SandyBrit

Hello,

Anyone stayed at The Hampton Inn Chelsea NYC, 108 West 24th Street. Tripadvisor has 2 half way decent reviews and states this is a new hotel. Rates seem to be extremely reasonable. However I am a bit concerned about the general area i.e is it safe at night. Thoughts anyone.

Thanks so much.

Sandy

mp

Funny you should ask . . . I live in the neighborhood (well, close by - 9 blocks away) and I'm looking for a local hotel for some relatives to stay for two nights at the end of the month, preferably within walking distance, or a short cab ride. I was going to stop by tomorrow to check out the rooms - I'll let you know . . .is there anything specific you're looking for?

I'll check out that specific block - but I can tell you - the neighborhood has changed radically in the past 2 years - at least 4 high rise rental buildings have gone up in the vicinty and there has been a big influx of residents - there is a beautiful Whole Foods Supermarket on 7th avenue and between 23rd & 24th St, lotsa good restaurants within 3 or 4 blocks and it is very near several different subway lines and buses.

You can even walk (in less than 10 minutes) to Penn Station. But it still has funny pockets - it's the border of the ever shrinking "flower district" - and the "fur district" and the southern tip of the garment industry - small manufacturers and vendors living cheek by jowl with Fashion Students and loft dwellers and NYers living in $2500 per month studios. It's as safe as any in NYC - which these days, is pretty safe.

SandyBrit

mp:

Doesn't have to be that fancy but clean and prefer a room that has chairs or a sofa so that we can relax in the evening. What sort of views from the room (hate it when the window looks out on a brick wall) We are coming to visit a son who now lives around West 12th Street. Looking to find something that is within walking distance if possible. Came upon The Hampton Inn Chelsea on the web.

Do you know anything about The Inn on 23rd Street or A Garden in Chelsea located at 439 West 22nd Street. These look very nice on the web and seem to be in the general area.

Appreciate your offer to report back. Thank you so much.

Sandy

Gothampc

Very safe neighborhood. You should have no problems with the neighborhood.

Tandoori_Girl

I don't know exactly where this is but I know it's very near an office I had at the corner of Bdwy & 26th for about nine months a year ago. I would often leave late at night to walk to the subway alone. I never had any problems, although I often would walk past the homeless at night setting up their cardboard beds along Broadway. But I never had one incident. This area is where a lot of photographers and graphic designers have studios.

As mp reported, this is the edge of the flower district -- and it's quite a nice experience to walk down 7th (isn't that it?) amid all the flowers, with vendors buying and checking out the goods. Often you can buy at half price if you're there in the evening. Heading south on Broadway you'll find some great shopping. There's a huge Barnes and Noble there as well. Lots of Indian food in that area.

This is also where you can buy wholesale jewelry if you have a vendors license and tax number. Same for athletic hats.

How convenient to have mp stop by to check out the hotel and give us a personal POV. I will be heading back to NY soon for work and might need to set up another office -- I'm looking forward to hearing his report.

Rhea

Chelsea is a Happening area. We moved our office into the area 5 yrsago & just moved again --3 blocks
away.
I had checked out the Inn on 23rd for
client visits and it IS a very nice, homey B&B but they require a minimum of a 2-night stay. Not good for us but maybe for you. Another option @ corner of 7th & 23rd is Chelsea Savoy

MFNYC

Another reasonable place in that area it the Broadway PLaza hotel on Broadway and 26th. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but cousin just stayed there and siad it was fine. It also gets good reviews on tripadvisor.

As far as the area, it's fine at night. There are tons of restaurants, and lots of people on the street.

SandyBrit

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to post a reply. It is most helpful. Looking forward to report from mp.

Without a doubt this is a wonderful forum for information.

Sandy

HowardR

In the past few years, Chelsea has become a very trendy area.
Among other things, it's a very convenient area to other midtown sites, an easy walk to Greenwich Village and Soho or uptown to the Empire State Building and Times Square area.

mp

Hi SandyBrit - So I went over to the Hampton Inn Chelsea and I must say, it was pretty good. Everyone was very friendly, it is very clean and nicely laid out. They have been open for only 4 months.

The lobby is small, but is furnished with contemporary furniture in muted shades of chocolate brown and tan. There is a breakfast room in the back - free breakfast comes with the room - coffee, juice, cereals, yougurt and fresh bagels, all very well arranged and clean. I looked at rooms on the third floor - no views but decent enough light, because the building is set back from the street. The upper floor rooms (above the 6th or so) in both the front and back of the hotel have nice views. The upper floors (above the 10th I think I was told) in the front have views of the Empire State Building. The back of the building looks downtown toward Greenwich Village.

The rooms are small - standard NYC hotel room - maybe 250 to 300 square feet. Very nicely laid out with a wardrobe, coffee machine, good size bathroom , oversized windows. Sorry, I didn't see any separate chairs or sofa - really just the beds, and dressers. I would recommend this hotel for a short stay - particularly one where you were not going to be in the hotel room much. It is not "full of character" or charm - but the price is good for an extremely convenient location.

The block is a very typical block - more light manufacturing than residential, quiet but not deserted at night, within two blocks of 2 subway lines and 3 bus lines.

If it means anything, I'm recommending it to my family for their short stay. If Ican answer anything else, just ask. hope this helps!

SandyBrit

mp:

Thank you for such a detailed report. You have answered my question and more. This will be helpful to anyone else who does a search on this forum for information on this hotel. The breakfast sounds particularly good and a added bonus for your $'s.

Our son shares an apartment that is fairly small so while we do not plan to spend a lot of time in the hotel room we most likely will come back after dinner to our hotel and would prefer to have comfortable seating to either watch t.v. or read the paper.
This will be a 3 night visit.

I am undecided between The Inn on 23rd Street that Rhea said was very nice or The Broadway Plaza recommended by MFNYC. The Broadway Plaza offers a Jr. Suite 500 or 600 feet that includes a separate sitting area and breakfast that is most appealing.

The Inn on 23rd Street has chairs/sofa's depending on which room you book. Breakfast is included and a common library is available for all to use. Cost is a little more.

I intend to keep The Hampton Inn Chelsea in reserve as a decent place to stay and again my sincere appreciation. Some of the "best" people live in New York.

Sandy

Tandoori_Girl

I used to walk past the Broadway Plaza and wonder about it -- but I never went inside. Personally, I'd rather be closer to 23rd which has some action and is a major thoroughfare. That's where the Flatiron building is. Sometimes that stretch of Bdwy where the Broadway Plaza is can be a tad depressing stepping over the bums, although it doesn't seem to bother them. And there's a subway stop (N/R) just outside your door. Madison Park is 3 blocks up Bdwy.

Let us know how it goes.

Statia

I, too, have wondered about the Broadway Plaza. I have to do some business in that area at times, and although I stay a few blocks farther north, I've been reluctant to stay in that immediate vicinity. It has never seemed to me that much is open in that area at night.

Lois_L

I would probably choose the Hampton Inn bcs it's new and clean. The street is dull and ugly, the Hampton is probably dull, but street is very quiet--good value for the money,and convenient to several subway lines. Location is just a little bit away from the good restaurants, which are south of 23rd St., unless you want to walk way east to Park South. Our favorite food place on 23rd is F&B, great hot dogs and casual stuff, just east of 8th Ave., next to Rickey's, which is a NY shopping must. Excellent breakfasts at Murray's Bagels, 7th bet. 23 & 22.

missjanna

I work in the area, so I'll tell you there's also plenty of shopping in the area (upscale stores down 5th Ave and Broadway) and there's a Burlington Coat Factory which has some designer clothing for cheap on 23rd and 6th with a Marshalls I think along with Best Buy.

I agree on the Ricky's store, and there's also a Krispy Kreme donuts place right by it. (donuts to die for!) Also check out a new place, the Comfort Diner on 23rd by 6th Ave for some old fashioned cooking, and there is a new crepe place on 18th and Broadway called City Crepe which makes almost every type of crepe you can think of. For really good pizza, I like Bravo Pizza on 19th and 5th or the pizza at City Market Cafe on 23rd and 5th.

Hope this helps!

suzanne

Sandy,
The Hampton Inn is only 1 block from my office. It's where we put up our clients. A guy I work with, who just relocated from another town, lived there for several months and enjoyed it very much - he was especially thrilled about the included breakfasts and the newness/cleanliness of the place. The location is very central to everything, and it's only a block from the subway. On 6th Avenue just south of there is a ton of shopping, all the way down to 17th St. There are lots of places to eat around there too. Safe? Certainly. There's plenty of people walking around at night.

mclaurie

shhhh! Have you read the rave reviews here on Inn on 23rd?http://fodors.com/rants/rrread.cfm?d...=location&pg=2

Anonymous

Topping for zz.

nnrobnz

I'm always interested in a new good hotel in Manhattan - downtownish. Stayed at the Chelsea Savoy in Oct -- but no one has mentioned what are the reasonable rates at the Hampton Inn in Chelsea? Sandybrit ? What website did you use? Numbers, please? tnx

SandyBrit

nnrobnz:

Sorry for the delay in responding.

I was looking at the rate on the hotel reservation site www.hamptoninn.com - $174.00/night. mp noted he didn't see any easy chairs in the rooms so not really what we are looking for. I didn't pursue it with checking the various discount sites for a lower rate. Though I often do return back and deal directly with the hotel.

Would be interested in hearing about the rooms at The Chelsea Savoy and the general $ range.

Still working on firming our plans. Think we will come the second weekend in May.

Sandy