Chelsea International Hostel

Went here on an out-of-state study trip; nice place to stay as long as you know what to expect! Pros: The location was great, within walking distance to multiple subway stations, cafés and restaurants, shopping, and tourist destinations. The building itself is very secure and located right across from a police station. The accommodations, while basic, were clean and tidy, and the communal bathroom and shower appear to be cleaned twice a day. The staff I interacted with were friendly and more than happy to offer help. Not a lot of noise can be heard from the street, at least not from where I was staying. The communal kitchen, dining room, and courtyard were nice, and I enjoyed chatting with other students and travelers over breakfast. Cons: The hostel is definitely showing its age. There are no elevators and the staircases are pretty cramped (especially with luggage), so keep accessibility in mind when booking. There was no AC unit in my room, so I needed to sleep with a window open most nights. The communal shower took quite a bit to heat up, and some of my friends had problems with having to wait until housekeeping was done cleaning to use the bathroom or shower. The doors are also pretty loud, and while the people staying around me were quiet and respectful of others, I could hear doors opening and closing from throughout the building. Toiletries and some essentials are not provided (bring your own hand soap and a lock for your locker), but the hostel is close to multiple convenience stores. I’d recommend staying here as long as you don’t have 5-star hotel expectations and know what to expect, especially if you don’t plan to spend too much time in your room. If you go in expecting the Ritz, you’ll be disappointed; the Chelsea International isn’t luxury by any means, but it’s a nice enough place to stay and rest!

You get what you pay for. Nothing to complain about this place, except for the noise from other guests closing the doors, which was something i was expecting for, however, i think its possible to solve that problem with basic maintenance. I would be a guest again for sure.

Truly the worst place i've ever stayed in the world. I actually stayed here about 15 years ago and it's got so much worse, as standards elsewhere have improved. So the good: Chelsea is an awesome place to stay, and the hostel is as cheap as you can get in this area. The good ends there. The rooms are like a prison. There's basic and there's basic, and this is really basic. An absolutely horrible place to spend the night. Keys don't work well at all. Common spaces are lifeless. There's no buzz or communal feel you normally get with a hostel. Very narrow stairs. Worst, I think, are the staff. The level of antagonism is staggering really. The best you'll get is a stern stare. Never ever expect a smile or plesant word. When you check in (woe betide you if you're 2 minutes early), you're handed a list of instructions and told to pay. No other pleasant communication with staff at any point. Actually it got worse. I saw one staff member try to start a fight with someone staying here. I know NY is crazy expensive, but I'd rather stay out of the city somewhere pleasant than here again. In fact, Id rather get arrested and spend the night in a cell. At least you're not paying to be abused.

This place is basic but secure, clean, and nicely located. The front desk was efficient and available. If you're looking for a hostel where you're going to meet people to go out with, this isn't it, but it's a good base for exploring Chelsea/Manhattan. (New York State residents - beware your state ID won't cut it for check-in, you need to bring a passport.)

Based on the extremely high rates at hotels in NYC, I decided to book at the hostel instead, since in NYC you generally don't spend much time in the room. I ended up booking a private double room with en suite bathroom. Checking in was fine. The guy at the front desk was nice and friendly. He explained how things work. He then sent me to the building next door as my room was in that building. When I went in, the room is basic but wasn't as small as I expected. The bed and sheets were clean. The bed was a bit firm, but I was able to sleep without an issue. The bathroom was laid out oddly, and sitting on the toilet was a tight squeeze, since the walls were so close together. It would have been nice to have a towel rack and a toilet paper holder. The hostel is on a fairly quiet street, and felt safe with a police station across the street. Check out Joe's Pizza (nearby at 21st and 8th) for some good NY pizza! Overall my stay was fine. The hostel didn't have all the perks of a hotel, but I was looking to save money, so it worked out fine. If I couldn't find a decent rate at a hotel, I'd be happy to return here.

I stayed in a private one-person room. The room was basic and clean, the single bed was comfortable enough, and I loved that there was a sink in my room (which means I didn't have to spend too much time in the shared bathroom). Pros: - Great Location - Clean & comfortable - Sink in room - Lots of storage space - Lockers in room (bring a lock) - Close to the police station - Shared bathrooms are individual units with toilet, small sink and shower. Shower had lots of hot water. Bathrooms was generally always available. Cons: - Noisy at night (walls are thin. I could hear people going up and down the stairs and people in the courtyard). - Shared bathrooms are small and the toilet kept getting clogged. - Hand soap not provided, no paper towels in bathrooms, and only one towel is given (no hand or face towels).

Very central, budget accommodation in the Chelsea area of Manhattan. I had a single room with shared facilities overlooking the back yard, which was reasonably quiet. The room itself was basic, but had everything I needed - a nice firm single bed with pillow, sheets and blanket plus a towel. There were some shelves and a few hooks to hang things on but no coat-hangers, so best to bring your own. There was also a sink in the room, which was handy. The radiator made the room very hot initially, but it was easy to switch it off and the window could be opened. The wifi worked fine. Each floor had six rooms, some for one , others for two people, and there was a shower and bathroom per floor. It also was good to have a kitchen downstairs with a couple of fridges, two electric rings and a microwave plus some pots and pans, plates etc. Making my own breakfast and occasional other meals helped me save money. The location couldn't have been better - a short walk from both the A and E subways, and many sights walkable (depending on how much you enjoy walking!) Plenty of cafes, restaurants and shops close by. I didn't have much interaction with the staff - the guy checking me in was pleasant enough as were the cleaners. As there is no lift and my room was on the top floor (up three flights of stairs) I wouldn't recommend it to people who are unfit or have mobility issues. Being right across the road from a police station, I always felt quite safe walking home late at night! I liked it there, and will definitely stay there when I return to New York.

I think this will be my last stay at this hostel. I’ve stayed here multiple times previously and had decent experiences. This time, I was originally out into a basement room in the building next to the building that houses the office. I had trouble with the lock on the door, but finally figured it out. I could hear tons of street noise from people walking by and talking out front in the sidewalk. I did have earplugs, so I had to use them to be able to sleep. On my last night, I came back to my room around 6:00 pm; upon opening the door, I found the biggest cockroach I’ve ever seen in my life in the middle of my floor - ALIVE. I put a plastic bag over my shoe and killed it, but left it there for staff to clean up. No way was I touching that! I asked to be moved to a different room and building, which they did. I had trouble sleeping because I was worried I’d find more crawling around in my room. I know it’s NYC, and that rats and roaches are a thing, but I don’t want them where I sleep. I think it’s hotel and higher floor from now on.