Sometimes poor, always sexy

Annie Schlechter

American playwright Arthur Miller was going through a rough patch—he had just divorced Hollywood star Marilyn Monroe, was temporarily living in Room 614 of New York's Chelsea Hotel, and was trying to avoid the press. But his real challenge awaited him every morning in the bathroom: an unruly hot water faucet. Reflecting on those weeks in 1961, Miller wrote, “Although I had been scalded a few times in the shower, I began to like the hotel.”

And why not? The red brick building from the late 19th century thrived on the reputation of its short- and long-term residents, as well as the true and not-so-true stories from 23rd Street in Manhattan's West Side. It was a place where creative energy seemed to multiply within its walls.

Legend has it that future Nobel laureate Bob Dylan wrote the song "Sara" in Room 211, while Leonard Cohen shared more than just stamps with Janis Joplin in Room 424, immortalizing the experience in his song "Chelsea Hotel #2." Arthur C. Clarke penned the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey within its walls, Andy Warhol filmed parts of Chelsea Girls in its rooms, and Madonna posed for her infamous Sex book in its beds and hallways.

Asylum for artists

Annie Schlechter

The iconic building between 7th and 8th Avenue was a haven for artists, a refuge for the indestructible and the intolerable, but it was rarely known for its stellar service culture. The twelve-story hotel catered to discretion rather than luxury—until it closed over a decade ago for a complete renovation. Since 2022, it has reopened as a five-star retreat, featuring polished parquet floors, marble bathrooms, and, most importantly, fully stocked minibars. A few long-term residents still occupy some suites, but the "Chelsea" now exudes a very different spirit.

Annie Schlechter

From the very beginning, the building held a special status, conceived as a bulwark against rampant capitalism. After the stock market crash of 1873, architect Philip Hubert devised a plan to construct cooperative housing in New York City. Tenants would save money by sharing fuel and services—making the Chelsea his social revolution. Initially, the project, which opened in 1884, seemed successful. Hubert reserved apartments for workers who had built the structure: electricians, interior designers, and plumbers. He also welcomed writers, musicians, and actors, with 15 artist studios occupying the top floor. The communal dining rooms displayed paintings from the Hudson River School, and the ceilings were adorned with nature motifs. However, just 20 years later, the experiment went bankrupt. In 1905, the building was converted (for the first time) into a luxury hotel. Writers like Mark Twain and William Dean Howells became regular visitors. After World War II, the brick structure fell into disrepair, room rates plummeted, and budget-conscious artists such as Jackson Pollock, Patti Smith, and Dylan Thomas began checking in.

© Getty Images

What the Chelsea had in abundance from then on were legends fueled by passion but lacking in solvency. Artists bartered paintings for rent or lived there for free, subsidized by offspring of the super-rich who willingly paid exorbitant room rates for the chance to rub shoulders with the dazzling underground elite. Starting in the late 1960s, Stanley Bard took over as hotel manager and became a legend in his own right. The New Yorker famously dubbed him both "the most beloved landlord in history" and "the greatest starfucker of all time." Exiled Czech director Milos Forman (Amadeus) was allowed to stay at the Chelsea thanks to the intervention of a friend. "All I knew about the Chelsea at the time," Forman later recalled, "was that some hippies lived there. But I didn’t know it had the slowest elevator in the entire country."

Annie Schlechter

Today, 155 rooms are once again available for short- or long-term stays, ranging from compact singles to two-bedroom suites with skyscraper views. The legendary El Quijote restaurant, where Andy Warhol once celebrated with his entourage, has also reopened, welcoming fans of Spanish cuisine. However, a word of caution to celebrity voyeurs: the days of wild, raucous parties are long gone. The Chelsea is now a tightly run lodging operation—with reliable hot water and a properly functioning elevator.

© Noah Fecks

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