New Orleans

[gmi3804]

I think staying in the French Quarter is too much. I've stated it above, but I prefer the CBD or Warehouse District close to Poydras. It's more central to everything in town, not just the French Quarter. I find myself spending more time (i.e., meals!) in the Warehouse and/or Garden Districts. They have a much more locals vibe.

 

[sk!mom]

I have been to NOLA probably 40 times over the last 50+ years. I have stayed in several hotels and have found the Omni Royal Orleans to be my favorite. It's on the corner of Royal and St. Louis Streets which is very much in the heart of the French Quarter. The roof has a pool and area where you have a great view of the FQ. The hotel is clean and very nice. I have stayed in most of the hotels mentioned in this thread and they were fine.

The Omni hotel is very much within walking distance of many great restaurants and sites. A couple of activities you might look into would be a paddle wheel boat trip, The New Orleans School Of Cooking, brunch at the Court Of Two Sisters, a carriage ride, Cafe du Monde, Pat O'Briens, street car ride on St. Charles St. (Garden District) if you want to have a fancy dinner you could try Commanders Palace (Taxi Ride).

I have been to NOLA in the summer(conventions) and it was brutal. The heat and humidity was almost unbearable. We are an older couple and Bourbon St. was OK several years ago but not currently. Have a great time. We will be at the Omni in December. I would highly recommend staying in the French Quarter. If you are older they have a seniors discount for the street car if you buy a pass.

Thank you! Your recommendations mirror our friend who encouraged us to go in December. He has also been many times and he loves it then.

 

[gmi3804]

Thank you! Your recommendations mirror our friend who encouraged us to go in December. He has also been many times and he loves it then.

Another reason to go: Christmastime in NOLA is absolutely beautiful, especially in the Garden District. The lights and decorations on the mansions are wonderful.

 

[Praying Colonel]

We went in 2015 and stayed at a Hampton Inn on the corner of Gravier and Carondolet, close to Canal. We liked it because it was a good hotel in a safe area, had a great promotional rate, was walkable to the French Quarter (10-20 minutes, depending on where you're going) and also on the street car line.

 

[Buzz Rules]

 

[butterscotchcollins]

Our go-to is the Hotel Monteleone which is on the edge of the Quarter so easy to get everywhere but relatively removed from the shenanigans. We had the good fortune to stay at the Four Seasons this past trip which wasn’t our favorite location-wise but breakfast at Chemin a la Mer and lunch at Miss River were both exceptional.

We have friends in the Bywater which is a great neighborhood (and the adjacent Marigny) for drinks/brunch. Music Box Village also a good time. Capulet usually has live bands or some other kind of entertainment weeknights.

We try to avoid the touristy places but had a fantastic dinner at Muriel’s in Jackson Square as well. And dreaming of going back to Arnaud’s.

 

[Gary M]

Thank you! Your recommendations mirror our friend who encouraged us to go in December. He has also been many times and he loves it then.

The brunch at the Court Of Two Sisters is a jazz brunch. Sit in the courtyard weather permitting. Walk to Canal Street and catch the street car for the St. Charles St. ride through the Garden District. Our first night in NOLA we walk to the Gumbo Shop on St. Peter St. for dinner. It's a good (NOLA) atmosphere and good food to get us in the mood for our stay.

 

[Nagle]

We went to NOLA last December for my 60th and loved our stay at the French Market Inn. Friendly staff, nice old hotel, and great location.

 

[gmi3804]

Friday Lunch at Galatoire’s. Look it up. We were there for 4-1/2 hours. After, we had to have our stomachs stapled and our livers replaced.

 

[JLTraveling]

I haven't read all the replies, but I definitely concur with the ones that recommend one of the historic inns (French Market Inn, Provincial, Place d'Armes, etc.). I would NOT stay at the Omni. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it, except that it's corporate. The historic places are part of very small local chains, and they do a much better job of retaining the NOLA feel. Why come here and then stay at a hotel that could be Anywhere USA? Ditto for staying on Canal or in the Warehouse District. It's fine, but more Anywhere USA.

Since you mentioned Frenchmen Street, my strong recommendation is actually the Lamothe House. https://www.frenchquarterguesthouses.com/our-hotels/lamothe-house The front door opens onto Chartres Street (in the French Quarter), while the back gate opens onto Frenchmen. Sort of the best of both worlds. There's a main house with several rooms over a couple of floors and then a couple of other buildings set around the pool (all historic buildings, and at least the main house is haunted). Prices are reasonable, and the place is incredibly clean and nice. I had a friend who worked there until he retreated to New Hampshire during the pandemic, and it's always been my go-to whenever I wanted a staycation (I live a couple blocks from there).

As for activities, I think people have pretty well covered it. I'd just add that you need to take at least one walking tour from Haunted History. Whether you believe in ghosts/vampires/etc or not, they give extremely well researched historical tours that present the documented facts along with the supernatural allegations. I have a couple of friends who are tour guides with them, and their knowledge is encyclopedic.

Also, since you'll be in town for the holidays, take in at least one Reveillon Dinner. https://holiday.neworleans.com/tradition/reveillon-dinners/ The tradition dates back to the early 1800s, and it's now celebrated by some of our most revered historic restaurants (Antoine's, Arnaud's, etc). Carefully crafted and reasonably priced menus, and the chance to dine among the oldest NOLA families. If you choose Antoine's, be sure to ask for a tour of the restaurant...trust me on this

Any specific questions, just ask!

 

[sk!mom]

I haven't read all the replies, but I definitely concur with the ones that recommend one of the historic inns (French Market Inn, Provincial, Place d'Armes, etc.). I would NOT stay at the Omni. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it, except that it's corporate. The historic places are part of very small local chains, and they do a much better job of retaining the NOLA feel. Why come here and then stay at a hotel that could be Anywhere USA? Ditto for staying on Canal or in the Warehouse District. It's fine, but more Anywhere USA.

Since you mentioned Frenchmen Street, my strong recommendation is actually the Lamothe House. https://www.frenchquarterguesthouses.com/our-hotels/lamothe-house The front door opens onto Chartres Street (in the French Quarter), while the back gate opens onto Frenchmen. Sort of the best of both worlds. There's a main house with several rooms over a couple of floors and then a couple of other buildings set around the pool (all historic buildings, and at least the main house is haunted). Prices are reasonable, and the place is incredibly clean and nice. I had a friend who worked there until he retreated to New Hampshire during the pandemic, and it's always been my go-to whenever I wanted a staycation (I live a couple blocks from there).

As for activities, I think people have pretty well covered it. I'd just add that you need to take at least one walking tour from Haunted History. Whether you believe in ghosts/vampires/etc or not, they give extremely well researched historical tours that present the documented facts along with the supernatural allegations. I have a couple of friends who are tour guides with them, and their knowledge is encyclopedic.

Also, since you'll be in town for the holidays, take in at least one Reveillon Dinner. https://holiday.neworleans.com/tradition/reveillon-dinners/ ears ago we only did Bourbon.The tradition dates back to the early 1800s, and it's now celebrated by some of our most revered historic restaurants (Antoine's, Arnaud's, etc). Carefully crafted and reasonably priced menus, and the chance to dine among the oldest NOLA families. If you choose Antoine's, be sure to ask for a tour of the restaurant...trust me on this

Any specific questions, just ask!

Which is better for live music- Frenchman’s or Bourbon? Years ago we only did Bourbon.

Can we walk to both from LaMothe House?

We’ll definitely book a Haunted History tour. We’re just back from New England and loved the history tours we took in Boston and Salem.

Thank you for your suggestions. I’m taking notes.

 

[NotUrsula]

I agree with JLTraveling about hotels, though there are a few interesting converted ones in the CBD, such as the former Whitney Bank HQ (The Whitney) and the old Intl. House, now the Intl. House Hotel. They are also independents, but the guest rooms are totally new (the public areas retained their historic finishings), so if you prefer a more modern room these would be a good compromise. The Whitney is especially interesting, as they have left all the bank accoutrements in place, such as the huge vault.

 

[Darcy03231]

Here's another vote for the Warehouse District. We've stayed there several times (Marriott). It's easy walkable to the French Quarter. We took the trolley to the Garden District.

 

[Darcy03231]

Which is better for live music- Frenchman’s or Bourbon? Years ago we only did Bourbon.

Can we walk to both from LaMothe House?

We’ll definitely book a Haunted History tour. We’re just back from New England and loved the history tours we took in Boston and Salem.

Thank you for your suggestions. I’m taking notes.

We liked Frenchman's better for the music. When we were there in February mostly what we heard on Bourbon street was rap/pop.

There was a pretty good jazz band that was playing in Frenchman's Market.

 

[JLTraveling]

Which is better for live music- Frenchman’s or Bourbon? Years ago we only did Bourbon.

Can we walk to both from LaMothe House?

We’ll definitely book a Haunted History tour. We’re just back from New England and loved the history tours we took in Boston and Salem.

Thank you for your suggestions. I’m taking notes.

Frenchmen is often referred to as Bourbon Street for the locals. It's what Bourbon used to be before it was taken over by frat boys and Girls Gone Wild. TONS of live music, both in the bars and on the street, in genres ranging from jazz to R&B. Consider having dinner at Three Muses, they have incredible small plates and there's a band on stage pretty much every night. Also grab gourmet hot dogs on the balcony of Dat Dog and watch the world go by. And be sure to stop by the Night Market, a really cool open air art market that's only open after dark. All of that is within a couple of blocks of the back gate of LaMothe House.

You can definitely walk to Bourbon Street (and everywhere else in the Quarter) from LaMothe. It's only a mile across the Quarter, and you'll be at one end. If you want, you can walk up Esplanade to Bourbon and just start at that end and work your way down. You'll be just a few blocks from Jackson Square, pretty much everything you could want is easy to get to. And one huge advantage is that the way the hotel is set, you're in the middle of everything but there's no noise at night. A peaceful oasis in the bustling city