Judith

Celebrating our 39th anniversay in NO. Our first time in the area. Like small intimate hotels. Any suggestions? French Quarter? Hotel St. Louis or St.Ann/Marie Antoinette.
Want this to be a lovely experience. Thanks for your help.

Monica Richards

I stayed at the St. Ann Marie Antoinette a few months ago. Very good location, and a nice hotel. If you stay there, request a room that faces the courtyard--ours faced the street, which wasn't as loud as it could have been, but the courtyard is much nicer.

merriem

We stayed at the Windsor Court. Nice quiet location...a bit pricey. The Ritz Carlton is opening there soon. Good luck, and prepare to be hot!

Lisa

We just got back from NO - it was a great trip! I am REALLY glad we stayed in the French Quarter rather than in one of the bigger hotels downtown. We stayed at the Maison Dupuy...it was a really quaint small hotel in the French Quarter...I had seen it featured in Souther Living magazine and the room we had was really nice...our king size room had a balcony with french doors overlooking a really pretty courtyard/fountain- they also let us check in as soon as we arrived - 10:30 am which is pretty unusual for a hotel.
They have a small but nice pool and a hot tub (- which - despite the heat- felt great after walking around the city all day) in the courtyard as well Check out their website for details/pictures...I think it's www.maisondupuy.com -it's located a couple streets up from Bourbon.

We ate in their restraunt too...they have coupons on the net...very nice upscale meal and dining room but it was deserted when we were there - it was nice to be able to just get on the elevator and go right up to our room
Enjoyed the food at K Pauls better - but it was a totally different dining atmosphere...there were truly just too many restraunts and not enough meals during our stay.
We stopped in the lobby of the Hotel Monteleone - it looked really nice - has the carousel bar and is a slightly better French Quarter location I think (less overall walking).
We did a self-guided walking tour of the Garden District - very pretty...and there's a cemetary right there too to walk around. I'd skip the boat tour - unless you go for the shortest 1 hour trip...ours was 2 and 1/2 hours ---to boring/long. The shopping was great - a carriage ride is really nice - just as it's getting dark. There's lots to do - you'll have a great time. Email me if you have any questions - otherwise have a wonderful time!

sabrina

Don't forget to:
1) Eat at Dooky Chase's
2) Party at Tipitina's
3) Have a 190 Octane from McGuire's
4) Have a beignet(sp?) and sip hot chocolate at 3 a.m. Very romantic.

Have fun.

merriem

Have dinner at Irene's....excellent in the french quarter...need reservation and only open for dinner. Very good food!

susan

Don't forget the Sunday jazz brunch at Commander's Palace!!! We've been going to New Orleans for nearly 30 years, and I still think it's the nicest meal and service available.

Scotty

I wish we had spoken with you folks before we went to N.O. We did not have a decent meal the entire time. The buckets behind the horses were overflowing the horse doo-doo. Flies were everywhere. Along many of the sidewalks there was vomit from the night before, left there by the loud drunks we heard all night long. Prices were simply unbelievably high. So we bailed out, drove over to Biloxi and had a fine room on the Gulf, more good shrimp than we could possibly eat, and enjoyed fine beaches and friendly people.

arjay

Soniat House, at the quiet end of the Quarter, is consistently listed among the best/most romantic places in the country. We stayed there 10 years ago and found it to be great. Other must-do's: Visit Mulates and watch the great cajun dancing (or try it, if you think you have the endurance). Stroll the shops/antique area of Magazine Street...if you do, stop at Joey K's, neighborhood diner, for a good lunch and the best onion rings ever.
Preservation Hall is kind of a "touristy" thing to do, but also very worthwhile.