Functional, but not spiffy!
A few months ago, I reviewed a hotel near Princeton that had this strange, sort of sterile (but not in a clean sort of way) institutional sense about it. I would have to say, this property had many of those same traits.
It wasn't bad. Nor was it dirty. It just wasn't spiffy. In fact, it sort of felt like a ... University hotel! The best decision we made was to upgrade by $20 for the club level (or whatever they call it,) which meant we got a VERY nice continental breakfast for the cost of a tip. Eggs, cereal, fruit, Starbucks coffee. We left feeling very satiated, and the desk staff was certainly kind and helpful.
Weird, but safe neighborhood. (Near University of Pennsylvania, with some trendy neighborhoods nearby, but you're not quite actually IN one.) Would stay again if the price were right.