The Best Hotels in New Orleans

Also known as the Big Easy, New Orleans is the perfect destination for a cultural getaway. Despite the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the city remains one of the top-ten visited cities in the United States. Why not book a hotel in New Orleans and explore this buzzing cultural hotspot?

When to go to New Orleans

Summers in New Orleans tend to be warm and wet, so if you’re looking to avoid a rainy vacation, then October is the time to visit. The city can also be vulnerable to hurricanes.
The vibrant New Orleans Mardi Gras each February/March is definitely not to be missed. Or visit in April or May for the world famous New Orleans Jazz &-; Heritage Festival.

How to get to New Orleans

Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY) is the city’s primary airport. Many hotels in New Orleans offer a shuttle service from the airport, while taxis are relatively inexpensive. Buses and trains run from 1001 Loyola Avenue in the city’s Central Business District. Three streetcar lines are in operation, including the St Charles line which is the oldest streetcar network in the United States.

What to see in New Orleans

The city’s bustling French Quarter, with many museums and fine examples of French and Spanish colonial architecture draws thousands of visitors, keen to soak up the lively atmosphere. Why not sample some local Creole food in one of New Orleans’ restaurants or chill out to some jazz on Bourbon Street?

Where to stay in New Orleans

Hotels.com offers a great variety of New Orleans hotels & accommodations to choose from in the city, from New Orleans hostels to New Orleans suites. For more information on hotels that can be booked online, including the Omni Royal Palace, New Orleans, in the French Quarter, visit our website.

When are the best times to travel to New Orleans?

Visit New Orleans in the late winter and early spring months – from January through May – and enjoy cool and rising temperatures, alongside an electrifying eruption of festivities, including the inspiring New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and February’s vibrant Mardi Gras, where the streets blaze with carnivalesque parades. During the sweltering summer months, you’ll find plenty of bargain New Orleans hotel rates. The cool and quiet autumn months are also full of discount hotels.

What are the top must-see attractions in New Orleans?

Architecture enthusiasts will enjoy the St Louis Cathedral, a soaring stone temple based in the French Quarter, showcasing a mix of Renaissance and rustic Spanish-Colonial styles, and capped with 3 sharp silver steeples. Nearby, find The Cabildo, a former governmental building – opened in 1795 – designed with stately stone-arched facades and crowned by a tiny bell tower. Today, the building hosts the educational Louisiana State Museum. For more New Orleans heritage, visit the sprawling St Louis Cemetery, an old world labyrinth of marble vaults.

What are the best types of food and restaurants in New Orleans?

New Orleans is renowned for its regional Creole cuisine. Creole food blends French, German and Spanish influences, with roots in West-African cuisine. Think rich, aromatically-spiced seafood, especially crawfish and oysters, gumbo and hearty red beans and rice. The buzzing French Quarter houses many restaurant-bars serving classic Creole cuisine, but for truly traditional New Orleans dining, check out the independent local restaurants in Uptown. The luxury hotels in New Orleans boast fine dining restaurants – so too does the Central Business District.

What are the top things to do in New Orleans?

Stroll around the French Quarter, the city’s oldest neighbourhood. By day, admire the architecture of the old world Spanish rowhouses, inlaid with elaborate ironwork balconies. By night, tour bouncing bars along Bourbon Street, and catch some electrifying New Orleans jazz. For a slice of music heritage, visit Preservation Hall, an intimate and rustic 19th-century space, where live, traditional New Orleans jazz is played every night. History buffs can visit the National WWII Museum, where a huge hanger space showcases relic and real warcraft.

What are some fun facts about New Orleans?

New Orleans has changed hands many times since its foundation in 1718 by Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne. It was ceded to the Spanish, then back to the French, where Napoleon sold Louisiana – and New Orleans with it – to the US, in 1803. After, New Orleans saw an influx of multicultural migration and trade – in fact, New Orleans was so thriving that in the mid 19th century, it was the wealthiest city in the nation. But New Orleans takes another key spot in global history – it’s widely recognised as the birthplace of jazz.

What kinds of public transport are there in New Orleans?

Travel in New Orleans is a breeze, as the city boasts a network of public buses and old-school streetcars which whizz throughout the central areas – the buses run to the surrounding suburbs, too. If you’re planning on spending most of your time in the French Quarter, you’ll find it’s easy enough to get around on foot. Taxicabs are also in abundance if you’re in need of a quick ride. Bicycle rentals are popular in the cooler months.