Your hotel room probably has a robe. But does it also have a backstory involving Patti Smith, Leonard Cohen and Iggy Pop? At Hotel Chelsea, the guest list alone could keep you occupied well past checkout.
The West 23rd Street institution has landed at No. 1 on Time Out’s freshly updated list of the 30 best hotels in New York City for 2026. It also gets our nod as the city’s most iconic stay, earning five stars and a recommendation for travelers who appreciate rock ’n’ roll history and antique furniture.
That’s a fairly specific combination, but the Chelsea has had plenty of practice bringing the two together. Its red-brick exterior, ornate balconies and legendary neon sign have welcomed generations of artists, musicians and creative troublemakers. Alongside Smith, Cohen and Pop, its former residents include poet Dylan Thomas and Stonewall figure Stormé DeLarverie. Even Taylor Swift has a song about the place.
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Photograph: Annie SchlechterHotel Chelsea’s facade.
Following roughly a decade of redevelopment and legal wrangling, the 155-room hotel reopened to the public in March 2022 with plenty of creature comforts. Inside, wooden floors and ornate brass fixtures set the scene. Suites have a homey, collected-over-time feel, with velvet sofas, leopard-print chairs, antique writing desks and mismatched furniture. Monogrammed sheets, robes and slippers add fancy-hotel flourishes.
Photograph: Courtesy The Hotel ChelseaThe Hotel Chelsea
The original Victorian staircase is lined with artwork, much of it donated by former residents, and upstairs indulgences await: the top-floor spa includes a purple-tiled steam room, treatment rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor balconies overlooking the city. For dinner, our reviewer recommends El Quijote, the wonderfully theatrical on-site Spanish restaurant that dates to 1930 and counted Andy Warhol among its fans. Café Chelsea, the hotel’s newer French bistro, is another option.
The Fifth Avenue Hotel ranks second, followed by The Plaza, Nine Orchard and The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad.
Planning to check in? The Chelsea is at 222 West 23rd Street, near the C and E trains, with rates listed from $527 a night.
