St. Charles Guesthouse

Description:

• Our first choice for budget travelers or the less-than-picky folks who have spent time in European pensions and aren't looking for the spick-and-span hotel experience. This was the first such accommodations in the Garden District, and it has remained a friendly place to stay for the past 25 years. You can't beat the quiet, pretty location, simply because it gets you out of the engulfing Quarter and into a different part of town. Rooms are plain and vary wildly in size -- from reasonably spacious to "small and spartan" (the management's words) -- and also range from low-end backpacker with no air-conditioning to larger chambers with air-conditioning and private bathrooms. Room no. 5, with twin beds in a separate room, is perfect for a family. A bonus is the banana-tree-lined courtyard with a pool, featuring a daily continental breakfast with a variety of carbs and fresh juices. While it's still a little musty smelling, here you can pay very little for a good-size room with a mix of antiques and new furnishings and humble bathrooms with bright green or yellow tile. It's a little crumbly in places, but it's still one of the best values in town.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2009
•  Recommended 2010