French Quarter Advice please
 

Husband & I are treating in-laws to a few days in New Orleans. We've stayed a few places in the FQ but it's been awhile (certainly since Katrina). I would love to hear suggestions on some good places to stay. We enjoy comfort and will pay a little more for if the accomodations are better, but of course don't want to spend more than needed. Thanks in advance, Lily

Staed at Maison Dupuy on Toulouse Street in October. Lovely place. Delightful courtyard. Just what you'd expect a New Orleans hotel to be. Here's the site: http://www.maisondupuy.com/

My husband and I love the Royal Sonesta - specifically the inside corner rooms that overlook the pool/patio area. They're large rooms and that part of the hotel is nice and quiet.

If you want to stay in the Quarter, would also suggest Place d'Arms.

Thank you all. The 3 all look great and I assume your suggestions are since Katrina? I'll post which one we pick soon.

The French Quarter is fine. I wouldn't worry at all about Katrina effects there.

If you're interested in small inns or B&Bs, try www.neworleansinns.com or www.bbnola.com. Some of the properties are very close to the FQ.

Royal Sonesta is not a bad choice. A little more upscale than Place d'Arms. Both are 'old New Orleans' style and similar to other hotels in the Quarter. The Chateau Sonesta is similar, but when I stayed there several months ago, they had no valet parking and the parking garage was two blocks away.

I have a choice of any hotel in the Quarter and downtown New Orleans and stay mostly at the W in the French Quarter. This is entirely different from the 'old NOLA style' hotels...cool and contemporary.

The price varies with the time of year, events, etc. I've paid as little as $129 and, at times, over $200 for their standard room. Check rates online at both whotels.com and spg.com (parent company) and maybe also phone the hotel for rates...take the cheapest.

The W is very comfortable, the staff is very nice, it has an absolutely beautiful courtyard/pool area (maybe the nicest area in the Quarter), and the most comfortable beds you will ever sleep in. Bacco (nice, but overrated restaurant) is right there. K-Paul's is a block away (I highly recommend!) and Chartres Street (where the W is located) is relatively safe and quiet. The W FQ feels to me more like a home than a hotel.

I also stay at the Sheraton just across Canal Street from the Quarter...nice and great views from this high rise hotel.

Dh and I always stay at the Royal Sonesta. We were there in July and the hotel & the FQ are in very good condition. The only real noticable difference from when we were there the year before was that there were much fewer people, but I imagine it has picked up since then. Have a wonderful trip!!

I prefer to stay in smaller places, so in the Quarter I'd choose the Soniat House. It's in the quiet part of the FQ, and the rooms are gorgeous.

Teresa

My husband and I just returned last night from 4 nights in Nola. We had a fantastic time and stayed at the Hotel Monteleone. In my opinion, you can't find a better located upscale hotel, close to everything, yet just a block away from the craziness and noise. Sits right on Royal St. across from soon to be reopened Mr.B's restaurant and some fabulous antique shops. Has the great Carrousel Bar. We walked everywhere from there! Enjoy, New Orleans is back in full swing.

I would choose Royal Sonesta to be on Bourbon St yet staying in a very nice hotel, or the Hotel Monteleone to be within close walking distance everything in the Qtr, but off Bourbon. I consider the Monteleone historically elegant, and often good deals abound. Good luck with your planning!

Thank you all so much. Turns out the only hotel I could find with 2 rooms still available is Bienville House. We stayed there years ago and it was ok (not great). I hope it isn't worse as the rooms were $369 each per night. As luck would have it we will be there during the Jazz Fest weekend (who knew?). Actually we are a little excited about that.

Does anyone happen to have a suggestion for where to stay in a small town between NOLA and Lafayette?

We want to do Avery Island and a plantation or 2 that we've not seen. Maybe a swamp tour.

For our upcoming trip, we are going to drive up the river road, see a couple plantations, then spend a few nights near Lafayette. We are staying at the Cajun Country Cottages in Breaux Bridge. I have not stayed there before, but the place gets good reviews from what I have seen. These are individual cottages on a small lake, a little outside town. We decided that after spending some time in New Orleans, a quiet place is probably going to be very welcome - LOL. From there, we plan to visit Lafayette, Avery Island, New Iberia, and so forth.

$300+ is an outrage for the Bienville House, even during Jazz Fest!

If you're there, go to Jazz Fest! It's worth it just for the food. Zataran's has a cooking demo booth set up- last year (and it sounds like she does it every year) the local lady made shrimp salad with shrimp her husband caught that morning. It was some of the best shrimp I have ever tasted! And the Oyster Artichoke soup was outstanding. I was not that impressed with the Crawfish bread, but it would probably be good if I hadn't heard about it for two months before we went (it wasn't bad, but it wasn't all it was made out to be).

LOL Dan! Thats what I'm afraid of and it was pay in advance too! Oh well I travel alot and I know it can't be as bad as some places I've stayed.

Besides we are going for fun and I'm not going to let a hotel ruin my good time.

Thanks for the advice Cocontom, I plan to go to Jazz Fest at least one of the days while we are there. Also glad the crowds will liven up Bourbon Street for us too. My in-laws are in their 70's but have alot of stamina and love to travel with us.

J Correa: The Cajun Cabins sound up our alley. In the right location too. Thanks for the tip. I'll try to google them.

Does any one know when Mr. B's is suppose to be reopening?

Just returned from New Orleans a fews weeks ago and we stayed at the Chateau
Sonesta, and had a room with a balony that looked out onto Bourbon Street. The rooms were large, and Ted at the Reception Desk was exceptionally friendly.

Would stay there again, and would recommend this hotel.