New Orleans

42
CHAPTER 3 . WHERE TO STAY
frequently jump more than a notch or two for Mardi Gras and other
festival times (sometimes they even double), and in most cases,
there’s a 4- or 5-night minimum requirement during those periods.
If you want to miss the crowds and the lodgings squeeze that
mark the big festivals, consider coming in the month immediately
following Mardi Gras or, if you can stand the heat and humidity, in
the summer, when the streets are not nearly as thronged. December,
before the Sugar Bowl and New Year’s activities, is a good time, too,
but perhaps a bit chilly and rainy. In both cases, hotel prices fall dramatically
and great deals can be had just about everywhere. (And
these prices might not be accounted for in the rack rate quoted in
this guide, so you might have a pleasant surprise!)
There are no recommendable inexpensive hotels in the French
Quarter. If you’re on a budget and must stay there, consider a guesthouse.
On the whole, however, you’ll have a better selection of inexpensive
lodgings outside the Quarter. There are also a couple of
hostels in New Orleans; check the website www.hostels.com for
more information.
The rates we’ve given in this chapter are for double rooms and do
not include the city’s 11% hotel tax. You may see some wide ranges
of room rates below, which hotels were not eager to break down
more specifically for us. Realize that rates often shift according to
demand. Unless our entry includes the caveat “higher rates for special
events” (implying higher prices then) or “seasonal rates apply”
(implying lower prices during same), the high end of the range is for
popular times such as Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest, and the low end is
for quieter periods such as the month of December. Note: Some of
the hotels listed under “Expensive” have some surprisingly low
numbers at said low end of their range. These could indicate certain
times of year or even just whim. Therefore, it’s worth searching
those out and making a call; you might get very lucky!
1 The French Quarter
VERY EXPENSIVE
Hotel Maison de Ville A member of the Small Luxury Hotels
of the World, the Maison de Ville is not quite as sterling as it has been,
despite taking advantage of some storm damage to do some sprucing
up in the form of new bedding, new paint, and replaced ceilings.
Overall, it remains so romantic and charming that complaints (that
it’s not exactly run-down but not quite on the ball with all things as
it used to be) only seem intermittently important. A newish owner