My wife and I stayed here in mid-December for four very rainy days and nites. Notwithstanding the rain, we liked the accommodations and would return. They got 25 inches of rain in December setting a record for the most rain in any month ever. But that’s another story! The biggest assets of this hotel are its charm, its staff, its location, and most importantly, its low rates, compared to other hotels in the Quarter. The hotel is just a half a block from Jackson Square and one block from Bourbon Street.
We booked a deluxe room at $62/nite – not including the healthy 13% local tax. With the deluxe you get either a courtyard room or one facing the street, depending on availability. Because it was very low season we figured we had a good shot at a courtyard room; unfortunately we figured wrong! We ended up with a room on the ground floor but facing the street. In hindsight it probably would have been better to have just paid the few extra bucks to guarantee a courtyard room since it is quiet and peaceful back there. We were first sent to a room on the fifth floor that was dark and small with one small window. Reluctantly, I went back down to the front desk and asked to see a different room. Courtney at the front desk was very accommodating. Lucky for us, the one remaining deluxe room was much, much better. The room (#129) was bigger, the bathroom was much bigger, and the room was much brighter with huge windows. The room also had a 12-foot ceiling which made it feel bigger than it was. The room faced a relatively quiet side street, but trucks did occasionally rumble thru. In general, a very nice room. Having said that I do have one significant complaint about the room: Water in the shower did not drain properly. I do not know whether this is an issue in other rooms, but management should take note as this is never pleasant for hotel guests. A smaller complaint is that the wireless internet was not available for any of the days we were there either. To their credit, we were warned of the internet issue at check in. [I had actually called the hotel before our visit (trying to decide whether to bring my laptop) and was told that our room included internet access, but that not all rooms do. The hotel website seems to indicate something different, so not really sure what is correct.]
The hotel breakfast was better than expected based on what I had read here. Even though they don’t have a big selection at all, the croissants and pastries were extremely fresh and good and you can have as much as you want. The OJ was fresh too and there are some very nice attendants who work in the breakfast area and keep it fully stocked. Complimentary newspapers were also available at breakfast.
Maid service was also very good, they give you plenty of extra towels and toiletries. They also made our room up when we left the room late one day and even left towels in a plastic bag hanging from our door one day when we did not leave the room. All the staff we encountered were extremely friendly and helpful. Dionne went out of her way to help us with restaurant recommendations and directions and was always very pleasant.
We had two excellent breakfasts outside the hotel. Right down the street is Stanley. They have excellent pancakes, served all day, and one serving is just about enough for two people. My wife also loved the reuben there. For a truly authentic Nawlins experience ride the Charles St. street car out to the Camellia Grill. It takes about 25 minutes on the streetcar and you’ll need to ask the driver where to get off, but it’s worth the trip. Just make sure you go on a day or a time that it (hopefully) won’t be too busy. There are only about 20 seats in the entire place; you’ll never forget the experience. The vegetable omelet was one of the best omelets I’ve ever had. We also tried the Old Coffee Pot on St. Peters St. around the corner from the hotel and it was worth a try. We didn’t have as much luck at dinner. Deannie’s and Cochon were both good. We thought the Gumbo Shop, around the corner also on St. Peters, was overpriced and could’ve been better. Café DuMond is also very close, maybe 100 yards from the front door of the hotel. The beignets were fine, although it is a tourist trap.
With all the rain, we tried the Insectarium and it was actually much better than expected. We also had a cab driver take us on a tour thru the lower 9th ward - where the levee failed during Hurricane Katrina. (We arranged this on our ride in from the airport.) This was cheaper and quicker than taking the formal 3-hour tour that we had originally planned. It was $35 for a one-hour tour. It was an interesting way to spend a rainy afternoon. Sadly, some of the abandoned houses are still there, but there are also some brand new, futuristic-looking solar houses too. You may even see Brad Pitt (we didn’t)!
The hotel does not have the weather channel or any national cable news channels (cnn, fox, msnbc). When we landed in Baltimore, the Blizzard of ‘09 was just starting, literally. We had no idea without national channels. The local channels never mentioned what was going on elsewhere so it would’ve been nice to have had at least one cable news channel. In general, the hotel is worth it for its uniqueness and excellent location, but only if the price is right!
