hudsonpm

Celebrating our 25th Anniversary--lots of great deals, but trying to decide on nicest hotel for a romantic short 3 nights/4 days getaway.
Choices include: Hotel Monteleone, Hotel St. Marie, Prince Conti, Wyndham Hotels: Bourbon Orleans, The Whitney, Wyndham New Orleans at Canal Place. Can you tell me what's currently the best for this occasion? And any pitfalls to avoid or be careful of since the Hurricane disaster?

BayouGal

My opinion only, but I think I'd choose Hotel Monteleone. Unless the others could provide something special in addition to a cheaper rate, I'd stick with the Monteleone. No real adverse effects from the storm apparent in the FQ unless if might be staffing deficits at some places, and some places have closed for good and a few have not yet reopened. But those few things should not keep you from having a wonderful trip to the Big Easy!

Good luck with your planning!

BayouGal

Hesitant to post this because I may use it myself, and don't want all the rooms to be gone!;-) FYI: TravelZoo has a great rate for the Hotel Monteleone this week.

eyeski

Windsor court all the way. Great suites, very romantic atmoshphere, exceptional service.

hudsonpm

Thanks BayouGal. I had been looking at the TravelZoo offer, which gave me the idea. Royal Sonesta has an offer too and friends raved about it pre-hurricane. I have read your replys to other posts and am gleaning a great deal of info from you and "Dan" Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. My previous trip to NOLA dates back to August, 1992 on a business trip and was the only anniversary out of 24 that we have ever spent apart. We are looking forward to spending our 25th "together" in NOLA and I want to show hubby the great city I remember enjoying so much. I loved the U.S. Parks Dept. French Quarter walking tour and friends took me to Commander's and got me salt water taffy. I had a Hurricane at Pat O's, bought a beautiful print of the Cafe Du Monde which I still enjoy looking at several times a everyday. I even brought home a muffuletta from Central's. We have been in FL for 21 years, so have had our share of Hurricanes, too. What do you know of the Windsor, mentioned by "eyeski"?

BayouGal

The Windsor is in the CBD, not the FQ, if that makes a difference to you. It would to me. Have you narrowed your choices down?

mah1980

Of the hotels you listed, definitely Monteleone.

One hotel that I really really love is the International House Hotel. It smells so good and my DH and I like to have cocktails at their bar after work. We've stayed there too before.

Windsor Court is also very good.

Make sure that you contact the hotels directly to get good deals. Many hotels really need visitors so you'll prob do best that way.

philmaur

Another vote for the Monteleone! Celebrated our 28th. Anniversary there in April. Great location, quiet rooms, refreshing rooftop pool, friendly & efficient staff, & unique lobby "Carousel" bar. Congrats on your 25th!

BayouGal

Yes, Husonpm, if you aren't determined to stay in the FQ, Windsor and IH are great choices.

MSS

Although it is not on your list, Royal Sonesta on Bourbon Street is great. We celebrated our anniversary there 2 years ago. If you mention it is your anniversary when booking, you will have a chilled bottle of champagne and chocolates awaiting your arrival. Also would definitely recommend the garden rooms above the pool. Through your back door, you will go down a winding staircase to the pool and beautifully landscaped courtyard. We would go down there and sit in the middle of the night. It was quiet and cozy and you would never know you were on Bourbon Street. The hotel staff were wonderful during our stay, and the pool was never crowded. Of course, we went in August, but we lucked out in it not being too hot or humid at the time, which is rare.

laurenzo

Windsor Court!! It is beautiful and still w/in walking distance to the FQ-lovely hotel!

hudsonpm

Thanks so much for all of the great input and well wishes on our 25th Anniversary--Hubby & I have narrowed our choices down to the Royal Sonesta and the Hotel Monteleone. We do want to stay in the French Quarter, near the fabulous restaurants, so we can stroll home after dinner. There is a great website (NewOrleansOnline.com) to show the best offers combining hotel, airfare, and car rentals. I will definitely contact the hotel directly, but this is a great tool for narrowing down our choices. I think we have opted to not get a rental car; since parking fees are considerable, we would rather enjoy the view than stare at a map; and just a few taxi trips will get us by for our 4 days, 3 nights stay. My two favorite tastes in the world are Champagne and Chocolate so "MSS" certainly got my attention for the Royal Sonesta's Anniversary treat. I'm trying to make reservations ASAP, so would love to hear the votes for Hotel Monteleone vs. Royal Sonesta. I feel like a game show host! PhilMar and MAH1980 I know vote for the Monteleone. Thanks again to all of you for posting your great experiences. BayouGal--if we choose Monteleone, I have a good rate for the Vieux Carre Suite and a choice of view -- River or FQ? What do you think? Do you (or anyone else)know this suite? Thanks so much.

BayouGal

I don't know if you told us when you're coming here, but hopefully it'll be sometime after all the streetcars are up and running again. That would help a lot with your transportation issues and make a lot more of the city readily available to you.

Wow! What a tough choice! Royal Sonesta wasn't in your original list. I'd have a hard time not choosing the RS but that's because I love the location--nightlife, fun atmosphere, being on Bourbon, etc., where folks not wanting all that right outside the door might prefer the Monteleone. The Monteleone, however, has such historical elegance to it that I feel like I've stepped into a really good gothic romance novel while staying there! ;-)

To be honest, I think both choices are winners, so go with your gut! ;-)

I think I'd choose river view, which would mean one of the higher rooms, since the FQ will be right outside your door every day anyway, but I must confess that I can't remember which room is which at the Monteleone. I'd have to ask to see the rooms again.

BayouGal

Rereading your thread, I was surprised that MSS' suggestion is what got you to consider the Royal Sonesta (BTW, great suggeston, MSS!). I thought you had been reading the other N.O. threads of late that are so similar to yours, and therefore would have read about the Royal Sonesta on many of those threads. However, if you haven't seen all of those, I strongly suggest that you look at the upper right search area of this page, use the box to scroll down to "Louisiana," highlight that word, then click on the search box. Lots of great threads will come up on the left side. There are many threads on N.O. that you need to read. You will find a lot of information there that you may not already have.

hudsonpm

Thanks, BayouGal. I actually did go to the Louisiana threads and I also clicked on all of the postings you have made to any of the forums, so that I wouldn't miss any of your great advice. The Royal Sonesta was recommended by local friends here several weeks ago, so I had been researching them, but their rates are not as compelling as Hotel Monteleone. I spoke to both Hotels directly and made a tentative reservation with the Monteleone for the Suite with jacuzzi $149/nt.(can cancel up to 72 hrs. in advance of visit). The Royal Sonesta's Jr. suite rate starts at $415, their Deluxe King Room with Balcony is $149 (standard but lovely bathroom amentities and courtyard view was their recommendation). I liked the idea of stepping into the Art/Museum, Old Worldy street from the Monteleone and I'll choose the River View. You cinched it with your Gothic Romance visual!! We've been dating since we were 16, and we are still all about the romance!! I'm a lucky girl! We'll be going August 20th for 3 days. Now I'm going to start working on Restaurant reservations! Since we'll be saving so much on airfare and hotel, we can splurge--I'm thinking Commander's Palace, NOLA, Palace Cafe(I ate their by myself on our anniversary in 1992), so many and so little time!!

BayouGal

Did you go to the Monteleone's website and look at the pictures? Isn't it beautiful . . . can't you just imagine what it like when it opend around 1888? Oh, what it must have been like to be quite wealthy and spending a night the Hotel Monteleone when it was brand new! ;-)

Hey, did you see the online photo of the suite you were asking about? Here's a link to the photo gallery of their rooms, including that suite:
http://tinyurl.com/esdaw

Post back and let me know what you think.

philmaur

hudsonpm, My husband & I have never stayed in one of the Monteleone's suites, but have stayed in rooms that had Quarter or river views. I would definetely choose the river view suite. Something about watching the morning sun on the water & the river traffic gliding by is both relaxing & romantic. And yes, BayouGal had me reminscing about the hotel's "1880's historical elegance".
We will be in town in August also, maybe we'll see you on the "Carousel"!

hudsonpm

BayouGal & PhilMar and everyone--We have booked the Monteleone suite with River View and we have our great airfares (RT from West Palm Beach for $240 each on USAirways including all taxes & fees). I love all the photos you linked for me BayouGal, I had seen the suites but not in HighRes. The Vieux Carre will be lovely. Love the bed in the Eudora Welty Suite. I think we'll be very happy with the Suite, the view, and the location. I'm researching the restaurant plans and tours. I also want to find a new print to take home as a keepsake and a daily reminder of our special trip. Which galleries would be good to check out. We live in West Palm Beach (Tequesta actually), but we're not the Trump's!! So I'm thinking of something in the $100 - $300 range and will have it framed back home or shipped if it's already framed. I have a great print in our kitchen of the Cafe Du Monde from my 1992 trip--very colorful and fun. I have a great Mardi Gras poster too. We will definitely be going on the Carousel, probably more than once, but I also have been reading postings that talk about a great piano bar and I'm hoping it's the kind where you can "sing-along" your favorites like Moon River and I love show tunes. I'm hoping we will find a place to take a spin around the dance floor too. Can you tell I'm already in NOLA in my mind!! Can't wait. PhilMaur--We'll have to wear a Red Rose or something as a signal to each other when were on the Carousel . I'll keep checking this forum for more input and great ideas from all of you. Thanks so much.

BayouGal

One of our DD's HS teachers was the pianist there a few years back. I'll have to check and see if she's still there. You'll love her!

BayouGal

I am getting so excited for you, I have to remind myseld that this is not MY anniversary trip! ;-)

Yes, do Commander's, plus the others. I haven't been to Commander's since they reopened but it was a chance for them to redo it, so the buzz is all about seeing the "new" Commander's. My birthday is next month, so DH said we're going there. REALLY looking forward to it!