126432 Wed Feb 05 16:45:15 -0800 2003 10 9 New Orleans 0 686043 Coming to New Orleans in june for a conference and would like to stay in a great hotel. I have narrowed it down to these 4 choices: Maison De Ville Omni Royal Orleans Windsor Court Hotel Monaco I have not decided whether I'd rather be in the French Quarter or the CBD--any input would be greatly appreciated. Since it will be June I would love a great pool. I'll need to be close to the convention center--but want the most authentic new orleans experience I can find. Can't wait to start looking into where we will dine! Thank you for your help! Wed Feb 05 16:45:15 -0800 2003 0 missnicole5 1 686045 How could you possibly go wrong with the Monteleone? Wed Feb 05 17:47:05 -0800 2003 686043 0 M&M 2 686049 The Monteleone is a nice hotel. However, their standard rooms do not have fitted bottom sheets on the beds. The sheet always manages to be completely pulled out and wrapped around my feet by morning. There is also very loud noise coming into the rooms late at night from party crowds outside on the streets. Wed Feb 05 19:07:00 -0800 2003 686045 0 Gracie 3 686053 You go to sleep when you're in New Orleans? How do you manage to do that and still eat and make the shows at Jimmy's, Maple Leaf, Live Bait, Tips, etc.? Thu Feb 06 10:04:24 -0800 2003 686049 0 M&M 3 686067 From your list i'd say maison de ville but would recommend you check out the beinville house. last time i was in new orleans i stayed there and loved it. some rooms have balconies overlooking courtyards. there is a nice pool. some rooms overlook the mississippi. it's about a mile or so to the convention center--very good location. have a great time! Fri Feb 07 09:57:13 -0800 2003 686049 0 mary 2 686054 Amen to that! Loved the Monteleone. Thu Feb 06 10:14:45 -0800 2003 686045 0 GiGi 1 686046 We stayed at the Maison de Ville on our last N.O. trip. Don't think you can get much more authentic than this hotel is. Very, very charming. We had a room on the street side - you get out on your balcony by opening the big tall windows. Delicious bistro food at their restaurant - just a little cramped seating, though. But a pleasant dining experience. Beautiful courtyard in back. Say hi to the turtle. We loved it. Some may think it's a little close to Bourbon St. but we didn't care. Wish we could have afforded the Audubon Cottages - someday! That's where the pool is. Enjoy your trip! Visit their website for more info and pictures. D. Wed Feb 05 18:16:49 -0800 2003 686043 0 Donna - MI 1 686058 I don't know about the Omni Royal Orleans, but as for your other three choices-- they're all good but all very different. Windsor Court is a beautiful, upscale old hotel, but at least in my experience, not a uniquely New Orleans one. You can get the same experience by staying in just about any Ritz Carlton anywhere in the country. It's absolutely beautiful, but personally, just not what I go to New Orleans for. Maison de Ville is your quintessential old style French Quarter courtyard inn. We were in the carraige house at the back of the courtyard, and weren't bothered by any street noise in the least. Staff was efficient and knowledgeable. This would be my choice from your list-- probably the closest thing to the experience of living in the French Quarter without actually living there. Only downside is that there is no pool. Hotel Monaco is a Kimpton boutique hotel, chic and modern. I travel a lot for business, and stay in Kimpton hotels whenever I can. I like them a lot-- small, modern, with nice amenities. Once again though, staying in the Monaco New Orleans is really no different than staying in the Monaco Chicago, or Monaco San Francisco-- nothing with any particular local character. I'd say even without the pool, do the Maison de Ville. Thu Feb 06 14:15:41 -0800 2003 686043 0 eiko 2 686059 Maison de Ville gets my vote. It is a utterly charming european-style inn located in a spacious old french quarter home with guest rooms in the carriage house, slave quarters and main house. It has one of the best courtyards not in private hands and the service and ambiance is outstanding. The guest rooms are not spacious on a whole but the style and appointments are exquisite. Adjoining the hotel is The Bistro at Maison de ville where Susan Spicer and Dominique Maquet cheffed. Now the Chef is the terrific Greg Piccolo. The Maitre'd there is Patrick Van Hoorbeek (sp)who should not be missed! Also, I'm quite sure that if you stay at the hotel you can also use the pool at the Audubon Cottages a couple of blocks away... Also, keep in mind that the guest rooms on the street side are going to be noisy but that goes with all the hotels in the quarter, really. Thu Feb 06 14:34:13 -0800 2003 686058 0 betty 1 686069 Thank you so much for your help! Now I am thinking I should stay at the Hotel Monteleone--is this my best bet? I think Maison de Ville might be out of our price range but Monteleone and the others are on the conference list and have great rates. I do indeed doubt I'll have much sleep as I will be catching whatever I can at Tips, Jimmy's and Maple Leaf and there will be a day I don't go to the conference and roll out of bed to head to Ugelish's for lunch and bloody mary's! Thank you again Nawlins hounds! You guys are great! Fri Feb 07 11:32:31 -0800 2003 686043 0 missnicole5 2 686072 You have a good time dawlin'and if you run out of things to do downtown just remember that the ponies are running at The Fairgrounds and Liuzza's By the Track is just a block away on Lopez. Have a bowl of gumbo for us. Fri Feb 07 14:47:35 -0800 2003 686069 0 M&M