6 Best Hotels in The Garden District, New Orleans

This escape from the New Orleans hoopla more than lives up to its lofty name with well-appointed rooms that evoke old Louisiana through period antiques and distinctive private baths. The home was designed in 1893 by renowned New Orleans architect Thomas Sully. The Greenwood Suite includes a hot tub, a Mardi Gras--theme stained-glass window, and a private balcony that extends across the front of the house, overlooking historic St. Charles Avenue. An oak-shaded common balcony on the second floor overlooks a traditional New Orleans garden. The continental breakfast is served in either the dining room or on the balcony.

This 19th-century mansion, named for the prominent Louisiana architect who designed it, is now a beautifully restored and updated boutique hotel. Rooms have high ceilings, four-poster beds, and modern amenities. Front rooms have private balconies overlooking the live oaks and bougainvillea trees of a charming residential street. It's one block to the streetcar on St. Charles Avenue, and a quick walk to shops and restaurants on Magazine Street.

A former Catholic orphanage is now perhaps the city's most stylish hotel: this sprawling, red-bricked estate, with a maze of wide verandas and inner courtyards flanked by palm trees and tropical plants, creates a luxurious oasis you won't want to leave. Here you'll find a generous pool and outdoor bar, as well as two restaurants (casual French-Vietnamese bakery, and high-end Coastal Italian dining room), with lovely design details throughout. All this, plus a guest-only lounge and revolving calendar of cultural events, curate a New Orleans experience you won't soon forget.  

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.

At this 1930s hotel restored to its former glory, chicness abounds throughout in shades of green, floral, and plush. The building makes up for its lack of amenities and updates with quirky historic charm and three excellent on-site venues: Jack Rose, the hip ground floor restaurant; the historic Bayou Bar, with nightly live jazz; and Hot Tin, a rooftop hotspot with stunning views. 

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.