Cambria Hotel New York - Chelsea — Hotel in New York

Location and Accessibility:

The Chelsea area in New York City, particularly around 123 W 28th Street, is a vibrant and dynamic neighborhood known for its rich history, cultural diversity, and significant contributions to the arts and entertainment scene. This location places it squarely in the heart of Chelsea, celebrated for its art galleries, nightlife, and the famous High Line park. The immediate block around 123 W 28th Street is part of the Flower District, renowned for its array of flower shops and wholesalers, adding a unique charm and colorful atmosphere to the area. Furthermore, Chelsea's proximity to major attractions, including Madison Square Garden and the Fashion Institute of Technology, makes it a strategically important area for businesses and tourists alike. Safe and conveniently located just a few blocks from Penn Station, it is the ultimate place to stay for anyone using NJ Transit from the airport. For walkers, its location on the island could not be better, with a main subway station at the corner.

Check-in Experience:

The check-in process at Cambria Hotel New York - Chelsea is a testament to their commitment to providing an exceptional guest experience right from the first moment. The staff at the reception were not only efficient but also genuinely warm and welcoming, making a great first impression. Upon arrival, I was greeted by someone whose name I did not capture in memory but whom I remember fondly. They added a personal touch to the welcome experience by describing the hotel as a "NYC Gem." The lobby's design, blending modern aesthetics with comfortable seating areas, creates a welcoming atmosphere that immediately puts guests at ease. This environment, coupled with the staff's readiness to assist with any inquiries and provide recommendations for local dining and attractions, sets a high standard for customer service.

Room Comfort and Amenities:

The room at Cambria Hotel New York - Chelsea perfectly encapsulates what it means to offer a refuge amidst the bustling city of New York. The clever use of space is vital in a city known for its compact living quarters, and the room was spacious by New York City standards, impeccably clean, and well-maintained. The bed was notably comfortable, ensuring a restful night's sleep. The noise insulation was remarkable, creating a quiet sanctuary despite the hotel's central location. Amenities were thoughtful, including robust free Wi-Fi and a smart TV with streaming services. The bathroom, with modern fixtures and high-quality toiletries, became my favorite room in the space. The view from the room encouraged exploration of the city, perfectly suiting my preference.

Hotel Facilities and Services:

I must be clear, I did not explore many of the hotel's facilities due to the nature of my visit, which was brief and focused primarily on my room. However, the consistent high level of service observed from check-in to room amenities was exceptional. A standout moment was when Stephan provided a stellar recommendation for local coffee, showing the staff's eagerness to offer personalized and thoughtful suggestions that enhance the guest experience.

Conclusion and Overall Impression:

My stay at the Cambria Hotel New York - Chelsea was a remarkable experience that exceeded expectations. The exceptional service, from the personalized check-in to the attentive recommendations, made a significant impact. The room's comfort and amenities provided a peaceful and luxurious refuge. While I didn't utilize all the hotel's facilities, the service quality I experienced makes me confident in their ability to cater to diverse guest needs. For those considering a stay here, I wholeheartedly recommend it for a memorable and hassle-free New York City experience. The Cambria Hotel New York - Chelsea will undoubtedly be my preferred choice for future visits, promising not just a place to stay but a significant part of the overall experience of visiting this...

I'm going to try to write the type of review that I would have liked to find when I was researching hotels. There are many great things about this hotel, including some you may not think of when comparing different options: Location is amazing, walking distance to shopping, restaurants of all kinds and price points and many sightseeing destinations; also close to subway lines. Lovely fresh flowers line the sidewalks outside. Room has a mini fridge and microwave and is walking distance to Trader Joe's and awesome bagel and coffee shops, cheap pizza joints etc. Great for saving money on meals. Room is relatively spacious compared to others in the same area at a similar price point. We had two comfy queen beds and a large TV for vegging out at night after long days of sightseeing, and enough room for suitcases and bulky winter coats. Hotel was quiet when we were there - I could see that if you had the bad luck to have noisy neighbours you'd definitely hear them coming and going in the hallway, but it was very calm during our stay and we heard no street noise at all (14th floor). Hotel has fewer rooms and floors than some others so the wait for the elevators is very reasonable. Bathroom has a proper door on it rather than the useless sliding glass door many newer hotels have. Shower was good. Staff was cool with guests bringing their own food in to eat in the lobby bar area or up on the rooftop. They also kept our bags for us at the reception desk for several hours after checkout even though we had a lot of them, which was really appreciated. A/C worked well and was quiet, not always a given!

The only reason I am giving the hotel 4 stars out of 5 is that they are clearly still struggling to get service back up to par, and I think it's important to know that in advance if you're planning a trip to NYC in the near future. I have to assume they're not the only hotel dealing with huge post-pandemic demand (meaning prices are high) while simultaneously dealing with staff shortages due to low unemployment rates and a need to keep operating costs low to bounce back from the deficit caused by pandemic closures/absence of tourists. At the Cambria this means the restaurant is no longer open (though the bar is), there is no longer valet parking, housekeeping is limited and you may encounter things like bedsheets with a hole or a less-than-pristine room. None of this would prevent me from staying there again, but I think it does a disservice to hotel staff to give a hotel 5 stars when these issues are present, because you'll then get guests who expect an impeccable experience and will be disappointed and complain. I hope this review provides a realistic view of...

I will start off with positive. Great Location and easy to walk to sites or subway. Hotel was new...And I love new hotels where everything is working. That's about it.||Let me start on the not so good. I checked in and asked for a room facing the back (to avoid the street noise) which the front desk attendant said she gave me. Got to the room it faced the front. I thought I am only here for 2 nights I will make it work. That night the street noise woke me up several times. The following morning I looked at the room/map on the door and i had the smallest room (Avoid room ending in 03). I went to the front desk and requested a room facing the back. She said you can move right now to room 3008 (corner room with windows on two sides) and views of World Trade Center. As a titanium member I should have been upgraded to best available which would have been the room I got on the second night.||More BAD things about the hotel. No draws to put your clothes. You will get what looks like a clothing rack with a few hangers (I think I had 4 hangers). All your other clothes will need to be left in your suitcase, but good luck with finding space to keep it open because the rooms are tiny||LASTLY, the elevators are horrendous. There are 3 elevators but only elevator 2 and 3 worked. Never saw elevator 1 working. You enter your floor number on the wall panel and it tells you which elevator to take. BUT since the elevators move so slow multiple guests are selecting floors so the lobby gets congested with people. I think my average wait time was 5 minutes. Then everyone gets in elevator and then it makes multiple stops. On the 30th floor the ride was agony when there were more than 5 or 6 people with you. Once the elevator actually wouldn't close because there were too many people in it (because we were all waiting so long).||Management needs to work with the elevator company to get it working properly.||ALSO BEWARE. My reservation was a credit card guarantee hold of the room and I had up until 6pm day of arrival to cancel without penalty. The day before one night stay was charged to my card despite the card only used as a guarantee. I checked in, gave a different card and said the entire stay should be applied to this card. Well that didn't happen. I had two nights on two different cards which makes it impossible for me to submit the T&E expense to my corporate card. VERY unethical to charge a night in advance despite the reservation specifying the card is only used as a guarantee and not a pre-payment. Try to call the hotel and no one answers or when someone does the managers are either not on site or...