Hotels along parade route booked to capacity Wednesday through Friday
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Hotels along Broad Street and the Parkway are getting ready to host the victory parade party of a lifetime, and phones have been ringing non-stop with anxious revelers looking for a place to stay.
"We thought the parade would be on Tuesday," said Corey Smith of Woodbury, N.J. "That's the way it's been every other year after the Super Bowl, but this isn't every other year."
The Smith family had booked a room for Tuesday and when they tried to change their hotel reservations to Wednesday and Thursday nights they were out of luck.
Representatives from the Doubletree Hotel said they have tried to accommodate everyone they could.
"We've been absolutely flexible with the parade schedule, to try to get everybody in," said Jeff Pratt of Doubletree Hotel.
But you had to call last night. The Doubletree was only 70 percent occupied then, but today - like every other hotel along the parade route- it is fully booked Wednesday through Friday.
"We're not letting it get us down," said Dana Smith. "We're still having going to have a good time."
Many hotels including the Doubletree and Embassy Suites will restrict the use of lobbies and other spaces to guests-only on Thursday, but some private event spaces are available.
It's not all bad news, however. While you might be out of luck scoring a room directly along the parade route, there are still some rooms and hotels available elsewhere in Center City, most starting around $179 a night.
If you don't necessarily need a room at last check, some hotels have private event spaces that are still available for parade day.
Some restaurants and bars still have availability, too, including one that seats hundreds at The Logan.
"They can still come," said The Logan's Dan Russo. "Urban Farmer has indoor space and two patios right on the Parkway and they can watch from there."
Urban Farmer also has a bar that will be open to people without a reservation.
Plus, the Logan has the most coveted viewing area upstairs at the Assembly Rooftop Lounge. But Russo says he has received inquiries from groups wanting to rent out the entire lounge, including one inquiry from a well-known sports team whose color is green.
Finally, one other place to consider watching the parade is Con Murphy's Pub on the Parkway. Doors will open at 6:30 a.m. and it will be first come, first serve.
TGI Fridays on the Parkway will open at 11am and be first come, first served. The balcony will be closed because a radio station will be broadcasting but the downstairs and upstairs will be open.
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