USA Guide
Louisiana
Accommodation
1 Cornstalk Hotel 915 Royal St 
504/523-1515 or 1-800/759-6112 
www.cornstalkhotel.com Casually elegant, somewhat faded place in a turreted Queen Anne house, surrounded by a landmark cast-iron fence decorated with fat cornstalks. The appealing, high-ceilinged rooms – each of them different – have lots of period detail, and the location is great. Free wi-fi. Price: $101-130
2 Hotel Monteleone 214 Royal St 504/523-3341 or 1-800/535-9595 www.hotelmonteleone.com This handsome French Quarter landmark is the oldest hotel in the city, owned by the same family since 1886, and hosting a fine array of writers and luminaries since then. At sixteen storeys, it's something of a giant on Royal Street, with an elegant Baroque facade, stunning old marble lobby, luxurious rooms, a revolving bar, and a rooftop pool. Price: $131-160
3 
Olivier House 828 Toulouse St 504/525-8456 or 1-866/525-9748 www.olivierhouse.com Though a bit dark in places, this atmospheric, quintessentially New Orleans guesthouse offers real character. The 42 rooms (all with bath) vary widely, but most have funky antique furniture and shutters. There's a tropical courtyard, and a tiny pool. Price: $131-160
4 Omni Royal Orleans 621 St Louis St 504/529-5333 www.omnihotels.com Landmark French Quarter hotel, stylish and swanky, with an old-fashioned New Orleans elegance that never intimidates. The rooftop pool is lovely. Price: $161-200
5 Hotel Provincial 1024 Chartres St 504/581-4995 or 1-800/535-7922 www.hotelprovincial.com This sprawling – yet somehow intimate – place is set in a quiet part of the Quarter, with rooms around five peaceful, gaslit courtyards. Some rooms are filled with antiques, others are more ordinary. There are two nice outdoor pools, a bar, and a fancy restaurant, Stella, on site. Good value. Price: $101-130
6 Hotel Villa Convento 616 Ursulines St 504/522-1793 www.villaconvento.com Friendly, family-run guesthouse that has won a loyal crowd of regulars. Don't expect luxury – these are no-frills rooms with bath; some have balconies, while others open onto a patio. Price: $76-100
7 Columns Hotel 3811 St Charles Ave 504/899-9308 or 1-800/445-9308 www.thecolumns.com Characterful Garden District hotel in a stately 1883 mansion on the streetcar line. The whole place seeps louche bordello glamour, especially the Victorian bar with its live jazz bands; the porch, with its namesake columns, is one of the nicest places in the city for a drink. Some rooms come with a balcony, some are bordering on shabby; none have TV. Rates include full breakfast. Price: $131-160
8 The Frenchmen 417 Frenchmen St 1-800/831-1781 www.frenchmenhotel.com Funky and friendly Faubourg Marigny guesthouse in a great location (though avoid streetside rooms if you are bothered by noise at night), with a variety of rooms spread across two 1860 townhouses. There's a patio, a small pool, and a jacuzzi. Rates include continental breakfast. Free wi-fi. Price: $76-100
9 Royal Street Inn 1431 Royal St 504/948-7499 www.royalstreetinn.com Hip Faubourg Marigny lodging where quirky New Orleans style meets big-city boutique aspirations in the five "suites" (all with bath, and some with balcony) with their stripped floors, bare brick walls and leather furnishings; all have DVD players, Ipod docks and wi-fi. It's favored by a young crowd who hang out in the bar. Price: $76-100