Hotel Monteleone
1886 Quarter icon with the Carousel Bar — a slowly rotating 25-seat cocktail bar and one of the most photographed rooms in America.
French Quarter · Historic
Where to stay
Best Hotels in New Orleans: 15 Handpicked Stays by Neighbourhood
New Orleans is a city where the hotel neighbourhood shapes the trip more than in almost anywhere else in America. A French Quarter balcony room and a Warehouse District design tower are two entirely different holidays. Below is our editors' shortlist across each neighbourhood, with live rates through our licensed booking partner.
Which New Orleans neighbourhood is right for you
French Quarter (Vieux Carré): wrought-iron balconies, Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, Café du Monde. Best for first-time visitors who want to walk everywhere — pick a room off Bourbon for quieter nights.
Warehouse Arts District (WAD): converted 19th-century warehouses, the National WWII Museum, contemporary galleries, the newest design hotels. Best for repeat visitors and food-focused trips.
CBD (Central Business District): high-rise modern hotels with the largest rooms and pools; a 10-minute walk to both the Quarter and WAD. Best for families and business travellers.
Garden District & Uptown: streetcar-line stops past Anne Rice mansions and Commander's Palace. Best for a slower, boutique-B&B stay away from the tourist crowds.
Marigny & Bywater: gas-lamp Creole cottages just downriver of the Quarter — Frenchmen Street jazz clubs and the local music scene. Best for a second visit.
How much New Orleans hotels cost
Budget 3-star in the CBD or Warehouse District: $150-$250 (low season) / $260-$450 (high season).
Mid-range Quarter boutique with balcony: $220-$400 / $380-$650.
Upper mid design hotel (Ace, Kimpton, NOPSI): $300-$520 / $500-$850.
Luxury (Windsor Court, Ritz-Carlton, Roosevelt, Four Seasons): $550-$1,200 / $900-$2,500+.
High season is October-May (cool and dry). Mardi Gras (late Feb / early March), Jazz Fest (late April / early May) and French Quarter Fest (April) sell out the whole city 4-6 months ahead at 2-4x normal rates. Summer is cheap but humid and thunderstormy.
What to book alongside your hotel
The National WWII Museum in the Warehouse District — the top-rated museum in the US; allow a full day for both pavilions and the Beyond All Boundaries film.
A Preservation Hall jazz set — three 45-minute shows nightly; buy the reserved-seating tickets ahead.
A Garden District walking tour or the St Charles streetcar to Audubon Park — the classic uptown afternoon.
A steamboat Natchez jazz brunch or evening dinner cruise on the Mississippi.
A pre-booked private transfer from MSY — $40-$70 fixed, much easier than an airport-taxi flat rate and always available on convention days.
Our editors' hotel shortlist
The Roosevelt New Orleans, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel
1893 CBD landmark — home of the Sazerac Bar and the block-long lobby that shuts down for Christmas lights.
CBD · Luxury
Windsor Court Hotel
The city's grand-dame luxury tower — Le Salon high tea, Grill Room dinners, art collection worth the visit alone.
CBD · Luxury
The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans
Restored 1908 Maison Blanche department store on Canal Street — walk-in access to the Quarter and the Spa on top of the tower.
Canal · Luxury
Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans
34-storey CBD tower with Chemin à la Mer (Donald Link) and a 5th-floor pool overlooking the Mississippi.
CBD · Luxury
Hotel Peter and Paul
Restored 1860 Marigny church, rectory and schoolhouse — 71 rooms across four buildings; the most characterful boutique in the city.
Marigny · Boutique
Hotel Saint Vincent
Restored 1861 Lower Garden District orphanage — pink-tile pool, San Lorenzo Italian restaurant, Elizabeth Street Café.
Lower Garden · Boutique
Ace Hotel New Orleans
Warehouse District converted 1928 furniture store; Alto rooftop pool, Josephine Estelle for brunch.
WAD · Design
Kimpton Hotel Fontenot
CBD Kimpton with the Peacock Room lobby bar and dog-friendly welcome — a step from Preservation Hall.
CBD · Boutique
NOPSI Hotel
Restored 1927 New Orleans Public Service utility building — rooftop pool with skyline views, Public Service restaurant.
CBD · Boutique
Hotel Provincial
Lower Quarter courtyard hotel across five 1725-1820 buildings — Terrace Room breakfast on the balcony.
French Quarter · Historic
Bourbon Orleans Hotel
1817 landmark on the corner of Bourbon and Orleans — pool courtyard, balcony rooms, walk to Jackson Square in 3 minutes.
French Quarter · Historic
Hotel Maison de Ville
16-room French Quarter courtyard hotel where Tennessee Williams wrote parts of Streetcar; the most romantic Quarter check-in.
French Quarter · Boutique
The Chloe
14-room St Charles Avenue mansion turned boutique — the Chloe restaurant is one of the best in the city.
Garden District · Boutique
Hotel Indigo Garden District
Restored 1918 St Charles Avenue hotel on the streetcar line — great mid-price value uptown.
Garden District · Value
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Frequently asked questions
Which New Orleans neighbourhood is best for a first visit?
The French Quarter — you can walk to Jackson Square, Café du Monde, Bourbon Street, Preservation Hall and Frenchmen Street. Book a room off Bourbon (Chartres or Royal streets) for a quieter night. Choose the Warehouse District if the WWII Museum is a priority.
How much do New Orleans hotels cost per night?
Budget $150-$250 (low) / $260-$450 (high). Mid-range Quarter boutique $220-$400 / $380-$650. Upper mid design $300-$520 / $500-$850. Luxury $550-$1,200 / $900-$2,500+. Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest weekends run 2-4x normal.
When is the best time to visit New Orleans?
October-May are the classic months (cool, dry, festival-heavy). February-May peaks with Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest and French Quarter Fest. Summer (June-September) is humid, thunderstormy and cheap; hotels are 40-50% off but afternoon downpours are daily.
How do I get from Louis Armstrong Airport (MSY) to my hotel?
MSY is 15 miles west of downtown. Taxi flat rate $36 (1-2 pax) or $15/pax (3+). Rideshare $30-$55 (surge on event weekends). Pre-booked private transfer $40-$70 fixed. E-2 bus $1.50, 40-60 min to CBD. No rail link.
Do I need a car in New Orleans?
No — the Quarter, CBD and Warehouse District are walkable, the St Charles streetcar covers Uptown / Garden District, and rideshare covers everything else. Rent a car only for Cajun Country day trips (Lafayette, Breaux Bridge) or the plantations up-river. Hotel parking is $40-$60 per night.
Is New Orleans safe?
The main tourist neighbourhoods (French Quarter, CBD, Warehouse District, Frenchmen Street) are safe day and night with normal big-city awareness. Do not walk to/from these areas late — use rideshare. The far edge of the Marigny and Bywater are best by rideshare after dark.
Should I visit during Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras is spectacular but expensive (2-4x hotel rates, 6-month booking window, Bourbon Street impassable). If you can, come the last weekend rather than Fat Tuesday itself, or come for the family-friendly parades of the two prior weekends. If you can't, aim for Jazz Fest instead.
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