Our Top Picks
Best overall: Maison Métier
Best for families: The Roosevelt New Orleans
Best luxury hotel: Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans
Best pool: The Garden District Hotel
Best for romance: Columns
Where to Stay in New Orleans
Your hotel decides which version of New Orleans you get. The French Quarter is the classic first-trip base, but it's loud at night. The CBD and Warehouse District have the best hotels and put you a short walk from the Quarter. The Garden District is the prettiest and quietest, with the streetcar to get you downtown. Planning the rest of the trip? Start with our New Orleans travel guide.
Maison Metier
Maison Métier is the hotel we'd book first. It has 67 rooms in the old City Hall Annex on Carondelet Street, with moody interiors by Pamela Shamshiri and jewel-colored marble in the bathrooms. The whole place is guests-only. There's a private living room with wine and cheese in the afternoons and a breakfast room just for guests.
It has its own entrance to Bar Marilou, a Parisian cocktail bar next door. There's no pool on site, but guests can use the one at the Ace Hotel a few steps away. It holds a Michelin Key, and rates have started around $330 a night.
Book it for a couples trip or anyone who cares about design. Skip it if you want big-resort amenities.
The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
The Roosevelt opened in 1893 and is still the grandest lobby in the city. It's a Waldorf Astoria now, with 504 rooms, a spa and a rooftop pool reserved for hotel guests. The Sazerac Bar has been pouring since 1938.
With kids, it's the easy pick. The pool keeps everyone happy, the rooms are big, and the French Quarter is a three-minute walk. Rates have started under $300 a night. It's less personal than the boutique hotels on this list, but it's reliable.
Memoir Warehouse District
Memoir opened in 2024 near the National WWII Museum. Its 43 apartment-style rooms come with kitchens, espresso machines and washer-dryers. There's a pool, a rooftop bar and a restaurant on site.
It's the practical choice for a long stay, a group, or a family that wants a kitchen. It doesn't have the history of the hotels above, but the location is excellent.
Hotel Saint Vincent
Hotel Saint Vincent fills a red brick 1861 building on Magazine Street in the Lower Garden District. It has 75 rooms around a courtyard pool, plus a Michelin Key. The food is a big part of the draw. San Lorenzo does coastal Italian, Elizabeth Street Café does French-Vietnamese, and Paradise Lounge handles drinks by the pool.
It's a short ride from the French Quarter, but you can walk to the shops and restaurants on Magazine. Rates have started around $270 a night. Ask for a Courtyard King if you want a room that opens onto the pool.
The Columns Hotel
Columns is an 1883 Italianate mansion on St. Charles Avenue, a hotel since 1953. Its front porch is the best place in the city for an evening drink, with the streetcar rolling past under the oaks. It has just 20 rooms, and it's earned a Michelin Key two years running.
The rooms are full of character, but they vary a lot because of the old floor plan. There's no pool or gym. Book it for romance and atmosphere. If you need modern amenities, look elsewhere. The upstairs porch and lounge are sometimes booked for private events.
The Garden District Hotel
The Garden District Hotel opened in June 2025 on Prytania Street, a block from the St. Charles streetcar. It has 47 rooms by local designer Jeannine Jacob. The big draw is the heated saltwater pool with the only swim-up bar in New Orleans.
It's bright and relaxed, and a good value for the area, with doubles from around $300. Being newer, service can be uneven. Some guests say the swim-up bar keeps limited hours, so check if that's why you're booking.
Four Seasons New Orleans
The Four Seasons sits in the old World Trade Center tower at the foot of Canal Street, right on the Mississippi. It has 341 rooms and the best river views in town. The Chandelier Bar in the lobby hangs 15,000 crystals over a circular bar, and it's worth a drink even if you're staying elsewhere.
The restaurants are the reason to stay. Alon Shaya runs Miss River, and Donald Link runs Chemin à la Mer, a steakhouse and oyster bar on the fifth floor. There's a rooftop pool and a full spa. It's the most expensive hotel here, and it feels more polished than local.
Neighborhood Guide
CBD and Warehouse District. Home to Maison Métier, The Roosevelt, the Four Seasons and Memoir. You can walk to the French Quarter, the WWII Museum and Emeril's.
French Quarter. The most atmospheric base and the easiest for a first visit. It's loud after dark near Bourbon Street, so pick a hotel on Royal or Chartres if you want to sleep.
Lower Garden District. Hotel Saint Vincent's neighborhood. It has great shopping and restaurants along Magazine Street.
Garden District. The prettiest part of town, with mansions and live oaks along St. Charles. Columns and The Garden District Hotel are here. Use the streetcar to get downtown.
Best Time to Visit and Book
Spring and fall have the best weather. March through May and October through November are ideal. Rates jump hard around Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest (late April into May) and big conventions. For those dates, book three to four months ahead, especially at small hotels like Columns and Maison Métier. Summer brings lower rates but serious heat, which makes a pool hotel worth it.
How to Choose
For a couples trip, book Maison Métier or Columns. With kids, The Roosevelt or the Four Seasons, since both have rooftop pools and big rooms. If you want a fun pool scene, go with The Garden District Hotel. If food matters most, book Hotel Saint Vincent or the Four Seasons. For a long stay or a group, Memoir's kitchens make life easier.
FAQ
What is the best hotel in New Orleans? Maison Métier, a guests-only, 67-room hotel in the Warehouse District with a Michelin Key.
What is the best luxury hotel in New Orleans? The Four Seasons, for river views, a rooftop pool and restaurants by Alon Shaya and Donald Link.
What is the best hotel in New Orleans for families? The Roosevelt. It has a guests-only rooftop pool, large rooms, and it's a short walk from the French Quarter.
Which New Orleans hotels have a Michelin Key? Maison Métier, Hotel Saint Vincent and Columns are all Key hotels.
Which New Orleans hotel has a swim-up bar? The Garden District Hotel, which opened in 2025. It's the only one in the city.
What is the best area to stay in New Orleans? The CBD or Warehouse District for most trips. The Garden District if you want quiet.
How much are hotels in New Orleans? Most of the hotels here start around $270 to $350 a night. The Four Seasons costs more, and rates rise around Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest.