Where Is the Best Place to Stay in New Orleans?

The French Quarter puts you on Royal Street for antiques and cocktail bars, two blocks from Jackson Square, and a short stumble from Cafe Du Monde on Decatur Street. You can cover most of the Quarter on foot in under 20 minutes. The tradeoff is real: Bourbon Street is louder than you expect, even on a Tuesday, and hotel walls are thin. Stay on the quieter Chartres or Esplanade side if noise bothers you. Prices run high for the location. But nothing beats walking to Preservation Hall at 8pm without calling an Uber.

Best for

First-timersshort tripsanyone who wants to be in the middle of it all

Walk times

Jackson Square 5 min
Frenchmen Street live music 12 min
Superdome/CBD 18 min

Skip if: You need quiet sleep, you hate crowds, or you are traveling with young kids

Local tip: Request a room facing a courtyard, not the street. Bourbon Street noise carries three blocks in any direction.

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$168per night

Garden District

Antebellum mansions, Magazine Street shopping, real New Orleans calm.

Mid-range $110-$320/night

The Garden District sits along St. Charles Avenue, where the streetcar runs 24 hours and costs $1.25. Magazine Street cuts through the neighborhood with 20 blocks of vintage shops, coffee spots and local restaurants. The houses on Prytania Street and Coliseum Street are some of the best-preserved 19th century architecture in the South. It is quieter than the Quarter by miles. You are about 25 minutes by streetcar from the French Quarter, which is enough distance to actually sleep. Hotels here tend to be boutique bed-and-breakfasts in converted mansions. Prices are lower than the Quarter for comparable quality.

Best for

Couplesrepeat visitorsanyone who wants local character without the tourist chaos

Walk times

Magazine Street 5 min
St. Charles streetcar 3 min
French Quarter by streetcar 25 min

Skip if: You want to walk everywhere or you are attending a convention at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

Local tip: The St. Charles streetcar stops running briefly around 2am for maintenance. Check schedules if you are out late.

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$123per night

Marigny and Bywater

Frenchmen Street live music, local bars, cheapest beds closest to the Quarter.

Mid-range $80-$210/night

The Marigny starts one block past Esplanade Avenue from the French Quarter. Frenchmen Street is the honest answer to Bourbon Street: three live music clubs within 50 feet of each other, no cover charges most nights, and actual locals in the crowd. The neighborhood runs along the river through Bywater, where Dauphine Street and Royal Street Marigny have the best small restaurants and coffee shops. Accommodation skews toward short-term rentals and small guesthouses. Prices are the lowest you will find within walking distance of the Quarter. It is slightly gritty in parts, which is fine for some travelers and not for others.

Best for

Music loversbudget travelersanyone on their second or third New Orleans trip who already did the Quarter

Walk times

Frenchmen Street 3 min
French Quarter (Esplanade entrance) 8 min
Bywater restaurants 15 min

Skip if: You want a full-service hotel with amenities or you are uncomfortable in less polished neighborhoods

Local tip: Stay within two blocks of Frenchmen Street. Further into Bywater is interesting but adds 20 minutes of walking at 1am.

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$90per night

CBD and Warehouse District

Convention hotels, the best art museums, and a fast walk to everywhere.

Mid-range $100-$300/night

The CBD and Warehouse District run from Canal Street down to the convention center along Camp Street and Magazine Street. The National WWII Museum is here, and the Contemporary Arts Center sits on Camp Street. Hotels are larger and more corporate than elsewhere, which means reliable amenities, easy parking and consistent service. Canal Street puts you at the streetcar hub with lines running to the Garden District and the riverfront. The French Quarter is a 12-minute walk across Canal. It is not the most atmospheric choice, but it is genuinely convenient. Julia Street has the gallery district and several good restaurants worth knowing.

Best for

Business travelersconvention attendeesfamilies who want space and parking

Walk times

French Quarter via Canal Street 12 min
National WWII Museum 5 min
Superdome 10 min

Skip if: You came for neighborhood atmosphere, live music and local bars

Local tip: The Warehouse District end of this zone, around Julia and St. Joseph streets, has much better restaurants than the Canal Street corridor.

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Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

$112per night