Hotels?

[Saint Greg]

%Ugh I am usually a very early planner but too much going on at home and didn't book a room for our trip down due to DS' changing jobs at work and not knowing when or if he'd be able to come. Think we'll go down a couple days early. So will be looking for a room to check in Oct 27 and out Oct 29. Yes I know how crazy it is in NO that weekend and how crazy prices are, don't need that lecture lol

 

I see Hilton has open rooms and have stayed there before, really like it but dont' see it on hotwire so I guess they don't have any discounted rooms, not sure I want to pay $400++ for a room direct. There will be me + 3 kids 23, 17 and 15 so 2 adults and 2 kids. I did see this hotel on hotwire that sounds like it's by the Hilton, any idea what one it is?

 

3-star Boutique Hotel in French Quarter - Mississippi River area 95% recommended $196 a night. I will be driving to port so don't need a park and cruise or anything. But would like something close to the aquarium so we can walk over to it. If can get a hotel with breakfast that would be great, save us from buying it but if not, not a big deal.

 

I can always stay further out of town and drive in on port day if it will save a bunch. Just don't want a long drive in on port day. Don't mind 30 minutes or so but I know the traffic will be crazy and don't want to fight it too long.

 

I'm there 10/30. I spent about a month watching prices. Everything was $150+/night...finally last week it broke loose and I got Hilton Riverside for $91.

 

For your nights...

 

I don't recognize that hotel you're asking about. Could be a new hotwire hotel. Usually something with 95% recommendation is pretty good if you want to roll the dice. Here are some others:

 

 

4* downtown-superdome 95% $164 - Hyatt Regency

3.5* downtown-superdome 85% $173 - looks like Holiday Inn Superdome

4* french quarter-bourbon street boutique 95% $214 - Royal Sonesta

4* french quarter-bourbon street w/spa services 95% $215 Hyatt French Quarter

4* downtown-superdome boutique w/spa services $224 - Le Pavillon

4* warehouse district w/casino 100% $298 - new one..has to be Harrah's

[poobears]

I'm there 10/30. I spent about a month watching prices. Everything was $150+/night...finally last week it broke loose and I got Hilton Riverside for $91.

 

For your nights...

 

I don't recognize that hotel you're asking about. Could be a new hotwire hotel. Usually something with 95% recommendation is pretty good if you want to roll the dice. Here are some others:

 

 

4* downtown-superdome 95% $164 - Hyatt Regency

3.5* downtown-superdome 85% $173 - looks like Holiday Inn Superdome

4* french quarter-bourbon street boutique 95% $214 - Royal Sonesta

4* french quarter-bourbon street w/spa services 95% $215 Hyatt French Quarter

4* downtown-superdome boutique w/spa services $224 - Le Pavillon

4* warehouse district w/casino 100% $298 - new one..has to be Harrah's

 

 

Good job on getting the Hilton. I may recheck it for just the 28th, see if it pops up for the one night. As long as I can stay close the night before it would be nice. I know Harrahs is right next door, haven't stayed there before though. I'll check the locations of the others, thanks for the info on them :)

 

I may roll the dice on the 3* just to get that area since we can walk to everything from there easily.

[Conwaycruiser]

Anyone ever stayed at Lamothe House, Lafitte Guest House, Le Richelieu, or the Cornstalk?

If so, would you stay in any of these over the Monteleone? ( I haven't stayed in any of these. I've heard wonderful things about Monteleone but was looking for something a little different.

Thanks!

[dawnbt]

The airport is about 12 miles from downtown. A lot of cruisers stay at hotels outside of downtown that offer shuttles and allow you to park there during your cruise. You can read about some of those here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2149088

 

My personal opinion is I want to stay downtown/French quarter when I'm in New Orleans. I book on hotwire and get great deals but it's prepaid and non-refundable. I usually stay in a 4* hotel and pay about $100 plus $25-35 for parking. I would move my vehicle to fulton parking garage during the cruise where you can park for as little as $8/day on the roof.

 

http://neworleansparking.com/default.asp

 

If you go the hotwire route and need help figuring out what your hotel is going to be or need advice on a downtown French/Quarter hotel, let me know. I've stayed in probably 30 of them. I stayed at Hyatt Regency 8 times last year. It was the 4* downtown/superdome option on hotwire.

I'm looking for a room for February 18, 2017 and the prices are nowhere near what you quoted in this post. Is it because of the time of the year I'm going? I'm flying there, so free parking isn't a big deal to me. Any suggestions?

[tinkertastic]

Saint Greg,

 

I sure could use your expertise. I am trying to boo a hotel for my parent but am completely unfamiliar with NOLA. Here are there needs. 1 night stay Check in Oct 15th, safe neighborhood, free breakfast and free parking would be great. Nice hotel would be great, budget would be $90-130.

 

I think I have read where you have mentioned Fulton for parking. Is there a website, address or any other detail would be so helpful!

 

A great big thanks in advance, I'm a pro at sailing out of Miami, Ft. Laud and Port Canaveral but completely lost right now.

[Saint Greg]

I'm looking for a room for February 18, 2017 and the prices are nowhere near what you quoted in this post. Is it because of the time of the year I'm going? I'm flying there, so free parking isn't a big deal to me. Any suggestions?

 

NBA All-Star weekend. That's why I'm cruising out of Galveston instead of New Orleans that week.

Edited September 13, 2016 by Saint Greg

[poobears]

Am I correct in this one:

 

4-star Hotel in French Quarter - Mississippi River area with tennis near by for $286 on Oct 28 check out on Oct 29 for 2 adults and 2 kids is Hilton Riverside?

 

Been watching for it to pop up again. That's about half of what it was booking for. I'd like to get one close enough we can walk to the aquarium and maybe drive over to the zoo. Don't really want to stay over on bourbon street with the festivals going on, think it will be crazy loud over on that side, hoping it won't be too bad here. Will be driving to port instead of walking from here. So other hotels right in this area would be ok too just want to stick close to port and the aquarium if I can get it cheap enough. Thought I was going to have to stay out of town but if prices are going to come down I'll come on in and make port day easy.

 

 

Well Hummm if I go directly to the hotel website it still shows it's sold out for that night, open the night before and the night after so it doesn't seem to be that hotel unless they have a room held.

Edited September 16, 2016 by poobears

[Saint Greg]

Am I correct in this one:

 

4-star Hotel in French Quarter - Mississippi River area with tennis near by for $286 on Oct 28 check out on Oct 29 for 2 adults and 2 kids is Hilton Riverside?

 

Been watching for it to pop up again. That's about half of what it was booking for. I'd like to get one close enough we can walk to the aquarium and maybe drive over to the zoo. Don't really want to stay over on bourbon street with the festivals going on, think it will be crazy loud over on that side, hoping it won't be too bad here. Will be driving to port instead of walking from here. So other hotels right in this area would be ok too just want to stick close to port and the aquarium if I can get it cheap enough. Thought I was going to have to stay out of town but if prices are going to come down I'll come on in and make port day easy.

 

 

Well Hummm if I go directly to the hotel website it still shows it's sold out for that night, open the night before and the night after so it doesn't seem to be that hotel unless they have a room held.

 

That sounds right. It's not on there anymore. Hopefully you already booked.

[Saint Greg]

Since I push Hotwire here a lot I'll share with you the issue I had this week. In 11 years of using hotwire for almost every hotel stay I've never had this happen before.

 

I stayed in New Orleans Monday night. I booked it on Hotwire August 2nd. Prices had been high for that night. I saw a good deal on a garden district hotel and booked it. It was a 3-star with 70% recommendation. I don't typically book under 80% recommendation but with the price of other hotels this particular night, I made an exception. I got Quality Inn Maison St. Charles. Trip Advisor reviews were what I would expect out of a 70% recommendation hotel. Some said it was great. Some said it was horrible. So I wasn't too excited about this particular hotel stay.

 

We pull in and usually the valet will just take the vehicle but in this case they told us to pull into 15min parking and check in first.

 

The front desk clerk tells me "I don't have you in my system." I pull up the email confirmation from hotwire on my phone and give it to him. He gets his supervisor. The supervisor tells me they're booked. They don't have any rooms. They don't have me in the system. Even if they did have me in the system they wouldn't have a room for me.

 

I call hotwire and explain the issue. Hotwire calls the hotel. About 15 mins later the supervisor comes over and tells me hotwire sent them the form. They don't have any rooms ready but they will later. They gave me the option of waiting or going to a different hotel which they would pay for. The hotel was Hotel Provencial in the French Quarter. I do a quick trip advisor search and see it's rated with 4.5 stars from 2000+ guests whereas this one had 3.5 stars from 900 guests. I agree to switch hotels. On the way to the new hotel I was still on hold with hotwire so I figured the case was closed and hung up.

 

The room they gave us at Hotel Provencial was like an apartment. Living room, kitchen, 2 bedrooms, 2 bath. It was great! After check in hotwire calls and tells me they are giving me hotwire bucks for the amount I paid for the original room...and I have 1 year to use them. Not a bad deal.

[txhomeschoolmom]

Saint Greg...

 

How are you?

 

Received room at the New Orleans Downtown Marriott At The Convention Center for $74.00/night at the beginning of December, 2016...

 

Wanted to ask your opinion of this hotel and how far it is from a streetcar Pickup area...we plan on utilizing the streetcar and for the life of me, cannot make heads nor tails of the route map 😢

 

Thanks much...

Joy

 

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[Saint Greg]

Saint Greg...

 

How are you?

 

Received room at the New Orleans Downtown Marriott At The Convention Center for $74.00/night at the beginning of December, 2016...

 

Wanted to ask your opinion of this hotel and how far it is from a streetcar Pickup area...we plan on utilizing the streetcar and for the life of me, cannot make heads nor tails of the route map [emoji22]

 

Thanks much...

Joy

 

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I'm doing good. I've never stayed at that Marriott but that sounds like a good price. It has 4 stars on trip advisor. I stayed 2 blocks away at the embassy suites a couple weeks ago. The closest streetcar stop is going to be the riverfront street car at Julia street. It's right by the riverwalk mall. That takes you down to the French quarter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you get off at the first stop by Hilton riverside you can get on the canal street car by harrahs and go down canal street....get off that at st Charles and get on the st. Charles streetcar if you want.

 

 

Make sure you purchase the day passes for the streetcar. It's like $3/day....they may still have a 3 day pass if you're going to be there that long.

 

 

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[txhomeschoolmom]

Hi Saint Greg,

 

Glad to hear all is well...

 

Thanks much for the hotel, directions and street car info...truly appreciated...

 

Have a great weekend :)

 

I'm doing good. I've never stayed at that Marriott but that sounds like a good price. It has 4 stars on trip advisor. I stayed 2 blocks away at the embassy suites a couple weeks ago. The closest streetcar stop is going to be the riverfront street car at Julia street. It's right by the riverwalk mall. That takes you down to the French quarter.

If you get off at the first stop by Hilton riverside you can get on the canal street car by harrahs and go down canal street....get off that at st Charles and get on the st. Charles streetcar if you want.

Make sure you purchase the day passes for the streetcar. It's like $3/day....they may still have a 3 day pass if you're going to be there that long.

 

 

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[tootsiebit]

Hello Saint Greg...I am looking to book a hotel for February 3, 2017, for one night before our cruise. I am trying to choose between Embassy Suites (so we can possibly just walk to the Carnival terminal), and the Bourbon Orleans...Thought you may could tell me if walking from Embassy Suites is even a possibility, and also how far would we be having to walk to get to the French Quarter...coming in early on the 3rd and hoping to get a little bit of NOLA in for the day and spend dinner at Mulate's.

 

I know the Bourbon Orleans in the heart of the French Quarter, and wonder if it would be a good option, with taxi fare and all... And also, is there a Hotwire hit for Bourbon Orleans at all?

 

Sorry for all the questions, but I am totally confused on which route I should go with the hotels.

 

Thanks for any information you can help with...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm doing good. I've never stayed at that Marriott but that sounds like a good price. It has 4 stars on trip advisor. I stayed 2 blocks away at the embassy suites a couple weeks ago. The closest streetcar stop is going to be the riverfront street car at Julia street. It's right by the riverwalk mall. That takes you down to the French quarter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you get off at the first stop by Hilton riverside you can get on the canal street car by harrahs and go down canal street....get off that at st Charles and get on the st. Charles streetcar if you want.

 

 

Make sure you purchase the day passes for the streetcar. It's like $3/day....they may still have a 3 day pass if you're going to be there that long.

 

 

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[riffatsea]

We are staying at the Lofts at Embassy Suites and am planning to walk to the port depending on the weather.

It is right down the block from Julia St.

Here are the directions I copied from another post:

Originally Posted by PPJ

We just returned from a cruise out of New Orleans (March 2015) and have some current info for those that would like to walk to the cruise terminal from nearby hotels. (I believe there has been some renovations done in the port area since the last post here dated 2010, making it easier and safer to walk to the cruise terminal.)

From Convention Center Blvd, turn east onto Julia Street, going towards the RiverWalk Mall. (You'll also be turning toward the port itself.) Go up the escalators as if you were heading into the RiverWalk Mall. Upon entering the glass doors to the Mall, look ahead and off to your left and you will see a set of two elevators. The elevators are clearly marked with the words "Elevators to Cruise Ships". Take the elevators "DOWN" to the Royal Caribbean entrance, or follow the signs to get to the other cruise lines. When you emerge from the elevators, the porters will be right there to collect your bags and there will also be employees directing you to the entrance to begin the check-in process. We had stayed at the Hyatt Place on Convention Center Blvd and the total time it took us to walk from hotel/take escalator/take elevator/begin check-in was an easy 10 or 15 minutes.

For those leaving on Carnival from the Erato Street terminal -- you walk into the mall as explained above, but if you follow the signs for Erato terminal, you will not be directed into the elevators. You will walk outside to some steps down to the terminal. It's more than one short flight of stairs. No problem with my one light suitcase, but something to be prepared for. A porter actually met us halfway up to help those who had heavier suitcases and we tipped accordingly.

Edited November 7, 2016 by riffatsea

[tootsiebit]

Thank you for the info...I printed this out to take with me in February....Now just one more question...How do you know if you are staying at the Lofts at Embassy...I could never figure out how to book the Lofts, but it seems my room I did book is a Loft room, but I am totally confused on the difference to book.

 

We are staying at the Lofts at Embassy Suites and am planning to walk to the port depending on the weather.

It is right down the block from Julia St.

Here are the directions I copied from another post:

Originally Posted by PPJ

We just returned from a cruise out of New Orleans (March 2015) and have some current info for those that would like to walk to the cruise terminal from nearby hotels. (I believe there has been some renovations done in the port area since the last post here dated 2010, making it easier and safer to walk to the cruise terminal.)

From Convention Center Blvd, turn east onto Julia Street, going towards the RiverWalk Mall. (You'll also be turning toward the port itself.) Go up the escalators as if you were heading into the RiverWalk Mall. Upon entering the glass doors to the Mall, look ahead and off to your left and you will see a set of two elevators. The elevators are clearly marked with the words "Elevators to Cruise Ships". Take the elevators "DOWN" to the Royal Caribbean entrance, or follow the signs to get to the other cruise lines. When you emerge from the elevators, the porters will be right there to collect your bags and there will also be employees directing you to the entrance to begin the check-in process. We had stayed at the Hyatt Place on Convention Center Blvd and the total time it took us to walk from hotel/take escalator/take elevator/begin check-in was an easy 10 or 15 minutes.

For those leaving on Carnival from the Erato Street terminal -- you walk into the mall as explained above, but if you follow the signs for Erato terminal, you will not be directed into the elevators. You will walk outside to some steps down to the terminal. It's more than one short flight of stairs. No problem with my one light suitcase, but something to be prepared for. A porter actually met us halfway up to help those who had heavier suitcases and we tipped accordingly.

[Buckeyeswin!]

We arrive around midnight night before the cruise. Family of 4 looking for hotel with airport shuttle - then cab to the port the next day. Any suggestions? Not looking for anything but clean safe place.

Thank you.

 

 

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[Saint Greg]

Hello Saint Greg...I am looking to book a hotel for February 3, 2017, for one night before our cruise. I am trying to choose between Embassy Suites (so we can possibly just walk to the Carnival terminal), and the Bourbon Orleans...Thought you may could tell me if walking from Embassy Suites is even a possibility, and also how far would we be having to walk to get to the French Quarter...coming in early on the 3rd and hoping to get a little bit of NOLA in for the day and spend dinner at Mulate's.

 

I know the Bourbon Orleans in the heart of the French Quarter, and wonder if it would be a good option, with taxi fare and all... And also, is there a Hotwire hit for Bourbon Orleans at all?

 

Sorry for all the questions, but I am totally confused on which route I should go with the hotels.

 

Thanks for any information you can help with...

 

I've never walked to the terminal myself. But if you walk it's just about 2 blocks from embassy suites to the riverwalk mall... that's the part of the mall that's near the cruise terminal. That's also where the Julia street car is at. You can take it to the French Quarter. If you were to walk from the embassy suites... it's about 6 blocks to Canal Street and 10 blocks to Bourbon Street.

 

A couple notes on embassy suites....They have a great free breakfast in the morning. And at night from like 5:30-7:30 in the breakfast area they have free drinks where they give out little beers and hurricanes.

 

If you can get a room facing Julia Street. You may have a shot at a river view if you are high up enough. I stayed there a few weeks ago and was supposed to have a Julia street room but they gave that room to someone else and stuck me on the 6th floor facing commerce street. There was a huge air conditioner outside on that floor that was so loud not only would you not want to use your balcony...you could hear it with the balcony door closed. It was horrible!

 

It's been awhile but I've stayed at the Bourbon Orleans. It's on the far side of Bourbon Street. I don't think it's ever been on hotwire. I got it on priceline about 8 or 9 years ago. It was a nice hotel but like I said...it's on the far side of bourbon street. I liked royal sonesta and four points by sheraton (both bourbon street hotels) better and I've been able to catch them on hotwire on occasion. Astor Crowne Plaza is on the corner of Bourbon and Canal and is always on hotwire as a 4* in the french quarter/bourbon street area with 80% recommendation.

 

Out of Bourbon Orleans and Embassy Suites it depends on what you want. If you want to be close to Jackson Square and Bourbon Street, Bourbon Orleans....If you want to be close to the port and have the free breakfast/drinks....Embassy Suites. Both are nice hotels....Embassy will have a bigger room with a living room and balcony...unless you're in lofts then no balcony.

[Saint Greg]

We arrive around midnight night before the cruise. Family of 4 looking for hotel with airport shuttle - then cab to the port the next day. Any suggestions? Not looking for anything but clean safe place.

Thank you.

 

 

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For a free airport shuttle you're going to want one of the hotels near the airport. What night are you staying?

 

Ohio State fan? Loving Michael Thomas down in New Orleans!

[tootsiebit]

Thank You so much Saint Greg for so much information...It definitely is a big help to me...Since we are flying in on Friday instead, we decided on the Embassy Suites and taking the Julia St. streetcar to French Quarter for a little while in the afternoon and make our way back thru the Riverwalk mall and dinner at Mulates that night...and walk to the port the next morning...and I did do the Lofts room at the Embassy, but can't make up my mind if it is a good thing or not, or if I would like to have a high up balcony....LOL

 

 

 

I've never walked to the terminal myself. But if you walk it's just about 2 blocks from embassy suites to the riverwalk mall... that's the part of the mall that's near the cruise terminal. That's also where the Julia street car is at. You can take it to the French Quarter. If you were to walk from the embassy suites... it's about 6 blocks to Canal Street and 10 blocks to Bourbon Street.

 

A couple notes on embassy suites....They have a great free breakfast in the morning. And at night from like 5:30-7:30 in the breakfast area they have free drinks where they give out little beers and hurricanes.

 

If you can get a room facing Julia Street. You may have a shot at a river view if you are high up enough. I stayed there a few weeks ago and was supposed to have a Julia street room but they gave that room to someone else and stuck me on the 6th floor facing commerce street. There was a huge air conditioner outside on that floor that was so loud not only would you not want to use your balcony...you could hear it with the balcony door closed. It was horrible!

 

It's been awhile but I've stayed at the Bourbon Orleans. It's on the far side of Bourbon Street. I don't think it's ever been on hotwire. I got it on priceline about 8 or 9 years ago. It was a nice hotel but like I said...it's on the far side of bourbon street. I liked royal sonesta and four points by sheraton (both bourbon street hotels) better and I've been able to catch them on hotwire on occasion. Astor Crowne Plaza is on the corner of Bourbon and Canal and is always on hotwire as a 4* in the french quarter/bourbon street area with 80% recommendation.

 

Out of Bourbon Orleans and Embassy Suites it depends on what you want. If you want to be close to Jackson Square and Bourbon Street, Bourbon Orleans....If you want to be close to the port and have the free breakfast/drinks....Embassy Suites. Both are nice hotels....Embassy will have a bigger room with a living room and balcony...unless you're in lofts then no balcony.

[cemebro]

Thank you so much for this thread. First time using Hotwire and I was nervous about it. But success! I got Hilton Riverside! Thank you Saint Greg!

[missingmaui]

We're leaving January 8 from New Orleans and need to book a pre-cruise room for 1 night. We're driving to NO from North LA, and will park at the cruise terminal for the week, so we'll have to valet or use public parking for the hotel stay. There are some great deals on the West Bank, but I'm concerned about the driving distance to port the next morning.

 

Any ideas which hotwire hotels are 3* in the West Bank Area? I'm having a hard time passing up a $70 room for one night with free parking in lieu of a nicer room for more than double that after valet parking!

[Saint Greg]

We're leaving January 8 from New Orleans and need to book a pre-cruise room for 1 night. We're driving to NO from North LA, and will park at the cruise terminal for the week, so we'll have to valet or use public parking for the hotel stay. There are some great deals on the West Bank, but I'm concerned about the driving distance to port the next morning.

 

Any ideas which hotwire hotels are 3* in the West Bank Area? I'm having a hard time passing up a $70 room for one night with free parking in lieu of a nicer room for more than double that after valet parking!

 

I believe the 3* with 85% recommendation is Holiday Inn Westbank Tower. That's my educated guess at least.

[missingmaui]

I believe the 3* with 85% recommendation is Holiday Inn Westbank Tower. That's my educated guess at least.

 

Thank you- I'd narrowed it down to that one as well. The area probably isn't where I'd prefer to stay with kids, so I'll keep looking. We'll probably end up across the river. I'll keep my fingers crossed that an amazing deal pops up in the next few days, because we're running out of time!

[Saint Greg]

Thank you- I'd narrowed it down to that one as well. The area probably isn't where I'd prefer to stay with kids, so I'll keep looking. We'll probably end up across the river. I'll keep my fingers crossed that an amazing deal pops up in the next few days, because we're running out of time!

 

Sounds like you're coming from my neck of the woods. There are some good deals downtown but you're going to pay around $40 to park there. I would stay in Kenner or Metairie. There's a 2.5* in Kenner (MSY Airport Area) for $67. I'm not sure what it is. But it has 85% recommendation on Hotwire and 4* on trip advisor. It has a kitchenette so it's going to be a hotel with suites or an extended stay type hotel. Oh since you have kids, make sure you search for 2 adults, 2 children when using hotwire. That guarantees a two bed room. Sometimes you can pick the bed type yourself, but for the ones that pick it automatically, that will weed out the rooms with only 1 bed.

[missingmaui]

Thank you! It's a shame we are so close to NO and don't get down there very often. I'll look into those suggestions!

 

 

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