Some friends of mine want to spend their anniversary in New Orleans (sometime in the spring - not sure of exact timing). They asked me for advice....since I'm "from NO!"

BUT - I haven't lived there in 9 years and while we do go back each summer, we stay with my parents in the 'burbs! I don't remember the last time I stayed in a hotel there!

So - I need some ideas.

They are mid-40s, active, and money isn't a concern. They have spent 6 years living overseas (we were in the same place the past 2 years) and have traveled extensively. They usually go for high-end places and are looking for a nice place where they can relax, walk around, eat good food, and just hang.

Of course, I'm thinking they need to be in the French Quarter, but I didn't know which hotel would be the best option.

Any thoughts/ideas you could give on hotels/restaurants would be most appreciated!

When I'm there, we're so busy shopping, doing medical checkups, and visiting family/friends - there isn't much time for anything else. And we hit our fav places, which aren't necessarily on the top list for tourists! (Franky & Johnny's, 5 Happiness, Bud's Broiler, Crepe Nanou, New York Pizza, etc)!!

Hmmmm, for an anniversary trip, they should do some special dining! I tried making reservations for the Commander's Palace for my last trip (every time I mention the restaurant, my boss swoons) and it was booked for a whole month ahead of time, at least!

I've eaten multiple times at Emeril's and have never had a bad meal there. In October, my last meal there included one guy who is super into wines, and he spent half the time cradling the wine list. He also kept calling his friend, another super wine nut, to read off items from the wine list to make him jealous.

On this last trip, I tried Cafe Adelaide, which gets high marks in Zagat's, but it was marred by the waiter who had very pungent body odor. The food was great, but it was sooo hard to eat! the waiter, god bless him, was very sweet and attentive, so we couldn't bring ourselves to tell him or his manager. but maybe your friends can, if they go there. Their turtle soup was so yummy.

I found Acme Oyster House to be very delicious! We ordered a platter of 6 grilled oysters (with butter & cheese) and it was so good, we ordered 6 more!! And my friend is dieting! I thought their etoufee was some of the best I've had, as well.

Oh, my friend & I did a side-by-side taste test of beignets, too: She bought a bag of Cafe du Monde beignets, and I bought a bag of Cafe Beignet beignets (our boss claimed those were better). It was no contest. Cafe du Monde has the best beignets in town!! I am no longer a skeptic!

Just a warning on shopping: The malls are still working on their hours as the city rebuilds. Many stores open late and close early; some stores in the French Quarter are having a hard time not due to lack of business, but due to shortage of good labor. I found a lot of the open hours inconsistent, but I had to keep telling myself that the city is rebuilding.

If they are active, they'll want to walk of some of that good fried food. Fodorites recommended that I jog around Audubon Park in the Garden District, and that was spot on. The park had a definite energy to it, and I wanted to jog around it forever! It was great for a jog or even a Sunday stroll.

Oh, and if they are into this: Bottom of the Cup tea house in the French District is the oldest tea house in New Orleans. They also do psychic readings. While I was waiting for mine, there were quite a few tourists who stopped in who apparently were repeat customers. My psychic of the day was Devlin, a guy who comes from five generations of psychics on his mom's side, and five or so generations of clowns on his dad's side. It was a very enjoyable reading! Might be something entertaining for people on an anniversary trip, you never know.

Melissa - Thanks for the restaurant advice. I won't mention your jog around Audubon Park to my DH. That is one of the things he misses most about living Uptown. He used to run in the park every day!!!

For a higher end hotel, conveniently located, I recommend the Ritz Carlton. Because of difficulties finding staff, the service is not quite up to RC standards (but very close to them), and nevertheless, probably the best in the city. And the hotel retains NO charm, as it resides in the former Maison Blanche space.

For a romantic dinner, I recommend Bayona -- but DEFINITELY book well in advance. No one seems to take reservations more than 30 days out, and we were shut out when we tried during a Jazz Fest weekend.

For a more hip/casual dining experience, Cochon is fantastic. It's in the Warehouse District and serves Cajun-inspired food with a focus on -- you guessed it --pig. And definitely try the moonshine as an after-dinner drink. It's not at all the fireball liquor one might imagine, but a refined liqueur mildly reminiscent of candy corn.

We were able, on our last trip, to get brunch reservations at Commander's (also a month out). The experience remains quintessentially New Orleans, and the newly-refurbished restaurant is lovely. The menu is decadent, but hey, it's New Orleans!

Callaloo - decadent is what New Orleans is all about! Found out that they will be going in early April - so they won't have any conflicts with Jazz Fest visitors. I had already planned on mentioning Bayona because it is a fav of me and DH. I will also suggest Commander's.

On my first anniversary trip in July, we ate at Bayona, which was really good, but the most memorable meal was at Stella. It was a little off the beaten path, but still in the quarter, and every bite we had was amazing. To me Bayona seemed like somewhere we'd go on a normal night out, not necessarily a special occasion. I keep reading that Restaurant August is the best place in town right now but we didn't have a chance to make it.

http://www.restaurantstella.com/

If they like music on the jazzy side, French Quarter Fest is the weekend of April 11-13 this year. I go almost every year and I like it a lot. It's a little earlier than the Jazz Festival so you have a better chance of not having tremendous heat and humidity and the crowds are smaller and much better behaved than during Mardi Gras.

For a few photo's from last year's FQF, see http://www.worldisround.com/articles/329690/index.html

Stay at the Ritz, go eat at Commander's Palace, Emeril's, K-Pauls, and Galatoires.

oh, Cochon!! I was dying to try that but alas, another one I was too late with reservations for.

Hotel: suite at the Windsor Court

Food: Commander's, Bayona's, August

You guys have been great. I'll suggest either the Windsor Court or the Ritz. But you're making me hungry with all the restaurant suggestions! Will pass them all on (some I know, some are new to me) - and let them decided. But with the ones you've mentioned, they can't go wrong!

All right, since Don showed us his, I'll show you mine:
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/338994/index.html

We always stay at the Maison Orleans which is the club level of the Ritz. They have 5 food presentation per day with open bar including champagne. The spa is great and if they are Amex platinum they will get extra meals at the Ritz. The best restaurant is August, we als like Bayona and Stella. Commanders for brunch is great but we were dissappointed with dinner

They should definitely stay in the Quarter, especially if it's their first trip.

I wanted to take my wife to Loft 523 for a special NOLA pre-anniversary trip on our way to Italy in 2006, but we wound up staying at a funky, but fun, B&B in the Marigny.

On our last trip, things weren't really running at 100% yet and restaurants would be thronged from Thursday-Sunday, then closed for at least a few days mid-week to let staff (what little staff they had!) recover. We're headed back for Jazzfest this year, and I'm hoping that it's a well-oiled machine.

I've had several spectacular meals in New Orleans at these establishments:

K-Paul's - yep, Paul was greeting guests near the bar... and the stuffed porkchop? forgetaboutit!

Feelings - rich food, great staff, fun, and very romantic... I proposed after dinner there.

Herbsaint - a real treat, and not as insanely $$ as I had feared.

NOLA - Emeril's other place (did Delmonico's re-open?)... one of the best waiters I've had the pleasure to dine with

Mandina's - a primarily locals hang with wonderful seafood dishes

G.W. Fins - if bluefin is on the menu it'll amaze you!

I guess you can tell that I don't usually bring a sport coat on our trips, ergo the dearth of info about the traditional 5-star restaurants. But I did hear a great story about Arnaud's from a dear friend of ours. He mentioned a work conference trip to New Orleans and an acquaintance gave him the name of a top-flight waiter at the restaurant, and advised him to make the reservation with the WAITER, not just the establishment. The front room, which everyone believes is the entirety of the dining room, is filled with the "just a reservation" people - the insiders are whisked to the private inner sanctum and given the treatment that they were preparing to pay for. Food for thought on the Galatoire's, C.P., etc. dining, I thought.

See the other N.O. threads about what to do and maybe print up some pointers for your friends - I'm sure they'll have a blast on their trip!

You've gotten some very good advice here: defintely stay in the FQ, Windsor Court or Ritz would be a great choice, definitely eat at Commander's Palace and Bayona.

I would also second the recommendation for NOLA, aka Emeril's "other" restaurant. It's more fun and funky than stodgy but the food is great. I've had some unbelievably great meals there.

Addendum to above: I've only eaten at Commander's for brunch, so I can't vouch for the dinner. But it's great for brunch.

Thanks for all the advice and recommendations. I need to send them the info and then let them see what makes sense for them. I know they will have a good time.

cheryllj - I've had numerous lunches/brunches at Commander's over the years, but I've never been there for dinner. However, my DH has been there several times for dinner and was under-whelmed. I keep meaning to try it out myself - just haven't gotten around to it!