New Orleans

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CHAPTER 3 . WHERE TO STAY
Le Cirque A smart, sharp, and chic version of the generic business
hotel—sort of like a Crowne Plaza, if it was done up in chartreuse
and that new misty gray-blue that’s all the rage. Oddly, it’s not set
up as a business hotel, lacking amenities such as separate dataports
and even room service, but it does offer 4,000 square feet of meeting
space. Rooms are average size; the ones with king-size beds are a
bit cramped thanks to all the furniture jammed in along with it
(chair, desk, TV). Queen rooms are even smaller.
936 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70130.&888/211-3447 or 504/962-0900. Fax
504/962-0901. www.neworleansfinehotels.com/hotellecirque. 138 units. $69–$299
double. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Concierge; babysitting; laundry; dry cleaning.
In room: A/C, TV, Wi-Fi, hair dryer, iron, safe.
Loews New Orleans Hotel The stylish, swanky Loews is a
sharp-dressed combo of modern and moderne, with judiciously
applied sprinkles of New Orleans flavor. Maybe it’s the relative newness
of the place or that the front desk has a photo-tile collage featuring
black-and-white shots of iconic local images. Whatever it is,
we are quite smitten. The rooms are all spacious, starting with the
“Luxury” rooms, at 346 square feet—bright and decorated with art
by a local photographer, with goose-down comforters and pillows.
Bathrooms are small, but granite and wood vanities make up for the
lack of space. “Grand Luxury” rooms and bathrooms are bigger.
Views vary from river to partial river plus piazza to New Orleans
city skyline, which get better the higher up you go. Note that the
hotel’s lowest floor is the 11th, so this is not the choice for those
with vertigo or other high-floor issues. Loews has a company-wide
“Loews Loves Pets” policy, which practically encourages Fido to
come join in the fun.
300 Poydras St., New Orleans, LA 70130. & 800/23-LOEWS (800/235-6397) or 504/
595-3300. www.loewshotels.com. 285 units. Luxury units $129–$279; Grand Luxury
$159–$319. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $29. Pets allowed (no deposit).
Amenities: Restaurant; bar; pool; workout room; spa; concierge; business center;
room service; babysitting; dry cleaning; laundry; Wi-Fi in lobby. In room: A/C, TV, dataport,
CD player, video games, minibar, hair dryer, iron, safe, umbrella.
The Pelham The Pelham—a boutique hotel—feels like an upscale
apartment building. Centrally located rooms are generally less bright
than those on the exterior of the building; all have been recently renovated.
Some rooms have sitting areas, some have four-poster kings
and old-fashioned art on the walls, most have high ceilings, and all
have boring bathrooms. There is potential, so we have hopes that the
redo will make this feel newer and justify the sometimes very high