I am traveling to New Orleans the 1st week in May. I am looking for a relatively inexpensive, safe hotel (with charm, of course) within the FQ. Also I would prefer it to be somewhat away from the hustle, bustle of Bourbon ST.

I have a friend who swears by the Cornstalk Inn.

We really liked the Chateau Hotel on Chartres. And I think it fits most of your requirements. They have a website-chateauhotel.com

We love the Provincial on Chartres.

Jazz Fest runs through May 1 so that weekend (April 29-May 1) will be very busy. some of the crowd will spill over to the 2nd or 3rd but after that you should be okay crowdwise.

I would definitely avoid the Cornstalk. It's pretty on the outside but that's about it.

The Cornstalk, while lovely to look at, has very small closet-sized rooms. There are a plethora of posts on this topic if you do a search.

It might be a little crowded after Jazz Fest b/c of Mother's Day (May 8 I believe). I've noticed the rates are a little high due to that.

I recommend the Villa Convento, on Ursulines. Check out their web site, www.villaconvento.com. They were very friendly, it was inexpensive (in December, anyway), and I felt quite safe. And of course, it is supposed to be the original House of the Rising Sun (although others claim this as well).

Thanks everyone for your replies. I just made reservations at the Villa Convento. We got a room on the 2nd floor with a balcony but unfortunetly they only had a double bed. I guess that will make it more romantic. Plus we plan on being in the FQ not in our room. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.