While there are a lot of great places to stay in New Orleans, one of the most popular types of accommodation is a hotel with a balcony, typically somewhere in the French Quarter.
There are a lot of reasons that this particular type of hotel room is popular, but the main reason is thanks to Mardi Gras, as visitors love the idea of seeing the parade from the balcony of their hotel room.
That said, even outside of that one annual event, there are several other parades that roll through NOLA during the rest of the year, and a balcony view is often considered one of the best ways to experience them.
Regardless of the reasons for your interest, this post will help you to find some of the best hotels with a balcony in the Big Easy.
We’ll be relying largely on both the advice of our tour guides in the area and trusted members of our New Orleans Travel Tips Facebook Group.
Four Points by Sheraton
541 Bourbon Street | Rooms from $105 - $199
Hotels.com Rating: 8.8/10 | TripAdvisor Rating: 4/5
This is by far one of the most popular hotels recommended by members of our New Orleans Travel Tips group on Facebook, and there’s a good reason for that: it’s right on Bourbon Street!
Even when it’s not Mardi Gras, there’s usually a party happening somewhere on this historic street, so it’s often a popular place to stay if you’re looking for a room with a balcony.
However, if you are looking for a great place to see Mardi Gras, Bourbon Street is always on the parade routes, making this hotel one of the best spots to watch from above.
This is one of a few popular hotels with a balcony on Bourbon Street which are part of the parade routes.
Many consider it to be the best option for views of the street itself and all of the happenings in the area.
In addition to being close to the action, some guests report that the noise level actually wasn’t too bad.
If you’re concerned about getting to sleep at an early hour, you might want to consider another option.
However, if being up late is part of your game plan, this is certainly one of the best hotels with a balcony in New Orleans.
The Royal Sonesta
300 Bourbon St | Rooms from $135 - $440
Hotels.com Rating: 8.4/10 | TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5/5
If you’re looking for other hotels with a balcony on Bourbon Street, the Royal Sonesta is going to be one of the best options.
Guests on our Facebook Group frequently note how it’s very close to all the action and within walking distance of most popular landmarks in the French Quarter.
As you can see from the images alone, this hotel does indeed have balconies facing the street, and it’s in an excellent location.
Another member of our New Orleans Travel Tips group notes that they have 3 restaurants and a jazz club, perfect for jazz enthusiasts!
Stephanie here found out the hard way that Sonesta rooms with a balcony are often booked out for months in advance, so it’s important to make your bookings well in advance if you want one of these rooms.
That said, they also have rooms overlooking their pool which are much more quiet.
If you’re looking for a hotel close to the action, but you also have trouble sleeping in noisy areas, this could be an excellent alternative.
The Bourbon Orleans Hotel
717 Orleans St | Rooms from $115 - $330
Hotels.com Rating: 8.8/10 | TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5/5
This is one of the most often recommended hotels on our New Orleans Travel Tips group, and for good reason.
While it’s not technically on Bourbon Street, it does have balconies facing that street and it’s very close to all the action.
One of the main things our Facebook Group members note about the Bourbon Orleans is that it is an upscale establishment, complete with large rooms, walk-out balconies, on-site breakfast, and a door man.
While most travelers looking for a room with a balcony will want to be facing Bourbon Street, visitors who want to avoid all of the noise might want to consider getting a room on the other side of the hotel.
Ultimately, this is widely regarded as one of the more fancy hotels in New Orleans, and its central location is perhaps even better than some of the locations directly on Bourbon Street.
For instance, if you wanted to take our free French Quarter tour or our New Orleans Ghost tour, the meeting point for both outings is within a 5 minute walk of the Bourbon Orleans, making it one of the best options if you’re looking to tour the city.
TIP: Some previous guests have noted that from the southern side of the building, you can get a good view of St. Louis Cathedral!
Andrew Jackson Hotel
919 Royal St | Rooms from $49 - $430
Hotels.com Rating: 7.8/10 | TripAdvisor Rating: 4/5
This is another very popular NOLA hotel with balconies, but not entirely for the reason you might think.
While it’s an excellent location with great service and very nice rooms, it’s also quite notable because many consider the Andrew Jackson Hotel to be haunted.
As the New Orleans Travel Tips user below notes, this historic building is actually one of the stops on our free Ghost tour, and you can learn more about the potentially haunted history of this attraction by joining us on this outing.
Aside from the creepy history behind this hotel, other guests on our Facebook Group note that they actually provide an excellent service, noting that their staff is professional, and they do offer some tasty food options here as well.
Keep in mind that the Andrew Jackson Hotel is not on Bourbon Street, but it is on Royal Street, which is also often part of some Mardi Gras parade routes.
While it’s not going to be as close to the action almost always happening just a block over, it is pretty close to most of the historic landmarks in the French Quarter, so it’s definitely worth considering!
Omni Royal Hotel
621 St Louis St | Rooms from $110 - $2,500
Hotels.com Rating: 8.8/10 | TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5/5
While it’s not quite as popular as other New Orleans hotels, many users on our Facebook Group recommend this spot as an excellent option if you want a room with a balcony.
Although it’s not on Bourbon Street, it’s only about a block from the area, and it is located right next to Royal Street, which is also part of the Mardi Gras parade routes.
What sets this hotel apart from others in the area is that it’s better for guests who don’t want to be too close to the hustle and bustle of Bourbon Street.
If you’re looking for a quiet spot that is still within walking distance of historic attractions in the French Quarter, this is one of the better options.
Many travelers actually stay at the Omni Royal every time they visit New Orleans, which is a pretty good sign that they provide excellent service.
That said, the main thing that most visitors mention as a positive is the fact that it’s more quiet than Bourbon Street.
If you’re looking for a hotel room that will be closer to the action, and you actually want to experience the noise and excitement of NOLA, you might want to choose another location.
Place d’Armes Hotel
625 St Ann St. | Rooms from $85 - $200
Hotels.com Rating: 9.2/10 | TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5/5
Located a few blocks from the main strip of Bourbon Street, this hotel is a bit farther from the most active areas of the city, but it’s also very close to notable sites such as St. Louis Cathedral, The Cabildo, Jackson Square, and the Presbytere.
If you want to be just a quick 2 minute stroll from the starting point of several free New Orleans walking tours, this is one of the best places to stay.
The only issue with the Place D’Armes is that it’s not as close to the main Mardi Gras parade routes as other hotels that our Facebook Group members recommend.
That said, it’s still one of the most popular places to stay in the French Quarter.
In fact, most of the people recommending this location like it because it’s quiet. They also note that they have a decent restaurant where you can get a quick breakfast with ease.
TIP: One member of our New Orleans Travel Tips group indicates that Place D’Armes is close enough to notable sites that you can actually hear the music from Jackson Square from the balcony!
Hotel St. Marie
827 Toulouse St | Rooms from $110 - $179
Hotels.com Rating: 9.2/10 | TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5/5
This is another popular option for visitors who want a hotel room with a balcony in New Orleans.
Guests note that while it is small and a bit older than others in the area, they still provide excellent service.
Located less than a block from Bourbon Street, this is a popular option for those who want to be close to the action, but still prefer a quiet room where they can get some sleep after partying all night.
Other visitors note that the St. Marie offers the “essence” of the French Quarter, which means that you can expect very nice hotel rooms in a somewhat older building with a balcony facing the street – a classic New Orleans hotel experience.
Even guests who have stayed at most of the biggest hotels in New Orleans report that they actually prefer the Hotel St. Marie.
It seems that many travelers who frequent this city prefer this location over many others, and that’s definitely worth keeping in mind!
Hotel Mazarin
730 Bienville St | Rooms from $95 - 395
Hotels.com Rating: 8.8/10 | TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5/5
Located right across the street from the Royal Sonesta, this is one of the more reasonably priced hotels in the area of Bourbon Street, and they offer some pretty large rooms with a balcony.
One of our top contributors on the New Orleans Travel Tips group even provided a full walkthrough of their room to give everyone an idea of what to expect at Hotel Mazarin!
While it’s not the perfect location if you want to see the Mardi Gras parade route from your balcony, you should still be able to see most of the action, as there are rooms in Hotel Mazarin that overlook Bourbon Street or are at least very close.
One of the main things that guests appreciate about this location is the fact that they offer very large rooms.
To be fair, even most of the smaller boutique hotels have pretty large rooms, but this is certainly one of the nicer elements of the Hotel Mazarin.
Hotel Villa Convento
616 Ursulines Ave | Rooms from $75 - $380
Hotels.com Rating: 8.4/10 | TripAdvisor Rating: 4/5
This is another excellent option for those who are trying to find a quieter place to stay that is still close to the most notable attractions in the French Quarter.
Located close to the historic Old Ursuline Convent (hence the name), this hotel is certainly farther from the more popular areas of New Orleans.
Regardless, it’s still just a 5-10 minute walk from sites such as the French Market, the Jazz Museum, Jackson Square, and Bourbon Street.
Visitors seem to enjoy the Hotel Villa Convento because it’s more of a traditional place to stay, including the charm of its small elevator and other subtle imperfections that make it a popular, economical choice.
Although there’s nothing remarkable about this hotel, it’s perhaps one of the most affordable locations with a balcony in the French Quarter, and it is less than a block from Royal Street, where you can see some of the Mardi Gras parades!
Hotel Provincial
1024 Chartres St | Rooms from $75 - $275
Hotels.com Rating: 9.2/10 | TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5/5
This small hotel is perhaps the farthest from the action of all the options on our list, but it’s still a pretty good choice if you want to be within walking distance of most historic landmarks in the French Quarter.
Members of our New Orleans Travel Tips group on Facebook note that the Provincial is on a quiet street (Chartres), but it’s still pretty close to everything, and it’s right next to the French Toast restaurant on Decatur Street.
One nice thing about having such easy access to Decatur is that it’s right next to the French Market, so if you’re interested in doing some shopping in the area, this is a great place to stay.
A top contributor to our Facebook Group notes that they sometimes offer discounts when you book directly through their website.
They also describe the rooms as comfortable and the staff as helpful, which is true for most of the hotels on our list.
Most people who prefer the Hotel Provincial make note of the fact that it’s a bit farther away from Bourbon Street than other options, and they actually like that aspect of its location, because it’s not as rowdy or noisy.
If you’re not too concerned about getting a hotel room with a balcony over Bourbon Street, and you’re more focused on experiencing the Big Easy from a more traditional or quaint perspective, this could be an excellent option.
However, if you want to stay closer to all the action, consider one of the hotels higher up on our list instead.
