OT: New Orleans

[GuvmintDawg]

The wife and are trying to plan a trip to New Orleans, the first time for both of us to visit. Do any of you have recommendations of good places to stay? Of course we'd like to explore the French Quarter, but from what I've found the hotels are not very reasonable in that area. I'd rather not spend all of our money on a place to sleep, but want easy access to the cool places in town. Also, anything we must see as first-timers in the city? Looking to spend 3-4 days down there.


JP

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

There's a couple of hotels down on St Charles going toward the Garden District if you don't want to be near the craziness of downtown/French Quarter. Easy trolley ride to downtown. Its not really part of the New Orleans scene but the WW2 museum is pretty damn awesome if you are a history buff. It's like a smithsonian.

 

[Digging dog]

Ditto on the D-Day museum. It is a must see. Do the typical quarter browsing. Spend some money on at least one good meal. G.W. Finn's and Bayona's are two of my favorites. If you have kids, buy the aquarium/ zoo package. It includes a riverboat ride to the zoo. Kids love it.
Or just grab a beer or daquari and grab a bench around the river or Jackson square and let the show come to you.

 

[FlabLoser]

How cheap is reasonable? I'm in the Drury right now for $109.

Some coworkers like to stay in the French Quarter at the French Market Inn for $70.

 

[dorndawg]

Not sure what you are looking to spend, but I routinely get nice rooms in/near the Quarter for 100-150 (obviously not during major events). You can get tons of good recommendations for restaurants/bars/sightseeing most anywhere, but on thing I always recommend to people is to just ride the St Charles street car round trip. It'll cost well under $10 bucks for 2 people and it's a great tour.

What dates are you looking at?

 

[coach66]

French Market Inn = Dump** good place to pass out though.

actually it is ok for the money and since you aren't going to spend that much time there not a bad idea.

 

[Xenomorph]

Priceline.. bid $70, French Quarter, 4-Star..

You'll get the Marriott on Canal every weekday.

 

[FlabLoser]

I like the St Charles Hilton. Bottom of the hotel has Luke, which is really good. I recommend the pork shank. Free drinks in the hotel lobby for happy hour.

Homewood Suites gets you a 2-room suite for the price of any ordinary room. Had a kitchenette in it too.

Le Pavilion (sp) is a really ornate four-star. Free PB&J at night in the lobby. I can get in there for about $100 or less, but that might be a corporate discount. Free glass of wine nightly.

Drury had 3 free drinks at happy hour. Free breakfast and light supper too.

 

[FlabLoser]

If you can find this link in the archived there is a ton of New Orleans info http://forums.sixpackspeak.com/sreply/595655/I-live-five-minutes-from-the-arena-Can-t-wait

 

[PBRME]

I'm staying at Place D Armes last weekend of this month. I looked around at prices and this is the area I wanted to be without worrying about finding a dead body under the mattress. It's about average price wise for the area.

 

[The Peeper]

Grab an early morning omelette @ Cafe Fleur de lis (its on Chartres 300 block I think) and plate lunch @ Mother on Poydras St. Make a trip down Decatur St. to the French Market for some trinket shopping, and stop on the way for a "Perfect Margarit"a @ Buffets Margaritaville. Cant recommend the food there but the Perfect Margaritas are kick ***.

 

[GuvmintDawg]

What dates are you looking at?

Looking at October 25-28/29, which I just realized is during Voodoo Music Fest. Most rooms I've seen are over $200/night which I'm guessing is due to the festival.

 

[thatsbaseball]

You may or may not like zoos but the NOLA zoo is cool. You can catch a riverboat at the Riverwalk to the zoo if you want. It`s a pleasant way to spend an afternoon if the weather is nice.

 

[dorndawg]

Ahh, yeah, there's your problem. Go earlier or later & I bet prices go down ~40% easily. Or, hell, go during Voodoo fest & have a blast. It's only money...

 

[GuvmintDawg]

Yeah that's what I figure, but trying to plan around wife's office being closed. I think Florida would be a better option that weekend.

 

[Jockstrap John]

You didn't specify, but if you are driving, add a minimum of $30 per night to your room rate. Parking is not a free option down there. You'll have to pay for valet or self park at any hotel downtown.

I just stayed stayed at the Hilton Riverside. Nice location. Right across the street from
Harrah's, connected to the Riverwalk. Easy walk to the Aquarium and along the river to get down to Decatur for the French Market and on into the Quarter.

 

[BoomBoom.sixpack]

Stay bridge at poydras and tchopitoulas (sp?). Right next to mothers restaurant. A moderate walk to Bourbon, but only a block to harrah's where you can always catch a cab, and a short walk to the riverfront. IMO best blend of quality, value, and distance.

 

[Xenomorph]

Good point..

It's easy to forget about the parking when you're expensing everything.

 

[colodawg]

My wife and I enjoy the Dauphine Orleans hotel, a boutique hotel close to Bourbon, but away from the noise. Easy walking to anywhere in the quarter. Great beds, welcoming drinks, nice folks, and they do run specials. Make sure you eat at the Acme Oyster House (get the Peacemaker Poboy). By all means have beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde, see the Cathedral, see the WWII Museum, ride the Trolley round trip, and have a great time. "Nawlins is a wonderful city!

 

[SanfordRJones]

We have stayed at B&B's for about $150. I can't remember the name, but there is one in the Bywater that is a 5 minute cab ride to the Quarter and within walking distance of about 5 or 6 awesome restaurants. There is another one in the Irish Channel area a couple of blocks from Tipitinas. Both have free parking.

Personally, I'd recommend eating away from the Quarter as much as possible. Most restaurants in the Quarter are overpriced and not as good as other similarly priced restaurants in NOLA.

Breakfast sugestions:
Ruby Slipper (1 in Mid-City, another one on Magazine a block upriver from Canal)
Crepes a la Cart (Tulane campus)

Lunch:
Parkway Bakery and Tavern in Mid-City (get the surf & turf poboy)
Cooter Browns at St Charles and Carrollton (oysters and the biggest beer selection I've ever seen)
Liuzas (Frenchuletta)
Willie Mae's Scotch House in Mid-City

Dinner:
Cochon
Bacchanal in Bywater
Kermit's Treme Speakeasy in the Treme (go Sunday or Monday to see Kermit play)
Jaques-Imo's (go for a late dinner on Tuesday night, then go next door to see the Rebirth Brass Band at the Maple Leaf). There are a lot of other great restaurants in that general area (Dante's, Brigtsen's, Boucherie)

Dessert:
Angelo Broccato in Mid-City
Sucre (1 in the Irish Channel and 1 in Metarie)

Music:
Check out Frenchmen Street in the Marigny. There are a lot of clubs on that street, and it's just a few blocks downriver from the Quarter.
Rock N' Bowl on South Carrollton. Go bowling and listen to great music. They also serve food, and cover is free if you eat there.

 

[K Pickles]

Harrah's for parking.

You didn't specify, but if you are driving, add a minimum of $30 per night to your room rate. Parking is not a free option down there. You'll have to pay for valet or self park at any hotel downtown.

If you gamble at all or can spend 30 min a day on a slot machine, parking is free at Harrah's assuming your hotel is nearby. All you have to do is have a Harrah's card and gamble (or get a snack and sit at a slot) for a half hour each morning. Then go to validation kiosk at the south entrance.

Also, unless they started it again in the last year and half or so, the steamboat from the aquarium to the zoo was sold several years ago, thus no longer ferrying animal lovers.

 

[lowdawg]

Help out an MSU grad an stay in one of these. Very reasonable and has great character. I stayed at Inn on St Peter and loved the mix of location, price and charm.
An MSU friend manages these!

http://www.frenchquarterguesthouses.com/stann-en.html

 

[RougeDawg]

St. Charles street car line is currently under construction..

And stops at Louisiana Ave. You then have to get off and hop on a city bus for the remainder of the trip into CBD and FQ. Don't know that you want to hop on the city bus too late in the evening and/or if there aren't many other civilized lookin individuals on board.

Most hotels downtown are between $100-150/ night. Before I moved here I'd stay at Crowne Plaza on Canal for $99+tax a night. Very nice place and walking distance to most things you would want to see.

 

[mayhemdawg62]

The Royal Sonesta Hotel on Bourbon...

The hotel is really nice and it's located on Bourbon Street! You can walk from the hotel to Fat Tuesday's, Pat O'Briens, and many more places. You can get a cab to the French Quarter and the food is very good there. They have a Bubba Gumps Restaurant not far from the French Market.