FQ Hotel with Pool-Budget around $100
 

I am searching for a hotel with a pool close to central Bourbon Street and not a chain (Sheraton, Marriott, Hyatt...)for Mother's Day Sun & Monday looking at the Bienville, Provincial, and St. Marie? Which is the best or any other recommendations.

Check Hotel Monteleone--it has an intimate rooftop pool

Hotel Monteleone is $149/nite-the special is not on for the time in May.

If you can get the Provincial for that price, jump on it. It has a couple of pools, lots of character, and is a few short blocks from Bourbon, the river, and Jackson Square.

The Hotel Provinical is $149 and I just found out the Royal Sonesta is also $149 in addition to the Hotel Monteleone. So my budget has increased . The St. Marie is rated three stars and is also $149- It appears that the St. Marie is a lower end property than the others?

I was considering the Royal Sonesta since the Hotel Provincial seems far off the main streets? , but the website for the Provincial is more charming

Try Chateau Hotel. We got it for under $100 a night for four people. But it was nearly 4 years ago and it was in June. It's worth a try though. It does have a small pool in the courtyard. We were very happy with it.

New Orleans has very short blocks. You will not be far from anything staying in the FQ. Distances on a map are very misleading. Things are much closer than they appear. The Provincial has lots of character. I have never stayed at the Chateau but it is in the general area. While at the Provincial we had a room with a queen size poster bed, armoire, table and 2 chairs, french doors to the street (with balcony railing but no balcony). The bathroom was a good size with a door dividing the toilet/shower area from the sink area. The courtyard was beautiful and a great place to spend time. The main pool (there are 2 or 3) was clean and uncrowded. We paid $179 a night in October and would go back again.

Will definately try and get the Hotel Provincial. Other concerns were the safety of this location for walking late at night after a few drinks to and from Bourbon Street-there is a lot of talk about dark streets and unsafe areas in the quarter so my original choices were staying right on Bourbon

I wouldn't worry too much about safety walking back to your hotel. Most of the FQ is pretty busy late into the night. The shady areas of the FQ are closer to Rampart rather than the river. Obviously use common sense, but I honstly don't think you will have any problems. If you are walking alone and are nervous, you can always ask a cop to walk with you. There are bunches of cops on foot partol.

I heard tons about the dangers of the FQ before our trip and so I was prepared to be on guard all the time. We were there a week and I never felt uncomfortable anywhere in the FQ. I think that things probably get a little crazier as the night wears on and people get drunker, but we were out to about midnight or 1 most nights and didn't see any problems anywhere.

Purse snatching and pickpocketing seem to be the most prevalent crimes. At night I never took my purse out with me just in case and I put my money and credit card in the front pocket of my pants.

I was hoping to stay out to around 2-3 am - I'm on vacation!!!and the safety factor was a concern. What time do the bars close? In NY we don't head out till after 11 . Also smoking banned in the bars?

2 or 3 in the morning?!? Why, that's just when Bourbon Street gets it's second wind. We always stay on Bourbon Street at the Ramada - last year we had an early flight out so got up at 5 and watched them empty Razoo's so they could clean at 6 and reopen an hour later. You're gonna love it!!!

No worries about safety in the FQ. Not only night owls who stay out to 3 or 4 can enjoy themselves but early risers can start the party all over again when they get up in the morning! I think you can smoke most places but I don't really remember.