Chestnut Hill Inn
by Patti Guthrie
Since 2007 when Ron and Abby Pete bought the Chestnut Hill Hotel, situated in the historic Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia, they have been renovating the hotel and have transformed the area completely. The careful renovation has affected every square inch, inside and out. It included knocking down walls and closing up a window inside and adding back the second floor balcony and redoing the ground floor terraces outside. Other changes were subtle, like the recess built for a flat screen TV, making it flush with the wall in one of the smallest rooms where space is at a premium.
The hotel, which has 36 guest rooms, 27 that are in the main building, is a stately stone structure constructed in 1894. The other nine rooms are in the Post Office and Carriage House, two buildings across the “Fareway” from the main hotel.
In this ongoing renewal the attention to even the tiniest detail has been extraordinary. For example, each section of the metalwork surrounding the front terrace and balcony has a small, centered “CH” for Chestnut Hill. Ron commented, “We had James Morrissey of Morrissey Designs do the outside metal work and landscaping in conjunction with Howie Supnik. In fact, in 2010 our landscaping won the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Commercial Landscape Design Award. And, the massive wood front door and entryway woodwork, designed by Joel Levinson, was crafted by James Van Etten.”
Sharon Kindred and Zahra Karimi of K2 Design from Scottsdale, Arizona did the inside of the hotel, Post Office and carriage house. Their decorating is eclectic.” Ron explained, “The rooms in the hotel itself are updated Victorian or traditional, while those in the Post Office are retrofit to the 1950s, three with kitchenettes, which are high-end kitchens. All five rooms are decorated in 1950s décor and with oversized post cards carrying the ’50s Post Office theme because the actual Chestnut Hill Post Office is on the ground floor.” And each of the four carriage house rooms, on the second floor of a real carriage house, has a working fireplace, claw foot tub in the bathroom, sliding heavy wood doors into the closet and bathroom, and the original wood beans and structure throughout. One of two rooms with a skylight also houses the original carriage house equipment, while the larger Honeymoon Suite offers a whirlpool tub.
Ron said, “We have a couple of standard-looking hotel rooms that were built in 1994 when a new wing was added. Otherwise, all of the rooms are different. In our remodeling, we didn’t take any short cuts.” He added, “We now are an upscale, boutique hotel, more like an inn or a bed and breakfast.”
Every guestroom features all of the amenities, including either king or queen size beds, a flat screen TV, a Herman Miller chair, a small refrigerator, Internet access, a douvet, a flashlight and an LED-lit, lined closet with a safe. When the Petes travel, they pay close attention to every detail in their hotel, incorporating the best into their remodeling, such as the lined closets, which they saw on a trip abroad. Each closet also has an umbrella and terrycloth bathrobes. Bathrooms have heated mirrors and make-up mirrors. Abby noted, “Our bath products are environmentally friendly L’Occitaine.” Ron added, “The smallest room is only one of two with a shower because of space restrictions.”
The main building has a fitness center, its wall decorated with one of 13 known George Jensen bicycles, and the Bombay Room, a business center that can accommodate meetings, as well as parties like bridal or baby showers. In addition, it doubles as the dining room where the Continental Breakfast Plus is served daily to guests. Ron said, “We offer fresh fruit, cereal, yogurt, waffles, hard boiled eggs, toast and pastries, along with a selection of juices, coffee and tea.” Abby added, “We use china and silverware that I’ve found at garage sales and thrift stores.” This room is off the completely renovated lobby, now showcasing artwork by talented artist Leslie Pontz, Abby’s sister.
There are four restaurants on the property: the Paris Bistro, run by Chef Al Paris, with a lower level Jazz Café featuring live entertainment Thursday through Sunday evenings, that space decorated by the people who did Zanzibar in Philadelphia; the Chestnut Hill Grill with, in Ron’s words, “Consistently good food”; the Green Soul – the Bridge for Better Eating – “There’s nothing like it in the area,” he said; and, the King’s Garden offering Chinese cuisine. In addition, there’s The Market, an up-scale gourmet, Reading-Terminal-type place with 14 vendors, open Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The terraces in front and along the side of the main building are filled with tables and chairs, encouraging people to eat outside, regardless of which restaurant provided the food.
The most recent major renovation, completed a year ago, is the Fareway between the hotel and Post Office, Carriage House and The Market. Done by Morrissey Designs, it features a garden entrance to the main building, complete with fountains, a sculpture garden with a couple of huge dogs, the terrace with tables, chairs and a phone plug-in, plus a fire pit surrounded by a half dozen large, whimsical, brightly colored, plastic chairs. The flower gardens were done by Susan Galka.
Also decorating the Fareway are large-scale, digital reproductions of donated children’s art. Ron explained, “It’s called Fresh Artists in East Falls and was started by Barbara Allen. When a business makes a financial gift, it gets these artworks in return. The proceeds deliver art supplies and programs to schools with empty shelves. It now is all over the country, keeping art in underserved schools.”
In spite of all the renovations to the Chestnut Hill Hotel apart, Ron believes it is service that sets the Chestnut Hill Hotel from others. “We want our staff to exceed our guests’ expectations. Our staff of ten to twelve, both full and part time, is very accommodating.” He added, “For instance, people love our mattresses. So we provide the information for them to purchase identical mattresses for their homes.”
The Petes have spent much of their working careers in the hospitality field. They presently own two Best Westerns in Pennsylvania, in addition to the Chestnut Hill Hotel. Abby grew up in Spring House in Montgomery County, while Ron hails from Lock Haven. Both went to Temple University. After marrying, they moved to Lock Haven so he could work with his father and brother in the family
business, five ladies retail stores called Smart Shop. He did that from 1972 to 1990. They also bought an apartment building, and in the mid-1980s converted the ground floor into seven hotel suites. “Since there was no front desk, we had a lock box with a combination I changed maybe once a month or so. People paid by check or cash,” he explained. “We called it Lindsey Place, after our youngest daughter.” In 1990, they built a 67-room hotel in Lock Haven they still own, now a Best Western. Their other Best Western is in DuBois.
They moved to Philadelphia 15 years ago. Their three daughters now are grown. Jamie, who earned her MBA at the University of Virginia, is the President of a Kaplan Higher Education school in Bensalem, while her younger sister Erin is a pediatrician at CHOP. And, Lindsey, the youngest and an MIT grad with an MBA from Columbia, works for her parents. Presently, she’s planning to open a youth hostel in Philadelphia.
The one remaining semi-major project is making an idea Ron has involving the elevator in the main building a reality. Otherwise, the renovations are finished, except for an occasional tweak here and there.
If a mid-week getaway sounds appealing, especially one including a Thursday so you can browse
The Market and take in the live jazz, you should plan you stay soon, while you still can eat outside on the terraces. For more information, visit their website at www.chestnuthillhotel.com or call the hotel at 215-242-5905.
Patti Guthrie is a freelance writer and antiques dealer from Chalfont, PA.