The Chelsean New York Hotel

Overpriced and poor quality, like a typical NYC hotel. The whole place has a strange smell, and the staff seemed arrogant, as if checking me in was a favor. My room was dirty, and the chair was literally falling apart. The AC blew a dusty, smelly breeze when I turned it on, making it obvious the filter was overdue for replacement. The carpet was dirty too. In the bathroom, the faucet wobbled and was barely attached. The shower head was loose, with a huge gap where it met the wall and no trim or proper caulking. The bed had only a thin blanket that felt like a sheet of paper. The list goes on.

We stayed three days to be close to NYC, and the hotel was a pleasant surprise. Our room on the 14th floor was quiet and had a really nice city view. The beds and bathroom were clean and comfortable, and I liked that the room was refreshed whenever we went out and came back. The room was a little dated and could use an update and more thorough cleaning. We found a few things on the floor that weren't ours. The toilet also leaked slightly from the back when flushed, though it wasn't a major issue and may be down to the hotel's age.

The bathroom had mold, and there was pink grime in the tub and shower grout and across the black bathroom floor. The place felt barely cleaned, and the floors looked as if they hadn't been cleaned since the building became a hotel. It wasn't worth it if you care about cleanliness or peace of mind. The first-floor bar and lounge, The Rose, was loud and rowdy, so sleeping was impossible. My room was advertised with a view, but all I saw was the back of an alley and someone's apartment toilet.

The front desk staff were great: check-in was smooth and pleasant, they were willing to help, and the brown-skinned woman with freckles or moles smiled whenever I came by. The older Asian man at the door was warm too. They have luggage storage, and being able to get in super early was a plus. The room itself was okay, though outdated, and I didn't expect much. No frills. The shower was nice and the water got SUPER HOT. There was no fridge unless you requested one and paid $25, and no microwave. The toilet definitely flooded, and I couldn't find the cause. I've run into that with lots of toilets in NY, maybe because of low water pressure. My main issue was the dust or pollen. The pillows smelled unpleasant, like someone's dirty scalp had been on them, and were so dusty or polleny that I started choking and couldn't sleep. I sneezed, coughed, and had itchy, watery eyes and congestion. I finally put my towel over the pillows so my face wouldn't touch them, and then I slept okay. There was also a weird body odor smell. Please clean the rooms better and use a filter. Maybe the old building isn't getting enough funding, I don't know. I wanted to cry myself to sleep. The people were so hospitable, but I won't go back unless they seriously improve the cleaning and filtration. I'll do a better job finding a hotel next time.