B&B or Hotel?

Hi,

We%26#39;re doing a tour of the south in the summer and are mostly trying to stay in B%26amp;Bs. Do you think this is a good idea in NO (there are some really lovely ones!) or are you better to be in a hotel in the French Quarter. Some of the B%26amp;Bs say there are bus stops right next to them and they are only a few minutes to the centre, but I%26#39;m just wondering is it better to be right there... also from a safety point of view?

Thanks for any thoughts, and if anybody has any strong recommendations I%26#39;d be very grateful.

Cheers,

Steve.

B%26amp;B or Hotel?

There are B%26amp;Bs in the French Quarter (granted, not many) and in the nearby Faubourg Marigny (many!) where walking is possible. Still others in MidCity and the Uptown/Garden District areas are quick cab/streetcar rides away.

I think you gain a unique perspective by staying with B%26amp;B owners. It%26#39;s like having a concierge 24/7 and many of the houses are beautiful. It feels like you%26#39;re ';home'; and this is a huge draw for many people! They aren%26#39;t for everyone, of course, and many folks (like me) prefer hotels with room service, etc.

So, it%26#39;s your call! If you decide on a B%26amp;B, New Orleans does have a great variety of properties from what I%26#39;ve been able to tell and the incredible reviews on this site and others seem to suggest that guests love them, too.

B%26amp;B or Hotel?

We prefer B%26amp;Bs for all the reasons stated by CajunWave. If you%26#39;ll read the TripAdvisor reviews of the top B%26amp;Bs in the city, you%26#39;ll be able to gain a sense of each hosts%26#39;s degree of involvement in your trip while you%26#39;re staying at their property. Our preference is for a host who is as involved as you want them to be, and most of the hosts at the top properties fit this mold.

Our sitting around the breakfast table in the morning, visiting with hosts who have become our friends over the years, while meeting other guests and getting their perspectives on New Orleans have produced many fond memories for us.

Of course, hotels in the French Quarter have their advantages also. Your being able to walk out the door of your hotel and be in the midst of the ';action'; is a great convenience.

Either choice is a good one. We lean towards the B%26amp;Bs.

We stayed at Ashton%26#39;s bed and breakfast about a year and a half ago, and it was absolutely wonderful. We were there during an off-peak time and had the whole house to ourselves. The breakfast that Patrick served was probably the best meal of our trip - oh those bananas foster!! I prefer staying in a b%26amp;b over a hotel. However, staying right in the French Quarter certainly has advantages, and most of the b%26amp;b%26#39;s aren%26#39;t in the Quarter.

We loved staying at 1896 O%26#39;Malley House, because the owner is awesome. A Canal streetcar stop is less than a block away, so you can get to the FQ pretty quickly, and riding the streetcars (especially the St Charles) is a must. We stayed once at a place right off of St. Charles, and that was okay, but I liked staying at La Maison Marigny (on the far end of Bourbon), and at 1896 O%26#39;Malley and Block Keller (both in Mid-City) a lot more. But if it%26#39;s a first trip, and especially if time is limited, I would definitely recommend staying at a hotel right in the heart of the FQ.

Hi Steve,

We stayed at Holiday Inn at French Quarter. Although the street didn%26#39;t feel that safe in the evening, the hotel itself was good, safe and very well priced.

Have a good trip!

Helena

We stayed at the Inn on Bayou Rd. which was a fabulous B and B. Frank, the innkeeper was very attentive, the rooms (we had a little cottage) were beautifully decorated, the pool was lovely, the grounds delightful - cute baby chicks and cats co-mingled without acrimony. Breakfast was first rate and other guests were there to visit with. Location is a bit removed from the quarter which made it peaceful and it was a safe and pleasant walk through a lovely neighbourhood (Esplanade Rd) to the Quarter. Quick cab ride too and a bus.

I would actually recommend that you NOT walk from Bayou Road to the French Quarter. Parts of the area are very dangerous. A cab is cheap and convenient for these trips!

The Holiday Inn in the Quarter is on Royal...one of the safest streets. I believe there is another HI on Dauphine, another safe street. In fact, the Quarter is the safest area of NOLA...just don%26#39;t wander into an isolated area late at night and remember you are in a city, take precautions as you would in any city in the world.

B%26amp;B%26#39;s in the Quarter: Continental Breakfast

Villa Convento

St. Peter House

Royal Barracks

Ursuline Guest House

Full breakfast:

Melrose Mansion (on the Marigny edge of the Quarter)

Also several of the Boutique Hotels in the Quarter offer a free continental breakfast, and are just as lovely as the B%26amp;B%26#39;s. If you have never been to NOLA, and want to see a lot and get the feel of the culture quickly, stay in the Quarter this first time. The small hotels and B%26amp;B%26#39;s will be less expensive at the time you are talking about. Public transportation, i.e. streetcars and buses can get you most everywhere you will want to go. They are inexpensive and easily accessible from most any place in the Quarter which is only @ 12 blocks square.