New Orleanians take pride in sharing the city’s rich heritage and culture with guests, and this spirit shines through with friendly, top-notch service across a wide spectrum of accommodations.
The Best Hotels in New Orleans
From luxurious hotel brands to family-run guesthouses, the best hotels in New Orleans’ showcase Southern hospitality and an easy-going, welcoming vibe.
Garden District
New Orleans’ Garden District exudes charm and elegance. Antebellum mansions reside timelessly on oak-shaded streets. Some of the best hotels in New Orleans, eclectic restaurants, and unique-to-New-Orleans shops welcome a diverse mix of locals, university students, and visitors.
Pontchartrain Hotel
200-year-old oak trees provide a shade-dappled setting for this grand dame of luxury hotels in New Orleans. The 14-story gem first came to life in 1927 as posh apartments, before evolving into a hotel attracting dignitaries, presidents, and celebrities—perhaps, most famously, playwright Tennessee Williams. Overlooking the clanging streetcar line of St. Charles Avenue, it’s said that this is where Williams wrote his most famous work, “A Streetcar Named Desire.”
That sense of romance seamlessly intertwines with modern amenities and comfort within the hotel’s 106 freshly-renovated guest rooms and four restaurants and bars. Sip a Sazerac while soaking in the 270-degree view of downtown and the Mississippi River from Hot Tin Rooftop Bar before hopping a streetcar to immerse yourself in the awaiting city.
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, concierge, and flat-screen TV. Le Labo toiletries and bathrobe provided. Two-bedroom family suites available.
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Henry Howard Hotel
Corinthian columns and a gracious front porch welcome visitors to this double gallery townhome designed by famed architect Henry Howard in 1867. The boutique property earns a reputation as one of the best hotels in New Orleans by mixing classic elegance and modern playfulness in its 18 guestrooms. Musical instruments and original works from local artists grace walls, local gourmet snacks await in rooms, and the parlor and porch are ideal spots for afternoon cocktails. A block’s stroll brings you to shops, restaurants, and St. Charles Avenue’s historic street car line.
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, concierge, and Beekman 1802 toiletries.
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Central Business District
Many luxury hotels in New Orleans rest within the Central Business District. While a short walk from the bustling and historic French Quarter, this area is calm, easy to navigate and loaded with a diversity of dining and nightlife options.
Windsor Court Hotel
Guests feel like royalty while ensconced in the English elegance and style of this five-star-stunner. Nearly all rooms in this luxury hotel in New Orleans are suites, and the top four floors are club level with a private lounge serving breakfast, afternoon tea, evening snacks, and drinks. For an unrivaled city view, splurge on the 2,000-square-foot, two-bedroom Presidential Suite.
Take afternoon tea in Le Salon before a dip in the rooftop pool. Be sure to visit the expansive spa and reserve a table for Jazz Brunch at New Orleans’ only AAA Four-Diamonds Awards restaurant, The Grill Room.
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, concierge, satellite TV, Italian marble bath, fitness center, business room, parking, and tour desk. Child care is available. Valet laundry is available. (Dog-friendly.)
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The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans
The name Ritz-Carlton is synonymous with luxury and the location, on the edge of the French Quarter and a short walk from the riverfront, is undeniably fabulous. The graceful Beaux Arts New Orleans luxury hotel serves as a haven from bustling Canal Street and features spacious rooms, many overlooking a tranquil interior courtyard. Club level offers access to wine tastings, snacks to-go and a 24-hour business center.
Be sure to stop in Davenport Lounge for live music and sink into The Big Easy vibe with craft cocktails like a rye, sherry, and bitters concoction named Tricentennial, honoring 300 years of New Orleans tradition.
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, concierge, sommelier, butler. 100 percent cotton, 400-thread-count sheets and goose down and non-allergic foam pillows, Italian marble baths, 24-hour room service, complimentary overnight shoeshine service, overnight laundry service and dry cleaning, fitness center, limousine services, valet parking, Tesla charging station, pool, business center and meeting rooms, and barrier-free accessibility. (Pet-friendly.)
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The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
This historic property—one of the best hotels in New Orleans—showcases a spirited blend of 1940s charm and gracious Southern hospitality. A soaring grand lobby sets the tone for the 504 rooms, of which 125 are suites. This is an ideal stay for attending a performance at the nearby Saenger and Orpheum Theatres.
Sip New Orleans’ famous whisky cocktail at the namesake Sazerac Bar or lounge by the rooftop pool; just be sure to save time for a luxurious treatment in the Waldorf Astoria Spa.
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, 42-inch flat-screen TV, 14-inch flat-screen TV in bathroom, luxury bath amenities by Ferragamo, pool and fitness center, 24-hour room service, business center and meeting rooms, and dry cleaning and laundry service.
InterContinental New Orleans
From The Rolling Stones to Mardi Gras kings and queens, celebrities and frequent visitors love this four-diamond luxury hotel in New Orleans that sparkles with a grand lobby and swanky rooftop pool. A $26 million renovation in 2014 polished the glow and ushered in a new commitment to energy and water efficiency. This vast hotel, a favorite of convention gatherings, features larger than average size guest rooms.
Trenasse Restaurant serves delicious Cajun and Creole dishes in an elegant setting and Pete’s Pub is your go-to spot for coffee and a quick bite.
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, concierge, 24-hour room service, business center and meeting rooms, fitness center, dry cleaning and laundry service, included breakfast, multi-lingual staff, nanny service, limousine/private car service, valet parking, 42-inch flat-screen TV, Keurig coffeemakers, and rainfall showers. Balcony rooms are available.
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French Quarter
Staying in the historic French Quarter ensures you feel the beating pulse of the city and have easy access to festivities around the clock.
Royal Sonesta New Orleans
This venerated hotel offers Southern refinement in the midst of one of the world’s most boisterous streets. A heady mix of old world charm and Bourbon Street action sets this AAA Four Diamond hotel apart. Composed of 1830s-era houses and stables, the hotel features wrought-iron balconies overlooking a lush interior courtyard and pool. 483 recently-renovated guest rooms, many with deluxe wooden beds, exude French style and modern comfort.
Given the classic setting, the modern art collection including works by Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, and Frank Stella is an impressive surprise. Several acclaimed restaurants and lively bars are onsite, including Restaurant R’evolution, Desire Oyster Bar, and The Jazz Playhouse, where live jazz swings nightly. For a more tranquil experience, request a courtyard room.
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, Keurig coffee maker, pillow top mattresses and king size pillows, concierge, 24-hour business center, 24-hour fitness center, outdoor heated swimming pool, and pool bar.
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Audubon Cottages
Located in the most picturesque section of the French Quarter on Dauphine Street, this boutique property is a unique and peaceful oasis. Seven one- and two-bedroom brick-walled suites surround a private courtyard and heated salt water pool, believed to be the oldest pool in the Quarter.
Although rooted in the neighborhood, a dreamy sense of seclusion prevails. Famed naturalist and painter John James Audubon found inspiration while staying in Cottage One to create his revered Birds of America series in 1821 and 1822.
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, parking, included breakfast, concierge and butler service, dry cleaning and laundry service, valet parking. 42-inch flat-screen TVs, and bathrobes and slippers.
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Soniat House
Recognized as one of the best hotels in New Orleans in the travel tome 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, this quintessential French Quarter hotel is composed of three magnificent 19th century Creole-style cottages. Inside, the Chartres Street beauty features 31 recently renovated guest rooms with period antiques and artwork, along with Instagram-worthy passageways and gathering spots.
The lush interior courtyard is well suited for a cool drink on a hot New Orleans afternoon. Speaking of beverages, the impressive honor bar is a favorite feature. Hoping to take home a grand souvenir? Soniat House Antiques Gallery is conveniently located in the hotel.
Amenities: Free WiFi, concierge, luxury bath amenities by Molton Brown, dry cleaning and laundry service, down pillows, flat-screen HD TVs, Egyptian cotton bed linens by Frette, and complimentary daily paper.
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Hotel Le Marais
The top choice for Zen-seekers in the French Quarter is the modern and elegant Hotel Le Marais. From the time you arrive at this luxury hotel in New Orleans and are handed a complimentary drink, you’ll be treated to a level of service beyond many similarly-priced hotels. Take a dip in the outdoor, heated saltwater pool before retiring to your spacious room with big windows and colorful design.
Join fellow guests for happy hour at the hotel’s VIVE! Bar as festivities spill out into the courtyard for a lively start to a hot French Quarter night.
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, included breakfast, fitness center, business center and meeting rooms, laundry service, and valet parking.
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Hotel Monteleone
When the beloved Hotel Monteleone first opened her doors in 1886, guests were greeted then, as today, by a soaring atrium, sparkling chandeliers, and gracious service. With literary lineage to boot—Hemingway, Faulkner and Tennessee Williams each found inspiration here—this luxury hotel in New Orleans interweaves the city’s great history with modern luxury. And, almost no visitor to the city can resist a whirl in the famous revolving Carousel Bar & Lounge.
Adding to its allure, Hotel Monteleone prioritizes sustainable initiatives, including energy-efficient lighting and food and waste recycling programs.
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi up to 2M, business center and meeting rooms, VIP concierge, on-site valet parking, rooftop fitness center and heated pool, full-service day spa. (Pet-friendly.)
Book it: Get prices for Hotel Monteleone, French Quarter, and other New Orleans hotels
More from SmarterTravel:
- New Orleans Travel Guide
- 10 Best Cheap Hotels in New Orleans
- 9 Haunted Hotels in New Orleans
- 10 Must-See New Orleans Attractions
- 12 Places to Hear Incredible New Orleans Jazz
- 10 Things You Can Only Do in New Orleans
- 10 Best Restaurants in New Orleans
- 12 Best Spots for Cheap Eats in New Orleans
- Everything You Need to Know About New Orleans Food
- What to Pack for New Orleans
- What to Wear in New Orleans
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- Original reporting by Jess Simpson
We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
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