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Before you decide where to stay in New Orleans, put some thought into what you want to do during your visit. Are you interested in history and architecture? Do you want to be where the party is? Are you in town primarily to eat—and to eat well? Do antebellum mansions pique your interest? Do you need to be close to the business district and convention center? New Orleans is a fairly compact town, but if you stay Uptown, you'll need to travel a bit to reach the Quarter. Although most hotels favored by visitors are in the French Quarter, Central Business District (CBD), or Warehouse District, there are also great options farther afield.
The French Quarter is a destination unto itself. With fascinating architecture, vibrant nightlife, chic shopping, and incredible restaurants, you could spend several days without leaving its confines.
Hotels in the CBD, many of them chains, cater to business travelers as well as tourists; most are larger than those in the French Quarter, and have more amenities. Many of the Warehouse District's hotels actually occupy facilities once used to store cotton or other goods. In most cases, thoughtful renovations have kept the original purpose as a design motif, making for an interesting architectural style.
Just across Esplanade Avenue on the north and east of the Quarter is the Faubourg Marigny. Originally a Creole plantation and one of the first "suburbs" of New Orleans, it remains a residential area today, with a bustling nightlife and restaurant scene centered along Frenchmen Street.
To the west, upriver of the city's center, the Garden District and Uptown neighborhoods offer streets lined by the spreading boughs of live oaks, excellent stores, interesting architecture, and more outstanding dining and music venues. You'll find several newer, boutique hotels in the Garden District around St. Charles Avenue.
Charming, homey guest rooms all open onto the courtyard and have private entrances in this well-appointed B&B. A continental breakfast is served in the airy dining room (for an additional $15); afterward, relax in the landscaped courtyard or enjoy a walk in the atmospheric residential neighborhood.
An enviable French Quarter location combines with loads of charm, including a picture-perfect courtyard with a fountain and guest rooms featuring black-marble floors. The sophisticated Patrick's Bar Vin downstairs is your spot for an evening cocktail. The amenities are impressive, and include iPhone docking stations, imported linens, free Wi-Fi, and complimentary in-room bottled artesian water. Bathrooms have roomy showers, but no tubs. Some rooms have balconies, others have courtyard views, and all come with one of the best free breakfasts in the Quarter.
Best suited for those seeking a less touristy New Orleans experience, this elegant B&B near the intersection of Canal Street and North Carrollton Avenue offers rooms furnished with antiques and equipped with heavy cypress doors, hardwood floors, and plush drapery at oversize windows. Some rooms include Jacuzzi tubs. Take the nearby Canal Street streetcar for a quick ride downtown, or hop in a cab and take Carrollton to its intersection with the river for a streetcar ride down St. Charles Avenue.
At this conveniently located hotel, some of the antiques-filled rooms open to gorgeous sundecks, while others have balconies overlooking the courtyard's saltwater pool. The pool and the proximity to the aquarium and other family-friendly attractions make this a good choice for travelers with kids in tow, while the lively tiki bar downstairs will please the adults.
In season, the Blake occupies prime real estate on one of the Big Easy's best Carnival corners: the intersection of St. Charles Avenue and Poydras Street near Lafayette Square. The rooms are sizable, with ample windows that allow lots of light and wide views of the CBD. There is a 24-hour gym and on-site bar and restaurant.
Just one block off Bourbon Street, this branch of the Holiday Inn chain is pleasantly distinctive, with spacious rooms occupying a historic 19th-century New Orleans landmark, designed in part by famous architect James Gallier. Eight Creole Suites are located off a tropical courtyard, and rooms with courtyard views provide especially peaceful escapes from the hustle and bustle of the French Quarter.
A wraparound balcony overlooking St. Charles Avenue, a stunning six-story atrium, and some nods to period charm distinguish this family-friendly CBD hotel from other options in the neighborhood. The Café serves breakfast and a limited dinner menu. The hotel is within walking distance of many good restaurants and other attractions, including the kid-friendly Aquarium of the Americas and Insectarium, the French Quarter, the World War II Museum, and Caesars Casino.
New Orleanians rejoice at the return of this Civil Rights and music-history landmark: a thoughtful team restored Central City's iconic Dew Drop Inn to its former glory (plus modern amenities). In its heyday, The Dew Drop's lounge was "the South's swankiest spot," a symbol of inclusivity and safety for Black travelers, and a bright icon of Black entrepreneurship in the Jim Crow South. Legends like Ray Charles, Little Richard, Irma Thomas, and Fats Domino, hung out here, helping coin the first sounds of rock n' roll in the '50s and '60s. This new iteration honors its history with a small museum and nods to former musical guests throughout. Rooms are simple but stylish, and service is as friendly as it gets. A new back patio and pool is a welcome addition. Music lovers should book one of the Inn's two VIP suites---part hotel suite, part green room---with open windows looking out over the music venue stage.
Many of the open, airy rooms offer views of the French Quarter, Canal Street, and the Mississippi River. Amenities include an outdoor pool, fitness center, and free Wi-Fi.
If your primary destination is the convention center (three blocks away) or the restaurants, galleries, and museums in the Warehouse District, these suites with bedrooms and separate parlors are a great choice. Most units have balconies, along with several phones and two 40-inch flat-screen televisions. Cocktails and light snacks are served at the evening reception. Several award-winning restaurants are located within walking distance.
A converted office building with large, comfortable, and pleasant rooms is an oasis in the midst of the bustling CBD. Just a few blocks from Bourbon Street, the hotel is also near many great restaurants, and the Canal Street streetcar is right outside the front door. A surprisingly lavish complimentary buffet breakfast is served daily, and free beer, wine, and snacks are served Wednesday evening.
This intimate, four-story 1833 Creole town house is located on a quiet street close to the Old Ursuline Convent, yet just blocks from the Quarter's tourist attractions, shopping, and restaurants. The Campo family provides around-the-clock service: each morning, freshly brewed coffee and tea are served on the lush patio. Or, if you'd like breakfast out, just step across the street to the charming Croissant d'Or for pastries. Rooms are furnished with replica antiques; some have balconies, chandeliers, or ceiling fans.
The modern rose-granite structure overlooking St. Charles Avenue has large, well-lighted guest rooms, with contemporary, New Orleans--inspired furnishings. Breakfast at Pete's Pub features made-to-order omelet and waffle stations, while Trenasse, the hotel's restaurant from chef Jim Richard, serves up expertly executed south Louisiana coastal cuisine. Lafayette Square park is right next door.
Contemporary style pairs with luxe comforts in guest rooms attractively decorated with modern New Orleans flair. In this locally owned hotel, the lobby aims to wow, with 23-foot-high ceilings, ornate pilasters, marble floors, and artwork by New Orleans artists. Fine linens enhance the guest rooms, all with iHome docking stations, black-and-white photographs of jazz greats, and ceiling fans; bathrooms, which have either glass-enclosed showers or oversize bathtubs, are sleek and contemporary, stocked with Aveda bath products. The excellent cocktail bar, Loa, the domain of local celeb bar chef Abigail Gullo, is a favorite of locals, with a cool and shadowy vibe.
This 1950s hotel was once among the limited choices for stays in the city, and its spacious rooms are now part of the J Collection, catering to conventions and extended stay visitors as well as the individual traveler looking for an affordable, convenient base.
This sleek, modern property includes a state-of-the-art fitness center, upscale contemporary decor inspired by the Crescent City, and a great restaurant. Guest rooms are equipped with 55-inch plasma TVs and other luxe amenities. Bathrooms feature rain showers and Cinq Mondes spa bath products. The lobby, wallpapered with a map showing the curvature of the Mississippi River, is the place to go for illy coffee and the hotel's signature éclair. To encourage guests to explore the city, each room comes with free passes to the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the WWII Museum.
One of the most regal hotels downtown offers romantic spaces, attentive service, and high-ceiling, traditionally furnished guest rooms in history-filled building dating to 1907. Magnificent chandeliers adorn the European-style lobby, a handsome collection of artwork lines the corridors, and the marble railing in the clubby Gallery Lounge is originally from the Grand Hotel in Paris. The opulent hotel lounge has 30-foot ceilings, marble columns, and a magnificent mahogany bar. It's great for an afternoon cocktail and bar nibbles.
Guests appreciate the personal friendliness of this old-fashioned, budget-friendly hotel, as well as nice touches such as the outdoor saltwater pool—all at a moderate rate in a great location. Some of the traditionally styled rooms have mirrored walls, walk-in closets, and brass ceiling fans; suites have small kitchens. Local hotel group J Collection took over ownership in 2019; as of spring 2024, the café and restaurant were still under renovation.
A good option for chic, loft-style digs, this hotel is so subtle from the outside that you may have trouble finding it among the surrounding buildings. Once inside, the atmosphere is sleek and seductive—Frank Lloyd Wright mixed with SoHo loft. Frette linens, Fortuny lamps, DVD surround-sound systems, and cavernous limestone bathrooms with Aveda amenities and stone vanity tables make this a stylish grownup retreat.
Formerly a bed-and-breakfast, this house now rents to large groups and comes with a saltwater pool, private baths in each room, and plenty of private space and amenities. Rooms are spacious with high ceilings, and some have private balconies. The friendly hosts are happy to give recommendations for drinking and dining, which will have you feeling like part of the neighborhood in no time.
Redolent of southern hospitality and historic elegance, this 1890s Victorian mansion is filled with antiques, local art, and many extra comforts. Rooms have high ceilings and large, luxurious baths; some have private balconies and sitting rooms. Homemade breakfast may include specialty egg dishes and praline French toast. Fresh-baked brownies and tea are served throughout the day; a complimentary fruit and cheese board is served in the charming front parlor on Friday and Saturday evening.
This industrial-chic retreat transformed an 1854 warehouse in New Orleans’s Central Business District, just four blocks from the buzzing French Quarter. With hardwood floors, exposed-brick walls, patterned rugs, and modern furnishings, the lobby exudes a comforting warmth. Rooms are spacious with large windows, and families with four-legged friends will be delighted to know that dogs are welcome, too. (The hotel even provides dog food, bowls, toys, and treats!) Old No. 77 has also partnered with the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (NOCCA) to create an artsy vibe with a small gallery housing the work of local artists in the lobby. The restaurant, Compère Lapin, offers dishes inspired by New Orleans as well as St. Lucia, Chef Nina Compton’s home country.
This 19th-century building with homey accommodations is close to CBD sights like the Riverwalk and the casino, and offers a less hectic alternative to the convention hotels. The small lobby has a green marble floor and fresh flowers. Some of the small rooms have four-poster beds, all have marble and granite baths, and some, though attractively furnished, do not have windows.
Intimate and tasteful, this hotel three blocks outside the French Quarter is a good alternative to the megahotels that surround it. The 1913 building retains many of its original architectural elements. Renovated rooms come with in-room coffeemakers, hair dryers, ironing boards, and free Wi-Fi. The lobby bar is a fun hangout and serves reasonably priced small plates.
This B&B is made up of two historic 1800s mansions on Esplanade Avenue, both minutes from the French Quarter, but peaceful enough to feel much farther away. The fair price makes it even more appealing, as does the front porch overlooking the street and the quiet backyard with a pool and Jacuzzi. The decor is somewhat quirky and a bit worn.
On floors named after renowned jazz musicians, large, quiet rooms have soothing colors, comfortable fabrics, photography by local artists, and oversize marble bathrooms. On-site restaurants include a beignet shop and old-school oyster counter.
The two historic town houses facing Washington Square on Frenchmen Street were a millinery and an orphanage before opening as a boutique hotel in 2017, and has comfortable, art-filled rooms with amenities like Keurig machines and small refrigerators. There is a large courtyard and a beautiful fountain, as well as a bar that produces terrific craft cocktails. There is live music featured most nights, so rooms can be noisy.
This charming boutique hotel is a refreshing escape from a run-of-the-mill chain stay. Modern amenities and eclectic style abound, with tasty cocktails served in the black-and-white tiled bar, inner courtyard, and rooftop.
Famous 19th-century architect Thomas Sully built this handsome, rambling Queen Anne–style house in 1890. In the foyer, light filters in through stunning stained-glass windows original to the home. Though not the only such accommodations in this neighborhood, this B&B stands out for its attentive service and lovely 1940s furnishings. The home is on a tree-lined street one block from the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line and close to Magazine Street shops and museums. Delicious breakfasts are made with local, farm-fresh ingredients, and include such delicacies as crab cakes with poached eggs and sourdough blueberry pancakes. Weather permitting, guests enjoy breakfast in the tropical courtyard.
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