31 Best Hotels in CBD, New Orleans

Located just four blocks from the French Quarter, this elegant luxury hotel has plenty of upscale amenities—think plush carpeting, marble vanities, and well-appointed dressing areas set in spacious guest rooms. But it's not just the rooms that make a stay here such a treat. The Grill Room's dishes are renowned, and Le Salon serves a decadent afternoon tea. The Polo Club Lounge has one of the best martini menus to be found anywhere, as well as a selection of imaginative appetizers and live jazz music. The heated outdoor pool, full-service spa, and glass-enclosed gym make it difficult to leave such a refined cocoon. When you do opt to explore, the hotel is within easy walking distance of the riverfront and fabulous shopping options.

This large, hip hotel is always buzzing with action. Expect friendly staff, stylish amenities, and several top-notch dining options. The hotel has one of the best rooftop pool bars in the city. Performance spaces and shops on-site feature local culture and talent.

This spot is all about location, location, location—directly across the street from Caesars New Orleans Casino, near the convention center and riverfront attractions, close to the Warehouse District, the CBD, and the French Quarter. Public areas are richly decorated with marble floors, chandeliers, and plush furnishings. Guest rooms are larger than the local norm and have colorful accents, plush headboards, pillow-top mattresses, and Gilchrist & Soames bath products. Ruth's Chris Steak House, a chain founded in New Orleans, is off the lobby.

Outfitted with two local chef-driven restaurants, the sparkling Chandelier Bar in the lobby, a swank spa, and a rooftop pool, this landmark 34-story tower overlooking the Mississippi River oozes contemporary glam and five-star hospitality. Spacious and white-washed modern rooms spare no luxury, from high count linens and upscale room amenities. Curated experiences are offered for the VIP of mind.

A sophisticated sibling of the Ace Hotel next door, this five-star boutique guesthouse is intimate and unique, with a playful and regal decor inspired by magical realism and the city’s Caribbean, European, and Latin American influences. Exclusivity is key here: the entire property belongs to guests only, including the chic parlor and breakfast room, where you’ll enjoy a generous European-style continental breakfast and daily wine and cheese. There's even a speakeasy-like lounge with a hidden door, granting private access to Bar Marilou, a sexy Parisian library bar. Prices reflect a luxury hotel, but so does the experience.

From its glittering lobby to each beautiful, traditionally furnished guest room, this iconic New Orleans hotel offers a grand experience. A downtown anchor for more than a century, the hotel was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, but its glam lives on. The legendary Sazerac Bar is a top spot for cocktails, and the Fountain Lounge is popular for fried chicken Mondays and live music most evenings. There's a 12,000-square-foot Waldorf Astoria Spa, a fitness center, as well as a rooftop pool.

A former office complex from the 1890s offers rooms with exposed-brick walls and basic furnishings just a block from the French Quarter. Nothing here is terribly luxurious, but friendly service and the no-two-rooms-alike surroundings are a welcome break from the chain-hotel circuit.

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.

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.

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.

Inspired by the printing press it once housed (and the trailblazing female publisher who ran it), this well-appointed, sleek hotel integrates thoughtful design and details into the building’s original warehouse structure. The open courtyards, exposed brick and beams, and well-above-average French dishes at the restaurant Couvant all elevate the hotel beyond a typical chain (it is part of the Hyatt Unbound Collection). Other perks are the spacious, chic rooms, a loungey living room area (with fireplace and bar), and the well-stocked gym, complete with a Peloton bike.

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.

The superb river and city views are hard to beat, and the guest rooms come with all the modern amenities, in close proximity to shops and the casino. Dining options include a branch of Drago's, serving up some of the best oysters in town. When you're ready to work off all that great New Orleans food, the 90,000-square-foot Health Club by Hilton includes fitness classes, cardio equipment, and indoor racquetball, squash, tennis, and basketball courts.

The most luxurious of the big convention hotels in the city, this 32-story business hotel has a cavernous lobby, a mega-ballroom, acres of meeting space, and spacious and well-appointed guest rooms, with natural-stone baths and iPod docking stations. A high-tech digital elevator system helps ensure you never have to wait too long for a ride to your room, even when the hotel is packed, as it often is. Well suited for business travelers and conventioneers, the lobby is outfitted with a FedEx office, a shoe-shine stand, and a Starbucks. The full-service on-site restaurant, 8 Block Kitchen & Bar, serves pub and New Orleans fare. The Vitascope Hall is a haven for burgers, beers, and watching the game.

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.

From its art-filled lobby and flamboyant Peacock Room lounge to its modern, well-appointed guest rooms, the Kimpton Hotel Fontenot is a distinctive addition to the CBD lodging scene. Guest rooms are sleek and minimalist, with industrial touches befitting the building's historic warehouse bones. Amenities include Bluetooth speakers, yoga mats, and Atelier Bloem bath products.

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.

One of the friendliest large hotels in the city, this property stands out with stellar service and bright, oversized rooms. The West Indies–style lobby, with a striking front-desk collage of black-and-white New Orleans scenes, is very welcoming. Soothing colors and Italian bed linens enrich the pleasant rooms, which are among the largest and most well appointed in the city. (There's even an umbrella in every room in case guests forget to pack one.) Since guest accommodations are located on floors 11–21, all have great views of downtown or the river. Grand King rooms include large bathtubs and separate glass-enclosed showers. This may look like a typical chain hotel on the outside, but its quality and consistency set it far apart. There is an on-site spa and pool.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sheraton Club rooms come with many special amenities, but even the regular guest rooms here are spacious and well appointed, with contemporary touches and lots of extras. Aimed to please corporate groups and conventions, expect top-quality service and a superfast elevator system. In the lobby, a fountain sets a tropical tone, and the Starbucks is a popular meeting spot. A nice balance of Creole- and Cajun-style dishes is served in the airy second-floor Roux Bistro. One of the great downtown eateries, the Palace Café, is right across Canal Street.

This midsize hotel has a funky, boutique vibe, an on-site restaurant, and a great rooftop bar with frequent DJ entertainment. Spacious rooms have small living areas with curated art, coffee-table books, and local specialties in the minibar. Bright, modern bathrooms come with Jonathan Adler beauty products.