Pittsburgh is a city of distinct neighborhoods separated by rivers and hills, so where you sleep shapes your trip more than in many cities. For most visitors the choice comes down to downtown, where the walking tours, the Strip District, the North Shore and the Duquesne Incline are all within a walk or a short ride, or Oakland, the university and museum district about fifteen minutes east. The North Shore and the South Side have hotels too, but they are better places to visit than to base yourself on a first trip.
Downtown around Market Square: best for first-timers and luxury
The heart of downtown, around Market Square and the Cultural District, puts restaurants, theatres and the riverfront at your door, with the North Shore a walk across the bridge and the T light rail underfoot. Our splurge pick is Fairmont Pittsburgh on Market Street, a LEED Gold glass tower with 185 rooms whose floor-to-ceiling windows look out to PNC Park, Mount Washington and the skyline, plus a big health club with a sauna and steam room and a welcome for pets of all sizes. It has no pool, which is worth knowing for families.
William Penn Place and Mellon Square: best for history and character
A few blocks east, William Penn Place is lined with grand early-twentieth-century buildings. The Omni William Penn Hotel, our featured pick, has been the city's grande dame since 1916, with a chandeliered lobby, ornate ballrooms, The Speakeasy Lounge downstairs and an AAA Four Diamond rating, and it suits first-timers, couples and families who want a central address with a sense of occasion. A block away, Kimpton Hotel Monaco Pittsburgh fills the 1903 James H. Reed Building with bold colors and art, The Commoner restaurant and a rooftop biergarten, and suits couples, art lovers and travellers with dogs.
Grant Street: best for value and families
On downtown's eastern edge, Grant Street is quieter at night and an easy walk from the Strip District. The Drury Plaza Hotel Pittsburgh Downtown occupies the former Federal Reserve Bank building, with 207 rooms, a free hot breakfast, the free 5:30 Kickback with hot food and drinks each evening and an indoor pool and whirlpool. For families and budget-minded travellers, the included meals make it the best value downtown, though parking is valet only, so arrive by taxi or airport bus if you can.
Oakland: best for museums and a quieter stay
East of downtown, Oakland gathers the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History, Phipps Conservatory, the Cathedral of Learning and the campuses of Pitt and Carnegie Mellon, with plenty of casual places to eat. Our pick is The Oaklander Hotel, Autograph Collection, on Bigelow Boulevard, a stylish modern hotel with the Spirits and Tales lounge and its views, Cork and Crust for pizza and wine, and a pet-friendly policy. It suits museum lovers, parents visiting students and anyone with business at the nearby hospitals. Avoid university graduation and parents' weekends unless you book early.
How to choose
On a first visit of two or three days, stay downtown, near Market Square or William Penn Place, so you can walk to the tours, the Strip, the North Shore and the incline, and join the Fallingwater day trip at its downtown pickup. If the Carnegie museums and Phipps are your priorities, or you prefer quieter evenings, choose Oakland. Families on a budget should look first at the Drury Plaza for its pool and included meals. Whatever you choose, check parking costs before you book; downtown parking is expensive, and Pittsburgh is easy to enjoy without a car.
