New Orleans Hotel

[Barbidoll1]

We were hoping to get to Playa this year with another couple in early August, but it doesn't look like it will be in the budget. We opened a business this year and money will be tight for the next year or so....anyway, we still wanted to get away for a few nights with our friends. We were hoping for a family vacation, but our boys have several out of town swim meet trips planned and we have an extended family vacation planned for summer 2009 for my parents 50th anniversery (I am hoping to influence everyone to go to Playa ), so it will be short trips this year!
Anyway---does anyone out there have a recommendation for a nice, fun hotel in New Orleans, preferrably in the French Quarter area? We want something clean and in a location where we can walk everywhere. None of us have ever been to NOLA, so we figured it would be a nice place to meet up and consume copious amounts of alcohol . We are tentatively planning for Aug 1st thru the 3rd...Thanks!!

[redhairgirl1]

Can't help you out on accomadations but i have been to New Orleans twice, and absolutley loved it!

We stayed in a hostel which was way cool, but that's all i pretty much remember about the whole trip!

Just remember to prepare your liver

[TeeZet]

If not for a hotel, then at least for some great info you should have a look at this trip report:
Eating Our Way Through The Big Easy- Our Anniversary in New Orleans

[sctx]

Hotel Monteleone is rather nice........... check out hotels dot com or other sites for specials... we stayed there in September for $89 + tax........ regular rates are around $200+ . Good location to

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by Barbidoll1

We were hoping to get to Playa this year with another couple in early August, but it doesn't look like it will be in the budget. We opened a business this year and money will be tight for the next year or so....anyway, we still wanted to get away for a few nights with our friends. We were hoping for a family vacation, but our boys have several out of town swim meet trips planned and we have an extended family vacation planned for summer 2009 for my parents 50th anniversery (I am hoping to influence everyone to go to Playa ), so it will be short trips this year!
Anyway---does anyone out there have a recommendation for a nice, fun hotel in New Orleans, preferrably in the French Quarter area? We want something clean and in a location where we can walk everywhere. None of us have ever been to NOLA, so we figured it would be a nice place to meet up and consume copious amounts of alcohol . We are tentatively planning for Aug 1st thru the 3rd...Thanks!!

"Back in the day" I would stay at the Royal Sonesta on Bourbon St. When the Château Sonesta opened up around the corner, I switched there for a more contemporary feel and larger rooms. When we travel with family, we stay at the Iberville Suites as there is plenty of room for families. I've probably been to N.O. 30 or 40 times in the last 30 years, and I've had the pleasure of staying in a LOT of really great hotels!

Honestly, you can't hardly throw a hurricane cup without hitting a fine hotel! FYI, there are also a lot of private condos for rent, especially down at the other end of Bourbon.

I think you might be better off posting a list of hotels you are considering and let us share with you our experiences.

[Tesla 573]

This is where I usually stay
Hotel St. Marie : New Orleans, Louisiana : French Quarter also the Bourbon Orleans and it's haunted!

[JimmyMN]

My consistently all time favorite New Orleans hotel is Hotel St. Marie (formerly Marie Antoinette) on Toulouse, roughly a half block from Bourbon Street. Even during Mardi Gras, it was far enough away from the action to be quiet and yet close enough to be convenient. The company that manages this property also owns the Prince Conti and Place d' Armes... the later hotel being on Jackson Square. All of these hotels have had internal facelifts within the past 10 years. Word of caution... if you book at Place d' Armes, be aware that a number of rooms are windowless, so be cautious when making a reservation there. Otherwise, it's a nice hotel.

I've stayed at the Monteleone on a number of occassions, and although it has fabulous street appeal... that appeal pretty much ends at the curb. My last stay in New Orleans was at the Omni Royal Orleans on Royal which I managed to secure through a Priceline bid. That was a fabulous place with lots of old world charm. A slightly more modern hotel that I've consistently acquired through Priceline is the Marriott New Orleans which fronts on Canal Street but is normally accessed from Royal. It's about a block from the Monteleone.

If you want to save money on hotel expenses in NO, Priceline is really the way to go. If you want to see which hotels are generally available through them, familiarize yourself with biddingfortravel.com. That website also allows users to share information on the rates they managed to obtain through Priceline. If you need assistance with Priceline to fend off the bad properties like Hotel St Louis or anything near Rampart Street, feel free to PM me.

Lastly, I've easily stayed in more than 40 hotels in the French Quarter and quite a few in the central business district (CBD). The CBD has quite a few newer boutique hotels like the Queen & Crescent which are value priced but less convenient than French Quarter properties. My favorite in the CBD was Hotel Monaco (on the St Charles trolley line) but it fell victim to Katrina and is now a Hilton.

Jimmy

[tommy]

Originally Posted by JimmyMN

My consistently all time favorite New Orleans hotel is Hotel St. Marie (formerly Marie Antoinette) on Toulouse, roughly a half block from Bourbon Street. Even during Mardi Gras, it was far enough away from the action to be quiet and yet close enough to be convenient. The company that manages this property also owns the Prince Conti and Place d' Armes... the later hotel being on Jackson Square. All of these hotels have had internal facelifts within the past 10 years. Word of caution... if you book at Place d' Armes, be aware that a number of rooms are windowless, so be sure to ask.

I've stayed at the Monteleone on a number of occassions, and although it has fabulous street appeal... that appeal pretty much ended at the curb. My last stay in New Orleans was at the Omni Royal Orleans on Royal which I managed to secure through a Priceline bid. That was a fabulous place with lots of old world charm. A slightly more modern hotel that I've consistently acquired through Priceline is the Marriott New Orleans which fronts on Canal Street but is normally accessed from Royal. It's about a block from the Monteleone.

If you want to save money on hotel expenses in NO, Priceline is really the way to go. If you want to see which hotels are generally available through them, familiarize yourself with biddingfortravel.com. That website also allows users to share information on the rates they managed to obtain through Priceline. If you need assistance with Priceline to fend off the bad properties like Hotel St Louis or anything near Rampart Street, feel free to PM me.

Lastly, I've easily stayed in more than 40 hotels in the French Quarter and quite a few in the central business district (CBD). The CBD has quite a few newer boutique hotels like the Queen & Crescent which are value priced but less convenient than French Quarter properties. My favorite in the CBD was Hotel Monaco (on the St Charles trolley line) but it fell victim to Katrina and is now a Hilton.

Jimmy

I agree..Nice Hotel and you can not beat Priceline!!!

[TAPPY]

Originally Posted by Tesla 573

This is where I usually stay
Hotel St. Marie : New Orleans, Louisiana : French Quarter also the Bourbon Orleans and it's haunted!

Everyone who stays here loves this place (and so do I ) - it has a real New Orleans feel to it as well.

I also like to stay at the Hilton on the River and get a room with a view. You just jump on the trolley to get to the Quarter if you dont want to walk.

[JimmyMN]

Originally Posted by tommy

I agree..Nice Hotel and you can not beat Priceline!!!

Got the Omni Royal Orleans over Mardi Gras for $65 during the week. When I bid New Orleans, I always bid the weekend separately from the weekday. Weekends are always in high demand there and always more expensive... so the bid gets skewed if I try to roll it all into one.

If I don't find some cheap transportation to Playa in late February, I might just divert to New Orleans.

Jimmy

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by JimmyMN

Got the Omni Royal Orleans over Mardi Gras for $65 during the week. When I bid New Orleans, I always bid the weekend separately from the weekday. Weekends are always in high demand there and always more expensive... so the bid gets skewed if I try to roll it all into one.

If I don't find some cheap transportation to Playa in late February, I might just divert to New Orleans.

Jimmy

WOW!!! EXCELLENT tip! I would never have thought of that...!

[roni]

Originally Posted by sctx

Hotel Monteleone is rather nice........... check out hotels dot com or other sites for specials... we stayed there in September for $89 + tax........ regular rates are around $200+ . Good location to

ditto that. Stayed there in 1960 and 1966 - Dad paid and the prices may have changed since then

[PlayaDelVago]

We've only been to N.O. once, in Oct. of 2001. Stayed at Hotel St. Marie and were very happy with the hotel, service and location.

[Jacko]

Originally Posted by Tesla 573

This is where I usually stay
Hotel St. Marie : New Orleans, Louisiana : French Quarter also the Bourbon Orleans and it's haunted!

That is where we stayed as well (Hotel St. Marie)......we loved it! French Quarter Hotels - Hotel St. Marie

(I learned this from the master travel guide...JimmyMN)

[Tesla 573]

Originally Posted by Jacko

That is where we stayed as well (Hotel St. Marie)......we loved it! French Quarter Hotels - Hotel St. Marie

(I learned this from the master travel guide...JimmyMN)

Seems there are a lot of fans of the Hotel St Marie The make really good Martinis in the bar as well.
My daughter lives in NO and she turned me on to this hotel.