The Priory Hotel in Pittsburgh is a Historic Gem

The Priory is a small, European-style boutique hotel located on Pittsburgh's North Shore. The hotel was originally a church that was built in 1852 as the home of St. Mary's Parish, a congregation formed by many of Pittsburgh's German and Swiss immigrants. The architecture of the church is Italianate in style, one of the few buildings of this style found in Pittsburgh. It contains Austrian stained glass windows installed in 1912 (the original church had no windows) and contains a massive skylight. In 1888, the "priory'' was added as a home for Benedictine priests that served the parish. The entire property was slated for demolition in the 1980s but was purchased by a private party in 1984. Preservation and conversion to a hotel began a few years later. Today, the historic hotel, which exudes Edwardian and Victorian elegance, has garnered a number of awards and consistently receives high ratings from travel guides and other travel publications. Zagat has continuously rated it the number one hotel in Pittsburgh.

The Priory Hotel boasts 25 lovely guest rooms, all decorated differently. Though the rooms are old fashioned in flavor, they contain all the amenities of a modern facility. All of the rooms have high-speed wireless internet service, cable television with premium channels, hair dryers, irons and ironing boards, and plush mattresses with premium bedding. The eight business-class rooms at the hotel have hard-wired high speed internet ports for the convenience of business travelers. Choices of rooms include singles, king rooms, standard rooms, apartment suites, small suites, and large suites. Amenities and bedding configurations vary by room. Suites have pullout sofas and the apartment suite includes a living/dining area and a full kitchen. It is especially suitable to long-term stays or families who prefer not to eat all their meals at a restaurant. Rates vary according to season. There is no elevator at The Priory Hotel but there are four rooms on the first floor that are accessible to guests who can't climb the stairs.

Also for business travelers, meeting rooms are available and the hotel offers complimentary shuttle service to downtown and North Shore locations. A complimentary continental breakfast is offered as well. A small fitness room is available on site and there are many good places to jog or walk in the North Shore area.

Across the street from The Priory Hotel is the Grand Hall at The Priory, situated in the old church building. Considered one of the premiere event venues in Pittsburgh, the Grand Hall is an excellent choice for parties, weddings, fundraisers, and other special events. The hall still contains many of the original elements of the church, making it especially picturesque and stately. It can accommodate up to 350 guests for a sit-down dinner or as many as 500 for a cocktail-style reception. Highly-trained chefs offer top-notch catering options for the parties at the Grand Hall at the Priory.

This hotel offers a number of package plans including some that include dinner vouchers for nearby restaurants, tickets to area museums or sporting events, or excursions on sightseeing river cruises as well as overnight accommodations.