The Hyatt Penns' Landing may be releasing its low-priced Priceline rooms only at the last minute. Like you, I was unsuccessful at bids up to $80 in the weeks before my 4/20 visit. On the afternoon of 4/20 though, I drove into Philly without a reservation, went straight to the hotel, told the valet parking people I would be just a couple minutes, went inside, asked the front desk if they had an internet access terminal I could use, was shown to the Business Center, logged onto a computer there ($5 for 10 minutes), bid $60 for a 4* in the area and won the hotel. For grins I also checked the Hyatt website, which told me the same room would cost me $169. I went straight from the Business Center to the Front Desk and checked in. The clerk didn't even blink. I got a great room on the 9th floor with a view of the river and the Ben Franklin bridge. Parking was steep though, $26 for valet with in/out privileges; $20 self park, no in/out. My 9 year old daughter and I used our savings to sample a couple of Philly's famous cheese steak joints. Geno's was first -- Mary Claire said their sandwich tasted "just like Subway's" (not a compliment) and I agreed. Wonder-bread style roll, small portion of tasteless beef, no flavor to the Provolone. If I hadn't added hot peppers, the sandwich would have had no flavor at all! I was all set to write off Phiily cheesesteaks as overrated, but Tony Luke's saved the City of Brotherly Love's reputation with a much better sandwich. Anybody know if Pat's makes a better cheesesteak than Geno's?
