The Divine Lorraine isn't the only Philadelphia hotel that's no longer taking reservations. But while our Divine Ms. L. is poised for a second life, others haven't been so lucky. We give you The Hotel Vendig, Philly's budget-friendly hotel of the late 19th century.
The depot hotel for Reading Terminal, the Vendig, completed in 1989, was never a crown jewel of Philadelphian hospitality. It was never meant to be. Later called the Bond Hotel before it was demolished in 1990 to make way for The Convention Center, the five-story building was built to accommodate "commercial travelers who needed an inexpensive, convenient place to stay while they tried to sell their goods."
But the Vendig was no flea-bag: it did boast some modestly luxurious amenities such as electronic ceiling fans, private toilets with "royal" flush valves, and "flowing" ice water. Also, contemporary advertisements for the hotel praised its "absolutely fireproof" design. You just don't see bold claims like that anymore.
· Doomed Hotel With Whimsical Faces [Philly.com]
· A Cat's Funeral and a Philadelphia Mystery [Pennsylvania Oddities]
· Hotel Vendig Philadelphia Postcard [Flickr]