The Best Places to Stay

Description:

The Ritz was occupied during the hurricane and its aftermath and as such took a serious beating, requiring a major renovation that kept it closed until December 2006. Given the standards of the brand name, it was no surprise it returned as good, if not better than ever.

Sentimentalists that we are, we were deeply sad to see the venerable Maison Blanche department store go the way of Woolworth's, D. H. Holmes, and other Canal Street shopping landmarks. But for the city's sake, we are pleased to have the Ritz-Carlton take its place, preserving the classic, glazed terra-cotta building and bringing a high-end luxury hotel to the Quarter. Service is sterling, and there may be some surprises along the way that will tickle you. Room color scheme varies according to the size (double rooms are light blue, queen purple, and so on) and have lovely beds. King rooms are nicer than doubles, while rooms on the 12th, 14th and 15th floors the largest (some ridiculously large). The toiletries are by Bulgari, and they've added a fancy coffee and tea service that comes in a cleverly designed wooden box. The whole effect is most gracious. Consider ponying up for the Club Level over at the Maison Orleans...

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Opened in 1886, the Monteleone is the largest hotel in the French Quarter (and was home to Truman Capote's parents when he was born!), and it seems to keep getting bigger without losing a trace of its trademark charm. Because of its size, you can almost always get a reservation here, even when other places are booked. Everyone who stays here loves it, probably because it's a family hotel whose approach to business is reflected by the staff, among the most helpful in town. One guest who stayed here with a child with disabilities raved about the facilities.

Until recently, the big problem was the inconsistency among the rooms. But all have been freshly renovated (Katrina winds broke windows) and look blandly pretty as a result, though there is still some difference in terms of size and style. Rooms in the nos. 60s are near the ice machine; rooms from nos. 56 to 59 are slightly bigger with old high ceilings; rooms in the nos. 27s have no windows. Executive suites are just big rooms but have the nicest new furniture, including four-poster beds and Jacuzzis. The glass fitness room overlooking the city got nailed by the storm, as you can imagine, but to its benefit, it's now well stocked...

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It's jazzy. It's elegant. It's unmistakably New Orleans. The Royal Sonesta Hotel is right where your heart desires to be - in the French Quarter where the air is alive with atmosphere and originality. This hotel celebrates the culture and friendliness of this rare and wonderful walking district. You'll love the distinctively European style, the beautiful architecture and the staff's warmth.

Description:

Despite being part of a chain, this is an elegant hotel that escapes feeling sterile and generic. This is only proper given that it is on the former site of the venerable 1836 St. Louis Exchange Hotel, one of the country's premier hostelries and a center of New Orleans social life until the final years of the Civil War. The original building was finally destroyed by a 1915 hurricane (it suffered no damage from Katrina), but the Omni, built in 1960, is a worthy successor, enjoying a prime location smack in the center of the Quarter. Truman Capote and William Styron have stayed here, and there is a Tennessee Williams suite. Furnishings in the guest rooms (which are quietly getting paint-and-wallpaper overhauls) have grave good taste, full of muted tones and plush furniture, with windows that let you look dreamily out over the Quarter. Suites are vast, making this a good choice for families despite the fancy appearance. Service is swift and conscientious and there are more amenities available here than in comparable properties. Altogether, an especially worthwhile choice.

Facilities: Restaurant; 2 bars; heated outdoor pool; health club; concierge; business center; salon; barbershops; room...

Description:

New Orleans made a mistake when it tore down its famous bordellos. If somebody had turned one of the grander ones into a hotel, imagine how many people would stay there! The next best thing is The Columns, whose interior was used by Louis Malle for his film about Storyville, Pretty Baby. Built in 1883, the building is one of the city's greatest examples of a late-19th-century Louisiana residence. The grand, columned porch is a highly popular evening scene thanks to the bar inside. The immediate interior is utterly smashing; we challenge any other hotel to match the grand staircase and stained-glass-window combination.

The Columns is another hotel that benefited from Katrina. The building lost part of its roof during the storm, creating a waterfall effect inside. The resulting new carpets, drapes, paint, and bedspreads have freshened up a musty place that sorely needed it. We wish still more had been done to make the upstairs match that smashing downstairs; it's still a bit too dark and the color schemes not that great. The totally renovated third floor looks more modern, mostly to good and comfortable effect. The Pretty Baby room has no discernable nods to its ostensible theme (nor...

Description:

While we have strong feelings indeed about staying in more New Orleans-appropriate, site-specific accommodations, we cheerfully admit that this is one fun hotel, and what is New Orleans about if not fun? There are certainly no more-playful rooms in town, done up as they are in black, plum and white -- frosty chic, to be sure, but oh, so comfortable, thanks to feather everything (pillows, comforters, beds -- and yes, allergy sufferers, they have foam alternatives). There are nifty amenities and gewgaws galore; suites offer little different from the rooms except more space and, indeed, more of everything (two TVs, two DVD players, two bathrooms, one Ouija board). Not all rooms have views, but the ones that do, especially those of the river, are outstanding. The ultrachic bar was designed by hip bar/club owner Rande "Mr. Cindy Crawford" Gerber. We do wish this whole experience wasn't so, well, New York, but then again, we find ourselves having so much fun, it's kinda hard to get all that worked up about it.

Description:

Swanky. Ooo-la-la. These are the words that spring to mind as you enter the stylish Loews hotel. It's a sharp-dressed combo of modern and moderne, with judiciously applied sprinkles of New Orleans flavor. Maybe it's the relative newness of the place or that the front desk has a photo-tile collage featuring black-and-white shots of iconic local images. Maybe it's the fact that Loews was willing to renovate the adjoining Piazza D'Italia (a local landmark that had gone to seed; be sure to wander amid its fountain and neon-lit glory one evening). Whatever it is, we are quite smitten. The rooms are all spacious, starting with the "Luxury" rooms, at 346 square feet -- bright and decorated with art by a local photographer, with goose-down comforters and pillows. Bathrooms are small, but granite and wood vanities make up for the lack of space. "Grand Luxury" rooms and bathrooms are bigger (and more costly, naturally). Views vary from river to partial river plus piazza to New Orleans city skyline, which get better the higher up you go. Note that the hotel's lowest floor is the 11th, so this is not the choice for those with vertigo or other high-floor issues. There is also a steamy indoor pool...

Description:

Located in the French Quarter, this establishment of 180 years is a fine example of Southern charm and hospitality. The beautifully designed rooms were renovated in 1994. It is situated near many of New Orleans major attractions, including Bourbon Street and the Convention Center. This hotel is good for those looking to be amongst all the action of the French Quarter for a affordable price.

Description:

Originally built in 1852, this hotel has been carefully restored down to the finest detail in an effort to recreate the home in which Edgar Degas painted many of his finest works of art. This tribute to Degas affords guests a romantic intimacy and Creole elegance, while displaying the Crescent City through his eyes. There are a total of 60 works hung throughout the entire house.

Description:

When built in the 1970s, this property captured the spirit of New Orleans. After renovation in 1990s, the experience was heightened and the service deemed most gracious. Upon becoming an outpost of the chic W Hotels chain in the 2000s, the picture was complete. This is an undeniably out-of-this-world hotel experience, both location-wise and amenities-wise. Located just off Bourbon Street, the echoes of jazz will call you to the heart of the Vieux Carre to dine, dance and Laissez les bon temps roulet. Let the good times roll!

Description:

This is not an ordinary run of the mill Quality Inn. This Inn has a Southern charm as refreshingly unique as the city that it inhabits. The Maison St. Charles is perfect for those travelers who do not want to be surrounded by the noise and brouhaha of the French Quarter. The hotel is situated right on St. Charles Avenue and is only a sort Streetcar ride from the French Quarter and Uptown areas. The Hotel itself has beautiful rooms in an elegant and unique style. Each room faces the lush interior courtyard that is well landscaped and very representative of New Orleans.