In the summer of 2007 we had the pleasure of being shown around the Hotel Chelsea by Stanley Bard, who was in the midst of being ousted from the hotel by its board of directors. His father David purchased the hotel in 1939, and Stanley took over when he died in the 1970s. He is likely one of the most beloved landlords in New York City history, and his forced departure from the hotel was confusing, depressing, and the first of many changes that have taken place since. more ›

Question: If you could stay overnight at the Hotel Chelsea for $129/night, why would you spend $40/per person on a tour of the place? Starting June 1st the hotel will offer guided tours of the historic establishment, that as of late has been run and overrun by Marlene Krauss & Co. The new corporate overlords might be willing to make a buck off the hallowed halls, but they're also making sure that the Bard family legacy of running the joint is erased from the URL, according to some residents. The recent website redesign makes no mention of Stanley Bard, the general manager of the Chelsea for half a century, who was ousted two years ago. Oh, and did you know the updated ghost of Nancy Spungen is all about the little black dress? more ›

The residents of the Hotel Chelsea give a fly-on-the-wall report that "new" manager Glennon Travis is on his way out. Travis took over as part of the "new management" team that replaced long time manager Stanley Bard last year. Here's the good word:

We’ve heard from multiple sources that today is Director of Operations Glennon Travis’s last day at the Chelsea Hotel. In his brief tenure here at the hotel, Glennon has managed to alienate nearly everyone he has come into contact with: residents sane and otherwise, guests, employees, union reps, reporters, you name it. His habitually obnoxious and abusive rejoinders to anything from mere pleasantries to valid questions by concerned residents, have led us to speculate on this blog that BD Hotels may be using him as a kind of one-man harassment crew to drive out the rent-stabilized tenants and union employees.

For nearly a year now the Hotel Chelsea residents have been living under the new management of BD Hotels -- and not one has been happy about it. Last summer we checked in with long time manager Stanley Bard (who BD ousted from his position) as well as some of those who call the hotel home...and spirits were low all around. more ›

With a new movie coming out based on his first novel, The Hottest State, Ethan Hawke talks to The Daily News about how New York has changed since it was his muse in 1997. more ›

Some residents who have been living at the Hotel Chelsea for a short period of time (longer than 30 days, less than six months) received a letter this week. No, it wasn't tucked in a welcome basket, rather it was informing them they were expected to check out later this month. more ›

Our conversation with Stanley is here, and below is more from the inside (including a dizzying minute of what it looks like to walk from the roof to the ground floor down the hotel's art-drenched stairwell)... more ›

Yesterday we headed over to the Hotel Chelsea to have a chat with Stanley Bard. Over the past month there have been many changes at the landmarked establishment that have left an unsettling feeling amongst the community. This community is one that Bard himself refers to as "A Mutual Admiration Society," and his description couldn't be more accurate. more ›

On Sunday we posted about the Bard Family being all but dismissed from their post at the Hotel Chelsea. As the interrogation spotlight continues to shine in the faces of the faceless "Board" that made the decision, a press release was sent out to explain what's going on behind the famous doors. more ›

The Hotel Chelsea Blog has been breaking a story from their ground floor this weekend. The Bard Family, who have run the hotel for...ever, have been told their job is done (whether they like it or not). more ›

We really love the Hotel Chelsea Blog, Living With Legends. We're not just saying that so they'll invite us over to play or give us a free room. We just really like reading reports from the front lines of where true rock n' roll behavior of past, present and future co-exist. Today they report on Devendra Banhart's recent visit to the hotel to shoot a video for his song Heard Somebody Say. Apparently he trashed the hotel room. Oh Devendra, we didn't know you had it in you. Maybe these sort of antics will help shed the "freak folk" label. Or expand upon it. Could go either way. more ›