About our rating systemSelina is trying to shake up the accommodations game.
It's a chain—but the decor isn't the same across properties. Instead, local designers work with each hotel to get the vibe of the destination just right.
It's a hotel—but some Selinas (not this one) also have hostel-type lodgings, glamping tents, and long-term apartments. And all boast dedicated coworking spaces, in a very direct effort to attract digital nomads.
(Coworking space at Selina Chelsea)
Also standard at all Selina properties: a crammed calendar of events. In outdoorsy destinations, expect hikes, kayaking, and rafting tours. At this NYC outpost, the offerings include a free evening happy hour (for loyalty members), morning yoga, and a lot of art-centered talks, walks, and parties. That's fitting since the hotel is located in the very heart of the city's storied gallery district.
Another way that Selina differs from the competition is an unusual reliance on investor cash. The chain has raised hundreds of millions from venture capitalists—a rarity in the hospitality industry. For guests, that means the aforementioned local decor is polished to a high gloss.
Rooms in the Chelsea hotel feature marble-clad bathrooms and beds with sleek wooden platforms and state-of-the-art mattresses. Each room contains a unique work of art—usually a painting or framed photo—and if you fall in love with it, you can buy it. That makes the Selina not only a hotel but also a gallery. And that's entirely appropriate for the area, too.
Speaking of the area, this is NYC, so the rooms aren't large. But they're not painfully tiny either, the smallest (pictured below) starting at 220 square feet. The one downside for most guests: There's no privacy in the shower—only a glass wall divides it from the bedroom.
In the lobby, the Gallery Bar and Cafe (see below) is so pleasant it's become an unofficial canteen for the art world. The coworking space is in the back; in warm weather, a lovely garden opens with outdoor seating.
One tip: Generally, the best room rates are found on the Selina website, which features a revolving array of discounts and packages.
