My boyfriend and I would like to be in New Orleans for New Year's ...can anyone suggest any Bed & Breakfasts that won't put that deep a hole in our pocket...we are looking to budget as much as possible!

Any suggestions on locations we should stay in would also be very much appreciated!

Thanks

Nicoletta

Nicoletta: A couple of years ago when my husband and I were at Gulf Shores, Alabama, we decided on the spur of the moment to detour over to N'awlins. I called 800 information, and asked for a few variants that I could think of on "Bed & Breakfast of New Orleans," "New Orleans B&B Assn." etcetera. -- looking for one of those agencies that represents many B&B's in an area. I landed an 800 number, called them and we ended up at a charming B&B in the garden district for about $60 a nite. Iit was unprepossessing on the outside, a little "shotgun style" cottage, but the inside was lovely, filled with antiques. Sorry I can't recall the name of the agency, but it's one tack you might try.

Check out www.nola.com or www.nawlins.com We used these sites before we went last year and they were of great help. Have fun.

My husband and I just returned from a 3 day trip to N.O. with another couple. It was our first stay at a B&B there. We stayed at Aston's Mechling on Esplanade Ave. It is about a 5 min. ride from the French Qtr. (bus or taxi avail.). The B&B was great - many lovely antiques, very clean and most impressive were how friendly and helpful the owners were. Breakfasts were of gourmet quality. I would stay there again in a second. Pat

Nicoletta,
It's Pat again. I spelled the name incorrectly: is Ashton's Mechling B&B.

You may have an awfully hard time finding accommodations ANYWHERE in New Orleans for New Year's. Like other popular vacation spots - especially for the Millinneum - New Orleans hosts the Sugar Bowl New Year's Day. Posters on the AOL message board have been saying that they started as long ago as a year to make dinner reservations for New Year's Eve. During festival times (like Mardi Gras and New Year's)
hotels charge 2 and 3 times their normal rates.