PHOTOS COURTESY KIMPTON HOTEL MONACO PITTSBURGH

A stay at Kimpton Hotel Monaco opens Downtown up, allowing you to see the Golden Triangle the way a tourist might. You’ll be able to stroll from one cultural landmark to the next, scheduling great meals before marquee performances.

Of course, the hotel is so hospitable you’ll also be disinclined to ever leave the building. It’s a give and take.

The historic building — built in 1903 with Duquesne Light as its first tenant — was converted by the Kimpton chain in 2015, on the rising side of the boutique-hotel boom. Its rooms are beautiful and full of whimsical touches (look for birdcages pretty much everywhere), but the Hotel Monaco distinguishes itself on its service.

If, for example, you arrive in the midst of the hotel’s daily and complimentary wine hour, staff will scamper off to fetch a glass for you as you check in. If you walk out the front door and encounter rain, the valet will offer to lend you an umbrella. Headed to a destination that’s a bit of a walk? Borrow a bike (in appropriate weather), free of charge.

The Monaco’s “living room” space is a spot where you’ll actually be inclined to hang out. Grab your wine in the evening (or coffee and tea in the morning) and try one of the luxe board-game sets — the connect-four game is particularly impressive — or sit and read in an easy chair.

Most rooms are pet friendly; all contain an in-room yoga mat and offer 24-hour room service, including an all-night menu of selections from The Commoner. They’re also remarkably comfortable — so while you’ll appreciate being minutes away from the Benedum Center, Heinz Hall and PPG Paints Arena, you’ll feel a twinge of regret every time you actually leave your room behind.

Comfort:
Forget your toiletry bag on purpose; you’ll want to use the bath products from Atelier Bloem. In-room breakfast service (order the night before and leave the card on your doorknob) is first-rate. For those traveling with young children, products from 4moms are available to make your toddler feel equally pampered.

Activities:
In the warmer months, the rooftop beer garden is a fine place to end the night. Revive the lost art of letter writing with the quaint postcard station in the living room; send a loved one a note and hotel staff will take care of the postage.

Hidden Features:
Look for framed art of lightbulbs — a nod to the building’s original tenants, Duquesne Light — and postcards addressed to former tenants.

History:
The Beaux Arts-style building, formerly dubbed the James H. Reed building, hosted a number of tenants throughout its nearly 120-year history; it was for several decades the home of law firm Reed Smith. Kimpton rehabilitated the building after a period of vacancy.

620 William Penn Place, Downtown  |  412/471-1170  |  monaco-pittsburgh.com

Valet parking is available for $38/night

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