Where to stay in Philadelphia: the best neighbourhoods and hotels

This is the Philadelphia of the history books. Independence Hall, where the founding documents were signed, faces the Liberty Bell across a long lawn; around them lie Benjamin Franklin's grave, the house where Betsy Ross is said to have sewn the first flag, and Elfreth's Alley, a tiny cobbled street lived in since the early 1700s. The old warehouses now hold galleries, coffee shops and bars, and Penn's Landing, on the Delaware, has a waterfront promenade and seasonal skating rink.

The Kimpton Hotel Monaco, in a historic building directly across from the Liberty Bell, is the most fun, with bold design and a rooftop bar. The Renaissance is an Art Deco-styled hotel with an indoor pool, five minutes from Independence Hall. The Marriott Old City is a solid, central all-rounder, and the Hilton at Penn's Landing sits right on the river with wide water views.

Rittenhouse Square is one of the five original squares William Penn drew on his plan for the city, and it remains the most beloved: a small park of old trees, fountains and bronze animals, surrounded by apartment towers and pavement cafés. The streets around it are Philadelphia's most fashionable, with the main shopping run along Walnut Street and an extraordinary number of good restaurants, many of them bring-your-own-bottle.

The Rittenhouse, overlooking the square itself, is the city's classic luxury hotel. The Sofitel brings French polish to a street just east, the Kimpton Hotel Palomar occupies a handsome 1920s Art Deco building, and the Warwick is a long-established favourite a few steps from the park. The Franklin on Rittenhouse, with only 20 rooms, is the intimate option.

At the centre of the grid stands City Hall, a wildly ornate pile topped by a statue of William Penn. South of it, Broad Street becomes the Avenue of the Arts, home to the Academy of Music and the Kimmel Center. To the east is the convention centre and, beneath an old railway shed, Reading Terminal Market, where Amish bakers, cheesesteak grills and oyster bars feed half the city at lunchtime.

Several hotels here have taken over magnificent old buildings. The Ritz-Carlton fills a domed former bank opposite City Hall. The Bellevue, on the Avenue of the Arts, is a Gilded Age grande dame two blocks from the concert halls. Loews occupies a landmark 1930s skyscraper and has a spa, and the Notary is set in a stately old civic building beside City Hall.

The Benjamin Franklin Parkway cuts diagonally from City Hall to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and it is lined with culture all the way: the Franklin Institute science museum, the Rodin Museum, and the Barnes Foundation with its astonishing hoard of Renoirs, Cézannes and Matisses. At the far end, people of all ages jog up the museum steps and raise their fists like Rocky. Behind it, riverside paths follow the Schuylkill past Boathouse Row.

The Logan, on Logan Square about a mile from the Museum of Art, is filled with local artwork and suits families visiting the museums. The Four Seasons occupies the top floors of the Comcast tower, with an indoor pool and spa in the sky. The big Sheraton is a short walk from the Franklin Institute, and Element, near Love Park, includes breakfast.

West of the Schuylkill River, University City is home to the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University: leafy quads, museums, bookshops and a famously good line-up of lunch trucks. The grand 30th Street Station, with fast trains to New York and Washington, is on its edge, and Center City is a short ride or a 20-minute walk over the bridge.

The Inn at Penn sits on the Penn campus itself, five minutes from Drexel. The Study is a smart, bookish hotel made for visiting academics and parents, and the Homewood Suites has kitchens for longer stays.

Philadelphia International Airport is only a few miles south-west of the centre, with a train into town. Between the two lies the South Philadelphia sports complex, where the Eagles, the Phillies, the 76ers and the Flyers all play. The Embassy Suites, less than a mile from the airport, has two-room suites with breakfast included; the Philadelphia Airport Marriott is the convenient full-service choice; and the Courtyard at the Navy Yard is a short drive from the stadiums.

About 30 minutes north-west of the city, King of Prussia is known for one thing above all: its mall, one of the largest in the United States, with hundreds of shops under one roof. Next door, Valley Forge National Historical Park marks the fields where George Washington's army endured the winter of 1777, now a beautiful place to walk or cycle.

The Alloy is a stylish hotel minutes from the mall. The Crowne Plaza offers free parking and a shuttle within five miles, the Sheraton Valley Forge is about a mile from the shops, and the Valley Forge Casino Resort adds gaming tables and restaurants to the mix.

Bensalem, about 20 minutes north-east of Center City, is a practical stop for families heading to Sesame Place, the Sesame Street theme park in nearby Langhorne, or for anyone driving the corridor between Philadelphia and New York. The Inn at Fox Chase is a newly renovated hotel next to the Parx casino and racetrack, the Courtyard has an indoor pool, and the Hampton Inn & Suites is a dependable, good-value choice.