TRAVELORE DESTINATION REPORT: Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Is Home To 8 Fortune 500 Firms, A Thriving Arts District, Champion Sports Teams, And Is Now Gaining National Attention As A 'Hot' Destination To Visit

We were impressed with our first ever visit to Pittsburgh to learn about the development of new hotels in this thriving metropolitan area, named by Conde Nast Traveler as One Of the Top Places In The World To Visit in 2015. We found the city to be clean, reminding us of Toronto, with a mix of eclectic and warmth of a small town feel.

We stayed at one of the newer hotels, the Hotel Monaco. The Hotel Monaco, part of the Kimpton Hotel group, is located in a beautiful Beaux Art style building dating back to 1903. We found the hotel with 247 rooms including 13 suites very comfortable and friendly, with an intent to connect people with offerings including a complementary wine hour. Some of the elements of the hotel are quirky including whimsical art including a theme of bird cages throughout the hotel. Before staying there we recommend visiting their website, www.kimptonhotels.com ,  and joining their Karma Rewards program so you'll be set up with free internet access and extras including a $10 bar credit. We also recommend you call to request complementary services including evening turn-down service and a coffee maker. The hotel does not have a business center or computers to use so we used the business center at the nearby Fairmont. For more details please visit: Www.Monaco-Pittsburgh.Com or call 412-471-1170

The Four Diamond Fairmont Pittsburgh features 185 guest rooms, 12,000 square feet of meeting space and a full-service health club and spa. Unique to the pet friendly Fairmont Hotels are Canine Ambassadors, represented by Edie who is a Boxer/Labrador Retriever mix in Pittsburgh. Edie welcomes guests, hosts events to benefit local animal shelters, and visits local schools and events.  Even if you are not staying at the hotel we recommend visiting to view their display of artifacts from the excavation of the PNC Plaza that the hotel is in.  More than 26,000 objects dating from 1840 to 1872 were recovered by archaeologists offering a unique glimpse into the life and commerce of Pittsburgh in the mid-1800's. The hotel is also the city's first LEED Gold certified hotel. For more details please visit: www.Fairmont.Com/Pittsburgh



One of the more unique dining experiences to Pittsburgh is Emporio, A Meatball Joint. Varieties featured include Classic  Beef, Spicy Pork, Turkey and Vegetarian. We were very pleased with the vegetarian variety made with mushrooms, white beans, and  cauliflower. Nine sauces are offered as well as traditional and eclectic varieties of sides We selected the arrabiata sauce and vegetable quinoa side. For more details please visit: http://emporioameatballjoint.com/ or call 412-281-2810

On future visits to Pittsburgh we will plan to report on the thriving arts and recreational activities offered. For more details please visit: Www.VisitPittsburgh.Com .