Honestly, I got electric shocks from the Walls!

Upon arriving in New York, I got myself a taxi from JFK To the "Hotel".

I was getting pretty nervous and anxious because I Couldn't find it, nor could the taxi driver because it is just a doorway- No actual sign identifying itself. I finally got in and was shocked at the metal stairs, doors, walls and the red glow of the lights. If you touched the walls after rain you got an electric shock!! It honestly looked like a place where it was rented by the hour. A guy called Deejay I got speaking to in a bar revealed to me that he had been there before with a girl for the night!! Anyway, I was in the Madame Butterfly room for the first night as my Ester Williams room wasn't ready. Nightmare. It was cheap, tacky and the bed was a matress plonked across a couple of planks of wood stuck into the walls. The next day I was put in the Swimming Pool Ester Willaims room which was tiled mosaics and had a sort of beach hut with a pole for a wardrobe. I stayed there for two weeks. My sheets were never changed. I had to ask for more sheets and blankets and do them myself. I got new towels everyday though.The bathrooms were ok, as they were sharred. I tended to get up real early so I was the first in after they were cleaned. A Bit tacky. But if I was travelling alone again, I would probably go back. It was great meeting new peple all the time. Great Location! Near all the great attractions. Great wee irish pub called the Molly Wee across the street, the Tick Tock Diner down the road a wee bit. Laundrettes not too far away. Madison Garden and Penn station close at hand. I am going again this year but to the quality hotel on Broadway. I think I should have read some of the reviews before booking though...

Great value for money, fantastic location, fab little hotel

When I read the other reviews I was a little nervous as I had booked online so I rang to double check and all was fine (and I would recommend if you are flying in late at night to inform them as some hotels don't hold the rooms). We arrived at 1am and found it with no problems at all (yes it is a little door in the middle of a street).

The staff seemed friendly and the place was really clean, lovely and warm (as it was a cold snowy December) and actually reasonably quiet considering it was virtually in the centre. As a female, I didn't find the area dangerous, its great for transport (Penn Station) and Madison Square Garden, the Empire State Building and Macy's are all just a short stroll away. There are some good Irish bars nearby and a 24 hour convenience store (very handy). I would definitely recommend this place but its not really for a corporate business stay. Its more like a really high quality budget hotel and its good if you are in your 20's, early 30's. Not so good for families I wouldn't have thought, but its ideal for a New York shopping break. We had a room with a private bathroom but I saw the shared bathroom and it looked fine. The only bad point I could think of is the smell of baking bread in the corridor (there is a Subway sandwich place next door) and its nice at first but it gets a bit too much after a while, but then its only noticeable in the corridor.

Fantastic service and location!

The staff really make this place here! Admittedly, it is not well marked and the doorcard NEVER seems to let you in from outside, but inside it is well laid out and spotless. There was problem with my internet booking, as they never recieved it despite numerous emails to me confirming it and welcoming me all the way to my check in-when I got there they didn't know who I was. The guy at reception took care of it though and was very helpful in showing me maps and where to go. When the superior room i had booked was available the next morning, they moved all my stuff for me whilst I was gone and even threw away my broken suitcase! Because of the mix-up and my night in the themed room i got a better rate on my stay. The shared bathrooms were clean and the whole place was very secure and in a great spot, close to Penn station and most attractions. I would definately stay here again, but just be sure to ring and speak to someone if you book online-don't get caught out like I did!

Awful!!! Ruined my Trip to New York!!! :(

I go to New York once a year for shopping and usually stay at teh Pennsylvania (Great Hotel!) buit it was booked this time :( So, i looked for another hotel around the same price and same location. I found the website for the Chelsea Star Hotel and it looked great! Chic, Trendy with a Betty Boop Model in the reception! Well, we got there at midnight as we were on a late flight, and firstly neither us or the taxi driver could find the place! We eventually found it :( There was no clear sign and just a plain white door that was locked to get into the hotel...After having to climb a lot of metal stairs with our suitcases we got to reception where we were greeted by a man who booked us in. By this time I was already Extremely disappointed and there was a horrible smell! We checked in only 2 find that we had to go up a load more metal stairs to get to our room (The King and I Themed Room). It was tiny,had one tiny window which made it look like a prison cell, smelly (a smell i can only describe as damp wet washing that had been hanging around for months), seedy and looked like something a cheap hooker would hire by the hour. The bathroom was next door to the room and that was dirty and heaven knows what you could pick up from using it! I was horrified and really upset and decided I would rather walk the streets of Manhattan looking for another hotel at 1am in the morning, rather than stay there. So that is what I did! It still cost me £60 to pay for one night tho as I had pre booked, but I am going to try and get this money back due to misreprentation!! My totally pre planned and smooth running holiday turned into a disaster and anyone who would to stay here must be mad, especially as you can stay in a quality 2 star hotel for just $10 per night!!

Probably the best value in NY

What do you expect from a one-star hotel!!? Well although you do get what you pay for, the Chelsea Star was a good example of not having to pay through the nose for a place to rest up in NY.We stayed in a superior room and I'd stay there again - though in a deluxe as this seemed more spacious. The superior however has all the things you'd expect in a standard room in other hotels - but at a fraction of the price. A wardrobe would have been a little more beneficial than the DVD player but it was part of a combo unit.Our room was on the street and it would be a little noisy in the morning but that was ok - who wants to lie in and miss New York anyway. However the staff were pretty helpful - especially John on reception armed us with all we needed to know and seemed genuinely interested in us. The cleaner however wasn't too great - the room was always cleaned but after a couple of days he stopped making our bed - seemed he wanted us to tip him every day, rather than at the end of the trip - unfortuneately this didn't encourage us to tip him at all!The location is great. You feel very safe there - there are police all over between the hotel and Penn station, it's on loads of subway lines and a short walk to Macys, the Empire State Building and closer still to Madison Sq Gardens.

Definitely worth while if you want to do NY without breaking the bank!

Nightmare!!!

Booked the hotel thinking it would be great (location, people etc) First the room I wanted wasn't ready so they gave a so called Saturday Night fever room. Do not take this room if you ever plan to stay in this hotel. The room is tiny, the window is on the street hence all the noise and also the window can not be closed so you have a draft.

Another bad thing was the red little insects, that actually bit me and were in bed. I reported this early in the morning and was told that I will be given another room (so called delux). With this info in mind I went on my business only to come back to no room at all. They basically kicked me out (and I had a reservation for 3 nights). The took the liberty to book another hotel in my name which was upper town (read forget about seeing the city) and the cost of that hotel was the cost of 3 nights. Since I didn't know where I could go I went there and got really dissapointed and cancelled the booking. Luckily I had a friend in NY that organised another hotel for me on Broadway. I tell you, forget about this hotel and also the location is not so safe at night (u really have to know the streets) If I visit NY again I will definatelly stay on Broadway and have my own bathroom (and clean!) with no insects!

p.s I have a horrible rash from the insect bites, the hotel refused to acknowledge that insects are in the room. that does it for me!

A great place

I stayed at the Chelsea Star for 2 nights in from 10th Sept 2003. What a place!! I had the Esther Williams suite, and I admit I had no idea who she was, but i did some research and now i do. The staff were friendly, the place was clean, it had a very nice terrace bit for sitting and what not. It is in a great location. But best of all......it is CHEAP!!!

Tiny, but okay

This hotel is in a wonderful location: a block away from Madison Square Gardens & Penn Station (easy subway access), 2 blocks from the Empire State Building, lots of bars and nightlife around. While charmingly decorated to stave away the feeling of a jail cell, the rooms are minuscule, so claustrophobics need not apply. No elevator so be prepared to walk up at least three flights of stairs. Perfectly clean, ran into a bit of traffic trying to use the shared bathroom. Staff was reasonable helpful. If you are a young traveler go for it, as I was traveling on business it was a bit loud on certain nights. I wouldnt stay there again, but only because I like the creature comforts of a larger room and my own bathroom. I would recommend it to others on a budget.

Gotta love the star hotel

Absolutely great place to stay. Perfect location for the sightseeing people, quite inexpensive for new york too. stayed in the modonna room and i wouldnt stay anywhere else quite honestly.

What a fun place!

A very fun hotel! We stayed in a great room called the Dali room - the walls were covered with paintings and murals representing the artist's work... This hotel has many theme rooms for all sorts of tastes, and is a unique experience that has to be tried out to appreciate! We will stay here again on our return to this great city!