On the first part of his most recent stay in New York, BBC Radio correspondent David Willis had the misfortune to check into one of those trendy boutique hotels. About the experience he says:
”One of the effects of middle age is that things which once seemed funky and fun suddenly start to seem faintly ridiculous.”
Fleeing the ludicrous place with its “hipster-chic Alice in Wonderland décor” Willis was lucky enough to land a room at the Chelsea, and was immediately captivated:
“I took to wandering the corridors, marveling at the murals and the exotic smells emanating from the rooms. I became enthralled by the building’s history and the larger-than-life cast of characters who once called the Chelsea home.”
Later, however, he talked to manager Andrew Tilley and was appalled to learn that the future of the Chelsea, “lies in flat screen televisions, in-house movies, mini-bars, and i-pod docking stations.”
Willis obviously gets it after only one brief stay here, so what's Tilley's problem? — Ed Hamilton
Living with Legends 
Leave a comment