Chambers Hotel Central Park South, Sonder — Hotel in New York

I really enjoyed my recent stay at Sonder Chambers during a recent 4 day long work trip. I had never stayed at a Sonder before so I was curious. As a woman business traveler, staying in some NYC Midtown hotels can be a bit weird because of the convention party or high school Spring break vibe in the larger hotels.

App: loved that check-in/check out was clear and concise. I had no problems using my code at the entry or entering my room.

Concierge team: everyone was friendly and helpful. When I checked in, they offered me a refillable water bottle, told me where the gym and umbrella/water/lounge were located and also offered to bring up extra sheets or towels if I needed them. They also explained that if I wanted daily housekeeping it could be arranged for a fee.

Location: It was the perfect Midtown location away from the hectic energy of Times Square. It’s only 3 blocks from Central Park so it was good to be able to get out in nature in the early morning or at the end of a long work day.

Lobby: vibe- quiet and zen. The design needs a bit of an update but the overall scheme is pleasing. (I work in architecture/design so can’t help but share opinions)

Room: my queen room was larger than most NYC hotels in that price range, spotless and had all of the functional needs for a business traveler. I appreciated that there was a real desk and lots of places to charge devices. It also 2 full length mirrors which is unusual in NYC hotel rooms. Lastly, they had more than enough hangers. When you have to travel for work, having a lot of hangers is so helpful.

The mattress was firm and they didn’t have the gross bed scarf at the end thankfully.

Bathroom: it was shower only configuration with a rain shower head. I appreciated that Sonder offers Davines shampoo/conditioner/soap because it is a higher end brand that leaves your hair feeling clean and soft. Also, the illuminated make up mirror was a nice touch.

Gym: A morning workout is critical to me, so I always look at hotels that have gyms. Located in the basement, it is quite small but very clean. It had all of the things I needed for short morning free weight and cable machine workouts. I think it would have felt cramped if I ever encountered another guest, but I never did.

Items to work on: I hope they are considering a refresh/refurbishment of the room furniture, bathroom and flooring. Also, it would be nice to have a smaller sink so there is more counter space for hair/skin care products. Things were looking a bit tired and the teeny glass shelf could not hold more than my toothpaste and toothbrush.

The design is modern and simple so for sustainability, I’d recommend having the wood furniture sanded and restained back to its original color, regrouting the tile in the bathroom in a slightly darker shade and taking out the carpet altogether and replacing it with a neutral color recycled stone dust plank flooring which is faster to clean and less likely to hold dust.

That being said, overall it’s a great place to stay and I will definitely stay there again on my next work...

Last November, I went to Manhattan for an event and wanted to stay somewhere within walking distance of the venue. After a lot of review-reading, I settled on The Chambers Hotel because of its location, price, and amenities. It was right where I wanted to be, affordable especially compared to the other surrounding hotels, reviews seemed fair, and they offered extras to their guests. I stayed in a standard single-room, per the pictures I included.

The best way to describe it is the Chambers is a "boutique hotel"; small, sophisticated, and fashionable. A lot of wood and glass, colorful accents, simplistic rooms. You don't really notice it from the street as it's just a couple of huge, braided wooden doors. Guest services meets you at the door and escorts you in. Inside, the entry is inviting, clean, and warm (with a fire going).

I was able to schedule personal transportation to and from the airport with them. You just need to contact the front desk before or during your visit to set it up. The driving service they use can be billed to the hotel (e.g. your room) and the drivers were extremely patient and polite; especially during my arrival as my initial flight in was delayed. The driver went out of his way to get to me through nasty airport construction and traffic, flight delays, and landing in a completely different concourse. Just saying, they were great, and worth the money.

The Chambers provided me with a pleasant and clean room with an honest to goodness key, not plastic. It was outfitted with a stocked mini-fridge, a table of snacks and wine, and they offered both a turn down service with complementary bottled water and a paper at your door each morning. I wasn't able to take advantage of all that they offered, since I was in and out for business, but everyone was extremely pleasant, the space was comfortable, the room service (in my case for tea, coffee, etc.) was quick. And sure, it'll sound silly, but the bed was heaven and the shower was spectacular. The bed - firm, roomy, plenty of squishy pillows. The shower - the shower is outfitted with a large, rain-style head. You can be 6+ feet tall and stand under the powerful blast of non-stop heat.

Again, in terms of location, you are between 5th and 6th street on W 56th and are within walking distance of some notable stores and iconic fashion houses (Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Dior, Fendi, Bloomingdales, Apple, etc.), convenient shops (think grab and go food and Walgreens), and restaurants. There are plenty of places to get coffee; Zibetto Expresso Bar, Starbucks, etc; or a cocktail. On my last night there, I decided to stay in and order out for La Bonne Soupe, a wonderful French restaurant around the corner. Brought it back to my room and vegged in bed as I watched my Netflix. Best french-onion soup e-v-e-r.

But I digress. If/when I get another opportunity to return, I will certainly make a point to re-book at the Chambers, if availability permits. They went out of their way to make sure my stay was a...

Room 64, lousy view of construction. First the positive. The man at the desk was v. friendly. Location was good. There's a safe in the room. Now, the rest. No direct phone number for the hotel. If you have a problem, you have to call an 800 number and get what is called a "virtual front desk." That's a real disaster. Room numbers are on the floor, not at eye level. Keypad for door entry is light colored and almost impossible to read the numbers in the darkened hall. Decor is industrial, if that is your thing but it would be nice if they did it nicely. It's looking shabby and unkempt. No clock in room. Room doors don't shut automatically. No peep hole in door. Floor lamp broken. Soap in bathroom rests on wires, no tray beneath to catch drips. Bathroom cabinet is unstable. Square pillows. Who sleeps with square pillows? V. limited drawer space. Closet cabinet is industrial, noisy, and difficult to slide doors to open/close. Desk is just glass atop two sawhorses. No paper or pen. No ice machines, you have to ask at the desk to have ice brought to your room. No room service to straighten room, unless you pay for it. Want more towels? Ask at the front desk, can't call for them. No phones in room. How does this pass safety/security requirements? If someone tries to break into your room, no calling the front desk. As we checked in, another guest desperately interrupted us. His toilet was overflowing. Couldn't call down to the front desk for help; you'd have to call the 800 number "virtual front desk." The worst, absolute worst, was the shower hardware. Like nothing we'd ever seen in our many travels in the U.S. and internationally. Any instructions? Nope! Just figure it out. Two v. unfamiliar knobs, one above the other and a little black button on one of them. In 3 separate showerings, we still could not figure out 1) how to adjust shower temperature and 2) how to turn off the water. On our 4th try, at the end of a long, sweaty day, when stripped down for the shower, absolutely could not get anything but cold water. Couldn't call the front desk, no phone in room and no phone number for the front desk. Already stripped down and didn't want to dress just to go down the elevator to the front desk. Wrapped a towel around my naked body and called the 800 number. After some time, told to wait and someone would come up. I told them I'd give them 5 minutes to knock on the door and if no knock, I'd take my towel-wrapped body to the elevator and parade down to the front desk. Fortunately, the knock came. The staff member set the water temperature but never did explain how exactly to fiddle with the two knobs and the little black button. Small hotel. If you don't mind roughing it in the big city, this place is for you. For my money (and it was an expensive place!), any hotel chain would be better...