Wondering Where to Stay in New Orleans? Read On…
This cold weather has me reminiscing fondly of our trips to New Orleans. We have been three times in the past five years. Each time, we try to stay somewhere new. In addition to all of the wonderful restaurant options (check out my top picks here), New Orleans appears to have a wealth of hotel options as well.
Hotel Monteleone
Hotel Monteleone is a great choice if you want to stay in a historic hotel in the French Quarter. I wrote in depth about the hotel’s past in this post. To keep things brief, this is a well-know literary hotel with authors such as William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway on guest list. With the famous Carousel Bar & Lounge and an entrance that steps out onto Royal Street, this should be a top consideration for accommodation. Our room felt historic, was clean, and we were unable to hear the crowded Carousel Bar occupants or the passersby out on Royal Street. While Royal Street is super close to Bourbon Street, we were easily able to avoid all of the chaos. (If Bourbon Street is on your list, this hotel is also very convenient.) The antique and unique shopping along Royal Street is a definite draw and it was a quick walk to Jackson Square, Cafe DuMonde, and the French Market. There is also a charming heated rooftop pool space for relaxing and soaking in some sun. Oh, and if you’re into paranormal things or haunted places, Hotel Monteleone has you covered there too. Apparently spanning decades, guests and staff have noted haunted activity. Read more about it on Hotel Monteleone’s website, here.
Hyatt Regency
On our second trip, we stayed at the Hyatt Regency in the Central Business District. As I may have mentioned, my husband loves big hotels. This one was huge! There was definitely room to spread out and restaurant/bar options. Even though the hotel was quite large, we never had to wait for an elevator for long as there were so many elevators. The Hyatt Regency had a pool but we didn’t have time to use it. Due to it’s size, this hotel is a great spot for events and conferences. I was a little skeptical of the location, but it turned out to be in a nice spot. We were able to discover all kinds of great restaurants and a wonderful little coffee and ice cream shop by us. Even the walk to the French Quarter was completely doable!
NOPSI Hotel
NOPSI Hotel is the perfect marriage for well… our marriage. While my husband leans toward larger hotels, I like boutique stays and small places. NOPSI felt like the ideal compromise. It had high ceilings, a large lobby area, a lobby bar, and a restaurant attached to it (Public Service is sooo good!).
It also is in a refurbished historic building (originally, the New Orleans Public Service Inc., established in 1927), displays unique finishings (e.g., a stone countertop used in the original building has been incorporated into the lobby), is a member of the Historic Hotels of America, has the same people working the front desks day after day, and contains a lot of character. We were greeted warmly upon entering the hotel (and even given sample whisky shots- you know you’re in NOLA when…- haha!). The rooms were much larger than I had expected, were very clean, and were decorated tastefully. There were french doors opening to the large bathroom. (I’ll definitely be adding french doors to my master bathroom list!) There was a double vanity. The shower had floor to ceiling tile, the door was all glass, and the faucet was on the correct side of the shower. (As we discussed over on Instagram, it’s no fun when you have to walk to the other side of the shower to turn on the water and, thus, stand in cold water while it warms up!) NOPSI has a pool as well as a rooftop bar. It is located in the Central Business District with an easy walk to the French Quarter, Jackson Square, and so many delicious restaurants. NOPSI Hotel was also just a few blocks to a street car stop that took us into the Garden District and Magazine Street (more on that soon!).
Ace Hotel
We have not stayed at Ace Hotel yet, but I’m always thinking about our next trip (and, given our NOLA track record, I’d predict that a “next trip” is likely-to-very likely). Here’s why: it has a boutique feel, I love, love, love the lobby decor as well as the fact that the oh-so-good restaurant, Josephine Estelle, is attached, and again, it’s a great location. It is just far enough out of the French Quarter but not too far that you can’t walk to all of the excitement. There is a trendy coffee shop located in the building as too, and, well, coffee is always a must for us.
And that’s it- Where to Stay in New Orleans! Have you been a guest at any of these hotels? Which sounds like it best fits your travel routines and needs? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!
And, here are some affiliate links to the hotels mentioned in this post (if you click and purchase, I may receive some compensation- thank you!) :
