There still is availability over Easter though.

Melissa5,

To answer your question I stayed at the Hilton Riverside. Anyway, here's my trip report, it contains all you need to know about my trip:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...un-fun-fun.cfm

Very romantic are the courtyard rooms of the Hermann House at the Dauphine Orleans - http://www.dauphineorleans.com/guestrooms.html

A wonderful location too - close to everything but not right at the craziness of Bourbon Street

It's been my favorite in New Orleans for 20 years.

I can't think of a single reason you wouldn't love New Orleans after all you've said. Surely you can close your eyes and hold on to your husband's arm as you walk past a handful of strip joints.

But the thing that really puzzles me is your comment:
"I'm also wondering if I would feel guilty being a tourist in a city which did its share of suffering during Hurricane Katrina."

That seems so backwards to me -- the only reason to feel guilty would be for refusing to visit and support the city that had so many problems. No reason to feel guilty for helping to get a city that depends on tourists back on its feet.

Hi melissa,

I understand why there's this perception of New Orleans as this "wild" place, but after 3 visits, the city strikes me more as genteel and cultured (terrific place for music & food)with a fascinating history and architecture (which combined with being surrounded by semi-tropical vegetation make for a unique magic). Kind of like London, New York, Paris, San Francisco (trying to think of a city you may have been to) have their risqué side too, yet at the same time can be extremely elegant.

As far as safety is concerned, I regularly walked from my hotel in the Lower Garden District through downtown to the French Quarter (about a 20 minute walk) and sometimes to Frenchman Street into the Faubourg Marigny (maybe another 15 minues), and felt about as comfortable as I do in most North American cities. You'll know your own comfort level walking around, but I wouldn't hesitate going to New Orleans out of fear of crime.

Enjoy your trip! Daniel

We've stayed at the Place d'Arms and also at the Cornstalk Hotel.

I'd definitely stay at the Place d'Arms again - it is in a great location, a half block off Jackson Square, easy walk to everything in the Quarter. The hotel is middle-of-the-road with regard to comfort - not lux or anything, but perfectly comfortable and well maintained. The Cornstalk was just funky - again, great location, but not particularly comfortable and has an odd lay out. It is in an old house and they didn't do a very good job when they turned it into a B&B. And they had arctic A/C and a shortage of extra blankets.

I've also stayed at the Hilton Riverside, I think it is - the one connected to the convention center when I went to NO for work. It was a standard Hilton sort of hotel, perfectly good - I think the location is just too far from my favorite parts of the Quarter.

Here are some of the recent threads on NOLA safety I referenced earlier:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ery-visits.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ew-orleans.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ould-it-be.cfm

Let me repeat that knowing the safety issues in NOLA is wise as there are unsafe areas close by touristed spots, as well as areas that are a patchwork of shifts between good and bad. A level of awareness here is a good idea.

<b>Thank you fodorites!</b> We have decided to postpone our trip to <b>New Orleans</b> til next year. This year we are using our free flights on <b>Southwest</b> to fly to an airport near <b>Washington DC</b>, because we can stay with our niece & nephew-in-law, and combine a visit to DC with a visit with relatives. She has guest bedrooms and that saves money too. :-D (This will be our second trip to DC).

I will save this thread for next year, when I think we will go to New Orleans. Meanwhile I might buy a travel guide on New Orleans as well. It sounds like a great city, it just takes good planning. I'm looking forward to it for next year! Thanks again! ((F))