New Orleans is a city where neighborhoods are genuinely distinct - the French Quarter’s wrought-iron balconies and jazz clubs feel nothing like the Garden District’s white-columned mansions, and neither resembles the artsy blocks of the Marigny or the cocktail bars of Uptown. Each area has a different character and different hotel density. The French Quarter concentrates most visitors; getting slightly off the main tourist circuit opens up smaller properties and a more local experience.
French Quarter
The French Quarter is the oldest and most visited neighborhood in New Orleans, and for most first-time visitors it is the right base. Royal Street has the antique shops and galleries; Frenchmen Street (technically in the Marigny but walkable) has the best live music clubs; and Jackson Square with the St. Louis Cathedral faces the Mississippi River waterfront. The French Quarter is loud, especially on Bourbon Street, which operates 24 hours.
Hotel Monteleone - 214 Royal Street. A family-owned landmark since 1886 and a Literary Landmark (Faulkner, Capote, and Hemingway all drank in the Carousel Bar, which literally rotates). 570 rooms across historic and tower buildings. From approximately $200/night as of 2026.
The Roosevelt New Orleans - 130 Roosevelt Way. The grande dame of CBD New Orleans, with the famous Sazerac Bar (birthplace of the Sazerac cocktail) and a ballroom that has hosted every major political figure in Louisiana history. From approximately $280/night.
Soniat House - 1133 Chartres Street. A 19th-century Creole townhouse converted into a 33-room boutique property in the quiet lower Quarter. Courtyard, antiques, and a genuinely historic atmosphere. From approximately $180/night.
Marigny and Bywater
The Marigny sits just downriver from the French Quarter and has Frenchmen Street - the city’s best live music block, with clubs drawing jazz, brass band, and folk performers nightly. It is more residential and affordable than the Quarter, and strongly preferred by visitors who want authenticity over tourist infrastructure.
The Windsor Court Hotel - 300 Gravier Street, CBD. A grand European-style property with afternoon tea service, an art collection, and consistently polished service. From approximately $300/night.
Audubon Cottages - 509 Dauphine Street, French Quarter. Seven private cottages with pools, set around a courtyard in the quiet lower Quarter. From approximately $900 for a full cottage - appropriate for groups or special occasions.
Garden District
The Garden District runs along Magazine Street south of the French Quarter. The streets here are wide, the houses are grand antebellum mansions, and the atmosphere is quiet by New Orleans standards. Magazine Street has a good concentration of independent restaurants and boutiques. The St. Charles Avenue streetcar connects the Garden District to downtown (free or exact change only).
Hotel St. Marie - A boutique property near the French Quarter border with courtyard and pool. From approximately $130/night - one of the better mid-range options in the area.
CBD and Arts District
The Central Business District sits between the French Quarter and the Garden District. The Warehouse Arts District within it has the Contemporary Arts Center, the National WWII Museum (one of the best museums in the US), and several galleries. Hotel rates here are often lower than the Quarter for comparable properties.
The Contemporary Arts Center is an anchor of the Warehouse District - stay within walking distance of it and you are equally positioned for the Quarter (15 minutes on foot) and the Garden District (10 minutes by streetcar).
Compare prices and availability across all New Orleans hotels - Search hotels in New Orleans.
Booking Tips
New Orleans hotel rates have two dramatic peaks: Mardi Gras (February or March depending on the year) and Jazz Fest (last weekend of April through first weekend of May). Both events see rates rise 300 to 500 percent above standard - book 9 to 12 months ahead for these dates. French Quarter Festival in April and Voodoo Fest in October also spike rates. Hurricane season runs June through November; late October through January is the quietest and cheapest period outside of Mardi Gras. Resort fees are less common in New Orleans than in Las Vegas or Miami, but check the total at booking.