Pod Hotel

The hospitality industry is no joke. But it's also one that, at least for the last fifty or so years, has been steeped in the expected. That works for me. I'm more interested in the destination than the stay, so any clean bed will do.

Yet with the upcoming W Hotel and several Kimptons, it's clear that those visiting Philadelphia, or perhaps just spending a night in town, are looking for something more dynamic than the flagship name of a major national chain. 

So bring on the Pod Hotel. Occupying a vacant parcel on 19th Street and a parking lot along Ludlow, the Pod by Modus Hotels and Parkway Corporation won't win any awards for its exterior design, but it will be welcome infill for this long gaping property smack in the middle of the business district. 

While there's no shortage of entertainment in the area, one curious venue stands a few doors down from the proposed hotel's Ludlow entrance. If you think the XXX Forum Theater was gone you'd be wrong. It simply moved a few blocks to this tony address. It will be interesting to see how the hip and trendy guests of the Pod Hotel decide to interact with the sex club next door.