Chandler

About Chandler

Chandler suits travelers who want a central Manhattan address without staying in the middle of Times Square. The hotel sits on East 31st Street in Midtown South, between the Flatiron district and Union Square, an area of offices, shops and small parks that stays busy on weekdays and calmer at weekends. Couples, solo visitors and business travelers can walk to Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station and several subway stations, then return to a straightforward four-star base with a restaurant and Wi-Fi on site.

Chandler is a four-star hotel, a rating set by the official classification rather than by guest reviews. The booking supplier's guest score is 4.1 out of 5 from 230 reviews, which suggests steady satisfaction rather than runaway praise. Expect a Midtown Manhattan stay built around location and the basics: a restaurant and Wi-Fi on site. Rooms and rates change with demand, so compare dates in the IMPT app before you commit, and read the total price with taxes and fees.

Rooms and listed facilities

Facilities listed by the supplier are a restaurant and Wi-Fi, a short set that covers the essentials of a city stay. Couples can eat on site after a show, business travelers can answer email between meetings, and families get one place to eat that does not require another walk. Guests arriving late should confirm restaurant hours and Wi-Fi access with the property before travel, since service times vary. Ask the hotel directly about room types and what each one includes; the facilities above come from the supplier.

The setting

Chandler stands at 12 East 31st Street, a side street just east of Fifth Avenue in Midtown South, in the Flatiron and Union Square area. The 9/11 Memorial lies about 2.8 miles (4.5 km) south, while the High Line and Hudson Yards are about 1.1 miles (1.7 km) west. Broadway and the Theater District are about 0.9 miles (1.4 km) north.

Location and neighborhood

Midtown South, Flatiron and Union Square hold some of the most practical ground in Manhattan for a longer stay or a tighter budget. The district runs from Union Square at 14th Street north through the Flatiron blocks and Madison Square Park to NoMad, Koreatown and the hotel streets around Penn Station. Everyday needs sit close together: subway entrances, laundromats, pharmacies, grocery stores and public libraries. Blocks are short and walkable, so a week here can be spent mostly on foot. Numbered streets run east to west and Fifth Avenue divides east from west addresses, which makes navigation simple after the first day.

For a stay of a week or more, the district settles into a rhythm that suits errands as much as sightseeing. Union Square is the anchor: a park, a market on several mornings a week, and a subway hub where several lines meet. Madison Square Park offers a second breathing space with benches, lawns and shade. Koreatown, between 31st and 33rd Streets near Broadway, packs small restaurants and food shops into a few blocks. The hotel streets near Penn Station are busiest on weekday mornings and tend to be calmer at weekends. Longer stays work well here because the essentials stay open late and the side streets are quiet at night.

Getting there and around

Distances are modest. Chandler is around 0.6 miles (1 km) from the nearest major rail terminal and around 0.8 miles (1.3 km) from the center of the district at Union Square. From the airports, AirTrain and rail or subway connections link JFK and Newark to Midtown in typically 45 to 75 minutes, depending on traffic and connections; LaGuardia is closest by road, with a link bus to the subway. The subway runs 24 hours. You tap a contactless card or phone at the turnstile, weekly spending is capped after a set number of rides, and the MetroCard is being phased out. Check the MTA for service changes before a late trip.

Nearby sights and food

Most headline sights are close. The High Line begins at Gansevoort Street and runs north to Hudson Yards, where the Vessel stands among the towers; Hudson River Park and Little Island continue along the waterfront to the west. Grand Central Terminal is a short walk east from the district's northern edge, and the Broadway theaters around Times Square lie to the northwest. Observation decks at the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock and One Vanderbilt are all within reach. The 9/11 Memorial is farther south. Check opening hours, timed entry and ticketing with each site before setting out.

Eating simply is straightforward here. Koreatown packs small barbecue restaurants, noodle shops and bakeries into a few blocks around 32nd Street. The streets around Union Square and the Flatiron hold diners, pizzerias, taquerias and counter-service places suited to a quick lunch. Madison Square Park and Union Square both work for takeaway eaten outdoors. Longer stays can lean on grocery stores and the open-air market at Union Square for breakfast and picnic supplies. Vegetarian and vegan kitchens appear throughout the district, and food shops near Penn Station serve commuters from early morning.

A day from Chandler

A day from Chandler: begin at Union Square, where the market stalls appear on some mornings, then walk north on Fifth Avenue past the Flatiron Building and into Madison Square Park for a bench under the trees. Continue to Koreatown for a late-morning coffee and a look at the food shops. Give the afternoon to the High Line, walking south to Gansevoort Street, then follow Hudson River Park north to Little Island. Cross town to Grand Central Terminal for the main concourse before the evening rush. Eat dinner in Koreatown or near Union Square, then walk back to Chandler.

Distances

Facilities listed by the supplier

As listed by the booking supplier; a facility not listed here may still exist. Confirm anything important with the property.

• Restaurant
• Wi-Fi