Hotel Anna & Bel by B March and Foyer

Hotel Anna & Bel has opened in Philadelphia’s Fishtown – a former working-class neighbourhood now brimming with art, culture and music. Located within a historic 18th-century building and designed by B March and Foyer, the full-service boutique hotel is the first of its kind in the area.

Rising three storeys at the intersection of Susquehanna Avenue and Belgrade Street (the project’s name is a portmanteau of the two thoroughfares), the building’s restored red-brick facade, grand front entrance and decorative cornices make a strong statement in the low-lying neighbourhood. Originally built as a mansion in the 1700s before being extended and converted into the Penn Asylum for women in 1858, this lineage – both in terms of important architectural character and its identity as a place run by women, for women – was integral to the design response.

At 50 rooms, Hotel Anna & Bel is an intimate offering (there are 45 rooms in the original main building and five in the annexed adjoining townhouse), and that sensibility rings true throughout.

The interior taps into this heritage through a layered approach of timber and rich hues. An art program curated by Philadelphia-based firm Paradigm Art Advisory, which highlights the work of local women artists, thoughtfully paves the way for personal and cosy spaces elevated by the building’s stately bones. “As guests explore the hotel, we hope they discover small touches like the original window seats and treatments on the landing of the staircase, or the light-filled nook just off the second-floor elevators that evoke a sense of whimsy,” says Galli Arbel of Foyer.

At 50 rooms, Hotel Anna & Bel is an intimate offering (there are 45 rooms in the original main building and five in the annexed adjoining townhouse), and that sensibility rings true throughout. That said, the amenities are extensive with a wellness centre, retail boutique, cocktail bar and restaurant. The indisputable jewel of this hotel, however, is the guest-exclusive courtyard and pool. Sitting at the heart of the property and lined by crepe myrtle trees and umbrella-shaded loungers, this urban oasis has the character of New Orleans’ French Quarter with a flicker of the Mediterranean.

Rising three storeys at the intersection of Susquehanna Avenue and Belgrade Street (the project’s name is a portmanteau of the two thoroughfares), the building’s restored red-brick facade, grand front entrance and decorative cornices make a strong statement in the low-lying neighbourhood.

This medley of influences and outcomes emerges across the property – from the Creole- style wraparound porches to the French farmhouse aesthetic in the rooms. Elsewhere, it could be confused, yet here at Hotel Anna & Bel, amid Fishtown’s growing diversity and dynamism, it’s a patchwork that’s easy to embrace.

Architecture by B March. Interior design by Foyer.