Four Points by Sheraton Manhattan Chelsea

This mid-range chain hotel is housed in a simple, 22-story beige building and features a cozy, homey lobby with a mix of dark-wood finish walls and plush red-velvet chairs. A couple of computers and a printer are tucked into a large cabinet area with a flat-screen TV in the middle that might prove distracting if guests are trying to actually work. The hotel is a good fit for business travelers and tourists alike who need an affordable, reliable place to stay in Chelsea, without a lot of extra bells and whistles. 

As the name suggests, Four Points Chelsea is located in Chelsea, the heart of Manhattan's LGBT community and, with its hundreds of art galleries, New York's contemporary art scene. While the hotel's main entrance is situated on an industrial, garage-loaded street, it's also smack between 6th and 7th Avenues, both of which are lined with shops and restaurants. It's just one block east from the famous Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre (for improv comedy) and a few blocks east from rows among rows of the contemporary art galleries which distinguish the neighborhood. The area is well connected to the rest of the city by public transit, and the 23rd Street subway station is just a couple of blocks away. It's a 10-minute subway ride to the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center, 15 minutes to Times Square, and about 20 minutes to the ferry terminal for visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is 15 minutes away by subway, while getting to the American Museum of Natural History takes 20 minutes. The southern part of Central Park is around 25 minutes away and its a 35-minute subway ride to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, situated inside the park. Both LaGuardia and JFK take about an hour to reach by public transit, while Newark Liberty International Airport can be reached in around 50 minutes.

Most rooms at this hotel are on the small side, measuring around 200 square feet (19 to 20 square meters), and the main factors that differentiate categories are their bed configurations (two double beds, two queen beds, or one king bed) and their position within the hotel (higher floor and corner rooms naturally offer better views). ADA accessible rooms are also available. The one-bedroom Chelsea Suites feature full-length glass doors that lead out onto semi-private balconies with seating areas. Decor is identical across categories, with a gray-and-red color scheme featuring red accent walls with deep-charcoal geometric patterns, silver padded headboards with reading lights, gray carpeting and walls, and dark-wood laminate desks, cabinets, and side tables. All offer similar amenities, including individually controlled air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, coffeemakers, free bottled water, safes that are big enough to fit laptops, irons and ironing boards, and 37- or 42-inch flat-screen TVs. Mini-fridges are available for a fee. Bathrooms are stark but pleasant, with small vanities and shower/tub combos. Basic toiletries along with little extras not normally found in mid-range hotels, such as robes, mouthwash, and vanity kits, are provided. 

This hotel offers decent amenities for a middle-of-the-road NYC property. The pub, The Dog House, is open for all three meals and serves hot breakfast items such as omelets and pancakes (for a fee) along with pub food and snacks at lunch and dinner. Room service is available during open hours. There's a 24-hour fitness center that's small but still offers a few good pieces of equipment, including treadmills and free weights. For business travelers, there's a meeting room for up to 10 guests along with a 24-hour "business center" (really just a couple of computers in the lobby with a scanner/printer). Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. Valet parking is available for a hefty fee, and cheaper self-parking is available nearby. Other features include concierge services, food delivery and grocery shopping services, a small gift kiosk/newsstand, and newspapers are available for free in the lobby.