Four Points by Sheraton Manhattan Chelsea

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This bustling, 22-story hotel in Chelsea is located within a two-block range of five other chain properties. But regular online discounts and a popular frequent-guest program keep this Sheraton offshoot competitive, even if its workaday accommodations prevent it from standing out from the crowd. There’s an industrial feel to the lobby, which has large metalworks (resembling oversize film reels) hanging on the wooden walls alongside photos of bridges and tunnels. The 158 rooms are small and somewhat worn, though clean and smoke-free. Brown walls and gray carpets give them a dark atmosphere, softened only slightly by the white reading lamps over the beds. All rooms have lap desks, in-room safes, and Caswell-Massey bath products, while those on higher floors offer choice views of the Empire State Building. But guests seem to prefer the lively common areas off the lobby: a soothing, brick-walled lounge area and the Las Chicas Locas restaurant. — Julie Mehta

A bustling vibe, clean rooms, and numerous online discounts attract tourists.

Cons
The worn, dark room décor could use an update.