The Iconic Chelsea Hotel

The most recent iteration of the Chelsea Hotel was the fully refurbished hotel that opened in February 2022. When you walk into the lobby with its John McPherson design, the change is there. It’s a monumental difference from back in the day, however, it presents itself subtly and doesn’t scream, “I’ve changed!” This is due largely to the fact that the building was landmarked in 1977. Many elements, such as its facade and famous stairwell, cannot be changed in accordance with its landmark status. Instead, the current owners have worked with and around its physical history and the enhancements are fitting. When the Bard family, who presided over the hotel from 1947 - 2007, lost their majority stake in the hotel, all of New York City watched to see what would happen. The controversies at the hotel were on the front page of the newspapers almost every day. The hotel’s residents (yes, 44 “rooms” in the hotel are actually apartments with permanent residents — you can see inside many of their homes in a coffee table book by Colin Miller and Ray Mock) protested loudly. Everyone in the neighborhood feared something horrible would befall their beloved Chelsea Hotel.

However, the opposite has happened. The renovations are gorgeous, stylish and subtle. Even their use of animal prints on the fabric of some dining room chairs does not overwhelm. It’s the scrappy DIY band that made it big but honors their roots. There are 158 rooms in 15 room categories (200 to 1700 square feet for every budget) and each one is a bit different than the one before. The entryway to each rentable room is uniform, however, many of the resident’s doorways are uniquely decorated.

There is a wonderful front-facing king room with a balcony, and distinctive stained glass windows. The stained glass is landmarked, however, you’d never suspect it wasn’t a recent design choice. Next, there is a very quiet room with a queen bed. This one had a more honest, just-moved-to-NYC, view: the back of the next door building! The one-bedroom has a fully stocked kitchen and is outfitted with a Lacanche range and its own washer and dryer. The hotel will allow occupants to have guests here, but no parties. (Well, not without advance permission.) When the current owners of the hotel (who also own The Ludlow, The Greenwich Hotel and The Bowery Hotel, amongst others) purchased the property, they inherited a ton of artwork. Much of it is hanging at the base of each stairway in yet another commitment to honoring the history of the hotel. One of the staff members is a major Chelsea history buff and offers guests a tour of the hotel.

(Quick note— they do get room requests. Did you read Just Kids and now want to stay in the room where its author, Patti Smith, lived with Robert Mapplethorpe? You can ask, however, they cannot guarantee the availability of specific rooms. And no, they will not even tell you in which room Nancy Spungen spent her last night).

What are the perks of staying at the Chelsea Hotel? (Besides saying that you spent a few nights in the hotel where EVERYONE who's ANYONE has stayed from Dylan Thomas to Bob Dylan to Jack Kerouac to the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Mariah Carey! And yes, there is a secret VIP entrance for those who are too famous for their own good!). They have a spa and gym that is anticipated to open in September 2023. This area of the hotel is LOVELY. It’s on the roof and there are floor to ceiling windows and a cozy and sweet terrace. The small gym is in one of the hotel’s steeples.

Hotel guests get priority reservations to the Lobby Bar. If you are not from NYC, you have no idea how coveted that is. Try walking into the Lobby Bar on a Friday or Saturday, or even on a Tuesday, and getting a table, or even a seat at the bar, without an hour’s wait. Not possible. While you are in the bar, order an herby cocktail and a small snack. Then, check out the gorgeous tin ceiling. This is the original ceiling that the current owners discovered after having removed the tarnished drop ceilings and painstaking cleaned each square.

Next, head to El Quijote, the famed rock and roll hangout frequented by Jimi Hendrix, Patti Smith and Janis Joplin, for dinner. There is a framed photo right near the northernmost seat at the bar, of Andy Warhol at his reserved regular table! El Quijote is much smaller than before the renovations, but it retains the same mural on the eastern wall and is still serving Spanish cuisine, such as paella and sangria, only the chefs have modernized the recipes and streamlined the menu.

There is another restaurant, Cafe Chelsea, a French American bistro with a 26 foot bar, on the ground floor of the building. Hotel guests can order room service from this restaurant. Soon, it will have a private dining room. The hotel is also home to the Bard Room, a large party room that seats 23 - 100 people (it can be divided) which features its own private bar and entranceway.

The Chelsea Hotel is a fantastic property for the nostalgic music buff, the stylish and trendy, art lovers and creative types, business people who don’t work in conference rooms, and all of their families. It’s also a phenomenal place to hold an event or dinner party, or a terrific place for a guest-from-out-of-town to stay.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to New York. In need of further inspiration?