New Orleans Guest House — Hotel in New Orleans

This review has been thoughtfully considered and edited a few times over the last 8 weeks or so. I'm a repeat New Orleans Guest House guest having stayed 4 or more times over the years so I clearly have an affinity for the place. Overall, my stay was fine and my comments and thoughts are positive but I do want to identify a few "misses" that occurred.

First, the property was undergoing a long overdue facelift the week of my arrival. Renovations are never easy and they are always disruptive but I applaud the mgmt. for moving forward with them.(side note-the heart pine floors look spectacular) The challenge resulting for this work is 1) that the phones and email system were not working for two days. As I had called ahead and was told that there was plenty of availability the following week (when I planned to arrive), I was dismayed to experience no replies to my voice mails or emails and really concerned when the hotel's own web site showed no availability for the night of my arrival to New Orleans. As I was on a cross country road trip, I simply stayed the night in Lafayette then proceeded to New Orleans the following morning. Check in was chaotic but we all muddled through just fine. I still think that someone should have responded to messages and emails.

Second, the room (I stayed in room 3) and I assume all rooms could use a deep and thorough cleaning. Nothing glaring to report but just some attention to detail is sorely needed. My real frustration with room 3 is that the shutters do not open so the room felt like a tomb. It was depressing and disorienting due to the pervasive dark.

Third, in the past, a lovely morning coffee and pastry assortment was provided for guests. I fondly recall lounging in the lovely courtyard in the morning with coffee and croissant and a book while planning my day. The absence of coffee was really disappointing. Since the office is no longer staffed during non-business hours, I'd think that even a simple Keurig machine for guests would be provided. A small fridge with bottled water would be a nice plus too.

Fourth, the staff, while delightful, could use a bit of "polish"

Having stated a few of my minor gripes, It's only fair now to point out a few of the pluses of this establishment.

1. The room rate is fair for a city with high hotel prices.
2. The location just a smidge out of the Quarter is appealing as it makes one feel that they are a neighborhood and not a "tourist" area. Once the street car is up and running, this location will be a gem. 3)The secure parking is a plus in a congested area.
3. Kitties-I'd forgotten how charming New Orleans cats can be.

I dearly hope that the hotel's owners/managers absorb my heartfelt opinions and thoughts and I truly hope to see you all again when time and budget allow. Thanks and...

Upon arrival at the 3pm check in time, I had to wait while a woman, who was unsatisfied with her room, was being shown two other rooms. Apparently oblivious to the fact that I was standing right there as they were giving my room away, the staff informed the woman that she was being reassigned to a room that "was assigned to a guest who hadn't checked in yet."

After a long wait, I was eventually checked in to a room by the front door and directly across from the front desk. I reminded them of my request for a quiet room with my prepayment, but was told that it was the only room available. Of course, this was contrary to the fact that I had just witnessed a woman being shown two equivalent rooms other than the one she was originally assigned, one of which had obviously been reserved for me.

I ignored the blatant discrimination of the white woman receiving preferential treatment and accepted the room she had rejected for the sake of time and the futility of attempting to get our room back. However, I was further disappointed to find that the bathroom had not been cleaned and there was a big hole in the floor by the toilet. The curio cabinet was falling apart and the doors were held together with a rubber band. The headboard was detached from the bed and banged against the wall when merely sitting on the bed.

Even worse than the self-consciousness of our intimate moments being heard by the desk clerk and people in the lobby, just outside our door, was the noise of guests entering and exiting the place at all hours. Then to be awakened the following morning by construction workers above our room and the radio blasting in their truck outside our window, and then having to hastily dress to evacuate due to a fire alarm set off by guests burning toast, as they loudly congregated outside our door for the sparse continental breakfast, was all just too much to take.

I didn't complain at the time because I didn't want to upset my fiance who had planned this trip for my 50th birthday. However, I didn't realize how upset she was until the manager refused her request for significant compensation for the inadequacy of our accommodations. I would have been willing to give this place another chance had the management not had such a cavalier attitude which basically confirmed that discrimination was embraced by management as...

This hotel was new to me.

Check in was easy.

Didn't know about the $20 parking charge, or, you can roam the streets, never to be seen again, looking for a place to park and probably never find your car again.

So, without any happiness on my part paid the extortion.

The room is pretty cool. I had room #3, very high ceiling, ceiling fan that worked, very very comfortable bed. Good lighting, USB ports on the desk don't work, power did.

Quiet during the night, can hear everyone in the morning. Did hear the room above when I arrived.

Left and went to find a certain restaurant, found it, different review for that.

Went to Bourbon Street.

I have liked to go there in the past. Very disappointed. Street is torn up, smells bad - like old trash, packs of homeless people, some of the sex shows girls in the doorways - just felt really trashy.

And no, not a prude, enjoy very much an attractive woman in sexy lingerie, just felt like being in Tijuana watching the Marines being waived into the bars for the back room action.

Now conversely, I do like walking down the street and being approached by hooker's, that is fun to me. The one on one direct approach - door to door so to speak. And they are dressed. Don't have any interest in doing something with them, just enjoy hearing the value offer, the sales line. Always makes me laugh and it is fun, while at the same time somehow just terribly tragic.

The street smelled so bad, and admittedly, it really was too early for that sales approach, just wasn't in to it this time.

Did I mention the smell and the homeless - give me money give me something. Ugh!

Anyway, the hotel's bed was very comfortable.

The "free breakfast" was your typical lousy cheap breakfast. Hard boiled eggs that tasted weird, sugar cereals, sausage - only pork, no eggs or anything to go with the sausage. Really weird. I don't eat that type of sausage, but only sausage!! Really weird. Bagels, bread - just go find breakfast elsewhere.

Would I stay again, yes. Even though the shower water pressure was only a...