philly! read more

Very very good Food especially good Drinks good Service good Ambient atmosphere good Great service read more

This hotel doesn't have enough refrigerators or rollaway beds and it is first come first serve. Even if you request them in advance, It is almost impossible to get one unless you arrive there early enough or you book a suite with a kitchen. For the price point, it is just not worth staying there read more

The room was clean and everything worked. My only complaint is the lack of easy-to-use outlets. The desk had 2 plugs, both taken by the light and phone. The nightstands both had 2 also, taken by phone or clock and lamps. Shower was nice, high pressure. The bar was stocked well and the service was great. I didn't get a chance to get the restaurant though. The area is very walkable, tons of food options. read more

Visited hotel as part of a convention. Room was extremely comfortable and full of light! Loved the huge desk facing the outside. The food.... It sucks. Nothing was good. And I tried several things, including dine in and at their restaurant. One night I had to even get out and go get something else to eat! Last night learned lesson and ate at one of the food trucks across street, and it was DELICIOUS and super cheap!!!! read more

Planned a large event for work at The Study. I used this venue both in 2019 and 2020 and had a great experience. This time around I worked with JJ and started planning things in January for an end-of-April event. JJ was great to work with and guided me through the process, always answering all my questions. We used two event spaces. The Pre-Function room for cocktail hour and the drafting rooms for seated dinner. The staff were lovely and attentive. The rooms are gorgeous with their large windows and views of University City. The food was so GOOD! I had the steak for dinner and the portion was large and it was cooked perfectly. I would recommend The Study for any type of up-scale event you are planning. All the evens we have hosted here have gone well and the guests are always impressed with the elegance. Also, they have meeting rooms if you are looking for meeting space and I believe almost all the rooms have AV equipment and hook up. Planning events is always a stressful on the host and using a reliable venue helps ease a lot of the stress and anxiety. I want to thank JJ and the team of staff that helped make my event a huge success last night! read more

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The location was very convenient and pleasant and the hotel was clean. We found the staff to be very helpful. We liked the decor. A tiny bit more color would be nice but we're not complaining - generally the style was tasteful. There isn't much room to hang clothes in the room. Warning : Learn what your parking options are before going! I can't overstate this enough. You must do a good cost-benefit analysis to understand how much you might have to pay for convenience. read more

The room was spacious with a nice view. The staff was obliging (providing a quick to-go bagel a Sunday morning at 7am, filling up a bottle of ice, arranging for sheets cleaning - this is something you need to call to request). I especially loved the very comfortable bedding. A drawback was having to jump up on a windowsill behind the desk to open/close the shades, and requesting for clean linens. Otherwise, the location was ideal for the tennis tournament nearby. I would return if staying in this area. read more

The Study at University City - Nice West-facing 7th floor view - Hotels Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Extremely thin walls plus a shouting next-door neighbor make the stay unpleasant. Staff claiming the shouting is just a normal conversation with no intervention doesn't help either. read more

Very clean and great location if in University city. Cannot wait to go back. If you stay here try the restaurant in the hotel. read more

The Study at University City - Hotels Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

We usually love the Study, have stayed here many times. But we just waited 30 minutes for our car which had been valet parked. We found out it had been on the side of the hotel the whole time due to the marathon but no one had told us. Major breakdown in communication. read more

Bottom line first: nice and modern rooms, friendly service, pretty good gym I was here for a conference, and after getting through the horrific one-hour traffic from the airport, this was a nice place to settle in. The friendly front desk staff offered free coffee, but I had other plans. The room was not elaborate, but it was clean and modern. The bed was comfortable, and the shower was nice and big. I took advantage of the short window I had before dinner to hit the gym. It was just the way I liked it: enough equipment for a good workout, and completely empty. See the pictures to look for yourself; it's not fancy by any means, but it's definitely above average. Pro tip: there is plenty of free bottled water! For academic functions, the location can't be beat. Literally located on one of the corners between Penn and Drexel, one can easily walk anywhere between the campuses, or even to Center City as I did. Assuming the rate is right, this should be a great option for folks visiting the schools. I certainly would be happy to stay here again. read more

The Study at University City - Half of the fitness center, with aerobic equipment and a multi-station - Hotels Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I liked the aesthetic and the service when the front desk let me check in early. Room was a bit Scandinavian, but in a way that worked very well. The wardrobe was shallow but otherwise nicely designed. The sharpened pencils on the desk were a nice touch. The whole thing just worked for me. Fans of having a bath might be disappointed by the walk in shower/no tub. Great location if arriving by train or taking the train to/from the airport. read more

The Study really puzzled me, trying to think about what used to be here while I was a Drexel Dragon. Upon walking down the streets of my Alma Mater, I liked how the Study incorporated itself into the campus. Walking in, I thought the building looked nice and I walked up the steps, to the second floor. Food was provided and I heard that they made the baked goods themselves each day. Of course I needed to have a turnover. Then a chocolate chip muffin later... Then salad, chicken, shrimp/lobster bisque, cookies, bbq sprinkled popcorn, and maybe a few waters... The food was really good and among the best at conferences that I've been to. We had a few technical problems, but I wasn't sure if that was the fault of my vendor or the Study. Eventually, we got the sound working, but at times the microphone would cut out. Being in the same room for eight hours was rough though, because I wasn't a fan of those chairs. They looked extremely comfortable, but my back was aching at times. After the conference, we went to the Co-Op, the bar named after Drexel, since they were so kind to allow the Study to be built on their campus. No alumni discounts there, but still a decent place to check out. read more

Had to Stay at the Study for my Husband's Operation at Penn. Been back and forth between the Hospital and the Study. One night I had Sat at the Bar and I had the Two most Adorable Bartenders Steve and Gina! These two are Lovely and had my Spirits Up. I had French Onion Soup to start ending with Pumpkin Agnolotti So delicious! Just Really want to Thank these two Bartenders for making my experience amazing read more

I'm here again for my third extended stay. I love this place. I always used to stay at the Ritz, but having a college student at University City makes this hotel the best spot. Also, the staff is always so kind and amazing. The bedding is so cozy, and the cute robes are a nice touch. I'm a big fan. They didn't have baggage or valet on my first visit, but now it's full-on, and they have everything. A super plus is the front desk staff. They are so lovely and kind; they are happy and ready to help with anything. Door man as well. read more

I travel a lot for work an this is one of the worst hotel experiences I've had. I had an absolutely horrible two night stay at The Study at University City. When I got to my room the bathroom had an odd - half cleaned - smell, but I figured maybe house keeping had been made to rush because I was early to check-in. I go to shower and I notice that there is a bit of blood splatter on the shower wall. Photo enclosed below. I'm clearly grossed out by this but the blood was in a part of the shower I didn't have to touch so I'm like "screw it, house keeping will get the blood off the shower wall tomorrow" because I have to get ready for the rehearsal dinner and don't have time to clean the hotel for them. When waiting in the lobby to go to the rehearsal dinner we were told that the restaurant/bar would not be open later that evening, but when I checked in just a few hours earlier I was told the restaurant opened at 5p. Confusing but we adjusted because we were focused on having a good time for the wedding. The next morning I have to be in the bridal suite early so we can do hair and makeup. I leave the room and put the "please change the sheets" sign on the bed because I hadn't slept with my hair bonnet on and my boyfriend was joining me and there was hair everywhere. So I make mental note of that and the blood and I'm like, hopefully they clean today. Hours later, I come back to my room to get dressed for the wedding which was in the evening, and I check to see if the sheets were changed (they were not) and if the blood was still in the shower (it was). I'm annoyed but I'm like "whatever I have a wedding to go be in". So I leave the room and refocus my attention on the bride. Before leaving for the wedding I remind the front desk that my boyfriend is arriving soon and give his name so he can get a key and request that we get a late checkout. I'm told checkout is at 12p but 1p is the latest. I accept and leave for the wedding. New Years morning, after the wedding, at 10:30a my boyfriend and I are sleeping in the bed with the dirty sheets in the hotel room with a strangers blood in the shower and I hear and knock on the door, the announcement of "house keeping" and the door opens, the person looks in and says "Oh, they are sleeping". I was pretty alarmed by this. Especially since I requested late checkout. I try to go back to sleep but am unable to because I feel unsafe since someone thought it was professional to come into my hotel room for no reason while I was in there asleep. I start to dose off and there's another knock on the door at 11:30a. This time I'm awake enough to go to the door and explain that I requested late checkout, but even still why are you knocking on my door at 11:30a when checkout is at noon? The person asks what time I have late checkout until, I respond 1pm, and she goes away. At 12:30p there's another knock on the door. This time my boyfriend goes because he is rather annoyed at this point and explains to another person that we have late checkout at 1p. Meanwhile there's still blood in the shower. Perhaps they should worry less about kicking their guests out early and more about cleaning the rooms throughly. Disappointing to say the least. read more

The Study at University City - Blood splatters in the bathroom shower of my room at the study at university city. - Hotels Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Came here for my best friends wedding. Checked out on Sunday 9/10 and that night my bf, friend, and I were itchy and scratching our legs. On 9/15, 5 days later, I get a deep cleaning fee charge due to flea infestation. How??? I did not bring in any dogs. This hotel gave 3 guests flea bites but charged me for their cleaning fees. I've been trying to contact the "director of rooms" Colleen Perez but she is unable to answer my calls. Then she states that she called me yet I have no missed calls. Sounds fishy. Anyways don't stay here ever. Gross read more

The Study at University City - More flea bites from the study hotel - Hotels Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This is a lovely hotel! Very modern and chic close to Drexel University and University of Pennsylvania. Super clean and fresh. The bathrooms are quite nice and well lit with modern European fixtures. Unlike typical hotels built in the 80s and 90s where the rooms are stuffy and badly lit, this is really the antithesis of all that. This is not your dad's hotel! However, I give them mediocre ratings on the quality of the beds and the covers. Too small and thin for the size of the bed, and the mattress is a bit on the cheap side. Otherwise, lovely place. Update: My original review is above, but at the end of day one our stay, we came back to our room in the evening and found our that they forgot to clean it even though we left the "tidy up" sign on the door. It happens, but perhaps the place can use tighter quality management. Update #2: at checkout, the manager was graceful enough to gives us a totally free brunch at the Co-Op restaurant in the hotel. I must say that the food is amazingly good and the ambiance is fresh and lively. We highly recommend the hotel and the restaurant. Well done!! read more

The Study at University City - Hotel lobby - Hotels Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The service was amazing and you can't beat the location close to campus and public transport to downtown. The room was very clean and seemed to be recently renovated. We used valet parking while we were there, and the attendants were quick to pull our car around to the front for us. Overall, we had a great time and would consider staying there again next time we are in town. read more

I can't recommend this hotel. While the lobby and bar are lovely, and the rooms are sparse but functional, my stay was just not good. On the evening of my arrival, there was no internet ... and they never managed to get internet working in the four days of my stay. I reported it Thursday when I arrived, Thursday night, Friday morning, Friday evening, and Saturday morning. Worse, though, was the total dismissiveness of the guest services staff. They insisted that the problem was with my equipment. Never mind that "my equipment" included an Android phone, a laptop, and an iPad: none of which could connect in the room and each of which could connect at the Starbucks across the street. I asked them to send an IT person up to my room, and they refused. It wasn't until the final night of my conference when I came back to my room at 9:30 to find a maintenance person working on the thermostat (I guess the guest before me had complained about that) that I got even a glimmer of satisfaction. He asked if anything else needed fixing, and I laughed and told him about the internet. He whipped out his own phone, and sure enough, verified that there was no internet. He called it in to his boss who reiterated the (now ridiculous) line that it was my equipment. Wow. Maybe 20 years ago, internet was an amenity for $240/night. In 2022, it is as necessary as running water or a mattress. Also, though minor, I left the door hang tag out on Friday to have my room tidied at 7:00am, and when I returned to the room at 10:00pm that night, nothing had been done, and the tag was still hanging. read more

We absolutely loved our stay ,clean property and rooms , electric vibe here in university city! The farm to table restaurant is a must. Friendly service, A pleasant surprise stay overnight as I was there for a hospital operation early the next morning read more

Stayed here on a Sunday night. We had a wonderful experience in one of the Study Suite rooms. The selection of books is actually quite good! And the chairs were comfy. The rooms get plenty of light and have nice views. They are very spacious and nicely appointed with trendy but pleasant wood furniture, nice reading lamps and convenient charging stations. The bed was extremely comfortable and we slept very well. The hotel lobby and adjoined bar are gorgeous and there's a nice selection of art in a small gallery on the main level. Overall I loved it and look forward to saying here again sometime! read more

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My partner and I stayed here for a night and didn't have the experience that our bill suggested we had. I don't usually leave bad reviews unless I feel like something was unfair. In this case, check in and getting our room was no problem. We were on the 8th floor by the elevators where you could hear the staff slamming the maintenance closet doors while we were trying to nap. I mean I get people are working but I don't think they should be yelling in the halls and slamming doors at 5 pm. Even this was fine though. We did have a problem at check out where we were charged extra fees including a hefty $44 valet fee for one night of parking. We weren't told about the charge when giving our keys to the front desk so this charge was a surprise to us. I was very surprised but this so I asked the person who checked us out to please tell the guests about this fee on the request on valet. The front staff looked at me like I was insane for asking this. Overall, expect hidden fees at check out so ask about these prior to booking. You could park at a nearby lot for much cheaper and avoid their valet service. And hope you don't get a room by the maintenance closet. I don't mind paying but I didn't feel like this place was worth what I got charged. read more

So, I take negative reviews seriously. This isn't a reactionary swipe. I tried to book a room online for Parents Weekend at Penn in early November. After I went through the motions, the website said it couldn't complete the transaction and that I should call the hotel. I did. I was quickly put on hold, which must have lasted well more than five minutes. It got to the point where I was determined to NOT hang up because somehow this was a test! When someone finally picked up, they listened to my request to book a room per the website. I was told that I would need to speak with the reservations manager (huh?) and that she was out until next week (wait, wha?). The 1960s called and ... well, you know... I was offered the option of leaving a message for the reservations manager and I replied, "no thanks I'll just book another hotel." The reply, "ok, thank you." I don't know what the deal with this place is but .... wow... Just, wow.... Good luck with your new hotel! read more

Basic hotel with basic minimalist amenities with a swanky millennial vibe, branded study library theme and excellent university access. No coffee tea or mini fridge or snack amenities available in the rooms. Robes are not thick and fuzzy but thin cotton. No coffee or tea available in the lobby but there are ginger snaps by the check in desk but no water or tea? That's torturous. Dry mouth . If the hotel does not want non hotel guests utilizing this amenity you can place the coffee service on each floor near the elevators No slippers and no frills for a retail price of $500 a night. Most hotels in this price range are service oriented and frills and detail oriented including smiling at the front desk and staff picking up old Kleenex and empty paper coffee cups in the main lobby ...attention to detail or extra doesn't exist in the area of people service. but the rooms are super clean and housekeeping staff are stellar. .. the 3 stars are for housekeeping and decor of the hotel . Flowers and decor display extra attention to detail but not human services so there is a disparity there. The location the decor , themed branding and cleanliness are stellar. That being said I wouldn't pay $500 but maybe $200 max for a night . read more

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Nice looking rooms that are clean with lovely staff. However, the beds are ROCKS even those with the feather toppers for the beds. So hard! If that is what you like it is a 5 star if not it is 3. I would have kept staying there if the beds were better. Never again! read more

Hotel is gorgeous, close to many restaurants, Wawa, and coffee joints, free coffee in the morning, clean rooms, friendly staff. Nice hotel bar, although they were out of a beer that was advertised on the menu. The bartender actually gave us a complimentary beer as an apology (although it wasn't her fault!) which was a nice surprise. Glasses of wines were pricey at this bar. The downside is parking. How to use the valet service is not clearly indicated. We chose to park in the Drexel lot behind the hotel (and it was cheaper than the valet). read more

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Nice charming quaint hotel. Good safe area. Valet parking is abou 45 a day. Pricey when there is plenty of street parking. Use the parking app park in the street and stay on top of it to not get a ticket unless you expect your car to stay parked all day. I love the lobby really like the hotel but the rooms are average. No microwave or refrigerator. No coffee pot. But free cofee in the lobby until maybe 10am. Even to get ice I needed to walk to the lobby restaurant and ask for a bucket of ice, incovenient but still a very nice hotel. read more

My wife and I spent one night here with our toddler in February 2019. We were immediately impressed with the design of the lobby and I was quickly won over by the jar of ginger crisps at the front desk. We were lucky enough to get room 627, which was a beautiful (and spacious) corner room featuring large windows throughout with views of downtown and the UPENN/Drexel campuses. If you can get a _27 room, go for it! The rooms were well appointed - nothing is luxurious but everything looks brand new and there was clearly a lot of thought put into the layout and design. We had a couple drinks and light fare at the restaurant, Co-Op. The cocktails were very solid and the bartender (young woman who seemed like she was the bar manager) provided excellent service. The food was good but nothing memorable. Overall, we had an excellent experience all around and will no doubt return! read more

On our 4th day at this hotel and we are very pleased. I love the study/library vibe. The location is literally on the Drexel/Penn campus which is very convenient. Rooms are a comfortable size. It's walking distance to almost every place we needed (e.g CVS/halal food carts/Insomnia Cookies/ATM etc.) Complimentary coffee in the morning makes my morning. Service is also great. Everything i have requested has been delivered to my room in good time. I like that you need a card to use the elevator so I feel pretty safe. Only con is that there is no coffee machine in the room. read more

Fantastic hotel - restaurant food is way better than most hotels and bar staff is pleasantly helpful. It's been weird since COVID - but so glad they held it together a I have stayed there many times over the years when I was going to Grad school across the street and now stay there cause our daughter is full-time at Penn. Super quiet rooms abs very clean - also has a nice clean gym too! read more

A beautiful, clean hotel with a classy vibe. The staff is friendly and accommodating. The hotel is gorgeous in its decor and the rooms are a great size with plenty of natural sunlight. I love staying here any chance I get! read more

Stayed here for a past anniversary stay. We stayed in a suite room and would highly recommend for a special occasion. The room was extremely clean and had plenty of space. The room is well decorated and had numerous books that you can read. There was a couple sitting areas that overlook the campus and offer a great view of below. The staff was friendly and attentive and room service was timely and delicious. They offer a menu you can fill out for breakfast and have delivered to your room at a certain time. read more

THE ONLY PLACE YOU SHOULD BE STAYING IN PHILLY! Absolutely love this place and it will be the only place I stay when in philly not only is it classy and modern but everyone is nice. It's clean and sleek. read more

I stayed at The Study from 05/31/2017 to 06/09/2017 for the ABA Stonier program. My room was clean and modern. I love the lobby and the hotel's proximity to campus. I regret staying at the Sheraton for my 2018 stay and should have came back to The Study. The hotel lacks a coin-op laundry room. This was a huge bummer because I didn't pack enough for the week. I had to take my clothes to a far away laundromat. read more

The Study is a nice hotel in the college area of Philadelphia. My room was clean, although it was a little small. They will let you send postcards from the lobby if you want to write to anyone. The first time I stayed here, they had delicious ginger cookies at the front desk, but this year they were not there. read more