Where to Stay in New Orleans: Areas and Hotels

Choose an area around your daily plans

For a short first visit, start with the French Quarter or the downtown streets across Canal Street. Organise outings on foot and return to your room between them. The Warehouse District is useful when The National WWII Museum, galleries, or a convention account for much of your itinerary.

The Garden District and Uptown offer a different rhythm: architecture walks, neighbourhood restaurants and time around the hotel. Choose them when those experiences matter as much as the Quarter. Plot your three most important stops before comparing rooms. A lower nightly rate loses its appeal if every outing needs another journey.

French Quarter hotels for a first visit

Hotel Provincial is a practical starting point on Chartres Street. Its historic buildings, courtyards and courtyard pool make it worth comparing if you want a smaller hotel within the Quarter. Hotel Monteleone is another established choice, with a Royal Street setting, rooftop pool and the Carousel Bar for travellers who want more of the hotel experience built into their stay.

Choose the actual room as carefully as the hotel. Ask whether it faces a street, courtyard or entertainment space, particularly when sleeping early matters. A French Quarter address alone says little about evening noise. Compare room size, bed arrangements and pool access rather than selecting solely from an attractive balcony photograph.

CBD and Warehouse District for museums and walking

The CBD and Warehouse District make a useful compromise when your days mix the Quarter with downtown attractions. The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery occupies restored nineteenth-century warehouses on Tchoupitoulas Street. It suits travellers who want galleries and restaurants as part of their base, rather than spending every evening within the Quarter.

Higgins Hotel is on The National WWII Museum campus, making it particularly convenient for a museum-focused trip. Give that visit a generous block of time. If most of your plans are around Jackson Square instead, compare each downtown hotel's position on a map: the CBD and Warehouse District cover more ground than one compact hotel cluster.

Garden District and Uptown for a neighbourhood stay

Pontchartrain Hotel sits on St Charles Avenue in the Garden District area, beside the streetcar route. It is a good shortlist choice for combining neighbourhood walks with journeys downtown. The Chloe, farther along St Charles Avenue in Uptown, is a fourteen-room hotel in a restored nineteenth-century mansion, with a restaurant, pool and patio.

These options particularly suit couples who want meals and relaxed time around their hotel. They also work for a longer visit with fewer daily trips to the Quarter. Allow time for transport in both directions, and check current streetcar service before departure. For a packed two-night introduction, a central base is usually the simpler planning choice.

Match the room to couples or family travel

For couples, choose between walking home after a Quarter evening and spending time at a hotel with its own dining or pool. Provincial and Monteleone support the first approach; Pontchartrain and The Chloe are worth comparing for the second.

For families, enter every child's age before comparing prices, then check the room's stated occupancy and beds. Prioritise an easy return for breaks, reliable cooling and enough space for the group. A pool may be useful, but check its hours and any access conditions. Add parking, breakfast and transport to the room total before deciding which hotel offers better value.

Build a manageable three-day visit

On day one, settle in and walk around the French Quarter, Jackson Square and the riverfront, leaving room for an unhurried meal. Use day two for The National WWII Museum and the Warehouse District. On day three, explore the Garden District or Uptown, returning downtown only if there is another specific stop you want to make.

Keep food plans close to that day's route. Our jambalaya guide helps you choose a dedicated meal stop, while the New Orleans section of our cooking vacations guide covers choosing a cooking class. Reserve one organised food experience if it interests you, then leave space for independent meals. This keeps the accommodation decision tied to your trip rather than a long list of disconnected attractions.

Continue planning

• Best Jambalaya in New Orleans: Where to Eat
• Cooking Vacations: Choose a Class and a Useful Base
• Best Places to Eat in Austin: BBQ, Tacos and Views
• Explore our destination guides