Chelsea Hotel
From notorious infamy to legendary status, the rock-star-friendly Chelsea Hotel on West 23rd Street, New York City, stands as a 12-story 19th-century Victorian Gothic landmark. It has been the residence of some of the most influential writers, poets, actors, punk rockers, and bohemian icons. Following a laborious 11-year restoration, the hotel reopened its grand doors last spring. Additionally, the documentary “Dreaming Walls,” which explores the tension between the hotel’s past and future, will be released later this January. The hotel is steeped in myths, including celebrity love affairs, multiple ghost sightings, and the mysterious death of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious’ girlfriend, Nancy Spungen.
Many iconic artists created their most famous works while staying at Chelsea Hotel. In the ’90s, a 10m² room cost around $500 per month; today, that’s the daily rate for a 20m² Studio Queen room. The guest list includes Jack Kerouac, Dylan Thomas, Mark Twain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Allen Ginsberg, Thomas Wolfe, Andy Warhol, Leonard Cohen, William S. Burroughs, and Arthur C. Clarke. The hotel became a popular artist hub in the mid-20th century because each room was an independent apartment. Some had shared bathrooms and kitchens, while others were fully equipped, making it an affordable Manhattan living solution without the need for referrals or bank loans.
The longtime manager, Stanley Bard, who passed away in 2017, was known for his eccentric and charismatic approach, fostering a unique community where tenants could join any party. Some tenants, like Patti Smith, bartered their paintings for rent, and these artworks now adorn the hotel’s halls. The railing of the hotel stairs is a recognizable feature from various films. Bard promoted the hotel in film and TV, making it mainstream with the ’70s TV show “An American Family” and cult films by Andy Warhol and Abel Ferrara. The biopic “Sid and Nancy,” starring Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb, was also partly shot at the hotel.
Chelsea Hotel closed in 2011 and underwent a challenging transformation, involving several developers and legal battles with long-term tenants resisting gentrification. The current owners, Ira Drukier, Richard Born, and Sean MacPherson, acquired the hotel in 2016 for $250 million. They are renowned NYC hoteliers known for other boutique hotels like the Bowery and Ludlow. Thankfully, the hotel reopened to the public in spring 2022. Although it’s a soft opening with ongoing 2nd-floor installations, the hotel offers amenities like a gym, spa, and an events room next to the restaurant. Recently, the hotel hosted a fundraising event for the mayor of New York. The elegant Lobby Bar features a first-class cocktail menu, and the restaurant El Quijote serves arguably the best Spanish cuisine in New York.
The hotel has hosted practically every iconic artist from the mid-20th century. We obtained a record of notable guests: Iggy Pop in room #126, Patti Smith in room #204 (where she wrote “Just Kids”), and later in room #1017 with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in 1969. Brian Jones lived in room #206, Bob Dylan in room #211 while working on “Blonde on Blonde” in 1964. Andy Warhol and William S. Burroughs dined together in room #222, as seen in the documentary “Arena.” After his divorce from Marilyn Monroe, playwright Arthur Miller lived with his daughter, Rebecca Miller (wife of Daniel Day-Lewis), in room #614. Leonard Cohen lived in room #424, where he allegedly had an affair with Janis Joplin. Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Garcia, Jim Morrison, Jackson Pollock, and Arthur C. Clarke are also among the notable guests.
The hotel’s history also has a darker side. The Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen incident is probably the most infamous. They stayed in room #100, which was later split into two rooms, 1E and 1F, to avoid turning it into a shrine. The actual stabbing took place in 1F’s bathroom. Vicious overdosed a few months after the murder on October 12, 1978. Some guests claim to have encountered the ghosts of Sid and Nancy and heard loud arguments. Actress Edie Sedgwick, who lived in room #105, set her original room on fire and was moved to a room above the lobby where staff could monitor her.
Today, the hotel offers 250 rooms, though new long-term residents are no longer accepted. Only about 40 former tenants remain, benefiting from a rent deal just above $1,000 per month. The longest tenant has lived in the hotel for 51 years.
We were invited to visit one of the most luxurious suites, the deluxe two-bedroom pied-à-terre. This stunning 150m²+ apartment features two king-size beds and lush décor, including leopard print and velvet textures. The wallpaper is inspired by the hotel’s original motif of a naked woman on a swing, now the emblem of its new trademark. The suite offers views of the downtown skyline and includes modern amenities like dimmable lights and automatic blinds. For about $3,500 a night, it can be yours, though standard rooms start at around $250 per night.
Despite the rebranding, the nostalgia and cult status of Chelsea Hotel remain. The restoration preserved much of the hotel’s original features, especially the iconic entrance lobby with its hundred-year-old bench, wrought-iron spiral staircase, and elevator. While New York has changed, making it difficult for struggling artists to live in Manhattan, Chelsea Hotel continues to honor its cultural legacy. It may no longer be a bohemian hub, but it could still inspire the next groundbreaking creation.