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Where to Stay in New Orleans

Updated: December 15, 2023

If you are coming to the Big Easy for the first time or coming back for more fun, we’ve put together this list of the best hotels in New Orleans in different neighborhoods for all budgets.

Our hotel recommendations are based on first-hand information from our local tour guides and the thousands of visitors we lead on our tours every year.

We gathered even more insight from the trusted members of our New Orleans Travel Tips Facebook Group which is nearly 40,000 members strong and counting!

The group is made up of locals, regular visitors, and newbies, all of whom love sharing tips and tricks for visiting New Orleans.

Wherever you end up staying, we’d love for you to join us on one of our pay-what-you-wish New Orleans Walking Tours. Let a local show you the real Big Easy!


OVERVIEW

Our hotel recommendations are organized by neighborhood, and include the four most popular areas to stay in.

The prices are for a standard double occupancy room in the off-season.

Off-season is December through February (minus Mardi Gras and holidays) and the summer months of June through early October.

We have three price brackets: budget (below $150), mid-range (between $150-$200 per night) and luxury (above $200 per night).

Note that the prices do not include the New Orleans occupancy tax of 16.2 % and a $1 tourism fee per night.


BEST PLACES TO STAY IN NEW ORLEANS BY AREA

Before listing hotels, we describe the neighborhood a bit and things to do there. For more detailed information on each, read our post on New Orleans Neighborhoods.

We also encourage you to watch the included videos to get a sense of the neighborhoods from our local guides.

Also included are just a handful of hundreds of comments from the members of our New Orleans Travel Tips Facebook Group who have stayed at these hotels and have given candid feedback.

You don't have to be a member of the group to read through the many recommendations for dozens and dozens of New Orleans hotels!


French Quarter

Hands down this is the most popular place to stay with our Facebook Group members.

For this reason, we list many more hotels in this neighborhood than the others in this post.

Many of the city’s most historic sites are here. In Jackson Square, you can see examples of the architecture for which NOLA is known, like St. Louis Cathedral and the Cabildo.

On the edge of the French Quarter is famous (or infamous!) Bourbon Street with its nightlife, bars, and live music venues.

Save room for the best beignets in town at Cafe Du Monde.

One way to get to know the neighborhood with a local is to take our pay-what-you-wish guided walking tour of the French Quarter.

We also offer pay-what-you-wish French Quarter ghost tours, food tours, and cocktail tours.

Check out our post, Things to Do in the French Quarter, for a whole lot more info on the fun activities!

The hotels below are favorites with thousands of members of our New Orleans Facebook Group.

We’ve included just a few of their hundreds of comments in quotes. 

Also, several of these are reviewed in depth in our post, Best New Orleans Hotels With a Balcony.

Budget 

Hotel Provincial 

“Convenient to everything in the French Quarter! The restaurant is amazing to eat at, the bar is fabulous! Highly recommend it!” 

“It's nice, clean, and the staff are very friendly and professional. We love this hotel!”

Hotel Villa Convento

“It’s a great location in the French Quarter and it was within our budget. The room was a little small” 

“Excellent location, cool, friendly owners/staff, and the balcony was so nice!”

Mid-range

Place D’Armes 

“It was incredible. Central to everything and beautiful. Incredible courtyards too.”

“We absolutely love Place D’Armes. Can’t beat the location. The rooms are awesome and everyone that works there is incredibly nice and helpful”

Bourbon Orleans Hotel 

“Wonderful staff, pool courtyard is beautiful”

“Centrally located so you can walk everywhere. Beds and showers are awesome!”

“The on-site breakfast at the restaurant is a plus and they have amazing huge 2-story rooms, with a walk-out balcony.”

Hotel St Marie 

“Close enough to Bourbon Street and all the action- but just far enough away that it is quiet.”

“Location is great, helpful staff, great rooms! Can’t wait to go back.”

Hotel Mazarin 

“Lovely breakfast offered. Excellent location near all sorts of restaurants and entertainment. It’s a smaller boutique hotel.”

“I’ve stayed at Hotel Mazarin many times and love it! Rooms are lovely and the staff is very accommodating.”

Luxury

Omni Royal

“The location is great and the rooms are beautiful. Centrally located near Jackson Square and not noisy at night.”

“Beautiful hotel centrally located in the Quarter.”

Hotel Monteleone

“Beautiful hotel - spotless - great service and staff. Close to all.”

 “Perfect location, great restaurant and the Carousel Bar. Classy place.”


Faubourg Marigny

Faubourg Marigny is one of New Orleans’ oldest neighborhoods.

The area is located close to the French Quarter but is a whole lot different! The vibe is artsy and the neighborhood is filled with restaurants and cafes.

This is where you’ll find famous Frenchmen Street, known for its incredible jazz clubs and live music venues.

We currently offer a pay-what-you-wish walking tour of the Marigny and Frenchmen Street which can help you become more familiar with these surroundings.

For more things to do in the area, read our post about Faubourg Marigny.

As for accommodations, there are some hotels in the Marigny but the area has many more quaint small inns and beds and breakfasts. We suggest looking into Airbnb and VRBO.

Budget

Hotel de la Monnaie

“Next to the French Market. Not a lot of bells and whistles (no bars or restaurants, etc.) but the price was right.”

“Very good price for a one-bedroom suite with kitchen.” 

“It was clean and reasonable. Limited free parking. I felt safe there.” 

Lamothe House Hotel

“Love the courtyard, pool, and jacuzzi, proximal to Frenchmen St, FQ, streetcar line, etc. (we drive so the private gated parking was a bonus too).”

“We LOVE Lamothe House, but we always request a larger room (401 has a lovely porch while 409 has an enormous bathroom with sunken tub).”

Mid-range

Royal Frenchmen Hotel

“Absolutely love everything about Royal Frenchman! Staff, happy hour, nightly live music, location! I go to New Orleans several times a year and that’s where I stay.”

“We stayed there for two nights in January of 2021 and loved it. We had one of the Frenchmen/park-facing rooms with a balcony.”

The Frenchmen Hotel

Luxury

Hotel Peter & Paul

“A truly unique experience. It was an old church, school, and convent turned into a hotel. It was very cool and I loved the location”

“Unique rooms, some with clawfoot tubs. They have a restaurant and bar on the property and a coffee shop on an adjacent corner.”

 “Absolutely loved it. Many different varieties of rooms. Loved the neighborhood too.”


Garden District

The Garden District is a small Uptown neighborhood, just a short streetcar ride from rowdy Bourbon Street. Yet it feels a world apart.

Its streets are lined with stately mansions, lovely houses and historic buildings.

One of the city's most historic sites is the Lafayette Cemetery #1 in the Garden District. On Magazine Street in the Lower Garden District, you can find some fantastic places to shop.

On our pay-what-you-wish Garden District walking tour, our local guides will introduce you to the neighborhood and its history.

Or you may like our Self-Guided Garden District Walking Tour to see just how much this neighborhood has to offer while moving at your own pace.

Budget

Melrose Mansion

Hotel Tonnelle New Orleans, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel By Marriott

Hampton Inn New Orleans French Quarter Market Area

Mid-range

The Pontchartrain Hotel

“We stayed at the Pontchartrain and absolutely LOVED it. It's in the garden district, which is quiet and beautiful.” 

“The trolley is right outside the front of the hotel, and it's a straight shot to the French Quarter.”

“I’ve only stayed at the Pontchartrain and it was lovely. I’d absolutely stay there again.”

St Charles Coach House

Henry Howard Hotel


Central Business District (CBD) and Warehouse District

The Central Business District (CBD) and the Warehouse District (also known as the Arts District) are vibrant parts of the greater New Orleans downtown area.

Many of the city’s best luxury hotels are here as are many fine dining establishments.

The French Quarter is just across Canal Street, so you won't be far away from the action!

If you are leaving or arriving in the city on a cruise ship, the Mississippi River and the Port of New Orleans are very near by.

Although we don’t currently offer a walking tour here, there are a lot of things to see and do in these two adjacent neighborhoods.

The video below should provide a good introduction for you. If you take a look at our post on New Orleans Neighborhoods, you'll find a map of attractions to see.

One spot to see is Lafayette Square, which is the second-oldest public city park. The excellent National World War II Museum is also in the area.

If you are traveling with kids, they will love Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World.

You will be near the Audubon Aquarium and Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium!

The Superdome is THE place for football and the Smoothie King Center has big-name concerts and basketball when in season.

The Saenger Theatre is a great sport to see a show and the Outlet Collection at Riverwalk is perfect to do some discount shopping.

Budget

*Note: Budget hotel prices can fluctuate quite a bit. These budget hotels are based on dates in January.

Drury Inn

“We just stayed there last week and it was fantastic. Friendly, clean and close to everything.”

“Had a great stay at the Drury Inn. Kid-friendly which I had mine in tow last time, free breakfast/dinner and cocktails. Right off the trolley line too!”

Aloft New Orleans Downtown

“I stayed at the Aloft twice. It's an easy walk to most everything. Super clean and has pool tables and other things for teens. Super great place.”

Courtyard by Marriott

“Courtyard by Marriott is very close to Bourbon and Canal St. Stayed there in November and loved it.”

Omni Riverfront Hotel

“Literally just getting home from there. We loved it close enough to everything.”

“Really nice, super friendly and directly across from the Outlet mall. The Casino and food places are walking distance.”

Cambria Hotel Warehouse District

“We stay at the Cambria every time we go. The staff has always been amazing. We love the proximity to great restaurants, walkability to everything and that it’s removed from the party scene.”

“We really enjoyed it. It was in Warehouse district and close to the aquarium and not that far away from the French Quarter. Nice little hotel! Highly recommend! Very friendly staff.”

Mid-Range

The Eliza Jane

“I really liked the Eliza Jane Hotel. Very close to all the action without all the noise.”

“The Eliza Jane is a beautiful hotel and the CBD is certainly not too industrial. You’ll enjoy your stay if you pick that hotel.”

Old 77 Hotel

“I’ve stayed there 3 times. Love everything about it. Rooms are spacious and very unique and very clean. Location is awesome.”

“We really loved it! The walk to the French Quarter wasn’t bad at all. You’re also really close to the river and 2 great museums (WW2 and Museum of Southern Art). Just plenty to do all around you.”

Virgin Hotel

“We stayed at Virgin during Mardi Gras and enjoyed our stay! Rooftop pool and bar are very nice.”

“We are here now and it is great! Service, location, amenities, food and coffee. Just so happy we chose it!!!”

“Virgin Hotel is fab. Really up to date tech, good breakfasts, convenient for the French quarter…”

Intercontinental

“We just stayed for 4 nights at this hotel - perfect location.”

“We ate at the little restaurant inside the hotel, almost every day we had one meal there. We loved the hotel.” 

The Pavillion

“We stayed at Le Pavillon about 3 years ago. I liked it. The lobby is beautiful. Room was nice.”

“Le Pavillion really is a hidden gem.”

NOPSI Hotel

“We stayed at the Nopsi last year. Hotel was nice and clean. Beautiful pool w/a bar. In walking distance to Bourbon & the streetcars.”

“NOPSI is great. There is a Two Chicks cafe on the same block. Great for breakfast, go early.”

Kimpton Hotel Fontenot

“Just stayed there- great location and great hotel! Definitely recommend!”

“The staff was friendly, the room decent and the location close to a lot of fun things.”

Ace Hotel

“The Ace is amazing! Very modern, but historically beautiful. It had a great bar, coffeeshop, restaurant and pool.”

“I really liked the Ace. The lobby, bar, and restaurants were great! The room was good too but nothing super amazing.”

Luxury

Maison de la Luz

“Very attentive service, beautiful place, speakeasy access with a hidden door. Coffee service in the morning, turn down service at night. Lovely breakfast.”

Ritz-Carlton

“Ritz Carlton is very special. My getaway place.”

“Beautiful hotel. Go to the lounge for music and drinks.”

“The best of the best IMO. Only place I will stay.”

The Roosevelt Hotel New Orleans

“Absolutely the best!! We stay there 4 times a year. Best at Christmas. Love the pool in summer! Worth every penny!!”

“The service was nearly perfect when I was there. The hotel itself is absolutely gorgeous.”

Four Seasons New Orleans

“Great pool, beautiful spa, and the 2 restaurants are really good.”

 “The Four Seasons is amazing! The Chandelier Bar has the best bartenders and they make amazing martinis!”


About The Author

Sarah Hester

Sarah first moved to New Orleans in 2001 to work for the American Red Cross of Southeast Louisiana. While working in the communities of New Orleans she fell in love with the unique culture of the Big Easy; it's food, music, architecture, wildlife, and most of all history. Read More... Sarah began her career with FTBF, first as a guide, then as an owner/operator. She believes every day is a good day if she gets to impart her love of her beloved New Orleans with Free Tours By Foot guests. She especially likes to convert new Who Dat Saints Fans!
Updated: December 15th, 2023
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