Former 18th-century women’s asylum transformed into STUNNING luxury hotel

An 18th-century women’s asylum has taken on new life as a swanky, stylish hotel that’s getting a lot of hype.

Hotel Anna & Bel opened in Philadelphia in August, and can be found tucked away in a quiet corner of The City of Brotherly Love deeply entrenched in history.

The property was long a communal living home called the Penn Asylum for Indigent Widows and Single Women, where widows could go after their husbands died.

It stayed that way for more than a century, providing services to older women and eventually men in the neighborhood.

The center finally closed its doors in 2020 after 162 years, spurring concerns over what would come next. But real estate professionals have now managed to resuscitate it – with 50 repurposed rooms and rates starting at $300 a night.

‘Throughout the renovation process we worked with the Preservation Society of Philadelphia to emphasize and honor the property’s rich architectural history,’ Dor Berkovitz told Travel + Leisure before it opened last month.

Berkovitz is the co-founder of the real estate development firm responsible for the project, Foyer Project.

She went on to describe the year-long process and how it was done ‘while breathing a new design life into the space with modern amenities and features.’ 

‘That new design life takes ample inspiration from the property’s history,’ she said – citing ‘curved lines, pastel colors, and other elements that lean into the “inherent femininity of the property.”‘

The finished product was unveiled on August 7, and was named one of the most exciting hotel openings earlier this year by Condé Nast Traveler,

Its restaurant Bastia was included on Bon Appétit’s must-visit new restaurants list, operated by chef Tyler Akin, the mind behind Le Cavalier at Wilmington’s Hotel Du Pont.

For a neighborhood far away from the hustle and bustle of the city – historic Fishtown northeast of Center City – it was a welcome addition, Berkovitz said.

The area has been an outpost for the working class for centuries, but recently has been reemerged as an area where culinary, art and music trends kick off. 

Anna & Bel fits right in, in this sense, with on-site cocktail piano lounge Caletta serving up spritzes, swizzles and Italian bites that bolster Bastia’s seafood. 

‘As residents of the neighborhood, we don’t have anything similar that appeals to both visitors to the area and locals alike,’ Berkovitz said of the hotel that also has a courtyard pool.

‘In recent years, Fishtown has seen a surge of new restaurants and shopping.

‘So we felt the neighborhood would be perfect for travelers who are looking for a destination that combines a sense of community with full amenities and boutique offerings.’

Rooms vary in size from studios and two-beds, and some include balconies.

There’s a patio area, fitness center, sauna, and an array of art – mostly from local and female artists that hark back to its history.

‘As a home and community pillar for generations, this beloved neighborhood spot is full of rich heritage,’ a profile on the website states.

Aside from artful décor and day-to-night dining, the hotel’s pool is heated, and is buoyed up by a state-of-the-art  fitness room, sauna, and spa.

The terrace on the second floor is shared, and was once traversed by the women who called the building home.

The outdoor space it overlooks – originally built in the 1880s and 90s – was redesigned ‘to feel transportive,’ Berkovitz said. 

‘We wanted the area to feel like an escape from the city. 

The result is something more akin to New Orleans than Philly, surrounded by iron railings ‘that draw from both French and chic Mediterranean influences to make the area feel like a coastal oasis,’ she told the publication.

A document filed by The Keeping Society of Philadelphia to get permission to preserve the building adds some useful insight to the structure’s significance – and the bid to protect it.

Established in 1852, the Penn Asylum for Indigent Widows and Single Women ‘exemplifies the cultural, political, economic, social or historical heritage of the [Fishtown] community. 

‘For over 140 years, the organization provided housing for women in the community over than 59 years of age’, the document states.

A charter change in the 1990s allowed the organization to expand  – from just widows to an affordable nursing home regardless of gender.

It suddenly closed it doors in September 2020 – a victim of staffing shortfalls brought on by the pandemic.

Shortly after closing, however, the building was added to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places by The Keeping Society of Philadelphia, thus protecting it from future demolition.

Berkovitz and co. filed to rezone it a little over a year later, and the rest is history.

The hotel is now fully open for business and poised to add to the building’s already sterling reputation, while providing renewed purpose.