Barclay Hotel (Philadelphia)
The Barclay Hotel was located at 237 S. 18th St. on the southeast corner of Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, PA. Once the most famous hotel in the city and owned by John McShain (1898–1989), it has since been converted to condominiums. The hotel opened in October 1929.
The hotel was the site in 1980 of the FBI's Abscam sting operation, which exposed corruption in government. Federal agents posing as Arab sheikhs rented a suite here, where they solicited the help of local, state and federal officials.[1]
Literary references
The narrator of Nicholson Baker's novel The Fermata first discovers his ability to "freeze time" while staying at the Barclay Hotel as a child.
Trivia
The Barclay Prime steakhouse opened on the hotel's street level in 2004 and is famous for serving a $100 Philly Cheesesteak made from Kobe beef.
See also
References
External links
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