Philadelphia has six hotels listed as LEED-certified in the USGBC project directory, and the two Kimptons lead with Gold. Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square and Homewood Suites University City hold Silver, and Canopy by Hilton and the Courtyard at the Navy Yard hold the base Certified level. No hotel in the city holds Platinum.
What LEED certification means for these hotels
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the USGBC's rating system for buildings and interiors. Projects earn points for things like energy use, water efficiency, materials and indoor air quality. Under current LEED versions, 40-49 points earns Certified, 50-59 Silver, 60-79 Gold and 80 or more Platinum.
Both Kimptons earned Gold under Commercial Interiors, which rates the hotel's own fit-out inside a building rather than the building itself. The Monaco scored 78 points in 2013, two short of Platinum. The Palomar reached Gold in 2010 under the older Commercial Interiors v2.0.
The other four were certified under New Construction or, for Canopy, Hospitality New Construction, which look at the whole building. Hyatt Centric (2021) and Homewood Suites (2012) each scored 53 points for Silver under New Construction v2009. Canopy scored 43 points for Certified in 2020 under Hospitality New Construction v4, and the Courtyard at the Navy Yard reached Certified in 2015 under New Construction v2.2.
LEED-certified Philadelphia hotels at a glance
| Hotel | LEED level | Rating system | Year certified | Points | Guest rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia by IHG | Gold | Commercial Interiors v2009 | 2013 | 78 | 9.2 |
| Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia by IHG | Gold | Commercial Interiors v2.0 | 2010 | Not listed | 9.0 |
| Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square Philadelphia | Silver | New Construction v2009 | 2021 | 53 | 8.8 |
| Homewood Suites University City Philadelphia | Silver | New Construction v2009 | 2012 | 53 | 8.2 |
| Canopy By Hilton Philadelphia Center City | Certified | Hospitality New Construction v4 | 2020 | 43 | 9.0 |
| Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia South at The Navy Yard | Certified | New Construction v2.2 | 2015 | Not listed | 9.0 |
Booking tips for LEED-certified stays in Philadelphia
- Philadelphia adds a 15.5% hotel tax to your room rate, so add it in when you compare prices.
- The two Kimptons earned Gold for their interiors only. If whole-building certification matters to you, look at the Silver and Certified hotels.
- The Four Seasons is in the LEED Platinum Comcast Technology Center, but that certification belongs to the office tower. The hotel has none of its own.
- Five of the six are within a 7-minute walk of a SEPTA Metro station. The Courtyard at the Navy Yard is the exception, 18 minutes on foot from NRG Station on the B (Broad Street Line).
LEED-certified hotels by neighborhood
The six hotels are spread across Old City, Center City, University City and the Navy Yard, so start with where you need to be.
- Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia by IHG is at 433 Chestnut St in Old City, a 2-minute walk from 5th St/Independence Hall on the L (Market-Frankford Line).
- Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia by IHG is at 117 S 17th St, 5 minutes on foot from 15th St/City Hall, where the L, B and T lines meet.
- Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square Philadelphia is on Chancellor St near Rittenhouse Square. Walnut-Locust on the B (Broad Street Line) is a 5-minute walk.
- Homewood Suites University City Philadelphia is the University City pick, at 4109 Walnut St and 7 minutes from 40th St on the L.
- Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia South at The Navy Yard is at 1001 Intrepid Ave. It's the furthest from the Metro, an 18-minute walk to NRG Station on the B.
- Canopy By Hilton Philadelphia Center City is at 1180 Ludlow Street, 3 minutes from 13th St on the L and T. The USGBC lists it as the Stephen Girard Building Hotel at 21 S 12th St.
The hotels
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia by IHG
433 Chestnut St.
9.21,287 reviews
2 min walk to 5th St/Independence Hall (L, Market-Frankford Line)LEED Gold with 78 points, awarded in 2013 under Commercial Interiors v2009, which rates the hotel's interior fit-out.
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Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia by IHG
117 S 17th St
9.0950 reviews
5 min walk to 15th St/City Hall (L, B and T lines)LEED Gold since 2010 under Commercial Interiors v2.0, on South 17th Street with a 9.0 guest score.
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Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square Philadelphia
1620 Chancellor St
8.81,382 reviews
5 min walk to Walnut-Locust (B, Broad Street Line)LEED Silver with 53 points in 2021 under New Construction v2009, the most recent certification on this page.
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Homewood Suites University City Philadelphia
4109 Walnut St
8.2620 reviews
7 min walk to 40th St (L, Market-Frankford Line)LEED Silver with 53 points, certified in 2012 under New Construction v2009, and the only one of the six in University City.
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Canopy By Hilton Philadelphia Center City
1180 Ludlow Street
9.0848 reviews
3 min walk to 13th St (L and T lines)LEED Certified with 43 points in 2020 under Hospitality New Construction v4; the USGBC lists it as the Stephen Girard Building Hotel.
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Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia South at The Navy Yard
1001 Intrepid Ave
9.0655 reviews
18 min walk to NRG Station (B, Broad Street Line)LEED Certified in 2015 under New Construction v2.2, at the Navy Yard with a 9.0 guest score.
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Frequently asked questions
What does LEED Certified mean compared to LEED Gold or Silver?＋
It comes down to points. Certified is the entry level at 40-49 under current USGBC scoring. Silver takes 50-59, Gold 60-79 and Platinum 80 or more, and all four levels count as LEED certification. The two Kimptons here earned Gold under Commercial Interiors, which rates the hotel's interior fit-out rather than the whole building.
Which Philadelphia hotel has the highest LEED rating?＋
The two Kimptons share the top level, Gold. Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia scored 78 points in 2013, two short of Platinum, and Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia reached Gold in 2010. Both were certified under Commercial Interiors, which covers the hotels' interiors rather than the whole building.
Which SEPTA stations are closest to these hotels?＋
The Monaco is 2 minutes from 5th St/Independence Hall on the L (Market-Frankford Line), Canopy is 3 minutes from 13th St, and the Palomar is 5 minutes from 15th St/City Hall. Hyatt Centric is 5 minutes from Walnut-Locust on the B (Broad Street Line), and Homewood Suites is 7 minutes from 40th St on the L. The Courtyard at the Navy Yard is 18 minutes on foot from NRG Station on the B. A Metro trip costs $2.90.
Does Philadelphia have any LEED Platinum hotels?＋
No. Gold is the highest level any Philadelphia hotel holds. The Four Seasons is in the LEED Platinum Comcast Technology Center at 1800 Arch Street, but that certification covers the office tower, and the hotel has no LEED certification of its own.
Where can I check a hotel's LEED certification?＋
In the USGBC project directory at usgbc.org/projects. All six hotels on this page are listed there with their level, rating system and certification date. Canopy by Hilton appears under the name Stephen Girard Building Hotel, at 21 S 12th St.
What is the hotel tax rate in Philadelphia?＋
Philadelphia's hotel tax totals 15.5%: the city's 8.5% hotel tax plus Pennsylvania's 6% and a further 1% local occupancy tax. If you park at the hotel, the city's 22.5% parking tax applies to the parking charge.
