suzyeq

Help! I am looking for advice on a great hotel in the French Quater with a pool. So far most hotels are priced at $175 plus which seems a little steep. I am traveling with my fiance for his birthday the end of May for five nights. I believe it will be hot and a pool would be great to cool off. We enjoy small hotels (boutique) that are laid back but clean. Can someone recommend a clean hotel in a safe location within walking distance to attractions. I have narrowed my choices down to Maison Dupuy, Bienville House, and Place d'Armes. The Monteleone is beautiful but seems a bit stuffy and too big ---also it is very expensive (over 200 per night) Thanks for your help!

ccolor

Our favorite hotel is the Ramada Inn on Bourbon, which has a wonderful pool, but it's definitely not a small place and I'm not sure about the rates - some friends that we're going to meet up with in May swear by the Hotel Provincial, which has better rates, but I don't think they have a pool.
To tell you the truth, if you want to do justice to visiting New Orleans, you probably won't have time for a dip anyway! We thought that one year and made it for about 45 minutes before the call of the city came through and we had to go see the sights.
Is this your first visit and if so would you like some hints?

Brian_in_Charlotte

Have you checked the Dauphine Orleans? A fairly small pool, but everything else you're looking for.

Littleman

The Royal Sonesta has a great rooftop pool with a nice view. The Monteleone Hotel has a rooftop pool. Chateau Bourbon has a nice pool.

Royal Sonesta Hotel @ 300 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 504 - 586 - 0300
http://tiny.cc/epzyw
Chateau Bourbon Hotel @ 800 Iberville Street New Orleans, LA 504 - 586 - 0800. HEATED POOL.
http://www.chateaubourbonneworleans.com/

notbob

You are going to run into a couple of problems near the end of May. Rotary International has it's convention from 5/22 to 5/26 and then the New orleans Wine and Food experience starts 5/27 and 5/28. Plus the last weekend of the May is a long one because of Memorial Day.

As you have probably found, the prices are higher and there are fewer rooms.

Monteleone is a nice hotel in a good spot, but they are normally a bit lower in price.

starrs

Did anyone read this? - " I have narrowed my choices down to Maison Dupuy, Bienville House, and Place d'Armes."

Although I agree with Brian, the Dauphine is my favorite.

november_moon

We stayed at the Place d'Arms a few years ago and liked it a lot. We had reserved a courtyard room, but asked for an upgrade when we arrived and got one with a balcony for the same rate. Very nice. Some of the furnishings were a bit shabby, but the place was very clean and well cared for. The location of the hotel is great and the courtyard with the pool is very tropical.

When we stayed there it was early June and we definitely appreciated the pool. It was hot in the afternoons, so we'd sightsee in the mornings, have lunch, wander a bit, and then head back to the hotel to relax in the pool. After that, we'd be nice and refreshed for dinner and nightlife. It was great.

suzyeq

So I am getting the vibe that Maison Dupuy and Bienville is not going to be good choices?? Thanks for the recommendation on the Ramada but I am thinking of a place that gives me the NOLA experience...we like history and old architecture....I appreciate the information on the timeframe..now I can understand the steep prices...I did check into the prices on Place D'Arms--$199 per night avg and the Dauphine is $189 in the main house and $207 for hermann house and carriage house...if I do book the Dauphine...does it matter if we are in the main house or is there more privacy in the hermann house or carriage house...looks like balconies are all taken..the Monteleone is priced at $213 per night and the Royal Sonesta is even more per night...I have been told the Royal Sonesta is the place to be but am finding the price at $255 per night (out of my budget)...please let me know what you think about room location in the Dauphine or any other hotels you can recommend in the FQ with pool and the NOLA experience...thanks so much!!

Brian_in_Charlotte

We've always been happy with rooms in the main house at the Dauphine, but we usually did have a nice balcony on Dauphine Street. We find the location of the Dauphine to be perfect. Very close to everything but quieter than most streets.

We did have a problem on our last visit with neighbors smoking in the room next door (not allowed) and the small pool area was always full of smokers (the one place on the property it is allowed), but I think you're going to find that situation everywhere in N.O.

starrs

I love the Dauphine. A small hotel in a great location. The staff is always nice and knowledgable and a free contintental breakfast. My mom has stayed in the hotel with friends for girls' trips and enjoys it. I stay in the Hermann House rooms. They are across the street from the hotel, arranged around a private courtyard with fountain and hot tub. The rooms are beautiful and very romantic. There are just a few HH rooms and it's a completely different feel from the rest of the hotel. They are definitely not the normal NOLA hotel room rooms. I believe the carriage house rooms are the rooms around the pool - but I'm not sure about that. You could call the hotel and ask for more details.

"So I am getting the vibe that Maison Dupuy and Bienville is not going to be good choices?? "
Why? Just because no one here has stayed there?
Check tripadvisor.com to see what their reviews say.

suzyeq

OK..thanks for the information. I will call the hotel and find out about the carriage house rooms. As far as the Heritage House rooms being a different feel from the rest of the hotel--can you tell me what you mean, starrs....slao would you splurge the extra $$ to stay in HH versus main house...thanks for all the input...it is very helpful!

starrs

I thought I just did that. I guess I didn't do it very well. Call the hotel and let them try.

november_moon

I haven't stayed at the Maison Dupuy or Bienville either, so I can't give any feedback. Of the hotels mentioned, I have only stayed at the Place d'Arms.

I have also stayed at the Cornstalk Hotel, which has a great location, but not a whole lot else going for it and the Hilton Riverwalk, which was fine, but isn't a hotel I would choose myself because it is just a standard Hilton and more suited for the convention crowd.

bkluvsNola

One suggestion: If you can wait until the first week in June then the rates on hotels drop significantly in New Orleans. May is still considered "prime season" because of Jazz Fest, NOFWE, etc... but once June 1st hits, the rates drop 15-20% or more. It's worth it to check if your schedule is flexible.

november_moon

Good point about the price drop in June - a few years ago we had planned a trip in May, but had to push it back a month. We ended up saving quite a bit on hotels.

ccolor

suzyreq:
I'm sorry, when I mentioned the Ramada Inn on Bourbon I should have also thrown in the info that the hotel rests on the site of the Old French Opera House - for 60 years it was the cultural center of New Orleans Creole society, and the first opera house in the United States. It's definitely not like most chain hotels but I can understand where the name "Ramada" threw you off.
Anyway, have you had any luck with your reservations yet? I agree with everybody that waiting until June would definitely help the pocketbook since most hotels have summer rates which are very enticing.
Good luck to you!